UK car tax date threshold

[persiflage]

With the "emergency budget" rushing towards us ,

perhaps we should not be highlighting our tax free status ... ... just a thought.

[trw99]

The nice man from Lotus got back to me. He wants ?25 for a certificate stating when the car rolled off the production line i.e. when it was built. I'm planning to phone on Monday and get it as I don't want to start out the wrong way with this.

Sean

It occurs to me that it might be worth while trying Club Lotus first for a letter to confirm the build date. If I recall, DVLA will accept a recognised car club as proof, as well as a factory.

Tim

[RichardS]

My chassis number is 7302..... I have just written to Any Graham of Lotus archives saying that I understood Sprint production ceased in December 1972 and wondered if he could confirm this in the hope I could be tax exempt.

Sadly he replied today to simply confirm that as my Sprint was 7302.. "it was manufactured in Feb 1973".

So looks as though I will have to continue to fork out for a tax disc!

Richard

[bcmc33]

Sadly he replied today to simply confirm that as my Sprint was 7302.. "it was manufactured in Feb 1973".

So looks as though I will have to continue to fork out for a tax disc!

The VIN plates were made to suit the date that the car left the factory - in your case Feb 73.
Although I have it on very good authority that Sprint builds stopped in Dec 72, the specific Lotus records were lost in a flood, and therefore, all the Lotus people can authoritively declare is the date the car was sold from the factory.

[RichardS]

So looks as though I will have to continue to fork out for a tax disc!

I've just got a "free" tax disc!

This is thanks to Tim and Alan Morgan at Club Lotus. Tim kindly sent me a letter stating that Sprint production had ended by December 1972. I then spoke to Alan at Club Lotus who sent me a letter on Club Lotus paper confirming that my car was built prior to December 1972 - the letter also states that Club Lotus are "approved by the DLA for authenticating all Lotus road cars produced since 1962".

I presented the relevant documents http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/Ow ... DG_4022042 at the DLA office this morning and there was no problem in changing the tax status to "historic". So thats a couple of hundred pounds a year that can go into the Sprint kitty rather than the taxmans coffers.

Couldn't get a refund on the road tax I have paid for the last 12 months but am not complaining!

Richard

[alaric]

Hoorah! A victory for common sense and reason, and, moreover, one over on the taxman.

I haven't done anything about miine yet. Sounds like it should be straightforward though.

All the best.

Sean.