UK Car Import question (Taxed but no MOT)

Spookstreet

Bit of a newbie here, so go easy on me!

Basically, I am considering buying a small van from the uk. She's a 1992 with 80,000 miles and is fairly cheap compared to what I'd pay here for a similar wagon.

The seller says the van is taxed up until the end of March, but she failed her MOT in December gone. Apparently it failed on the handbrake and needs some welding to the drivers footwell, and he assures me he has the failsheet to prove that this is all it failed on.

ANyway, my question is, what is the situation with driving it to the ferry? I've done a small bit of research, and I'm just looking for some clarification really. I understand that you are not meant to drive without a current MOT, but the van is somehow taxed until the end of the month.

I guess I'm wondering would it be worth the risk of driving it to the port (1.5-2 hours drive)? If it's taxed, and I transfer insruance onto it, what are the chances of them knowing it's not got an MOT and pulling me over for it?

Any advice appreciated.

bazz26

UK police widely use the Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) system and can tell by the car's reg if it is not taxed, MOT'd or insured.

Not sure what effect this has on a vehicle being exported but I would guess that legally the van has to have a vaild MOT if being driven to the ferry port.

Maybe someone else here has more experience in such matters though.

corktina

If they catch you they will take it off you and you will have to pay for the recovery and storage charges until such time as you can go get it...with a tow truck I guess as they wont let you take it on the road. If you fail to collect it, they will crush it.Unlike this two-bit country, they are very hot on MoTs and are actively looking for cars on the road when they shouldnt be.

I would bet that the roads to North and South Wales ferry ports have ANPRs fitted, as well as patrol cars.

They also wont know you have transferred irish Insurance on to it and thats a second reason they may stop you,

macplaxton

In the grand scheme of things, no MOT, is a drop in the ocean compared to no insurance or tax.

I've taken an insured car with tax, but no MOT back to port, but I was only going from West Kirby to Bootle (about 10 miles). Had all my paperwork with me and not a bother.

YMMV.

They key to being pulled by the plod is not to fail the attitude test.

Spookstreet

Thanks for the informative replies folks. Appreciated.

Well, it sounds like it could be a bit risky to drive the vehicle. It would be from Liverpool to Holyhead, so across North wales where I hear there are sufficient amounts of traffic cops on the main road.

Well, If I am to go for it, I have two options. Fly over to 'pool and drive back risking it with my paperwork/tickets in hand if I am pulled over.

Or I can drive over and tow it back. The van is a small Suzuki, so a towing frame can be attached to the front, and it can be towed by any car with a towing hitch. Anybody know if towing is OK, in terms of it having no MOT?

The second option would certainly be more expensive, but maybe I'd be less likely to be pulled.

I suppose there is always the option of driving her back but staying off the main roads as much as possible. Hmmmm....

Spookstreet

Just had another think about it, and wanted to run this idea by some of you. Would this work:

So apparently it is legal to drive a car with no MOT to an MOT centre, as long as you go straight there. So I'm thinking, could I book the car in for an MOT in a garage close to Holyhead, drive there, put the car through an mot (or maybe just cancel it at the last minute!), and then drive the couple of miles to the ferry afterwards.

Cheeky I know, but I cant see why it wouldn't be legit.

Of course, the only reason I'd be doing it is on the off-chance that I get pulled over on the drive back. Atleast then I would have a stronger case if I have it booked in for an MOT, and they can contact the garage to confirm this.

Or would they kick up a fuss about me booking an MOT a 2 hour journey away from where I started?

Any thoughts?

corktina

Spookstreet wrote: »

Thanks for the informative replies folks. Appreciated.

Well, it sounds like it could be a bit risky to drive the vehicle. It would be from Liverpool to Holyhead, so across North wales where I hear there are sufficient amounts of traffic cops on the main road.

Well, If I am to go for it, I have two options. Fly over to 'pool and drive back risking it with my paperwork/tickets in hand if I am pulled over.

Or I can drive over and tow it back. The van is a small Suzuki, so a towing frame can be attached to the front, and it can be towed by any car with a towing hitch. Anybody know if towing is OK, in terms of it having no MOT?

The second option would certainly be more expensive, but maybe I'd be less likely to be pulled.

I suppose there is always the option of driving her back but staying off the main roads as much as possible. Hmmmm....

you cant tow on an A frame in the UK except as an emergency to get the vehicle off the road and if its on its own wheels it still has to have tax and MoT.They have all the angles covered.

The MoT booking thing might work, ive heard of it being done.

corktina

macplaxton wrote: »

In the grand scheme of things, no MOT, is a drop in the ocean compared to no insurance or tax.

I've taken an insured car with tax, but no MOT back to port, but I was only going from West Kirby to Bootle (about 10 miles). Had all my paperwork with me and not a bother.

YMMV.

They key to being pulled by the plod is not to fail the attitude test.

Drop in the ocean it may seem, but they WILL take the vehicle off the road if you get caught. You would not be allowed to proceed with it with no MoT.(and of course they might do you for no insurance as they would deem it invalid with no MoT)

Spookstreet

corktina, cheers for the response. I didn't realise that about the a-frame towing. I'll rule that out so.

I reckon if I buy it, I'll book an mot test at a centre close to the port and then wing it from there. Try to stay off the main roads (sat nav should help with that) and just hope for the best.

If I get pulled I'll be as nice as pie and try to explain the situation. Hopefully they might be understanding, if that situation arises. :rolleyes:

macplaxton

It really depends on how jumped up the copper is and whether he's been rubbed up the wrong way. No MOT, and the usual procedure would to be issue a FPN. If the car had faults a repair/rectify notice.

IMO, using an A frame would be a worse idea. Your average plod wouldn't bother you, but a clued up traffic plod would.

