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'Classic' car status for cheaper insurance


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hi guys,

 

I recently sold my car and my wife and I are down to 1 (a company car). Normally its not a problem as we work together and commute together. On weekends though it is limiting if I want to go shooting/fishing for the day and she's without a car or if she's gone for the day and I can't make a quick run to the fields for a walkabout. I'd love to get a little cheap 4x4 for this purpose, however costs are going to be high for me. I sold my A class because it was running me ~£1k a year in insurance (~£500), MOT (~£45), consumables (~£200), and road tax (£240). All that for driving 6k miles in 2.5 years.

 

If I could find something that was ~£300-400 a year running costs then I could consider getting a second car. I have read that some cars qualify for 'classic' or 'club' status once they are a certain age or fit a profile. Anyone have more details on that? Are there any reliable 4x4's (or something else that is 'rugged') that fit that description? About me, I don't do major work on cars at all, just enough to change disc brakes and similar level of difficulty items. I just want something that will start when I turn the key and it goes from A to B reliably.

 

I ask about the club status because my UK full license is less than 1 year old. Previously I was driving on a foreign license with 15 years experience and NCD. Now that I have a shiny new UK license, that 15 years is null and void and I'm a 'new' driver with no history.

 

Thanks,

Rick

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Most old cars have a club and anything 20+ years old is getting towards classic the usual choice would be a Series 3/2a landrover Tax free if first reg pre 1979 IIRC Hold value (unlike oil) heavy on fuel but rugged and off road capable. A total hooby/world in it's own right!

 

Limited mileage polciy on classics is what keeps the cost down most are 2-3k a year some higher guide here http://www.moneysupermarket.com/car-insurance/classic-cars/

 

However there are some disadvantages, the other option is an NFU limited mileage policy designed for farmers but limits you to within 50 miles of insured address and a few other things.

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Footman James insure my Landy for £150ish a year unlimited milage on a classic policy.

 

This also includes my wife as a named driver and she's only had her UK licence for a year.

 

I think anything over 25 years is capable of going on a classic policy, and with some vehicles younger than that - so pre 1987 - huge range to chose from!

 

Club membership also brings it down - but does not need to be the club for teh vehicle - my Landy insurance uses a motorcycle club I'm in.

 

And if your lucky it'll be built pre 1972 so Tax exempt as well! :)

Edited by jimmyvonk
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Most old cars have a club and anything 20+ years old is getting towards classic the usual choice would be a Series 3/2a landrover Tax free if first reg pre 1979 IIRC Hold value (unlike oil) heavy on fuel but rugged and off road capable. A total hooby/world in it's own right!

 

Limited mileage polciy on classics is what keeps the cost down most are 2-3k a year some higher guide here http://www.moneysupermarket.com/car-insurance/classic-cars/

 

However there are some disadvantages, the other option is an NFU limited mileage policy designed for farmers but limits you to within 50 miles of insured address and a few other things.

 

think you will find 74 and pre for free tax on landys, i pay road tax on my 1976 88" :good:

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However, as fine a car as an old Landy is, you will almost certainly spend a degree of time covered in oil and grease, you need to be able to buy into the Classic Land Rover ethos, and that includes questionable reliability.

 

Personally I drive a swb Shogun which is my shooting/fishing bus, it's qualifies for a club discount when you join the Shogun owners club, and although it's not very economical, mine runs on waste veg oil/biodiesel which is available at approx 60p/£1.22 litre respectively, that makes running costs very sensible. The 60p I quote is available all day long on ebay, if you can find your own source you can on occasion get it for free, and I have bought several job lots that worked out at less than 20p/litre.

 

Alternatively I'd probably point you toward an older Suzuki jeep, Rav4 etc, cheap to buy, run and pretty reliable if uninspiring.

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In case you didn't know....

Classic Car policies don't usually build you any NCD

Are only available if you have another car that you use as a daily driver.

You don't usually get a refund if you cancel before the policy ends (ie. after 6 months)

 

You may have already known all that and it may not be true of every policy but just FYI

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HI guys,

 

thanks for the info. Looking through some things, I don't think a no tax land rover is what I want. while they look awesome (especially the redone ones) I'd rather pay £200 a year for more reliability. Not to mention, all of the series 1/2/3 I see that are pre tax are either fairly beat up or recently done up (and thus a bit expensive). So if I'm going to spend £250 a year for road tax and MOT, then that means I need to find insurance for £150 or so which I don't think is going to happen.

 

I'm not worried about building a NCD as it is a second policy and a secondary car. Both my wife and I are < 1 year on our full licenses, so no benefit of adding her really. I'll keep my eyes open, but I'm not too hopeful. There certainly isn't an easy way to do it.

 

Thanks,

Rick

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  • 2 weeks later...

hi guys,

 

I recently sold my car and my wife and I are down to 1 (a company car). Normally its not a problem as we work together and commute together. On weekends though it is limiting if I want to go shooting/fishing for the day and she's without a car or if she's gone for the day and I can't make a quick run to the fields for a walkabout. I'd love to get a little cheap 4x4 for this purpose, however costs are going to be high for me. I sold my A class because it was running me ~£1k a year in insurance (~£500), MOT (~£45), consumables (~£200), and road tax (£240). All that for driving 6k miles in 2.5 years.

 

If I could find something that was ~£300-400 a year running costs then I could consider getting a second car. I have read that some cars qualify for 'classic' or 'club' status once they are a certain age or fit a profile. Anyone have more details on that? Are there any reliable 4x4's (or something else that is 'rugged') that fit that description? About me, I don't do major work on cars at all, just enough to change disc brakes and similar level of difficulty items. I just want something that will start when I turn the key and it goes from A to B reliably.

 

I ask about the club status because my UK full license is less than 1 year old. Previously I was driving on a foreign license with 15 years experience and NCD. Now that I have a shiny new UK license, that 15 years is null and void and I'm a 'new' driver with no history.

 

Thanks,

Rick

 

My Land Rover Series III (1976) is less than £100.00, fully comp, with no bonus to use on a limited mileage policy, join a car club and this reduces premiums some more!

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To qualify for Exemption from road tax a vehicle needs to have been Manufactured pre January 1973.

It used to a rolling exemption, in so far as once a vehicle was 25yrs old it became exempt from road fund licence.

 

beware if looking at Landrovers as due to their bolt together characteristic it's not uncommon to find later models or vehicles constructed from parts that have a 'donor vehicles' identity attached (Effectively a Ringer)

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