Useful information

How to buy a car in the UK?

Do you like this article?


So, You have decided to buy a classic car in the UK, to bring it to your country and put on record. The first thing, the question arises - how to pass customs, what duties you have to pay, and what You will be released.

Retro cars from the UK

England rightfully occupies the first place among the fans of classic cars. Such a number of retro cars no more in any country of the World! And, that most remarkable, in England there is a prevailing for more than a century long history of the automobile, the culture of ownership of retro cars.
The British like not only British car brands, in a large number of presented and an American classic, a lot of muscle-cars, as well as Italian and German classic cars.
British websites
with classic car ads
carandclassic.co.uk
classiccarsforsale.co.uk
classiccars.co.uk
In the United Kingdom there are many clubs owners of retro cars, regularly hosts major events, where the "veterans" come its course. Most of the retro cars in the country are in good or excellent condition.
I recommend you to buy retro cars it is from England, is a big enough market classics, where there is a good selection and the prices hardly above, than in the USA.
In addition to the largest auction site eBay, the Internet there are a few English websites that specialize in the sale of retro cars. Most of them publish an advert with a fixed price, but there are auctions. Through the Internet are sold in the most widespread model and not in great demand on the market of exclusive models.


The interesting retro cars in England go under the hammer "on the spot". Apart from the well-known auction houses Christie's and Sotheby's (who sell mostly antique cars and super автоэксклюзивы, which for example belonged to Winston Churchill or Princess Diana), there are small firms, which specialize the auctioning of retro cars. Such trades are held in the main at major events, meetings retro enthusiasts and a variety show of automobile classics.
The largest event for fans of classic cars in the UK is an annual gathering of all the British club of the owners of retro cars - Silverstone Classic, which takes place at the legendary British route, the mistress of the races of Grand Prix of "Formula-1". This huge event is usually at the end of July, during the three days of fans and simply lovers of classic cars from all over England and other countries meet together, brought their cars at the show, but someone on sale.
You have a chance to buy a really nice car at auction, which is held in the framework of the Silverstone Classic, and also You can find owners club You are interested model and surely among them will be willing to sell your retro car.

The main UK car auction - ebay.co.uk.
Here is the great choice of modern cars and most classic "retro" auto also sold exactly at this site.
Further I will try to describe all the features of this auction and give you some tips on choosing a car.

Types of lots


In addition to the usual auctions with the growing cost to the English eBay widespread "Classified Ad" - a kind of advert with a fixed price. Usually the authors of such ads trying to sell your car in one of many resources and put the price for which immediately surrender the car. Pitfall of these lots in the fact that choosing the proposal of "Classified Ad" you have no guarantee that you will be able to purchase a car. It is quite possible that the owner of it has already managed to sell, and the announcement from all sites have so far not removed.
"Classified Ad with Best Offer" - more loyal to the buyer lot. Here you have the possibility to offer to the seller of its price, if the option you think is overpriced. On the other hand, sellers often use this opportunity to simply assess the demand and the market value of their car. The fact of purchase of the sale of cars in this case, again, is not guaranteed.

It is best to participate in most conventional auctions eBay with the growing price. Putting the machine for sale thus, the seller usually anywhere else is not trying to sell it and, in the case of victory, you have all chances to pick up the car. Besides, according to the rules of eBay, the sellers may be sanctioned if they refuse to sell a lot to the winner of the auction.
Often in such auctions can be close to the current price to see the inscription "Reserve not met". It means that the seller set the minimum price for the lot (the"reserve price") in which he agreed to the deal. If the auction will end with a lot price, less the "reserve price" - the auction will be declared invalid.
"Buy It Now" - this "fast track" option usual auction, but the opportunity for bargaining is not available here. The seller offers for the price that he just sell the car. The "price of the immediate purchase of" often the case in conventional lots with the growing price, so if You really liked the car and you are afraid to lose it - it's better to buy at this price and not worry :)
There is also the option of "Buy It Now with Best Offer" - you can offer to the seller of the option price, if his proposal does not suit you.

