Road legal track car questions regarding insurance, tax, sorn etc?

Gibbo · 31 Jul 2011 at 15:54

Hi there

A year ago, one could just have a track car and get the previous owner to tax it for 12 months or just get insurance, get 12 months tax and then cancel the insurance. Then just day insuring the car to get it to and from the track.

Am I right in thinking that now with new rules this is no longer possible as in if your car is not insured, even if its on private land (off road) it must be declared SORN?

If this is the case does it mean that even for a car that will only be used for track use, except for getting too and from the track now needs to be insured all year round in order for it to be taxed?

Obviously if one must now declare SORN that means its gonna cost a fortune in tax disc, plus time and effort too.

My plan was buy a car with 12 months tax, but not bother insuring the car and just day insure the car when I decide to use it which would be too and from the track. If this is no longer possible then it makes having/owning a track car quite a bit more expensive and more hassle or is there a way around this or are their special insurance schemes that take into account your on the road mileage/time will be very minimal and just when going too and from the track, as the car in question would be worth just a few k actual track insurance would not be a requirement.

Appreciate knowing whats the correct method and cheapest way of owning/using a track car that is road legal.

NathWraith · 31 Jul 2011 at 15:56

You got it right there man. If taxed it has to be insured or SORNed. Which is fail.

Gibbo · 31 Jul 2011 at 16:00

NathWraith said:
You got it right there man. If taxed it has to be insured or SORNed. Which is fail.

Pretty fail that is.

When I had the Mustang and EVO, they both had tax, I just used to call my insurance to notify if I wanted to use the other and thats all there was too it. Easy and no extra cost.

Now just sounds like daylight robbery to me, yes the risk was on me as if the un-insured car at the time was stolen then it was a total loss to me, but it was my risk.

This new method just seems fail and a royal pain in the a$$

DRZ · 31 Jul 2011 at 16:04

Cheaper to just trailer it there in that case, unless the track requires it to be taxed (can't see why?)

Shimmyhill · 31 Jul 2011 at 16:19

Been looking into the same, Trailer is the answer and SORN the tax

Burnsy2023 · 31 Jul 2011 at 16:22

DRZ said:
Cheaper to just trailer it there in that case, unless the track requires it to be taxed (can't see why?)

Indeed. Probably easiest way out.

Gibbo · 31 Jul 2011 at 16:42

So if a car is on a trailer then on the public road does the car on the trailer then not need to be taxed? You only need tax if say that car is started/running on the public road?

SpeedFreak · 31 Jul 2011 at 16:47

Gibbo said:
So if a car is on a trailer then on the public road does the car on the trailer then not need to be taxed? You only need tax if say that car is started/running on the public road?

I'd imagine it's no different to a car on a lorry being delivered to a dealers.

Fr0dders · 31 Jul 2011 at 17:12

Gibbo said:
So if a car is on a trailer then on the public road does the car on the trailer then not need to be taxed? You only need tax if say that car is started/running on the public road?

correct.

If you are going to use it on a closed race track and only carry it on a transporter, it doesn't need tax or insurance or an MOT.

Look at the GT3 Cup cars you saw at donnington. Hell they aint even road legal. You couldn't tax one if you tried. But its fine to turn up with one on a trailer to a track.

But that means you need a shogun or some other towing car as well as your track car and your trailer. Not forgetting your daily driver as well. Your driveway is going to get very crowded !

MikeHiow · 31 Jul 2011 at 17:15

Competition insurance - tell them a road mileage you expect and it covers you on the road and on track.

I was quoted £400/yr on the Strada with 1000 road miles. (I was 24 with 3yr NCD at the time, so I imagine it would be cheaper for you).

Alibaba99 · 31 Jul 2011 at 17:19

Shimmyhill said:
Been looking into the same, Trailer is the answer and SORN the tax

So instead of insurance and tax on the track car, you need insurance and tax on the tow vehicle, plus space to park another car and trailer.

Shimmyhill · 31 Jul 2011 at 17:22

I would tow it with the C3 obv

I rekon an Octavia or old Vectra could tow it - but as we may go in with 2 or 3 of us the costs of insurance/mot/tax would be less of an issue.

Fr0dders · 31 Jul 2011 at 17:28

what category license do you have.

Cat B or B + E ?

Shimmyhill · 31 Jul 2011 at 17:35

MrLOL said:
what category license do you have.

Cat B or B + E ?

B + E

Gibbo · 31 Jul 2011 at 17:57

MikeHiow said:
Competition insurance - tell them a road mileage you expect and it covers you on the road and on track.

I was quoted £400/yr on the Strada with 1000 road miles. (I was 24 with 3yr NCD at the time, so I imagine it would be cheaper for you).

Sounds like a plan, £400 or less per year would be fine.

Trifid · 31 Jul 2011 at 18:06

Gibbo said:
Sounds like a plan, £400 or less per year would be fine.

For the peace of mind of having it insured for theft all year round I think I'd much rather pay the extra that you now have to for a limited mileage year long policy.

Batf1nk · 31 Jul 2011 at 19:13

I would have thought a limited mileage policy would be the way to go as well. A limited policy with a specialist insurer would be relatively cheap assuming your not planning on a high value car.

Another example for you. My mk1 import mx5 costs me £500 a year FC unlimited mileage (29yo, 6 points, 7-8 years ncb) with some mods. So assuming your looking at that end of the market and not another Porsche, sub £400 should be easy.

Gibbo · 31 Jul 2011 at 19:43

Batf1nk said:
I would have thought a limited mileage policy would be the way to go as well. A limited policy with a specialist insurer would be relatively cheap assuming your not planning on a high value car.

Another example for you. My mk1 import mx5 costs me £500 a year FC unlimited mileage (29yo, 6 points, 7-8 years ncb) with some mods. So assuming your looking at that end of the market and not another Porsche, sub £400 should be easy.

Not disclosing what car may or may not be yet, I may not even bother but if I do its good to go in knowing what all the cost will be.

I've done a few quotes with admiral and sub £400 seems possible and thats just a normal 1000 mile per annum fully comp policy, I am sure a specialist insurer like competition insurance could easily beat that.

If I go ahead, car budget is 4k, needs to be sub 1000kg, circa 200BHP and already setup for track, so coilovers, race seats, cage, tyres etc, which seems very possible for 4k and still road legal, just needs to be special insurance otherwise when it comes to is the car modified shall be an interesting conversation LOL.

MikeHiow · 31 Jul 2011 at 19:50

I'm struggling to think of anything that meets your criteria for the budget.

What have you found?

Fr0dders · 31 Jul 2011 at 20:07

Gibbo said:
Not disclosing what car may or may not be yet, I may not even bother but if I do its good to go in knowing what all the cost will be.

I've done a few quotes with admiral and sub £400 seems possible and thats just a normal 1000 mile per annum fully comp policy, I am sure a specialist insurer like competition insurance could easily beat that.

If I go ahead, car budget is 4k, needs to be sub 1000kg, circa 200BHP and already setup for track, so coilovers, race seats, cage, tyres etc, which seems very possible for 4k and still road legal, just needs to be special insurance otherwise when it comes to is the car modified shall be an interesting conversation LOL.

not looking at this were you ? Lol

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3047683.htm