Just checked out an Octavia I was interested in. Appears the Tax ran out end Feburay 2014 but its MOT'd until October 2015 (4 year old car)

 

Obviously gone unsold for a long time as its not been on the road, but why would it have had an mot in Oct 2014 if no one had bought it?

 

Also would it put you off buying a car knowing it had stood for around 9 months?

Edited 10 November, 201411 yr by maverick54

To make it more appealing to sale surely?

Most (larger, reputable) dealers would put 12months on it when it was sold. Maybe a sale fell through after they had MOT'd it? Or it was off the road for other reasons (work being done?) and has only now been MOT'd and put on the forecourt. 

Dont buy the - make it more appealing for sale thing as like the second post says they would sell with 12 months test when they had a buyer. Could be a sale that fell through.

Probably the original MOT ran out in October. They wouldn't want an un-MOT'd car sat on the forecourt as if a customer walked in wanting a test drive on the spot they would have to MOT it first.

 

You can MOT a car as often as you like so there's nothing to stop them MOTing it again when it sells.

Yes, you can keep on MOT'ing a car whilst it is SORN / held in stock.    I've let my MOT lapse on my Porsche as it's SORN but I am not interested in getting it MOT'd until after the winter so no point.

Thats interesting. I remember taking my astra for an mot a week before my earliest anniversary date and they would not do it. I had to reschedule for the following week. Didn't know if it was sorn you could test it as often as you want.

Probably the original MOT ran out in October. They wouldn't want an un-MOT'd car sat on the forecourt as if a customer walked in wanting a test drive on the spot they would have to MOT it first.

 

You can MOT a car as often as you like so there's nothing to stop them MOTing it again when it sells.

 

Does the car have to have an mot on it even when test plates are used for a test drive then?

Thats interesting. I remember taking my astra for an mot a week before my earliest anniversary date and they would not do it. I had to reschedule for the following week. Didn't know if it was sorn you could test it as often as you want.

 

I've no idea why the garage told you that. You can MOT any car as often as you like, it doesn't matter whether it's on SORN or not. I've had a car tested 6 months before the old MOT ran out, simply because I prefer having an MOT anniversary in mid summer rather than mid winter. 

 

Edit: What you can't do is take the car to be MOT'd more than one month before the anniversary date of the old certificate and expect to be issued with an MOT that ends 12 months after the old certificate date, therefore having more than 13 months MOT. That's probably what your garage meant. If you're not bothered about that aspect of it you can have it tested whenever you like.

 

Does the car have to have an mot on it even when test plates are used for a test drive then?

 

Yes, trade plates only cover the lack of road tax. The car still needs a valid MOT.

This brings up a interesting point,when you road test a car untaxed from a dealer,does the vehicle have to display the plates,or can they just be left in the garage.I ask this because there are no tax disks to display now anyway they check a database so does this apply to plates as well?

This brings up a interesting point,when you road test a car untaxed from a dealer,does the vehicle have to display the plates,or can they just be left in the garage.I ask this because there are no tax disks to display now anyway they check a database so does this apply to plates as well?

Should show trade plates front and rear. Do cars show as 'in trade'on the DVLA system?

Edited 13 December, 201411 yr by ben4012

Should show trade plates front and rear. Do cars show as 'in trade'on the DVLA system?

If it's done properly a car will show as "in trade" on PNC

& as well as all the above, 

some people buy 6 month VED,

and anyone might have after the first year or later, then back to 12 months VED's purchased.

As an aside, you cannot tax a car (on line at least) unless it has an MOT valid on the day the tax is due to start. I tried to tax mine towards the end December last year, but the MOT ran out on Dec 29th and I couldn't.

 

Andy