Car back on the road in UK

[Gabe H Coud]

Looking for feedback from people about the logistics of  putting a car back on the road in the UK from Thailand(or indeed from anywhere abroad). But specifically not for the owner(me) but for use by another. 

 

This is my scenario. My car has been sat outside the house for 3 years(yes needs a new battery, I have a local mechanic guy and  can organise that from here). 

My best friend in New Zealand is visiting the UK this summer and wants to be able to use my car for 2 months. 
But the car has no tax(it is SORNed) no insurance or Mot 

 

So practical steps to get my car back on the road so that he can use it?

 

MOT 
I can telephone my guy and organize this. The lack of road tax isn't a problem he can drive on the road without tax as long as going for MOT. I think the cost of the certificate is £55?

VEHICLE EXCISE DUTY(Tax)
the VED as far as I know can be done easily over the telephone in 5 minutes. You just phone DVLA, you follow the automated phone system, give the details of the vehicle to tax it and give card details to pay. He would have to pay for 6 months minimum (about £91)
I'm assuming that anyone can tax a car(and pay) via this automated system. Assuming all they need is the 16 digit number on the V5C document. So I'm assuming he could do that on arrival 

 

INSURANCE 
I've no knowledge of this. Can my friend in NZ  just insure himself and wife for a car abroad? (full vehicle  details will naturally be supplied) ie what is needed to insure a car in UK? 

 

looking for feedback from people re this scenario

 

TIA 

[HauptmannUK]

This could get expensive....

 

If the car has been outside for three years the brakes will certainly need stripping and cleaning up. Fuel will have gone off.

Tyres may well be in poor shape.

The way we deal with cars that have been standing a long time is check all safety related components (tyres, brakes, steering) to ensure the car is not dangerous to drive. Drain and fill with fresh fuel. Then take the car to an MoT testing station and use the failure/advisory list to guide repairs.

The current maximum price of an MoT test is £54.85.  Most sites discount a little. We charge £50 to retail customers and £45 trade, for example.

You are permitted to drive a car without an MoT or road tax to the MoT testing station ONLY. However you must have an appointment (give them reg. no.) and you must have insurance in place. If the car is not roadworthy you could still be prosecuted for driving an unroadworthy vehicle (e.g. if involved in a collision and police attend). Note that if the car breaks down and there is no valid MoT in force then many breakdown companies will not attend (they check the MoT status online).

Once the MoT is passed you can tax the car. Tax can be most easily done online using the serial number off the V5c form.

I think the two month insurance for your NZ friend could be a problem. I doubt NZ insurance would cover him. Possibly best to approach a specialist UK broker like Adrian Flux or Sterling Insurance.  I know that Admiral Insurance will temporarily add a foreign visitor to a UK driver's policy - but maybe not viable with you being in Thailand.

[liddelljohn]

standing for 3 years may mean tyres are no good and other items may not work properly , seized brakes is  common , will need MOT and pass emmisions test and full service oil change at least  ,, Getting temporary insurance as a non resident on Foreign license likey to be very pricey and you can MOT with no tax but  cant get Tax without MOT , what make of cars is it

 

may work out cheaper to rent a vehicle if  costs of getting your car and insuring and taxing it are too high.

 

I keep a car in Uk but  its garaged and  used 6 months of the year , my wife is Thai but even with 20 year NCD in Thailand  getting her insurance for 3 months in UK is now too expensive , also my Austrian cousin  was quoted silly money . both were in region of £850 for 3 months when the normal insurance for me and daughter is  £420 a year   it was better before 2012 , montly foreigner rates were  were only about £75  a month fot my wife for 3 months , but insurance rule  changes scuppered that

Edited January 20, 2023 by liddelljohn

[Gabe H Coud]

13 hours ago, liddelljohn said:

standing for 3 years may mean tyres are no good and other items may not work properly , seized brakes is  common , will need MOT and pass emmisions test and full service oil change at least  ,, Getting temporary insurance as a non resident on Foreign license likey to be very pricey and you can MOT with no tax but  cant get Tax without MOT , what make of cars is it

 

may work out cheaper to rent a vehicle if  costs of getting your car and insuring and taxing it are too high.

