Checklist After Purchasing UK Car

I

InfoSeeker

Registered User
Messages
460
I purchased a car from a person who brings in cars from the UK last Friday, he offers an inclusive price (purchase price of car, vrt & delivery to your door), I am asking for assistance on what I have to do before I can drive the car.

(1) He will be bringing the car in from the north, he is based in Sligo & will drive the car to my house in Cork on Friday next. I presume that the reg will be based on where he first registers the car in Ireland but does he have to do this before he delivers the car? ie could I do this after he delivers the car? I can ask him this question tomorrow but always useful to have some idea of what you are talking about before asking the question:)

(2) Presume that he will need to show me some sort of VRT Cert to verify that he paid it & that the details show that it was for the car I received.

(3) I will sort out insurance on the car but what about tax for the car, ie if I receive this car on Friday evening then can I drive it over the weekend? Or do I have to wait till I get this taxed the following week?
 
Hope these answers help;
1. You should check this with your local VRT office, ideally you would do this to get the details correct ie owners information etc. I'm not sure if a 3rd party can register a car in someone elses name (other than motor trader). Car can be cleared in any VRT office you wish to go to.
2. Yes you need the cert and receipt for VRT payment. Very important.
3. No need for tax until you receive 'log-book' back from car reg office in shannon, you need this to tax it.

Bring a friend when you're collecting the car, ideally someone who is familiar with process as you'll be dead excited when getting the new-car and may overlook something important.
 
I'd never ever buy are car unseen and untested. What if it was a cut and shut? or an insurance w/o? How could you verify it's past and service history?

At the very least a HPI report should be requested.

I think what you are doing is unwise, and you are exposing yourself to a significant financial risk.
 
I think RS2K has it right on the button, essentially you are getting a delivery service but with no guarantee of what's in the box
 
Agreed re the HPI Report, I have requested this from the person I am buying the car from.
He will deliver it to my door next weekend so no money will change hands till this point so I will not be paying unless I have all the documentation that I need, this is what I am trying to work out at the moment.
 
Here is what you wiil need, IMO:

1) The original V5C (log book) from the UK showing previous owner details
2) Revenue receipt for VRT
3) Receipt from seller in the UK (Lex, Car supermarket, Auction House)
4) Full service history stamped in service booklet with receipted invoices
5) HPI check showing VIN, previous owner details and mileage (if shown) on HPI print-out
6) Check for spare-wheel, toolkit and owner's and service manuals
7) Check you have at least two keys and use them both
8) Check audio-system and see do you need "codes" for it

Check VIN plate and engine number with V5C and HPI details, cross-check vehicle mileage with service history and HPI.

If this is genuinely the ex-Lex Leasing car, I wouldn't anticipate problems.

You can insure a car with your insurers based solely on the VIN, you don't need a reg no, but you can't tax it without your VRT receipt, V5C, new reg no and insurance cert.

If I missed anything, please remind me.

Can you get your agent to fax on copies of all documentation before the car is delivered to let you do you own checks?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Pat - many thanks for outlining those points as I would not have thought of all of them.
I will contact him tomorrow & ask him about/for all the issues you raised, excitement is growing as weekend nears as I am moving from a 1996 car to a 2005 car:)
 
8till8 said:
1. You should check this with your local VRT office, ideally you would do this to get the details correct ie owners information etc. I'm not sure if a 3rd party can register a car in someone elses name (other than motor trader). Car can be cleared in any VRT office you wish to go to.
Click to expand...

As you're buying the car from this person, legally they must VRT it before sale. More answers [broken link removed] on the Revenue site.
Leo
 
I still think this is madness. What happens if O.P. doesn't like the car or the way it performs or finds faults in it?

Seems like a very pressurised buying scenario to me.
 
Maybe the OP has already test driven the same model here?

Knows what to expect then ... presuming, of course, that there are no faults.
 
RS2K, you defo have a point re the madness but I have had 2 failed attempts in buying privately, one involved a trip the length of the country.

I am not an expert in cars but this person was used by a few friends & all are raving about the value they got, obviously this is no guarantee. This person has lined up a few cars for me but when they inspected them he advised me to be patient & not go with one of them in particular, ie I wanted to go with one of them but he stated that you plan to have the car for 6/7 yrs so wait a few weeks & I will get a better car.

Of course, this could be a disaster but I hope it will not be.
I will have paid the VRT in advance but this has gone to the Collector General, cheque was crossed to that effect.
When he delivers the car to my house this weekend, then if there is a major problem then I will not purchase it but I hope it does not come to this.

I will update you next week.
 
Best of luck with it InfoSeeker. Buying privately can be rewarding, but can also be frustrating.
 
I picked up the car last Saturday and everything was in order, am thrilled with the result and even counting for the VRT I saved about 5k, a lot of extras with the car also that I was not expecting, ie reverse parking sensor, serviced 2k miles ago, etc.
 
Ya it was a great weekend of motoring as the change from what I had (1.4 Nissan Almera) to this car is pretty dramatic, hoping for years of good driving out of the car.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top