Dave2302 387 Posted July 9, 2018 (edited) Hi, I have just got trade plates, following a local garage owner mate got pulled by Police area car in a Customers car, turned out it wasn't taxed or Mot'd they impounded the Car which cost him a packet, plus all the aggravation etc My question is can I use trade plates to drive a car that I actually own to another (Bodyshop) premises ?? It is an older Supercharged Mercedes Car I've owned for a couple of years now, and have fully restored it, intend on keeping it because I absolutely love it, now it needs to go to a Bodyshop for final finish and paintwork. DVLA guidelines seem to state "temporary ownership" so I'm not clear on this. Also, (not regarding my Car above as that is going for MOT before it's drive to Body Shop), something else has come to light .............................. Apparently Trade Plates do not give one the right to drive without MOT, but if the car needs to be taken to my premises for pre test works, or road test after test works, should I display the Trade Plates or just explain that the vehicle is on road test before MOT ?? ANPR would be a PITA in the above scenario, as they don't accept explanations, just send out no Tax fines !! Having read a post on a plod forum my gut feeling is to display the plates over the Reg Number plate, and if pulled by the Cops, then explain why. The Cops on that forum seem to be of the opinion that if the Number Plates are obscured, then you are clearly stating that the trade plates are the ones in use, even though they know that the new "leave Number Plates Visible" DVLA rule contradicts RTA !! Apologies for long winded post, but as we all know, the DVLA Guidelines are extremely misleading and also contradict the RTA / Excise Rules, I just don't want to fall foul of all this. TIA, Cheers Dave Edited July 9, 2018 by Dave2302 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nick M.K. 574 Posted July 9, 2018 (edited) 9 minutes ago, Dave2302 said: My question is can I use trade plates to drive a car that I actually own to another (Bodyshop) premises ?? Hi Dave. In short. No. But the trade plate rules are so misunderstood, so often changed and so leniently enforced that I absolutely would. IF your Mercedes is on SORN (and it should be if you've owned it for a while and it's not taxed) it will be better (still illegal!) if you cover your existing plates with your trade plates in which case you can not get a ANPR fine. You are actually allowed to drive your Mercedes to it's pre booked MOT with no MOT or tax so if your bodyshop does MOTs just book one and change your mind once you get there if you didn't drive past any cameras. Edited July 9, 2018 by Nick M.K. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dave2302 387 Posted July 9, 2018 Hi Nick, Thanks for that, yes I have had it on SORN since it's purchase 2 years ago. The bodyshop in Dunvegan does do MOT, but I use a local guy and have booked it in there as all mechanical, electrical and underside restoration work is now complete. My S55 will be MOT'd prior to the 60 mile trip up the Isle of Skye 5 minutes ago, Nick M.K. said: it will be better (still illegal!) if you cover your existing plates with your trade plates in which case you can not get a ANPR fine. 4 minutes ago, Nick M.K. said: But the trade plate rules are so misunderstood, so often changed and so leniently enforced that I absolutely would. I tend to agree, especially after reading the Plod forum members take on covering Number Plates My trade plates are obviously now listed on my MID, so no worries there Cheers Dave Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rory RSC 596 Posted July 9, 2018 1 hour ago, Dave2302 said: Hi Nick, Thanks for that, yes I have had it on SORN since it's purchase 2 years ago. The bodyshop in Dunvegan does do MOT, but I use a local guy and have booked it in there as all mechanical, electrical and underside restoration work is now complete. My S55 will be MOT'd prior to the 60 mile trip up the Isle of Skye I tend to agree, especially after reading the Plod forum members take on covering Number Plates My trade plates are obviously now listed on my MID, so no worries there Cheers Dave I can't imagine you will see many police cars in that area. I saw one police X5 traffic car between Loch Lomond and Glencoe in 3 days. You are far more remote. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
trade vet 702 Posted July 9, 2018 2 minutes ago, Rory RSC said: I can't imagine you will see many police cars in that area. I saw one police X5 traffic car between Loch Lomond and Glencoe in 3 days. You are far more remote. Yeah......but if he got pulled it would be headlines in the local paper. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dave2302 387 Posted July 9, 2018 9 minutes ago, Rory RSC said: I can't imagine you will see many police cars in that area. I saw one police X5 traffic car between Loch Lomond and Glencoe in 3 days. You are far more remote. You'd be surprised, since a couple of years ago, when Skye Bridge wind speed monitoring was transferred to Edinburgh, and some tw@t was closing the Skye Bridge on a regular basis, because they thought the Kmph readings were MPH, some old law says that because the A87 is a Trunk Road and because it has been closed so many times in a year, now we have to have Area Cars patrolling it They are from Dingwall or Inverness, and don't want to be here, so they just nick everyone they can Our local Cops however wouldn't pull us if we had a Wheel missing That's how my mate, local MOT Garage ended up getting a Customers car impounded on a road test for a rattle !! I think i am the only guy round here who has Trade Plates, but more will follow now 9 minutes ago, trade vet said: Yeah......but if he got pulled it would be headlines in the local paper. Hell yeah, be talked about for years LOL, might be a cheap bit of advertising tho Cheers Dave Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
