Thanks for the new tips guys. MDP i looked for the relevant details off the site and have dug around the concept. I have also asked my audi sales guy to help me out with this as the plate will be for the RS4 really.

Misery, so i just get the current owner to send off the V778 asking for the plate (on their car) to be retained on certificate, they get this certificate back say in 7 days, they then sign this over to me? Please ellaborate a bit, sorry for being anal but i really want this plate and don't want to end up with a worthless heap and not being able to transfer the plate.

After reading the DVLA info on the sites and forms this is starting to really infuriate me as i still don't know any clearer whether to take the risk and just get the car and deal with the 'red tape' afterwards, but this seems to be the clearest route through based on what the DVLA jabber on about on their forms:

What i am thinking of doing, is as they have literally, only the V5 document (old style) and the old tax disc still in the car (1996 expired). Basically buy the car from them, and get them to sign over the V5 with the number plate in tact on the car, as the DVLA retention instructions (obtained from my audi dealer today ) says:

"Registration numbers are assigned to vehicles, an individual acquires
entitlement to move a vehicle's number through being the keeper of that vehicle (i.e. to my understanding being the registered owner/keeper via the V5). Vehicles taking part in the scheme must be in existence and registered at DVLA, vehicles must also be available for inspection, be of a type that requires a road worthiness test and be currently licensed. (but see note E)".

So from the above it seems that if i take the above steps and registed the car in my name, then it should be straight forward, but note E complicates things somewhat:

" If the vehcle donating the number is not currently licensed (which the car in question isn't) you may still be able to apply to retain its number without
renewing the license if the vehicle license expired not more then 6 months
prior to the date of this application, or if the donor vehicle is not yet old
enough to be tested (up to 3 years old for cars). You should be aware that in these cases it is likely that the local office will wish to inspect the
vehicle. If the vehicle is unlicensed and you have not already done so, you
must complete a statutory Off Road Notification (SORN). This can be done by completing the V890 form from local dvla offices."

So from the above, i could purchase the car, go and pick it up and recover it back to my house or offices, transfer the V5 into my name with the plate in tact, and wait for the registration document to arrive in the post with my name on it (with the number plate), then i could then insure it (12 months as required cover note), obtain an MOT test certificate from a 'friend' in the trade then go down the post office and purchase a tax disc (6 months) and then do the transfer as normal and avoid all the unneccassary above, and then put the plate onto retention (being the legal keeper/owner now) and then once that has been done, scrap the car - fill out the DVLA forms as necessary, rip up the MOT and get my license disc refund back, and cancel the insurance (if i haven't done so already - 14 day cooling off period) .

If it works like this, i would be a happy man and it should involve minimal work and the little hassle i would have to go to, i.e. arranging a flat bed transporter for about 100 mile lug, should be well worth the discount i am achieving in buying the plate this way.

Tell you what, the DVLA don't make things easy for situations like this, but this is a unique situation and i have never heard of it before or needed to do this before..!

..

Just spoke to the DVLA, and the situation is not looking good.
Basically i now know why the people in question are selling this cherished plate for very little money and have not simply transferred it over to their new/current vehicle.

The dvla ( the wan**rs that they are) require for plate transfers, both the donor vehicle and the receiving vehicle in this case the 1984 Mercedes 500 SEC that the plate is currently on, and the Audi RS4 (which will be the receiving vehicle) to both have MOT and Tax, as well as V5 in tact.

So basically, if i got the Merc delivered to my driveway, i would need to get an Mot for it (to get the Tax), which wouldn't really be a problem, a £50 note sent in the right direction should sort this out, but the 'code brown' situation comes if the DVLA come out to inspect the vehicle and it is obvious that it would never have passed its MOT. Both myself and the MOT station in question would likely get in a lot of trouble.

They have more or less agreed a price of £1500 for the plate (with car) which is dirt cheap for the plate in question, but the work going to be needed to get the car up to Mot standard will likely run into the thousands, and right now im not that 'liquid' and need to think of the imminent arrival of the RS4 before i start being stupid with this merc.

MDP, you mentioned that the car you got the plate off was a dead car and was scrapped after you got the plate off it, i asked this question to the DVLA and told them currently the Merc is not in driveable condition and if i scrapped it could i get the plate off it? he said, no the plate would die with the car. So unless i want to ressurect this Merc looks like there is no way of doing this. !!

