Car Tax Questions

[jesyca]

Hi
sorry for long winded post, but all below explains.
heres my situation, I have just bought a car within the last few weeks, havnt received the full v5 in my name yet as can take (according to dvla 4 weeks etc) i do have the new keepers supplement though and all history. the car will only be driven when the weathers good, (not because its a prestigious car or anything like that, its a rear wheel drive, so a nightmare in the winter due to ice/snow and living in a cul de sac street on an incline etc)
so, it was due its mot recently, from what ive read, as long as the car is insured and the car is booked into a garage for a mot, its legal to drive it there without car tax. it passed the mot, so now its got an mot and a (temporary 7 day insurance, additional to my regular annual policy) however the cars clutch needs replacing soon (as under heavy acceleration , it slips, mainly 2nd gear) and i thought if it passed its mot ok, i would get this done.
i have booked it into a garage for a clutch replacement this coming week, (this is my question/query) the car is insured (as a 7 day temporary insurance on my policy) and has a full mot, but no tax, is it ok to drive it to a garage when its booked in for work without tax? if not.....
if i buy 6months tax, to drive it there and back for the work, then i would have to cash it back in as the law states a car cannot be taxed and uninsured, (this is just a 7 day temp ins originally taken for the mot purposes) so to stay within the law, i would have to refund the tax (within 3 days of getting it out and losing 10% of the cost) and declare sorn, however the refund would only be given to the registered keeper of the car (apparently a new law that came into effect from 1st jan 2009) and as yet the details are not updated on dvla record as me as the registered keeper, (dvla state this should be done within 4 weeks or so). I cannot trailor the car to a garage as i dont have one, so what is the best way forward please, thanks jesyca x

[boxtops]

My understanding is that if it's not on the road then it should be declared as SORN, in which case you shouldn't drive it. I' ve googled and found this which may help. http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=597022

why don't you ring DVLA and ask them?

[jesyca]

Hi Boxtops, thanks for your answer, my understanding of the car is that it has been off road for approx 18 months , im assuming the last owner must of sorned it before he either sold it or traded it to a dealer. i bought it from a dealer knowing it had no mot, but had someone check the vosa history to see what it had failed on when it last went for a mot and what work it required for mot, also checked the dvla status of it to make sure it hadnt been scrapped etc.
I just thought there might of been some policy somewhere that i couldnt find relating to temporary work or temp tax situations similar to pre booking a car in for an mot (with no road tax).
I guess its a case of taxing it for 6 months to drive it there and back, then refunding the tax (losing 10%) all within 2 or 3 days of getting out, but the then the headache of IF the dvla records show that it hasnt been updated in my name by then due to dvla been inundated/xmas hols etc, the refund would go to the previous keeper, re the law 1/1/09 its a strange one that some people buying a car must of been in before. I did ring dvla yesterday and asked if they have received the v5 off the trader, all they could say was it was still registered in the previous owner and to wait 4 weeks before ringing them again or to fill in a v62 form and send off with the v5c i have.

[dotty.]

what about asking the garage to come out with their trade plates and take it in for repair for you?

[Graham-W]

It's an expensive way of doing it but, you could book it in for another MOT and have the clutch done at the same time. You don't have to wait for the MOT to expire. You can get one any time you like.

[jesyca]

Thanks again for replies, hadnt thought of that dotty, might see if they charge for that.
Graham, i didnt know you could book another mot only 3 days after passing one, if i was pulled over by the police on the way, wouldnt they think something was suspicious, obviously with driving and the way insurance is these days, i dont want to do anything that will put points on my licence or possibly leave me open to future extortionate insurance premiums .

[ummmm]

Dotty's idea is a good one.

[boxtops]

The V62 sounds a good idea, as does the trade plates suggestion.

[jesyca]

many thanks for all your suggestions and comments.
x

[TWR]

Jes, did you not try the car out before buying? off the road for 18 months!!!! Why? is the dealer trustworthy? there would be no way I would have purchased a car that has been off road for that length of time, if there is a warranty with the car, take it back.

[munchie63]

I'd think you'd have to buy a tax disc.

If you were driving to get an mot done, I can't imagine th epolice would give you a caution if they stopped you, and if you had a pic taken by one of those smart cars you could point out the mot date when quizzed.

your problem now is that it's Passed and mot. So, you're in the same boat as anyone else who drives to a garage to get a new exhaust/clutch/tyre etc fitted.
The cars mot'd and has insurance so should have a valid disc on it. It's up to you how often you then drive the car, but you can't pick and choose when to pay.
I can see you're hoping to put off buying a disc til the spring, but if you're prepared to pay for a new clutch, then buy a tax too

[jesyca]

Hi Twr
I took someone with me who gave it a look over, we both test drove it (on private land i might add) the trader was honest and told us the clutch would require replacement within the next 6 months, tbh you dont notice it at all untill you really do fast acceleration and the price reflected its condition, dont get me wrong im not complaining at all , im happy with the car and all it needed for the test was a cv boot and a rear tyre, so i was very happy with that. The reason it was off road for that long was because the previous owner had lost his job and had it garaged hoping he could get another job as he had spent a lot on it over the years he had it, i have a folder full of receipts, dealer and non dealer and it has been well looked after, however he simply needed transport an couldnt afford two premiums, so he had to sell the car. (or thats what i was told) there was no warranty and tbh i didnt expect any as he was totally upfront when we viewed.
Munchie, i absoloutly agree with you, im not trying to avoid paying the tax, as explained in my original post, just wondered if there was a temporary soloution , like when a car is restored but has no tax or mot on it. i think its easier to just get 6 months tax , but then you can only get a refund for the tax when it is registered in your name and as yet, it will take up to 4 weeks before that happens. thanks again

[TWR]

A bit of advice on this Jesyca, if the car has been standing this long I would get it serviced.

[jesyca]

Hi twr
Thanks, will get the oil and filters done, although the oil looked very clean, like a honey colour? Wasn't black like I've seen before

[TWR]

Just to finish this off Jesyca, all oil, G/Box, Engine coolant & refill with Summer / Winter Antifreeze. when they are doing the Clutch ask advice regards the Clutch cable, Good Luck.