Engine swop rules (tax/insurance)

Dirty-Old-Man

I'm curious, does anyone know the rules applied by the tax office and the insurers when a classic has been re-engined? Would the VRT and Road Tax remain at classic rates and will the insurance jump to ridiculous levels?

Here are some examples of the kind of thing I mean;

A Rover P6 2000 Mk1 automatic with a P6 Mk 2 2200 automatic engine/gearbox
A Rover P5 3 Litre with a 3.0 Range Rover turbo diesel
An MG Midget with a 1.4 K series engine
A 1978 XJ-S with a (post '81) HE engine

I haven't made any of these swops, has anyone imported a car with a non-standard engine and found out what happens?

mike65

The last one would be interesting after July, the 81 engine could be subjected to a CO2 test and tax! Instead of paying 48 euro pa it would be 2000!

Mike.

carchaeologist

Im sure if the car was over 30 years it wouldnt matter, you would still get vintage tax rates, but newer cars im not so sure of, the NCT boys would have to be kept happy at least, and the car would be taxed on its new engine size, but after july is anyones guess.

galwaytt

mike65 wrote: »

The last one would be interesting after July, the 81 engine could be subjected to a CO2 test and tax! Instead of paying 48 euro pa it would be 2000!

Mike.

Almost right, but not quite..........NOT subject to CO test, but yes, 2k tax. Well, until it's Birthday (this year), anyway.

The CO test you're thinking of is the NCT one, which has nothing to do with published CO2 output for VRT/Tax calcs. They only started producing that data since 2001, so not available for older stuff.

Also age of import is the Chassis, not the engine......so engine date is irrelevant.

Max_Damage

Dirty-Old-Man wrote: »

I
A Rover P5 3 Litre with a 3.0 Range Rover turbo diesel

Anyone who does that should be hung, drawn, and quartered in my opinion.

mike65

galwaytt, Doh!

Just as a matter of clarrification - are you are saying if an old engine (for which no official figures exist) is imported its not going to be subject to a CO2 test?

Also age of import is the Chassis, not the engine......so engine date is irrelevant.

Fair enough (not necessarily logical though)

Mike.

maidhc

I brought in a Capri 1.6 with a 2.0 engine fitted.

I told the insurers, left the VRO in the dark. It is a classic anyway, but i was worried in case the classic rules would be abolished, so I put the original engine on the tax book.

Dirty-Old-Man

galwaytt wrote: »

Almost right, but not quite..........NOT subject to CO test, but yes, 2k tax. Well, until it's Birthday (this year), anyway.

The CO test you're thinking of is the NCT one, which has nothing to do with published CO2 output for VRT/Tax calcs. They only started producing that data since 2001, so not available for older stuff.

Also age of import is the Chassis, not the engine......so engine date is irrelevant.

I meant put the newer engine (or just heads/injection) into the older car - to improve fuel economy.

Dirty-Old-Man

Max_Damage wrote: »

Anyone who does that should be hung, drawn, and quartered in my opinion.

Thank you for sharing.
Wouldn't a non Rover engine be worse?

Dirty-Old-Man

maidhc wrote: »

I brought in a Capri 1.6 with a 2.0 engine fitted.

I told the insurers, left the VRO in the dark. It is a classic anyway, but i was worried in case the classic rules would be abolished, so I put the original engine on the tax book.

Just a bigger Pinto engine? It shouldn't have bothered them.

carchaeologist

My own capri has a 2litre, but it was only ever taxed as a 1.6, which is what it had originally.no questions were ever asked...