Description lots


In the description of the lots on the eBay you can find a lot of useful information, on the basis of which it is easy to make a preliminary conclusion about the state of the vehicle.
In addition to the usual technical data, such as the volume of the engine (Engine Size), power (Power), stroke (Mileage), fuel type (Fuel), you should pay attention to the following indicators:
MOT Expiry - inspection prior to that date. If the field is not filled - I advise you to specify the index of the seller and to refuse from buying a car with overdue техосмотром. Exceptions can be made for the retro-cars, which the bulk of the time are in the garage and the masters of the far not always are with them the annual inspection.
Road Tax - the tax paid by a specified date. Usually on the left side of the windshield at the British machines fastened round pass on the paid tax. It is best to buy a car with already paid taxes. Cars older than 40 years in the UK are released from payment of road tax.
To pay the tax themselves, fill in the form V10, which can be obtained at any post office. Together with this form You should show the mail clerk documents:
1. Registration document V5C (or part of it with data on the new owner).
2. Certificate of insurance.
3. If the car is older than 3 years, the current certificate of suitability and safety on the road (technical inspection) - MOT test.
Postal employee only check the documents, take with you the road tax and will give a sticker on the windshield, which should be glued to the left side. The cost of the tax on a year - about 100 pounds, you can pay for half a year.
Remember, driving a car without a checkup and paid road tax (data contained in the database, and the control is carried out surveillance cameras along the road) is fraught with huge fines (in the region of 2000 pounds) and the evacuation of the vehicle to the penalty Parking lot.
V5 Document - the existence of the registration document for the car. "Present" means that the documents are available. V5C or "Log book" are not always available from the seller and this is quite normal, as this document is not required to have with you, sitting behind the wheel. But I do not advise you to buy a car without this document, as this may delay receipt of your new certificate of registration. For more details on registration document V5C ("Log book") I told in the "Registration document V5C".
Previous Owners - number of previous owners (except present). Together with a run on that figure one can judge about the current condition of the vehicle. In the registration document V5C indicate this figure, therefore, hide it or change the seller is impossible.
the Service History - the history of car maintenance. In England know how to twist mileage, so having confirmed by the service of history is your guarantee to get the car with the actual mileage and knowledge of all his problems.
Item location - the city where the vehicle is. Sometimes it is better to pay more but to buy a car closer to London than to buy cheaper, but to go for auto in Scotland.

Communication with the seller


If you selected car at auction and are ready to buy it - not in a hurry, write to the seller, using the link "Ask a question".
Most of the owners want to sell your car the same Briton, not all be happy to know that the winner of the auction is abroad.
The first thing is to write about what You liked the car, but you are abroad and, probably, you will need some time to come and pick up the purchase.
Recently, eBay offers sellers the opportunity in the settings lot select the country, the users of which will be able to bet. Many, of course, choose only the United Kingdom. Therefore, if you have not made a bid, or have done, but the system has not approved it - be sure to ask the seller to include your country in the list of "allowed".

Adequate will be, if the seller will ask for an advance payment for a car (only after you win a lot!), but be careful! The size of the advance payment should not exceed 500 pounds and in any case not pay it via Western Union. The only option of payment, which guarantees you a refund if you change your mind, the machine does not like it, etc.) is the payment via PayPal. PayPal guarantees the refund within 60 days from the date of payment.
If you buy леворульную car in England at a low price, and the seller requests to make a Deposit via Western Union is at 95% of the fraud.

How to win a lot


If you are sure that this car is what you need. If you contacted the seller and he is not opposed to wait until you get British visa and pick up the car. Don't rush to make bets and try to "win" the rest of the participants of the auction. The bulk rates is done in the last couple of days of the auction and the price of the car can grow in a single day in a few times, so once again "warm" it is not worth it - it's in your best interest.
I would advise you to make 1 small (slightly above the current), the rate in advance in order to make sure that any restrictions on the participation in the auction for you there is no technical opportunity to win you have.
For 2-3 minutes before the end of the trades you need to do only one - the "primary" bet. In advance, decide what is the maximum amount you are willing to pay for the car. This number needs to be entered before the end of trades. Remember, eBay will automatically calculate the lowest possible rate and puts it was her and not the biggest one, which you have indicated. Don't be afraid to overpay. Remember, the current rate is not the limit, which is ready to pay for the lot the current leader of the trades. It is possible for example, that the rate of 500 pounds - this is just the minimum necessary at the moment, but in fact a market participant pointed out rate in the amount of 2000 pounds. Therefore, making a bet of 1500 pounds in this situation, you will inevitably lose, and the price of the lot will rise from 500 up to 1510 pounds.
So, once again, in advance, decide how much the maximum you are willing to pay for a car and do exactly this bet. It is possible that in a second attempt you have not enough time.

Meeting


So, you're in the UK: met with the owner and the machine itself. First of all look for the seller's account, if you see in front of an Indian or Arab - it is worth to think about the advisability of buying. Of course, it is unlikely that you will sell "criminal" car, but buy a bucket with nuts instead of the normal auto chances are very good. In General, beware of representatives of various diasporas.

Trial trip minutes by 20-30 - this is a mandatory condition before buying a car. Not fundamentally sit behind the wheel - if there are any problems, you will notice it. And don't forget to look under the hood. Sometimes the machine produces such a wonderful impression that it is possible to forget - now in any case don't forget!

Documentation


If the car is OK - go to the documents. A set of minimum, which should be at the owner of the machine: the certificate on registration of V5C (a large document format A4 4 pages), the paper checkup passage - MOT test (1 sheet of A4 format) - for the cars older than 3 years, the coupon for payment of road tax tax disc (round piece of paper is usually attached to the left side of the windshield). The absence of any of these securities or even all of them together - not fatal, but seriously complicate you the processing of the documents and the delivery of the car.
In England, to re-register the car on the new host, do not need to travel anywhere. The buyer did not have to do anything: together with the seller, you enter information about yourself in his old registration document V5C, he leaves you with the machine part of this document, and the other part sends the DVLA - the British equivalent of our MREO. For more details on registration document V5C (or "Log book") I told in the "Registration document V5C".
In addition, the seller must give you a receipt - a document that, what kind of car did he sold, when and at what price. Bill of sale may be either a physical person (sometimes even in a written form), as well as from a legal (must be printing).


Nikita Volgin

Do you like this article?