 

I keep a car in Uk but  its garaged and  used 6 months of the year , my wife is Thai but even with 20 year NCD in Thailand  getting her insurance for 3 months in UK is now too expensive , also my Austrian cousin  was quoted silly money . both were in region of £850 for 3 months when the normal insurance for me and daughter is  £420 a year   it was better before 2012 , montly foreigner rates were  were only about £75  a month fot my wife for 3 months , but insurance rule  changes scuppered that

It's a C class Merc. It was close to 4 yrs old when I bought it. Hard to believe its 7 years old next month. Only done 24000 miles 

 

Yes I would mot it beforehand so he could tax it 

 

The thing is whether he uses it or not(he's checking temporary insurances costs now) I think I need to get the car going and 'serviced' and run around for a few days. Otherwise I'm concerned it's just going to seize up. I would then get it used every 2 months by family 

 

Once I've done that and my pal has weighed up the cost of hiring versus the cost of a free rental(well, he pays tax and insurance only) then a decision can be made 

 

Failing that I might sell it as its a depreciating asset that has an ongoing maintenance burden

 

Lastly the most annoying thing about this is that I bought that car 3 weeks before I came here. With hindsight I should've just rented knowing I was coming here but I thought I would return occasionally. As it happens I now have no interest in UK 

 

Thanks for the input much appreciated 

 

 

[HauptmannUK]

11 hours ago, Gabe H Coud said:

It's a C class Merc. It was close to 4 yrs old when I bought it. Hard to believe its 7 years old next month. Only done 24000 miles 

 

Yes I would mot it beforehand so he could tax it 

 

The thing is whether he uses it or not(he's checking temporary insurances costs now) I think I need to get the car going and 'serviced' and run around for a few days. Otherwise I'm concerned it's just going to seize up. I would then get it used every 2 months by family 

 

Once I've done that and my pal has weighed up the cost of hiring versus the cost of a free rental(well, he pays tax and insurance only) then a decision can be made 

 

Failing that I might sell it as its a depreciating asset that has an ongoing maintenance burden

 

Lastly the most annoying thing about this is that I bought that car 3 weeks before I came here. With hindsight I should've just rented knowing I was coming here but I thought I would return occasionally. As it happens I now have no interest in UK 

 

Thanks for the input much appreciated 

 

 

My family's business back in the UK is used car sales, service, etc.  Established by my grandfather 102 years ago!

We market on the basis of being an MB and BMW specialist - mostly dealing/servicing cars 3 - 12 years old.

My take on your situation is that you would be best to fettle up the car, get an MoT on it, a thorough valet and then get it sold.  Used car prices in the UK are very high at the moment but there is an expectation in the motor trade that prices will fall back during 2023 as new car supply improves and used car demand slackens off. Now would be a good time to offload it. If you don't want a relative to sell it privately you can get quotes from WBAC/BCA or Motorway.

[Robin]

Road tax should not be a problem as it is for the car to be on the road, not for the owner, but insurance could be difficult.

My experience of UK insurance companies is that they do not want to insure anyone who is not UK national,  resident in UK.

(I was refused insurance because I lived 9 months of year in Thailand and was not classified as UK resident.  

Finally got insured after appeal and proving that i was UK national, born in UK of parents born in UK.

'Short term' insurance is also expensive, so it might be cheaper/easier for you to insure your car for a year with friends as named drivers . Check the small print.

[stubuzz]

1 hour ago, Robin said:

'Short term' insurance is also expensive, so it might be cheaper/easier for you to insure your car for a year with friends as named drivers . Check the small print.

When i return to the UK, i insure my car for a year and then cancel when i leave. The insurance company usually takes a 50 pound admin fee plus a pro rata fee for every insured day.