DVLA Woes

PostPost by: silverlink » Sun Feb 25, 2018 9:12 pm

Hi all,
I'm sure at some point others have had the experience I'm having at the moment with the DVLA. My problems started a few weeks ago when I received a letter from them stating there was a discrepancy with the MOT and the Vin number that had been entered on it. I was asked to send details of the Vin number on the paper MOT, on the Vin plate fixed to my car and the Vin No on my V5.
I think the problem is down to the DVLA not putting the full number on the V5 they sent me around three years ago when I contacted them to say I only had the original 'Green' log book that came with the car in 1971. No problem said the gent at DVLA I'll send you a new one which duly came after a few days.
When I checked it for entering the Vin on the above forms I find it only has five letters/no's on it instead of the long, I think eleven digit one.
I now have another form to fill in where they want a photo of the vin plate and another of the number plate on the car. They also want to know
'Have I carried out a kit conversion on the vehicle'
'Have I rebuilt the vehicle using new or old parts'
'Have I rebuilt the vehicle using new parts'
I'm not sure here what to enter on the form for fear of 'cocking up' my registration. The last time I fitted anything to the car was 2003! and that was engine gaskets. Yes I've totally restored the car but I started this back in 1990 so have the parts I used then got to be declared now.
What about wear and tear items like brake discs and pads and springs and dampers all of which I've replaced.
Any advice would be greatly received.
Thanks
Ian
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PostPost by: elanfan1 » Sun Feb 25, 2018 11:56 pm

Firstly don't panic!

Secondly don't panic.

You should be able to sort this out yourself if you are careful. Try not fall foul of their rules. It sounds like they are angling to giving you a Q plate. All the parts including engine, chassis,gearbox etc are original ARENT THEY.if you look on the dvla website theres a section on this - I think they allocate points for original parts and you have to get a certain number of points to retain your ID.

If in any doubt get Club Lotus involved. DVLA should know that whe these cars were registered at local tax offices the shortened version was often used. Another solution might be to ask Andtpy Graham (LotusArchives on here) to provide you a Certificate of Provenance.

Did I say don't panic?
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PostPost by: elansprint » Mon Feb 26, 2018 7:52 am

Ian do you still have the green log book with the full chassis no on ? As suggested I would get a certificate of provenance from Andy graham I had this with my GTM Libra V6 the chassis no had a U on the logbook and V on the plate and they put this in at the MOT l contacted the club who confirmed all V6 cars had the V and I sent a copy of the SVA certificate where they had recorded it wrong I sent it in and they just sent a new log book by return. IF you must answer those questions it needs to be NO to all I think
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PostPost by: Orsom Weels » Mon Feb 26, 2018 8:07 am

As Steve says, don't panic ! I think DVLA are targeting cars that are NOT original, but built up from re-manufactured parts, then trying to pass themselves off as genuine for the obvious financial gain. Something we should all frown upon. Unfortunately, occasionally they miss their intended target & someone/something quite innocent gets caught in the cross fire. It happened to a friend of mine trying to register his classic motorcycle on it's original number. The bike was completely original except for the crank cases & crank shaft, after a little misshap. He has the original damaged parts to show why they were replaced, & supporting paperwork, but DVLA insisted it would have to have a Q plate. It was sorted with help from the owners club, but did drag on a bit & he did become quite proficient at jumping through hoops :lol: . In contrast, another friend had absolutely no problems registering his Elan on it's original number, with the help of Club Lotus, & about the only original part of that was the rear half of the body & the diff ! It had replacement front end,replacement chassis & suspension, different engine & gearbox & complete new interior etc, & didn't even have the original VIN plate, just an old buff log book. Definitely worth engaging the help of an owners club or someone else familiar with what DVLA want to hear :wink: :wink:
In your case, it shouldn't be too difficult to convince them it's a simple administrative error.

Regards, Tim
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PostPost by: silverlink » Mon Feb 26, 2018 4:02 pm

Many thanks for all your guys,
I have today been in touch with Alan Morgan Chairman of Club Lotus which I am a member of. I had a good chat with him the outcome of which is I have emailed him copies of V5 log books I have plus photos of car and most importantly photo of VIN plate on the car. He also asked for copies of the letters I've had from DVLA.
He tells me Club Lotus is recognised by the DVLA and they listen to what they say regarding Lotus cars so I'm keeping fingers crossed he can sort it out for me.
I'll keep you all posted on the outcome.
PS
My car is fitted with a 'SUBFRAME' 8)
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PostPost by: billwill » Mon Feb 26, 2018 5:42 pm

silverlink wrote:Many thanks for all your guys,
I have today been in touch with Alan Morgan Chairman of Club Lotus which I am a member of. I had a good chat with him the outcome of which is I have emailed him copies of V5 log books I have plus photos of car and most importantly photo of VIN plate on the car. He also asked for copies of the letters I've had from DVLA.
He tells me Club Lotus is recognised by the DVLA and they listen to what they say regarding Lotus cars so I'm keeping fingers crossed he can sort it out for me.
I'll keep you all posted on the outcome.
PS
My car is fitted with a 'SUBFRAME' 8)



The steel under bits of all the classic Elans are officially "subframes" for the DVLA.

