Buying an accident damaged car and driving it home??
Discussion
Looking at buying a car with light front end damage, no damage to lights, steering etc, just missing a front bumper, damaged air con radiator etc.
The question is, would I be allowed to drive it home (to a place of repair).
I could take the new bumper with me and fasten it on so the car would be safe in terms of hitting pedestrians etc, Insurance is easy enough to sort out, but if it's recorded as damaged (cat D) does it need to be checked after the repair, on this basis can you drive it to a place of repair with no tax etc? as you can with a car with no MOT?
If it's not recorded, presumably I just need to tax and insure it, bolt the bumper on and drive home as if it was a non-damaged car?!
Just don't have access to a car and trailer, and a lack of cash for transporting it?!
The question is, would I be allowed to drive it home (to a place of repair).
I could take the new bumper with me and fasten it on so the car would be safe in terms of hitting pedestrians etc, Insurance is easy enough to sort out, but if it's recorded as damaged (cat D) does it need to be checked after the repair, on this basis can you drive it to a place of repair with no tax etc? as you can with a car with no MOT?
If it's not recorded, presumably I just need to tax and insure it, bolt the bumper on and drive home as if it was a non-damaged car?!
Just don't have access to a car and trailer, and a lack of cash for transporting it?!
john_p said:
I'd drive that. Maybe not at night though, the headlights are probably all over the place.
Make sure your ins co know, and make sure it isn't a cat C (in which case a VIC check needs to be done)
The headlights will be solid as they mount on a single pin further back so I'm happy there is nothing up with them, I very much doubt it will be catC, that really is very little damage and looks like just the bumper has been ripped off, the radiator carrier would be next in line for being hit and that looks intact too.Make sure your ins co know, and make sure it isn't a cat C (in which case a VIC check needs to be done)
I'm happy to drive it, just wondered what the regs are thats all....
Cupramax said:
So what ARE you asking then? If you've fixed it, insured and it has just a dent in the bonnet remaining, whats the problem?
it wouldn't be fixed, just have a plastic cover over the damage, I was wondering if there are any restrictions on driving it if it has been recorded as a CAT D, i.e. does it need an MOT or similar following the repair, and if so can I drive it prior to getting the MOT or similar test!Assuming of course it still has an MOT & TAX!
Id consider ringing your local mot station and booking it in for a mot before driving it anywhere, as long as its not hundreds of miles.
This way if you are stopped by the police you have done as much as you can to stay within the law (trailing it back would be for the best though).
As you car would have to pass a mot before going for a vic test (if its a cat C) this is the first thing you have to do.
It actually may be better for you if the car was a cat C as you have an excuse not to have the v5 document as well.
Hpi it first before going to collect it.
This way if you are stopped by the police you have done as much as you can to stay within the law (trailing it back would be for the best though).
As you car would have to pass a mot before going for a vic test (if its a cat C) this is the first thing you have to do.
It actually may be better for you if the car was a cat C as you have an excuse not to have the v5 document as well.
Hpi it first before going to collect it.
b4bby said:
Id consider ringing your local mot station and booking it in for a mot before driving it anywhere, as long as its not hundreds of miles.
This way if you are stopped by the police you have done as much as you can to stay within the law (trailing it back would be for the best though).
As you car would have to pass a mot before going for a vic test (if its a cat C) this is the first thing you have to do.
It actually may be better for you if the car was a cat C as you have an excuse not to have the v5 document as well.
Hpi it first before going to collect it.
Going to do a HPI check on it later today when they send me the registration number, no issue with not having a V5, just bought the car and would have a receipt, wouldn't be able to MOT it until I've fixed all the damage, planning on fitting the bumper purely to make it safe and road legal, just wanted to clarify if it would be road legal!This way if you are stopped by the police you have done as much as you can to stay within the law (trailing it back would be for the best though).
As you car would have to pass a mot before going for a vic test (if its a cat C) this is the first thing you have to do.
It actually may be better for you if the car was a cat C as you have an excuse not to have the v5 document as well.
Hpi it first before going to collect it.
