E30 Zone

I'm going to look at a pre-facelift 325i SE next Saturday, but it doesn't have an MOT or tax. If I wanted to buy it, what would be the best procedure for paying for it and getting it delivered, without potentially getting ripped-off?

I've not bought a car in this situation before and would just like I bit of input, seeing as I'm a bit green.

Cheers.

There are companies on ebay who deliver cars on a trailer, otherwise rent a van/4x4 and a trailer and tow it yourself. This is the 100% legal way. However to tow over 400kg you will need to have passed your driving test before 1999 (exact date will be on the vosa website).

The dodgy way is if its safe and not too far book it in for an MOT local to you and drive it there (get it tested, then drive home), You are allowed to drive to and from a pre booked MOT even if the vehicle does not have tax or mot (still required to be insured though). However the distance allwed to be driven is a grey area since the law does not specify and if you are stopped and the car is unsafe or it can be proven you had reason to believe it was unsafe or would not pass an MOT you could be in trouble anyway.

Basically depends on the condition of the car, the further you are away the more delivery will cost though. Factor this into negotiations.

Thanks. I had considered the dodgy way, but with all the records that are supposedly kept on "The Database", I thought it best to stay within the law. Plus, I'm not sure if I'd want to carry on restoring the car, or take off all the good stuff and find a facelifted E30 to use as the basis of a project. In which case, tax and a ticket would be a little bit pointless.

This is the car in question, if anyone's interested: http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/542643.htm

look for one of these companies then:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Local-Services_Ca ... 286.c0.m14

Thanks very much!

When i fetched mine, i was in the same situation, no tax, no MOT and un Shrewsbury, so i hired a trailer for £35 and borrowed my dad's E39 530D and off we wnet and collected it.

Itf you dont have access to vehicle to tow with then a collection comany is the best option.

Tom-Tom wrote:Thanks very much!

No worries, I've never used them though so don't take it as a recomendation but thats an idea of what available on ebay.

mattsbmw wrote:When i fetched mine, i was in the same situation, no tax, no MOT and un Shrewsbury, so i hired a trailer for £35 and borrowed my dad's E39 530D and off we wnet and collected it.

Itf you dont have access to vehicle to tow with then a collection comany is the best option.

Unfortunatly alot of people can't do this, as I pointed out earlier you have to be over 27 and passed your test at 17,(ie before 1999) to legally tow over 400kg withought taking an extra driving test now.

I have so can, . But the last thing I would want is to get people into trouble because I didn't point this out.

But the last thing I would want is to get people into trouble because I didn't point this out.

Good point, should have pointed that out[/quote]

Obtained from
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/Dr ... DG_4022521

Car licences obtained before 1 January 1997

If you passed a car test before 1 January 1997 you keep your existing entitlement to tow trailers until your licence expires. This means you're generally entitled to drive a vehicle and trailer combination up to 8.25 tonnes maximum authorised mass (MAM). You also have entitlement to drive a minibus with a trailer over 750 kgs MAM.

Car licences obtained on or after 1 January 1997

If you passed a car test on or after 1 January 1997 you're limited to vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes maximum authorised mass towing a trailer up to 750 kgs, or a vehicle and trailer combination up to 3.5 tonnes MAM providing the MAM of the trailer doesn't exceed the unladen mass of the towing vehicle. You'll need to pass an additional driving test in B+E if you wish to tow a caravan or trailer combination which exceeds these weight limits.

I'm 22 and as far as I'm concerned I'm allowed to tow up to 3.5 tonnes inclusive of vehicle, trailer and whats on the trailer, up to the point that the trailer and content is below the weight of the vehicle. I tow with a 2 tonne Land Rover and a 750kg trailer, allowing me to tow another 750kgs before exceeding the 3.5 tonne total mass. Luckily as I tow with a heavy vehicle, the whole vehicle weight and trailer/content mass isn't a concern as I would be able to tow 4t, except for 3.5 tonne limit. However this is of no help to me as I wouldn't be able to tow a BMW as they would exceed my total MAM and 3.5 limit, I also have Land Rovers to tow around so I'll be taking my trailer test some time soon.

Take out RAC or AA break down cover and blag a break down and get them to take it home. My break down cover covers me rather than a car so they will take it regardless as long as I am there.

Felix79 wrote:Take out RAC or AA break down cover and blag a break down and get them to take it home. My break down cover covers me rather than a car so they will take it regardless as long as I am there.

They won't tow a car with no road tax, says so in the T&C's

march109 wrote:

Felix79 wrote:Take out RAC or AA break down cover and blag a break down and get them to take it home. My break down cover covers me rather than a car so they will take it regardless as long as I am there.