It's me 615 Posted July 9, 2018 i hear there are men that have things called recovery wagons that for the showing of a shilling can keep one legal 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Arfur Dealy 823 Posted July 9, 2018 The only time you can drive a car on the road without an MOT is to a pre-booked MOT appoinment. Otherwise on a trailor. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dave2302 387 Posted July 9, 2018 Yeah, I hear what you are saying, but up here "Old Jock" would want a tidy bit more than a shilling, and the big Benz won't fit on my Rally Car trailer It wouldn't hurt really to just Tax it for 12 months, after it's test next week................... However, realistically it'll be in Dunvegan for a month, as it's a 'mates rates' favour job, then back at mine for god knows how long while I find some spare time to fit it all back together, bumpers, door and bumper trims, window trims, mirror covers, grille, weather strips, door handles, full valet etc etc, so TBH I just plain begrudge paying for at least a couple of months VED for it to stand around off road for all but a couple of hours !! Wife and I have 5 other Cars on our own personal fleet that are all taxed, plus my Workshop Van and as there are only 2 of us, we can only drive 2 at any one time LOL, but that's a whole other debate................... Also, yeah yeah, I know, I'll be the first one to whinge if I did get nicked So really I just gotta decide to take a punt or tax it Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Arfur Dealy 823 Posted July 9, 2018 Trade-Plates do not qualify you to drive an unroadworthy vehicle. MOT repairers are aloud to test the vehicle on the road for the purpose of checking the repair. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dave2302 387 Posted July 9, 2018 It won't be unroadworthy, it isn't unroadworthy right now, in fact it is all fully assembled atm, just small primered areas here and there It will have a fresh MOT as of 17th July, and I won't be stripping the Lights etc out until it gets to Dunvegan, then I'll put them back before the return trip Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MGM 11 Posted July 10, 2018 Just get on with it! Display the plates clearly and don’t drive like a tit and what’s the issue?? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BHM 994 Posted July 11, 2018 Another proper trader doing the job right......... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dave2302 387 Posted July 11, 2018 (edited) Uh Oh !! , Just had a local fleet owner mate in here, his Bro, (who has "learning difficulties") was Driving a Customers car yesterday on IOS, when he got pulled by an "Area Car". He was taking it from a MOT garage on Skye who failed it in April 18, to their own Workshops for repair, and got pulled. He didn't tell Cops, "I'm taking to place of repair", so Car was Impounded !! ANPR will issue Customer with "NO Tax since December" fine, his Bro might get a "No MOT" unless they defend it with a motoring lawyer = ££ It has just cost him £250 for the Police Recovery plus a night in storage, plus the Recovery to their Workshops. His first question to me ......................... How do I get Trade plates like yours !! Edited July 11, 2018 by Dave2302 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
It's me 615 Posted July 11, 2018 3 minutes ago, Dave2302 said: His first question to me ......................... How do I get Trade plates like yours !! it used to be the case that if found running without tax you were denied access to trade plates because you were deemed as unsuitable material to drive round with the queens crown on your triangle you fixed on the plates of course in modern Britain they now dispense plastic trade plates to plastic traders so im sure anyone can get them if they pay the wonga Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dave2302 387 Posted July 11, 2018 (edited) Hi, I'm not sure a multi-millionaire guy who owns many Van Hool Buses, plus high end Wedding cars, MB Minibuses and umpteen other Vehicles as a long standing father to son family run fleet owner business, which also has a well equipped workshop of 5000 sq m that's open to the public, plus a huge yard would qualify for "Plastic Trader" status The thing is this, in most of the UK areas there is a lot bigger population, and therefore a Police presence who are too busy to worry about minor Trade Plate, collect and deliver, road test or other minor misdemeanours, and our Local Police also would not write tickets for such trivia. Nowadays yes, you do have fixed and mobile ANPR and SCameras to deal with, which up until now, we haven't. We now have "Area Cars" with