The increase in cameras has corresponded in a decrease in people on the ground. Even The Mad Mullah of the Traffic Taliban has retired.

OP, you're better off finding one that's got all the paperwork in order as it saves potential hassle.

A car without a MOT doesn't have to go directly to/from a pre-arranged test, it can also be to a place for repairs.

Where's this van located anyway?

Spookstreet

It's located just outside Liverpool. So I reckon it's about a 2 hour drive to Holyhead. If I go over this weekend, I might pre-book the mot for the Monday morning, and the drive it back on the Sunday evening. If I get pulled I can just say I'm heading down early to park it up for the night as it's booked for an MOT first thing in the morning. Roads will be quieter on a sunday, and so, less chance of the traffic cops being out in force.

I agree though, it would be a lot handier to wait for another one with all the proper paperwork. But if the price is right on this one, it might be worth the chance!

Yakuza

Why not just get the ferry back from Liverpool? I know it's a good bit longer, but you won't have to drive nearly as much on UK roads, no need to book MOT (you'll have to get it NCT'd in Ireland anyway).

Would the UK police really be that bothered about a vehicle that was going to be exported in a matter of hours?

macplaxton

Spookstreet wrote: »

Try to stay off the main roads (sat nav should help with that) and just hope for the best.

Go route one to port. The quicker you get out the better.

Spookstreet wrote: »

If I get pulled I'll be as nice as pie and try to explain the situation. Hopefully they might be understanding, if that situation arises. :rolleyes:

Aye, I can't see any copper being annoyed if you're completely straight and upfront with them.

The plod cannot seize a vehicle with no MOT. Having no MOT does not make the insurance invalid (Section 148 (2) Road Traffic Act 1988)

They can seize if:

1) You don't produce / satisfy them that you have a licence.
2) You don't produce / satisfy them that you have insurance.
3) You don't stop for them as required to do so.
(Section 165A RTA 1988)

4) Breaking the law either by driving on road without due care and attention
5) Inconsiderately, or driving off-road without lawful authority and in doing so is causing or is likely to cause alarm, distress or annoyance to members of the public.
(Section 59-60 Police Reform Act 2002)

The others are fly-tipping and noise pollution.

No MOT penalty is a FPN for £60 (max fine at court £1000 - that's earnings related etc, so £150 av.) Ask the poice

Anyway, the long and short of it is they cannot seize a car for just having no MOT, they'd have to use one of the excuses above or find an obvious fault with the brakes, steering or tyres.

macplaxton

Spookstreet wrote: »

It's located just outside Liverpool. So I reckon it's about a 2 hour drive to Holyhead.

The way I did mine:

Got a lift to Dublin airport, Sat afternoon. Took a late afternoon flight to Liverpool John Lennon. Got collected by seller from airport and back to his house. Had dinner with him. Looked over the car, drove it back to catch the overnight P&O at 10pm. Arrive in Dublin in the morning.

I know it takes longer, but you get some supper, a kip and breakfast and it saves a lot of driving.*

*16.5 hours out the house and the Mrs thought I was at work

Spookstreet

Yakuza wrote: »

Why not just get the ferry back from Liverpool? I know it's a good bit longer, but you won't have to drive nearly as much on UK roads, no need to book MOT (you'll have to get it NCT'd in Ireland anyway).

Would the UK police really be that bothered about a vehicle that was going to be exported in a matter of hours?

I can't believe I hadn't even thought of that! It's a little more pricey but when I factor in everything else it probably works out around the same anyway.

The length of the journey doesn't bother me in the slightest. In fact, if I do go for it, I'm almost sure I'll do it that way now. I reckon the van is about a 15 minute drive from that Birkenhead port, so it would be perfect. Fly into Liverpool and then spin over and straight onto the boat.

Cheers for the heads up, Yakuza!

Spookstreet

macplaxton wrote: »

The way I did mine:

Got a lift to Dublin airport, Sat afternoon. Took a late afternoon flight to Liverpool John Lennon. Got collected by seller from airport and back to his house. Had dinner with him. Looked over the car, drove it back to catch the overnight P&O at 10pm. Arrive in Dublin in the morning.

I know it takes longer, but you get some supper, a kip and breakfast and it saves a lot of driving.*

*16.5 hours out the house and the Mrs thought I was at work

Haha. Top notch. I think I'll ring the bloke I'm dealing with and get him to stick on a sunday lunch for me so!!

macplaxton

I must add, I was only engaged at the time (mid-March) and didn't tell about the car until about 6 weeks after getting married. She "discovered" is on the drive on a Monday morning (mid-September). I put it there on the Sunday and we did go out that night past it twice. (There was a very similar yellow car there in the same space for about a year, which I swapped it with).

Last one I bought (which is kept in the UK) was for "honeymoon transport". Again, I forgot to mention it until we collected it at the start of the honeymoon. I had a transported by the seller to a mate's house. He did the brakes for the MOT and got it through first time (had sat for 5 years). I was crapping it though as I had to drive it 80 miles (round trip, High Wycombe to Bicester) with no tax as the seller was really slow at getting the V5C to me, so I told him that I would just come and get it.

The only enforcement I saw in 10 days / 1000 miles was a DVLA camera tax van on the Isle of Wight on day 4. They don't pull you, just take a pic and pop it in the post.

Spookstreet

macplaxton, sounds like it worked out well enough for you so. Sometimes a little risk is worth it!

The ferry from liverpool is even more appealing now that I've had a think about it. I could get an afternoon flight, then maybe get the seller to tow the van to the port where if all goes well the transaction can be done there and then. Meaning I wouldn't even be driving it on UK roads with no mot, other than the few hundred yards onto the ship!