They won't tow a car with no road tax, says so in the T&C's

ahhhhh shitter, mine was done on a lorry because it was too dangerus for my car to be turned around and towed by a van as I was on the hard shoulder of the M42 so RAC got a lorry to put it on the back as they have to tow a rear wheel drive car backwards. Was bloody tight as I forgot to warn them the car was lowered!

www.lizardlogistics.com

Highly recommended.

Yeah, sadly I'm not within those conditions for towing it myself, and with no access to a tow vehicle, I'll need a third party to help me out.

I found this website, so I may get some quotes from it, nearer the time. It may be a case of me having to go back for a second visit; one to look over the car, another to meet up with the tow company, and to pay the owner. I'd be apprehensive about paying for a car, and then leaving it with it's previous owner for a week or so.

http://www.cartransportquoter.co.uk/page/cms_GlobalHome

If it is just a question of towing you home on a rigid tow bar I can help...

daimlerman wrote:If it is just a question of towing you home on a rigid tow bar I can help...

Generous offer, gratefully noted!

I believe it's all in working condition, but that needs to confirmed. Would the lack of an MOT or Roadtax affect the legality of towing a vehicle on the road?

daimlerman wrote:If it is just a question of towing you home on a rigid tow bar I can help...

Not if it isn't taxed you can't. Needs to be trailered with no tax.

I have never done this either,my understanding is that the towed vehicle is regarded as a trailer and therefore should show the towing vehicle's reg and lighting.I am hoping that amore knowlegable zoner can put us right.. march109? Over to you....

To a degree that is true

but the car would classified be classified as an unbraked trailer as as the brakes are not over run or coupled to the towing vehicle. So the car would need to be less than 750kg to be legal, also the stuff above about towing limits would apply dependant upon age

mattsbmw wrote:To a degree that is true

but the car would classified be classified as an unbraked trailer as as the brakes are not over run or coupled to the towing vehicle. So the car would need to be less than 750kg to be legal, also the stuff above about towing limits would apply dependant upon age

So to tow this car with another E30 is not legal unless the towed car(trailer)is taxed? Erm,age limits do not apply to me...and I hold a HGV 1....

daimlerman wrote:

mattsbmw wrote:To a degree that is true

but the car would classified be classified as an unbraked trailer as as the brakes are not over run or coupled to the towing vehicle. So the car would need to be less than 750kg to be legal, also the stuff above about towing limits would apply dependant upon age

So to tow this car with another E30 is not legal unless the towed car(trailer)is taxed? Erm,age limits do not apply to me...and I hold a HGV 1....

That and you an old fart.

Yes the towed car needs to be taxed, I believe if your towing on a bar there also needs someone in thetowed vehicle to operate all the signals and to assist with steering.

I'm not sure on the lagalty based upon MAM weights though? I don'tknow ifits legal to tow an e30 with an e30 for anything but an emergency situation.

I think if you are towing using a fixed 'A' frame, or dolly, the car does not need to be taxed or have an MOT. Its classified as a trailer, and therefore subject to max trailer weights / braking for your tow car but thats all.

With a 'bar' dont know...

skr80 wrote:I think if you are towing using a fixed 'A' frame, or dolly, the car does not need to be taxed or have an MOT. Its classified as a trailer, and therefore subject to max trailer weights / braking for your tow car but thats all.

With a 'bar' dont know...

Interesting.

I looked at the car on Saturday, and it looks like a good thing, the owner even said he'd come down in price a bit, to offset the cost of getting it shipped over to my place.

It needs a bit of work, but it'll keep me busy. It's even got the rear blinds. Just need to get some quotes and organise a date for me to pick it up, and pay for it of course.

How much did he say he would come down on price out of curiosity?

SPADGE wrote:How much did he say he would come down on price out of curiosity?

Y'know, I don't think we discussed an exact figure. Because of everything I'd have to go through to get the car back to my house, I told that I'd like to buy it, but if someone comes along who's in a stronger, more convienient position to buy, then I'd consider that fair game and wouldn't be put out if he sold to someone else.

skr80 wrote:I think if you are towing using a fixed 'A' frame, or dolly, the car does not need to be taxed or have an MOT. Its classified as a trailer, and therefore subject to max trailer weights / braking for your tow car but thats all.

With a 'bar' dont know...

If the cars wheels are in contact with the road it needs to be taxed,mot'd insured and road worthy.

A frames are not a legal way of towing cars either.They were only designed to be used to tow vehicles a short distance of motorways etc by recovery companies.

You can legally drive a car without tax or MOT if it's safe to operate, insured and you are driving to a booked MOT test. I don't know how close the MOT testing station has to be to the place the car is being driven from however.

If you go to www.motester.co.uk there is more info. on this.

There is no set distance, as long as you are booked in, like you say. I've used this twice when getting cars off SORN to the testers but didn't dare take this Pi** with the amount of ANPR cameras around now.
Whether it works for towing, I don't know. I think it's pretty clear that your car won't pass its MOT if it won't get there under its own power!