Buying used car from dealer - tax and insurance question

Hades

Hades

Hades

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I am viewing a used car at a dealer tomorrow. It's been quite a few years since I've bought from a dealer and I appreciated the tax situation has changed. So I have the following questions in case I do buy the car.

I now have several cars so for this one I will probably pay the tax and insurance monthly rather than in one hit. But I would be buying the car with cash so could just drive it away that day.

Tax - Would the dealer or I have to tax the car? I assume that I can do this online on my phone/tablet while at the dealer's?

Insurance - I can buy this online but is it effective immediately or am I likely to be stopped while driving home (ANPR etc)?

The car is about 200 miles away so I would probably prefer to just drive it away if I do buy it. Otherwise it will need a second long and costly round trip.

Thank you.
 
When I bought my (first) car last year I did the tax on my phone before setting off and called up the insurance company quoting the reference I had from going through compare the market a few days prior. I was off within 5 mins and had no trouble on the 60 miles home.

Can't imagine buying from a dealer would be any different than private for tax and insurance purposes? Other than dealers being able to provide drive away insurance.
 
Hades said:
Tax - Would the dealer or I have to tax the car? I assume that I can do this online on my phone/tablet while at the dealer's?
Click to expand...

Most Dealers will let you use their computer to tax the car online whilst you are there.


Hades said:
Insurance - I can buy this online but is it effective immediately or am I likely to be stopped while driving home (ANPR etc)?
Click to expand...

It is effective immediately*, but can take a few days before it shows on the insurance database / askmid website. If you are stopped for any reason, then just give them insurers detail and/or policy number and they can check directly with your insurer.

(* edit - to avoid pedantry, from the date/time you have agree the insurance to start)
 
When I bought mine the other week, I changed the insurance and set up the tax on my Ipad and kept the email's in case I got stopped. I never had a problem.
the money for the tax didn't come out intimately though which worried me but I had the email that said it was covered.
 
When we sell used cars, we tax the vehicle ready. It's our duty of care to make sure the customer has insurance for the vehicle, so ask for a copy and tax the car. That way the customer can come in, sign the paperwork and drive away hassle free.
 
Last two cars I bought I just taxed them the night before I went to pick it up, same with insurance.

If you intend to drive away on the day just ask to use the dealers pc. I'm sure they will oblige. The site will work just fine on a half decent smartphone too.
 
When we went to pick our car up (we had arranged for insurance to change over from our part-ex) our insurance company gave us cover for both vehicles for 24 hours, Stratstone also had a 7 day insurance included on all vehicles they sold to give you chance to sort your own anyway
 
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