What's the likelihood and timescale of the DVLA doing a driveby inspection though? If you can get it an MOT cert, transfer the plate and then fill out the V5 saying you're scrapping it, couldn't you get it all over and done with in less than a month? 

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These were my worst fears Kam. I know the chance you are or could be taking & sods law that the DVLA then still ask you to bring the car into them for inspection In my case the owner of the car/plate was issued with another replacement reg applicable to that year ( but obviously not as good ) I cant remember if the car was MOT'd then or not ? but things have changed since then as transfering numbers has become big business. 
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Just spoke to my mechanic who is a family friend and has a full blown bodyshop, paintshop and gets all our family cars. He is insurance approved by quite a few companies and generally knows loads about cars etc and different situations. He has said if i get the car to him and he can get it through its MOT, then he could issue the MOT and scrap the car in under three weeks depending on the speed of the DVLA log book transfer into my name. The checks by the DVLA are random, but he would be liable if they did end up doing a check (having his name on the MOT) and would have literally probably 7 days notice to get the car up to standard before they popped in! is a bit of a gamble, but we're talking probably £1500 to buy the car, and a couple of grand to get it up to standard (if necessary)



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Kam , have you tried offering her less for the car? You may still be able to get this plate at a bargain - if you have to do work on the car - then sell it afterwards to recoupe some of the cost? 
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MDP, yeah the £1500 is already a negotiated price from £2500 where she started from.

My mechanic needs to know more about the condition of the car, so just left her a message, and sent her an email, but he is saying the whole chasis may be corroded, and the brakes seized, the auto gearbox may also be inoperable. New battery definitely and the wheels may also be locked in position. Would need to drive down to take a look before committing i think.. Its in cheltenham, so not too far.

Sounds a mess, Kam. Gearbox, chassis, brakes? Going to be an expensive job bringing it back to MOT standard. Hopefully all the electrics will be ok once you've got a new battery in.... the things we'd do for a number plate!  

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Well if i actually got the car back into working condition, it could actually be recouped i think. I would leave the car with my mechanic in his vast workspace, and would have him work on it bit by bit.

On the trader similar priced cars with 100k+ miles are fetching between £1000-1500 in working condition, so am guessing i could still shift it, and it may not be complete junk.

Anyone had the car inspected or know anyone that has? These are random inpections, and from the sound of things off the DVLA website, is to verify the cars VIN / Chasis number against the documents that they have and the owner has in their hand. If i polish her up and get her looking reasonable, and make sure the interior looks ok, then would they actually inspect the car i.e. start her up and make sure the MOT was ok? surely they would just nip in/out and check the cars documents and identity and that would be that.. bit of a gamble, but if i know what they would be doing we may try and mock it up if it ends up costing too much to fix her up.

I could always just buy it and store it away, till the rules change or until its a classic, i.e. its 22 years old now, so another 3 years and it doesn't need tax, so could be transferred just using the V5? but where to store it for three years, could use the back warehouse in my office but my dad might get a bit annoyed about that.

On DVLA:
KAM 1D £1,500 Sold in Jan 2002
KAM 1L £2,500 Sold in Mar 1992
KAM 1R £3,700 Sold in Dec 2004
KAM 1S £4,000 Sold in Nov 2001
KAM 1T £3,600 Sold in Sep 2004
KAM 3Y £2,600 Sold in Dec 2005
KAM 44L £3,100 Sold in Jun 2005
KAM 4L £14,500 Sold in Jun 1998
KAM 4R £2,600 Sold in Dec 2000
KAM 5G £3,600 Sold in Oct 2004
KAM 7L £2,400 Sold in Jul 2003

On New Reg:
KAM 12 £17,245 (most similar to the plate in question then the above)

KAM 12 £27000 (Same plate on regtransfers?? wtf??)

KAM 9L £80000 (err.. don't think so!)

So for the price of £1500, if i can get the car up and running for under £5k, it should be worth it! considering what the market for these are like currently.
I have sent off for a valuation request to a website and done it as if the car its on is taxed and Mot'd. Lets see what they think.

Kam

Just to add another worry, you say she only has the old style V5, I would check that to, as I think all documents had to be changed to the new style V5 last July.

