Releasing Vehicle Seized By The Police

[giblet]

Bit of a strange thread but bear with me folks.

Went to view a Lexus LS400 on Thursday that was for sale down the road from me. After having a look around the car I asked the seller (a young student) if we could take the car for a drive and showed him my insurance certificate with DOC cover.

He told me it wasn’t currently insured, which set my alarm bells ringing. He offered to take us out for a drive as a passenger instead, something which would later prove very foolish.

We went for a short drive round the block, as we were pulling back into his street the grey unmarked X5 put it’s lights on and we were pulled over. The seller was charged for driving without insurance and the car was seized.

This then leads me on to this thread. I’m still interested in buying the car. The seller is obviously up st creek without a paddle. He can’t afford to insure the car to have it released and the storage costs are building up. Would I be able to buy the car from him, take the freshly filled in V5 and proof of insurance and have the car released?

I asked WYP the same question via their online chat earlier today and they said it was fine. I rang them to double check and was given a completelt different answer. At this rate I’ll have to go down to the HQ and ask in person!

[giblet]

That’s what I was told online but the officer on the phone said the opposite.

I’ll drop by the station tomorrow and see what they say in person. If they confirm that I can buy the car then I’ll make him an offer based on the recovery and storage costs.

[giblet]

edthedead said:

Or find another one that'll be far less hassle, depends how much you want it really!

This is what I ended up doing, feel sorry for the owner of the car that was seized but it was a risk that he knowingly took.

[giblet]

I’ve bought another LS400. The reason why I was after this one was because of the price and service history. That and I needed one as soon as possible so I could start applying for a carnet de passage.

Car will be used on a rather silly roadtrip at the end of March. I’ll start a proper thread on it once everything is sorted.

[giblet]

Durzel said:

Kinda irrelevant now but why did you accept a passenger ride when you knew the car wasn't insured?

No real sympathy for the owner taking a chance, and I'd take a dim view of him offering a test drive, but at the same time I wouldn't willfully put him in a position where he risks losing his car.

The seller had been using the car every now and then despite it being uninsured and SORN’d. Whilst I feel bad for him, he offered and took the risk upon himself.