Any one not on Historic tax?

arthuy

Well-Known Member
Was prompted to have a look at the latest rolling road tax date for historic vehicles.

'You can apply to stop paying vehicle tax if your vehicle was built or first registered before 8 January 1977.'

My build date is around Feb 1977 (cant find my cert) but even my 2200tc was built 14th Jan 1977.

Cant be many cars left that are not exempt. Do you reckon the rolling exemption will continue next year or will I be unlucky again.

Is there any argument to be made that all the 1977 cars were actually built in 1976 and just shipped out when ordered in 1977?
 
I got a certificate stating the date of manufacture was 1975, then took it, insurance, MOT etc down to the Post Office to get Sparky changed to 'Historic.' They didn't even look at any of the paperwork apart from the V5, just changed it.

My bike was manufactured in 1976 but not registered until 1998. I took the V5 down in April and asked to change it to 'historic.' The woman behind the counter said that it needed to be registered in 1976 to change it over, so I explained that it was the manufacture date, and not the registration date. She said that she would try it, and the computer system accepted it. This does suggest that the DVLA computer knows the manufacture dates.
 
That does not apply here in NSW. No reduction for cars over 40 years of age. The only reduction in registration is by going onto historic plates. The downside of course is you cannot use the car on a daily basis. I think from memory you are only permitted to legally drive it 12 times per year, and for club event in the main. Registration costs here in NSW about $350 per annum, plus green slip and insurance. All up over $1000 per year, that £570 every year at the current exchange rate.

Ron.
 
Hi, On one of the forums I frequent there's growing concern that the Government are gearing up to introduce restrictions on use with regard to cars on historic class. Some are not applying for it when they become eligible.

Colin
 
Hi, On one of the forums I frequent there's growing concern that the Government are gearing up to introduce restrictions on use with regard to cars on historic class. Some are not applying for it when they become eligible.

Colin

I fear you are right but it's just gesture politics. How much of an issue are vehicles over 40 years old anyway? A complete non-problem.
 
There was some talk about EU regulations being tightened on historic vehicles including mileage restrictions. Also, the recent discussions on doing away with MOTs for older cars on a rolling basis included restricting mileage, but that was hidden away deep in the proposals.
 
actually I think you will find EU regs will be a problem, mainly as part of brexit deal all 27 countries have agreed UK has to not only carry on paying full contributions but agree to to abide by EU laws and regulations. e.g. human rights. immigration and so on.
in effect we are not leaving 'club' but being relegated to low status and no voting or say on anything. at least one political party is insisting we accept the offers as economic woes and catastrophe will occur. as in fact do many business people with interest in staying in EU or gain from it economically . even our farmers are insisting its imperative we all tens of thousands of immigrants each year or harvests etc will not get 'picked'.
doom and gloom all round. coupled with increasing legislation against emissions we face fewer opportunities to keep cars in daily use. anti diesel sentiment etc . it may? be a way forward IF some cars can be fitted with some form of emmissions assistance such as catalysts ? or different fuels system ? ( alcohol maybe ? .peanut oil etc)
so MOT being I think a good idea even for older cars of any age .. it is really down to insurance companies to take lead here . simply trebling fees where no 'mot' is shown when renewing or in effect .. may be a nice carrot and stick way to encourage it.
I was at Clacton classic car club event saturday ( plough corner ) and enjoying chatting to many owners different and same cars ( yes even rover p6's ) I did notice just one car in particular . didn't make a note of make or model but did note it was in dire need metal rework as even the hinged bonnet was rusted all along hinged assertion .wings doors bubbled through. an alarming sight was when rear ( suicide? door) was opened I can see bad rust section under seat and around door frame ( D post?) to point if I punched it would be sure a fist went right through. so was surprised to se it there until i realised it was pre 1960 and likely had no MOT anyway . ( death trap on wheels?)
 
All interesting chat but can we get back to the original query.

Who has a p6 that isnt exempt from duty are we in single figures?
 
Well, in the EU Germany wears the lederhosen and so far emissions control in cities have specific exemption for cars over 30 years old on H-plates and the foreign registered equivalents. This covers about 380,000 vehicles but with on average less than 10% of the annual distance. So given that's a pro-rata equivalent of about 0.08% of traffic that only underlines how utterly pointless this all is.

I live in Switzerland which is even more into eco legislation (or at least was pre-bilateral agreements) and so far no problem because in reality the vanishing small number of kms covered by older cars mean this is a complete and utter irrelevance. In fact you have a surprising amount of freedom all round. For example you can boost the power by 30% without informing the authorities or your insurance. Their way of controlling emission is to make entering cities by car such a miserable and expensive experience for any vehicle compared to using public transport.

This could of course change, but in truth it would achieve in effect nothing.. The potential problem being 30/40 years now covers some entirely practical cars which can realistically be used like a new one e.g. a Golf GTi.

As it is the suggestion of doing away with MoT or equivalent and limiting mileage is the exact opposite of a practical solution as old vehicles do not deteriorate on this basis. In fact as experience would tell anyone, storage is more a threat to the safe operation of vehicles than use. Certainly enforcing any mileage restrictions are totally unworkable without mandating some kind of black-box monitor. I can chose to register my car as an historic vehicle but I don't. This means my car is tested ever 2 years or so and not every 6. I'm much happier this way and as I save precisely nothing on tax if I went for historic status I don't see any purpose whatsoever. There are no special number plates because these belong to the person, not he car; I use mine for my VW and my Rover.

But, yes, politics exists in its own world somewhat separate from reality and the danger is the old car community has too small a voice and is simply caught up in it. I'm not sure Brexit will work quite the way you think even if legislation is accepted this way as it will mostly centre around trade and therefore new vehicle sales. So most likely new vehicles will continue to adopt whatever EUROx standard and the UK couldn't demand that vehicles need some special adaptation for UK sales. There are some examples of this already for example UK dim/dip requirements and the French yellow tint requirements faded away due to Eu harmonization but neither even today are technically prohibited.

How the roads/taxation/environmental regulations are administered and applied domestically I sincerely doubt will be part of this which may or may not be a good thing. Just a IMHO and why I'd never vote Lib Dem as a classic car person.
 
If on the road mine would still be non historic as first registered in April 77 :(
BUT
I have just received my certificate which shows it was first built and dispatched in Jan 76
So technically it can be changed to historic once I have it MOT'd and tax'd (very soon now)

Interesting to note how long it took Rover to shift the P6 as it neared its replacement.
 
we here in NZ get to have a cheaper registration for over 40 year old cars.
I think if I remember correctly its approx. $50.00 NZ for a year.
You can put it on hold as well if you have it off the road to work on it it (like I have) and then have it put back on.
Great if its registered and then you wish to restore it and you keep putting it on hold till finished and you get to keep the black/silver original plates
 
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