Been there, done that, got the Tee Shirt
see: lotus-chassis-f36/dvla-and-replacement-chassis-t20719.html#p120989 and the rest of that topic.
Bill Williams

36/6725 S3 Coupe OGU108E Yellow over Black.
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PostPost by: KevJ+2 » Mon Feb 26, 2018 6:00 pm

Be careful that the DVLA don't do what they did with mine.
With all the information I gave them including Club Lotus approval and Lotus Archive confirmation, they gave me an age related registration, but registered the vehicle as a new car :shock: So although it was assigned an age related plate and given an historic vehicle status, it was (in theory) a new car. So the V5 showed no previous owners and I didn't have to MOT the car to register it! It was just too much bother to go through it all again with them to make it right.
Different, I suppose :roll:
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PostPost by: elanfan1 » Mon Feb 26, 2018 8:59 pm

KevJ+2 wrote:Be careful that the DVLA don't do what they did with mine.
With all the information I gave them including Club Lotus approval and Lotus Archive confirmation, they gave me an age related registration, but registered the vehicle as a new car :shock: So although it was assigned an age related plate and given an historic vehicle status, it was (in theory) a new car. So the V5 showed no previous owners and I didn't have to MOT the car to register it! It was just too much bother to go through it all again with them to make it right.
Different, I suppose :roll:


Storing up trouble for the future I suspect. Whilst it is a hassle why not sort it out when you're not under time pressure. If you decide sell or there's say an insurance issue you wouldn't want to be dealing with this at the same time. Just my 2p.
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PostPost by: LaikaTheDog » Mon Feb 26, 2018 9:24 pm

Had a similar conversation with dvla.
This was a TVR. The garage who did the MOT put in the wrong vin tag.
The following year I had to provide a tvr proof of manufacture, previous mot. Pictures of vin. Engine number and chassis stamp.

Dvla accepted a clerical error and all was fine.

Same garage put in the journey trip as mileage on another vehicle causing a mileage discrepancy...


Said garage has now closed....
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PostPost by: KevJ+2 » Mon Feb 26, 2018 11:11 pm

elanfan1 wrote:
KevJ+2 wrote:Be careful that the DVLA don't do what they did with mine.
With all the information I gave them including Club Lotus approval and Lotus Archive confirmation, they gave me an age related registration, but registered the vehicle as a new car :shock: So although it was assigned an age related plate and given an historic vehicle status, it was (in theory) a new car. So the V5 showed no previous owners and I didn't have to MOT the car to register it! It was just too much bother to go through it all again with them to make it right.
Different, I suppose :roll:


Storing up trouble for the future I suspect. Whilst it is a hassle why not sort it out when you're not under time pressure. If you decide sell or there's say an insurance issue you wouldn't want to be dealing with this at the same time. Just my 2p.


I sold the car to someone who agreed it was only a legal document that showed all the correct information - engine number, vin, colour etc. The original green document I had for the car was the 'historical' document that showed the previous owners, so in all it was all complete, just...different.
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PostPost by: mikealdren » Tue Feb 27, 2018 11:21 am

My original car's been off the road for ages (green log book!) and now I've retired, I contacted the DVLA to get a new log book and SORN. Needless to say they had no records of it, they needed a photo of the VIN plate on the car. I explained that the car is being restored so no engine in place etc, put the plate back in place took the photo and all is well.
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PostPost by: Lyn7 » Tue Feb 27, 2018 1:04 pm

Hi all. I can appreciate all the supportive positive comments, however , dealing with DVLA needs a lot of care. I imported a Caterham last year that had been registered new in the UK and then exported. It was 40 years old and DVLA had no record of it. Caterham provided confirmation of all the details including build date and number plate.
DVLA still insisted on putting the date of first registration as August 2017 !!! Best of luck, Lyn...
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PostPost by: AHM » Sun Mar 04, 2018 10:50 pm

Ian, All,

Don't ask questions or provide letters where none are needed. I take it you can legitimately answer no to the questions and provide the photo's asked for - I did and there was no problem, I'd hate to start discussing sub frames and engine numbers when nothing of the sort was asked for...

I'ts only as difficult as you make it!

Lyn,
The DVLA are correct for the date of first registration of an import, unless it has been registered in the UK previously you may have different dates in B and B1, but it shouldn't say "declared new at first registration" in section 3.

There isn't a section for date of manufacture . What would you have them put?
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PostPost by: Lyn7 » Mon Mar 05, 2018 8:04 am

Hello AHM and all. The Caterham build date and first registration date was quoted in the letter from Caterham. It was first registered in the UK in 1978 and driven abroad. Because DVLA had no record of the car they would not accept all the details on the letter, hence the first registration date of August 2017. I would have liked the correct know date! But, rules is rules apparently! Cheers, Lyn..
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PostPost by: KevJ+2 » Mon Mar 05, 2018 10:10 am

I agree. For all the correct information you give the DVLA they have their own way of doing things that sometimes take some believing :roll:
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