I wouldn't worry to much about them coming out to check the vehicle, they never have to me and I've changed a few over. Buy it, get the MOT (£50) transfere the the number to a V778. If they do turn up just like everything else in life you sold it and it's gone no idea where!!!!!

What I've done before is take the tax disc, V5 and MOT down to the local DVLA office fill out the paper work transfere the number to the V778, the DVLA give me a new Tax disc with the new number and a letter to say that it has been transfered. So you can get the new plates made once you've done that you sell the car the next day to someone a good one is a traveller. ALL DONE.

I'm sure things will work out, but must say i am really sorry for all the aggro!!!!!! plus I hope no one on the forum works down at the DVLA or they will be checking it now.

Good Luck

Nah, i don't think so!
No, thanks for putting me in touch with this person,
appreciate it, and if i get it, i owe you a few drinks.

We've never had a car inspected either. My mechanic was saying the £1500 is a gamble, but also we would have to be prepared to fix the damn thing up pretty sharpish if they were to inspect the car.

If i go to an office and do it in person, and they say, do you have the vehicle with you now sir, and i say no, will they still warrant the transfer there and then? If i get the audi dealer's runner to do it on my behalf do you think there would be less chance of an inspection. This is really doing my head in, if i do this and end up with a heap of on my drive, my dad will really kick my arse.. but then again, if i do it and end up with a mint plate, it will be worth it in years to come as MDP said before.

I do feel for you. I would go for it take the chance, if you want the number. Either way if you or the Audi runner go into the office I don't think that it will matter if you don't have the car with you, all I have ever needed is the paper work.

I wouldn't worry to much about your father (they always forgive us!!) I've still got wrecks of old Land Rovers up my fathers drive and I don't even live with them any more.

Checked with the DVLA

V5 document - old is valid till July 2006.
When i send off the slip for transfer of ownership then i will get new style sent to me.
In regard to inspections - As this is an old car and its tax disc hasn't been licensed against the car since 1996, because there is sudden activity on the number plate identifier and the model in question which has been off the DVLA radar for ages (not declared SORN - as this wasn't legal requirement back in 1996) suddenly by causing paperwork on this car, will lead to the DVLA thinking that the car may be being used to create a 'ringer' or may simply been ressurected for the plate, therefore the liklihood of inspection is much higher in this case. My mechanic and Audi dealer reckoned 1/1000 cars checked in normal circumstances, but this could be as small as 1/10 classic cars being inspected.

Another safety net we have found is, as far as retaining the plate or transferring goes, they want two things:
A) V5
b) Tax disc (hence insurance & MOT - Problem arising as Merc won't pass it right now).

The car is currently 22 years old. If it refuses to come back to life and i loose all hope with the pimp mobile, i can always store it for three years, as then its 25 years old, and hence won't need the tax disc. (but im guessing being the DVLA) they will create another twist in this time meaning i still won't beable to transfer the plate. (bastards!)

Some light at the end of the tunnel though, the lady replied with this bit on info which makes this more feasible:

"Dear Kam, firstly the tyres are in excellent condition pirellis on the front
and radial on the back good tread and will pass an MOT the bodywork is good a couple of scratches on front bonnet a couple of raised areas of bubbled paint and a rough area by the rear wheel , there is a dent on the rear wing, we can find no evidence of rust as it has not been left outside at all, and it is all undersealed[ I hope you understand this as I do not really
know if what I am saying is right this is what my husband has told me, the
car has done 142 thousand miles I think I said 146 in the description but it
is of little importance really, we have put jump leads from the jeep to the
mercedes and it turns over but does not start, we will put a battery in
tomorrow to see what happens, it is a little to go on and if it could be
made to start it could possibly be good enough to satisfy DVLA will e mail
tomorrow as soon as I possibly can, kind regards **"

So seem visually it may be ok, and im hoping tommorow with the new battery it may spring into life. Earlier she told me the oil level was still healthy and was still liquid meaning the engine isn't corroded and should be good to emerge back to life after a bit of tinkering.

Have asked her if it starts, to see if it engages N and see if the park release handle will release and if so see if the wheels roll. Am hoping the brakes aren't seized but this should be rectifiable really.
Tommorow is D Day, so will stop annoying you guys with this stuff!

You carry on Kam - we all like interesting challenges - and this is a good one. Sounds to me as if things are looking a little more favourable It has to be worth all the effort as said earlier - this plate is going to really set the RS4 off  
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