Lancia Motor Club

From FBHVC press release:

Owners of classic vehicles received another boost in the Budget. Classic vehicle tax exemption has been moved forward by a year, so vehicles built before 1January 1974, will now qualify for a free VED disc from 1 April 2014. Previously this applied only to vehicles built before 1 January  1973.

Motorists wanting to declare their vehicles as being off the road will no longer have to do so on an annual basis, because SORN declarations are now open ended. Commenting on this change Mr Whale said, “Whilst I can understand the Government wanting to reduce administration costs by this move, the removal of the obligation to declare SORN annually will make it more difficult for historic vehicle researchers to trace and track vehicles in long term restoration or storage.”

The road fund licence pricing system remains unchanged, and the Chancellor confirmed that the Government has no plans for significant reforms to VED in this parliament.

Tim

I missed that, good spot. Having a search around doesn't say whether this (free VED) is going to continue or is another static date. Let's hope the former!

http://www.fbhvc.co.uk/about-us/latest-news/_article/11/chancellor-gives-historic-vehicle-owners-a-break/

About time too! One car down, only four to go ;D

Sean

Is the exemption going back to moving forward every year?

No idea. I guess they will see the reaction and if favourable will do this as an annual thing.

I read that the Chancellor will decide each year whether or not to extend it - ie no one is brave enough to make a definitive decision !

But, hey it's going in the right direction .....

Can't see it costing them that much, post '73 classic owners just get ripped off at the moment, paying full whack then only driving a couple of thousand miles (or less). Many will only tax for six months anyway.

If that labour mob get back in they will stop it dead just like last time >:(

Sean

I know the Government determines the date of the cutoff, but it seems wrong that you can have one car that fits the criteria, yet an identical car, or near identical car registered the following year, or 2 in the case of Fulvia is denied this facility, especially as it's supposed to be for the benefit of Historic Vehicles.

Brian
8227 8)

Sean, If you are making the assumption that readers of this forum are in support of the crappy coalition then you are wrong! Please keep politics off the forum.

Colin

I am not in support of any party I just want to save money ;)

Sean

....and religion and any other divisive subjects..........of a non-automotive nature.....

P

It would be sensible for established clubs supporting genuinely historic vehicles to lobby the Government to commit itself the principle of a rolling exemption for cars forty years old and over from the vehicle excise licence. Forty years is the EU norm for identifying historic vehicles, and is a limit that will cost the Government very little. Very few people will substitute a car for daily use with one over forty years old to save tax. Is there a way for Lancia people to take positive action on this on a collective basis? Meanwhile, here is a link to the FBHVC website, which is worth visiting.

http://fbhvc.co.uk/

By the way, who agrees with me that the MOT exemption for pre-1960 cars is a nonsense on safety grounds and a potential Trojan horse to restrict their use in future? I would much prefer to see something like a three-year validity period for such vehicles.

Saluti a tutti. Cesare

It is great the tax exception has finally been extended after such a long wait, lets hope it continues, one question why April 2014, why not April 2013?   :(

Cesarean, I agree with you totally that the MOT exemption is rank stupidity. Most people who drive older vehicles are enthusiasts, but that does not necessarily mean that they are capable of determining whether or not a vehicle is safe for the public highway !!!

I rely on Ivor, local MOT man, to help keep my cars safe, he identified the failed weld on the Appia front axle, I would never have found that !!! It costs me £40 per annum to have a car checked for safety, that is real value !!!

I have already agreed with him that the cars will have an MOT type inspection yearly, without any of the paperwork, for which he will charge significantly less than his current £40. I see that as simple common sense.

Best wishes,

                   Andy

Cesare, my abject apologies for not spotting the great Apple presumptive spelling in my previous post.

I have checked and this time your name is correctly spelt !!

                         Andy

MOT is only valid on day of issue.....onus is always on owner to keep his car road worthy.

Effectively they will rely on the 95% to do the responsible thing whilst maybe 5% may not.

Hoping its not a devious Trojan horse to shaft the sensible 95%! What are the EU examples of restriction of use of classic/vintage vehicles and usage?

P

I have discussed with my MOT man and will continue to have my cars checked yearly. My main concern is that if ,God forbid, I have to make an insurance claim that my insures will use the lack of a yearly test against me.

Robin.

Even even less I'd say! I had a suspension strut top mount fail on me just a few hours after the car passed the MOT test. See http://gammaconsortium.com/lanciagammaforum/index.php?topic=5.msg10134#msg10134 (http://gammaconsortium.com/lanciagammaforum/index.php?topic=5.msg10134#msg10134)

....ok....at moment of issue....;)


P

This reminds me of a tale Jim told me.

He had done some welding for a friend of a friend who, when it had been completed, had the impertinence to ask if it was guaranteed.  "Of course it is" said Jim, "fully guaranteed ....... until you drive out the gate"!!!!

It's so reassuring to know he has confidence in his work!!

                            Andy

So you need to drive up and down his 3 mile driveway a few dozen times before leaving his premises!!!


;)


Having said that....am sure anyone doing this type of work would allow a degree of come back if something failed too soon or was badly done....but then good ones don't get to that point


P

Standard motor trade warranty used to be, a mile or a minute whichever came first ;) ;)

I guess that the exemption date of April 2014 instead of 2013 establishes an age of 40 years? There's also an issue with anyone who has already got a tax disc on their car that they paid for that extends beyond April 2013, I suspect that the government would be reluctant to have to deal with all the refunds that they'd be asked for only to have to re-issue (free) tax discs the next day.

Whatever the reasons I welcome it and look forward to 2018 when the Stratos replica reaches 40 years old. Luckily for me the age wasn't altered from the donor car when it was checked by the DVLA so it's properly registered, just appears 10 years older than it is!

And I totally agree with concerns over the removal of the annual MOT test. Despite building the car myself and knowing it better than the MOT inspector I welcome the annual test as things do wear out slowly and you don't always notice a worn bearing/joint gradually getting worse. A second pair of eyes each year is essential.

Has anyone approached their insurance company for a view? How do you prove your vehicle has been properly maintained in the event of a claim if there's no service history or MOT test?

Guy

How often is mechanical failure the blame for an accident?

Driver error is what...90 plus percent the reason for all accidents. And as older cars represent 0.001 of overall car market/miles covered/driven at off peak periods/daylight/holiday drives, no pressure,  ( figure picked from mid-air!)...then the likelihood of increased accidents almost non-existant....plus when an accident does occur, less serious as driven more slowly, and more carefully

P