Build dates

[78Sprinter]

Hi All,

I am assuming that with next years MOT exemption and in the same way road fund licence exemption works, if my car was built before 08/05/78 it would be MOT exempt next year? If this is correct, can someone verify its build date for me? It was registered late July 78 on the last of the "S" plates.

Cheers.

[SprintMWU773V]

The two exemption dates are the same. Not of course that you'd be thinking about not getting your car inspected annually would you?

[Carledo]

Your car would need to be built before 31/12/77 to qualify for VED (or MOT) exemption in 2018, which, with a July 78 DOFR is possible but unlikely. A heritage certificate is the only certain way to confirm a much earlier build date (earlier than DOFR that is) it is also the ONLY evidence DVLA will accept.

Steve

[Jon Tilson]

So are all historic vehickes nbow MOT exempt or do we have to wait a bit? That will save me a fortune....at 45 quid a pop.

Jonners

[Carledo]

So are all historic vehickes nbow MOT exempt or do we have to wait a bit? That will save me a fortune....at 45 quid a pop.

Jonners

The legislation does not take effect until May 2018 - and there are caveats still to be confirmed about performance upgrades affecting your entitlement to MOT exemption - but basically YES, if its VED exempt, it will also be MOT exempt. The MOST misbegotten piece of legislation in a long time!

Steve

[RSi]

A heritage certificate is the only certain way to confirm a much earlier build date (earlier than DOFR that is) it is also the ONLY evidence DVLA will accept.

Steve

Where can you get a Heritage Certificate?

[yorkshire_spam]

A heritage certificate is the only certain way to confirm a much earlier build date (earlier than DOFR that is) it is also the ONLY evidence DVLA will accept.

Steve

Where can you get a Heritage Certificate?

https://www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk/ar ... rtificates
I got one for the Spitfire, well worth it as I now know the original colour AND I can prove that it was made in 1977 despite not being sold/registered until May 1978.

[RSi]

A heritage certificate is the only certain way to confirm a much earlier build date (earlier than DOFR that is) it is also the ONLY evidence DVLA will accept.

Steve

Where can you get a Heritage Certificate?

https://www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk/ar ... rtificates
I got one for the Spitfire, well worth it as I now know the original colour AND I can prove that it was made in 1977 despite not being sold/registered until May 1978.

Thanks, can you pm me a photo of what it's like so I see what they're like beforehand, Murdo

[78Sprinter]

Thanks Guys.

I run five classic cars so the MOT is a big cost to me and this has led me to not MOT or Tax (and hence not use) my sprint for the last four years. I agree, I think this exemption is a bad idea as they usually find something on the MOT tests on my cars but at least I could ask them to do maybe a safety inspection at reduced costs say every eighteen months instead. No point having lights / horn / washers checked, I would be more concerned about the structure of the car and steering / brake / suspension / fuel issues. I know the car was built some time around May 78 so no exemption next year. I feel guilty it just sitting there not being used
How many rotten barn finds will be finding their way onto Ebay for stupid money next May declaring they are fit for use as they are MOT exempt?

Cheers for the advice.

[Len Hughes]

There is a points based originality test which will bar quite a few cars from MOT exemption, eg more than 15% power increase. I'm not sure that if a car fails it's points test it fails to qualify for free VED as well.

As Steve said there is a lot of detail yet to be formally announced, and as they say the devil is in the detail.

http://fbhvc.co.uk/members-pages/newsletter-archive/

The above has a bit more info in Issue 6 2017.

[Carledo]

There is a points based originality test which will bar quite a few cars from MOT exemption, eg more than 15% power increase. I'm not sure that if a car fails it's points test it fails to qualify for free VED as well.

As Steve said there is a lot of detail yet to be formally announced, and as they say the devil is in the detail.

http://fbhvc.co.uk/members-pages/newsletter-archive/

The above has a bit more info in Issue 6 2017.

The points test for originality (or 8 point rule) has been in force since 1982 and is well understood. there are a couple of threads on here explaining it and it's ramifications. The new proposal to exclude vehicles with more than a 15% increase in power-to-weight ratio is, at the moment, only a proposal and so far is only going to affect MOT exempt status. FBHVC is fighting it and seem to be winning, it's impractical at best, but until the legislation is formalized, we won't know for sure if the 15% bit will be kept, modified or ditched. Only time will tell. The verdict is supposed to be in this month (but it was SUPPOSED to be in LAST month)

But the 8 point rule only really affects cars that are (or SHOULD be) Q plated. These cars are NOT elegible for historic status, free VED or MOT exemption anyway.

Steve

[Slowmo]

78sprinter - My Sprint was registered in January 1978 but the build date was in June 1977, so there's hope for you yet!

Peter

[xvivalve]

What is the VIN? We can approximate it for you from that and determine whether the cost of a heritage certificate is a good risk, a bad risk, or a waste of money...

[yorkshire_spam]

The system of checking vehicles identity just doesn't work anyway, how many "tax exempt" series land rovers are out there that look amazing like defenders?
The bit that annoys me is that these are clearly ringers and VOSA/DVLA/police all seem utterly dis-interested.

How the fsck are they going to know if you increase the power to weight ration by 15% or more? You can't tell me that every MOT station in the land is suddenly going to dyno every car?
Crazy!

[Carledo]

How the fsck are they going to know if you increase the power to weight ration by 15% or more? You can't tell me that every MOT station in the land is suddenly going to dyno every car?
Crazy!

Well THEIR theory is that testing is un-necessary because they are going to make us declare it ourselves! One legally binding question at tax renewal time does all the work for them! And yes, many people will lie, because they can and will get away with it, which is why the proposal is flawed and useless! This is one of the grounds FBHVC is using to get it amended.
Guy's like me CAN'T just lie, My Vauxhall powered 2 litre Toledo is registered as such with DVLA and has been since 2011. I have gone from a 1296cc 61bhp engine to a 1998cc 135ish bhp unit (and lightened the car considerably) It doesn't take a genius to tell that I have improved my P2W ratio by upwards of 100% and there is at DVLA a paper trail to prove it! So aside from any moral or legal considerations, it would be a bit stupid for me to fib!
Not that I care much, I will continue to have my car tested every year regardless and as currently proposed, this will not affect my Historic VED entitlement. However there are a few ambiguous lines in the current proposal that make me think DVLA will be including this criteria for VED exemption in the future.
This DOES irk me considerably, since I went to a lot of trouble and jumped through loads of buerocratic hoops to keep my car legal and above board. Under the "8 point rule" it has 9 points, it is notified and registered at DVLA as exactly what it is, the engine is of certified provenance and I paid several years VED at a higher rate than I needed to, to stay legal. The last 3 years, it has been VED exempt and NOW they want to move the goalposts and tell me my car is not of "Historic interest"? PAH!

Rant over!

Steve