Risk it or not???

[Jaymzfc]

Hi all,
I'm in a bit of a dilemma and need your opinions. The wily im buying will be mot'd and insured but not taxed. I need to drive it from Cambridge to Dover as part of my trip to Malta. Now basically i'm a bit worried if i get pulled over what would happen, i will have the insurance and the proof of the ferry and export documents, i know i can tax it but thats 100 odd quid which is a lot considering the cost i have to drive from the UK.
What would you do in my position. I know it prob depends on the individual copper.

tks
Jaymz

[kenny]

Tis a bit of a dilema. If you did tax it you can reclaim unused tax when you arrive home. Post offices here have a form to claim back unused tax. If you did it straight away, of £100 you would probably get back about £80, they would keep a full month + about £20 admin. The chances of driving from Cambridge to Portsmouth without passing an automatic number plate recognition camera are pretty remote, if you did trigger one it would verify the vehicle was insured and mot’d and procedings for having no tax would be sent to the address registered at the DVLA, probably the sellers who would inform them of your address. I have no idea if they would persue you in Malta. Where are you going after Portsmouth? If you are driving on continental roads in a UK registered vehicle you still need to fully comply with UK laws to remaim legal. If It was me I would get the tax and claim it back as soon as I arrived, less agro than dealing with authorities here.

[16v_paddy]

totally agree with Kenny there, best thing is to tax it then just claim the rest of it back

[stevie_b]

There is no admin fee when you cash it in, but you can only claim back 'whole' unused months, so it will effectively cost you the £15 'monthly' cost to just use it for the day or two, but to be honest I'd think that is a small price to pay to avoid having to worry all the time whilst on your 200 mile motorway journey As said above, I would think a tug from an ANPR system is a distinct possibility on the M11/A2/M20 that you'll probably be using. I'd probably risk it if it was on Maltese plates, as they would have no immediate way of knowing whether it had valid tax or not, but with UK plates it would come straight up on the system and you'd run the risk of having the car confiscated, which knowing how much effort you have gone to to import it would be terrible. I know it's yet more hassle and paperwork on your 'mission' but I'd play it safe Good luck with your trip too - we look forward to hearing about its adventures in Malta.

[Wobba]

I would tax it. It will save you a lot of stress on the journey and avoid potential problems that may arise.

[MatBrown]

Just a couple of points.
He would struggle to claim the tax back as the vehicle/V5 has to be in your name and he is not changing the name on the logbook, just exporting it to another country where they will have their own registration system.
There is a 10% charge for buying 6 months tax which is not available on refunds.
Not sure if our system would recognise the insurance policy he has from Malta?


Mat.

[stevie_b]

Good points Matt. Dunno what he should do then.

[kenny]

Good points but to come so far, through so many problems, to risk loosing it between Cambridge and the ferry to some spotty cop who needs a nick for his quota, not worth the risk, tax it and try to get a refund, or dirty up the plates and drive at night.

[Jaymzfc]

Tks guys , i think ill just tax it if anyone tried to take the car off me i would produce my UZI 9mm and spray everyone, and start crying like a little baby, and worst of all my wife would definetly slap me hard as i've driven her up the way talking about the car.

so tax it is i guess, now if the car isnt in my name how can i tax it if i dont have a uk address? and i need to keep the v5 for proof of purchase when i get to Malta????

[Wobba]

Tks guys , i think ill just tax it if anyone tried to take the car off me i would produce my UZI 9mm and spray everyone, and start crying like a little baby, and worst of all my wife would definetly slap me hard as i've driven her up the way talking about the car.

so tax it is i guess, now if the car isnt in my name how can i tax it if i dont have a uk address? and i need to keep the v5 for proof of purchase when i get to Malta????

There is a new keeper part on the V5 isn't there? Can't they just use that at a post office? Then you can keep the V5 itself :D