Annoyingly the only tow car in the family is the Volvo that will become a parts donor so towing would involve a 3rd party, and a 3rd party would want cash for towing a car 200 miles!!
Of course, I could fit the numberplates off my volvo then unplug some bits and call the AA to recover my broken down car!!
I'm joking of course and I'm not going to try to scam the AA, I think they would notice the difference when it comes to diagnosing the fault with a diesel and finding it's fitted with a petrol engine!!!
Legally you would not be able to drive that on the road to take it to a place to have it fixed before its booked in for an MOT. Doesn't quite work like that.
One way to POSSIBLY get away with it is to do as you said (ie reattaching bumper etc) and then get it booked in for MOT.
SHOULD you get pulled and Mr Officer believes that the vehicle is unroadworthy (though can't see why tbh) you COULD claim that you are taking it for its MOT test to decide on the viabilty of repairing it.
I think you'd need to find a very p****d off Traffic Officer to drag this one through the books.
Probably wouldn't recommend the AA idea, whilst good in theory you can open up a whole can of whoop ass on yourself should anything happen. Like 'ringing' for example, suspicion of theft of motor vehicle etc etc. You want that????
One way to POSSIBLY get away with it is to do as you said (ie reattaching bumper etc) and then get it booked in for MOT.
SHOULD you get pulled and Mr Officer believes that the vehicle is unroadworthy (though can't see why tbh) you COULD claim that you are taking it for its MOT test to decide on the viabilty of repairing it.
I think you'd need to find a very p****d off Traffic Officer to drag this one through the books.
Probably wouldn't recommend the AA idea, whilst good in theory you can open up a whole can of whoop ass on yourself should anything happen. Like 'ringing' for example, suspicion of theft of motor vehicle etc etc. You want that????
I can't see why he wouldn't be able to drive it on the road.
If it's a cat C or cat D it's still MOT'd, taxed and insured then it can go on the road. He could only be stopped if the var wasn't deemed to be roadworthy. Fitting a bumper on the front would get round this.
You can't book it in for an MOT 200 miles away just to get round some rules - that won't work.
If it's a cat C or cat D it's still MOT'd, taxed and insured then it can go on the road. He could only be stopped if the var wasn't deemed to be roadworthy. Fitting a bumper on the front would get round this.
You can't book it in for an MOT 200 miles away just to get round some rules - that won't work.
john_p said:
But does it have a MOT or not ?
I think so, yes, but if it doesn't then I can legally drive it as long as it is roadworthy and going to a place of repair, even if this is 200 miles away! I also wouldn't need to tax it if this was the case!So in short, if it doesn't need a VIC (I.E. isn't CAT C or above) then I can drive it, which was all I wanted to know
Edited by Petrolhead_Rich on Monday 21st March 12:57
Kentish said:
Rich;
Be careful about driving it on the road with body panels or bumpers temporarily fixed as BiB may see it as unroadworthy.
I was pulled for doing the same and got a fine and 3 points.
K
They would be bolted on, and to be fair £60 and the insurance hike 3 points will give will probably still be cheaper than transporting it!!Be careful about driving it on the road with body panels or bumpers temporarily fixed as BiB may see it as unroadworthy.
I was pulled for doing the same and got a fine and 3 points.
K
Just out of interest, what was the points/fine for? Un-Roadworthy Vehicle???
CampDavid said:
I believe you can drive it locally. 200 miles is not local.
VIC test makes absolutely no odds. A VIC test is only to allow the DVLA to reissue the V5.
No mention of locally, but I accept the point and as above, I'm fairly certain it has an MOT, just waiting for the seller to get back to me....VIC test makes absolutely no odds. A VIC test is only to allow the DVLA to reissue the V5.
Direct.gov said:
It is generally an offence to use on a public road, a vehicle of testable age that doesn’t have a current test certificate, except when:
- taking it to a test station for an MOT test booked in advance
- bringing it away from a test station after it has failed the MOT test, to a place of repair
- taking it to a place, by previous arrangement, where problems that caused the vehicle to fail its MOT test, can be repaired
- bringing it away from a place where the problems with the vehicle have been repaired
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