G'day.
I want to right this blog because I have just bought a van to travel in the UK, and I’ve had a few difficulties along the way, and surprisingly I could not find any advice on buying a car here in the UK if you are a traveller. There was one couple who are from England, I found for some advice on traveling across to Europe and the logistics for that. But knowing just the list of things I need to know to buy and keep a car, I was getting sent around in circles on the inter-web trying to find the key information.
SO... first thing to know, before you even BUY THE VEHICLE, is know how much INSURANCE is going to cost you. I never thought this was a big deal, insurance in Australia in nothing really... people told me it was going to be expensive here, but I was never expecting this result. So, there was only one company that I found out of so many, that insured Australians/NZ's and insured you to take the van over to Europe for more than a month or two. Most insurance companies, could not insure me because of where I’m from and cover me through Europe unlimited time, and if they did, it would be over 1000 pound a month!
'DOWN UNDER INSURANCE' was able to give me insurance for my van for 600 pounds for 6 months. I was still outraged by this price, but it’s what I had to go with because I already bought the van at 750 pounds.
I’m going to put this simply. Here are a list of things you need to know about buying and keeping a car in UK.
-First, you need an address.
-You can use your Australian/NZ Licence here and most of Europe, otherwise if you plan on traveling to other countries where you need an ‘International Licence’, you need to APPLY for this in the country where you are from before you leave.
-WHEN BUYING THE VEHICLE:
-Registration papers are called: V5C Registration document/logbook - This will have all information about previous owners and service history and MOT (which will explain). You can go online to https://www.vehicleenquiry.service.gov.uk/ to check out the vehicle details.
-Make sure you have insurance before you buy the vehicle, otherwise for you to insure the car for the drive home, for 24 hours, cost me 100 pounds. Crazy unexpected cost.
KEEPING THE VEHICLE:
-The MOT: This is a requirement, it is basically a check up on the safety condition of the car.
-Tax: Like registering your vehicle, you have to ‘tax your vehicle’, this is not transferable when you buy or sell a car. You can pay for this online or at the Post Office.
-Insurance: By law you have to have this, and for us Aussie’s or Kiwi’s, the best deal is ‘Down Under Insurance’. http://www.duinsure.com/motor_insurance
-Breakdown Service: Plenty of easy options to choose from. I’m with ‘AA’.
GOING OVER TO EUROPE WITH UK VEHICLE:
-Make sure you have your MOT approved for a good length of time, if this runs out when you’re in Europe, you cannot get it over there, and your insurance automatically doesn’t count.
-There is a list of requirements and things you need to own in and on the vehicle in different countries, look these up before you go.
-Green card: A sort of old requirement but still safe to have printed out, this is proof that you have insurance.
-I would have all my documents printed out siting in the car just in case you get pulled over and happen to need them.
-You cannot have your vehicle kept in one country other than UK for more than 6 months, otherwise you have to import and register it in that country.
COSTS:
-The car: £750
-A car service/repair: £250
-The insurance: £585 + £100
-Tax: £120
-Roadside Assistance: £4 a month
=£1,809
=$3,490
HELPFUL LINKS:
http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/touring_tips/compulsory_equipment.pdf
http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/overseas/general_advice.html
http://www.duinsure.com/motor_insurance
https://www.gov.uk/