ANPR, who are here because some Civil Servant 200 miles away did his job wrong and kept closing the Skye bridge incorrectly, (see OP). Now innocent and good honest motor trade are being given a whole heap of hassle by Area Car 'asshats' , who don't want to be here and have nothing better to do than justify their existence by handing out a load of tickets that mostly, will get chucked out of court and achieve nothing but add to the UK deficit We have almost Zero crime, and our local Police would have known this Guys brother, and asked him where was he coming from and where was he going, before scaring the sh!te outta him with a load of paperwork, impounding a Car, and then causing a whole heap of knock on grief which will waste tax payers money....................... Knowing this guy as I know him, he will appoint a very good lawyer for his brother, and when it gets to court, it will get thrown out, because all of the stated facts can be proven, i.e his brothers "learning difficulties", (so he didn't think to tell the Cops the car was being driven from an MOT Fail to a place of repair), etc etc !! Now, if the "Procurator Fiscal", (like England's CPS), prosecutes this, my friend will end up getting awarded his Solicitor costs, the Police's and his own Recovery Charges, plus all other expenses, because the Sheriff presiding will chuck this out of court. So in short, I bet his application for Trade Plates and his supporting documentation will be already winging it's way to DVLA. I also bet the Lawyer in Glasgow has been Emailed all the paperwork and been paid a retainer by now Maybe southern times have changed in the last 11 years since I moved away, but when I lived in SE "Plastic Traders" never had any insurance let alone Motor Trade Policies or other documentation, they never had Trade Plates and they sold dodgy Cars and repaired them at the side of the road on a Council Estate Recent trips south for us just showed me that this trend was worse than ever, and along with Traffic and Scameras, it seems to get worse every time we go down to visit LOL Anyway, it must be time I went and did some work now LOL, Cheers for now Dave Edited July 11, 2018 by Dave2302 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
It's me 615 Posted July 11, 2018 33 minutes ago, Dave2302 said: Hi, I'm not sure a multi-millionaire guy who owns many Van Hool Buses, plus high end Wedding cars, MB Minibuses and umpteen other Vehicles as a long standing father to son family run fleet owner business, which also has a well equipped workshop of 5000 sq m that's open to the public, plus a huge yard would qualify for "Plastic Trader" status to be honest i havent read the rest its a legal obligation to buy these plates and to be honest if he is running a business you state without plates then it just dammmm annoys me,ive paid into the club for 35 years so why shouldnt he theres no excuse what so ever Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dave2302 387 Posted July 11, 2018 (edited) 26 minutes ago, mrs maybe said: to be honest i havent read the rest its a legal obligation to buy these plates and to be honest if he is running a business you state without plates then it just dammmm annoys me,ive paid into the club for 35 years so why shouldnt he theres no excuse what so ever I do agree with you, not like he can't afford it lol, but it's still a bit like the 1960's up here, local garages still think Carburrettor, Points and Condenser Like I said, I had them for 23 years before i sold up when I was down South, and I am the first up here to get them, but I know fine well a load more will follow now, and yep, so they should Edited July 11, 2018 by Dave2302 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
David Ayers 171 Posted July 11, 2018 Just tell the plod if they don't want to be there don't issue any tickets. No tickets issued. Obviously no crime so no need for a plodmobile.. Simples! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dave2302 387 Posted July 11, 2018 Sadly it's not that simple, see my post #6 here, it is all down to the Skye Bridge "high wind" Closures by some D!ck in a monitoring centre in Edinburgh !! Some stupid ancient law means that if a major trunk road is closed more than 2-3 times a year it has to be patrolled by Area cars, and it is them that is giving everyone grief, not the local Plod Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
metcars 397 Posted July 15, 2018 But it's the same law for us all, regardless of where we live surely? Do guys that live in rural locations expect an easier time? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dave2302 387 Posted July 15, 2018 (edited) Nah, of course not. Obviously in such a remote area, locals do get a little "leniency" from local cops, but still no, I'm not expecting that, my only concern is that nowadays, with the influx of "Area Cars" there is no longer any "goodwill" read "warning, bollocking", call it what you will My OP was just because I only just got them, and didn't wanna be falling foul of the DVLA guidelines, which incidentally, contradict the RTA and Vehicle Excise regs in certain places, like most of the UK "Red Tape" !! I now am clear exactly how when and why I'll use my Trade Plates Edited July 15, 2018 by Dave2302 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
