Buying a car that is declared off the road

Veloce

I am interested in viewing a car at the weekend but it is currently declared off the road by the person selling it - has anyone any experience with buying a car that is declared off the road? I assume there is no way I can test drive the car properly?

If I were stopped on the test drive by AGS would the fine for driving the car in a public place apply to me or the owner who made the declaration?

Thanks in advance.

uck51js9zml2yt

You're the one driving the car, not the owner.
It could be seized and you fined.

unkel

What are the chances of the Garda actually seizing the car or even fining the driver after you explain the situation? Most guards are decent people and they won't do you for stuff like that. Just make sure you are insured to drive it.

And no matter how long the car was declared off the road / no motor tax paid on it, as the new owner you will only owe tax from the start of the month you buy it. So buy today and pay tax from 01/04/2017

CiniO

Veloce wrote: »

I am interested in viewing a car at the weekend but it is currently declared off the road by the person selling it - has anyone any experience with buying a car that is declared off the road? I assume there is no way I can test drive the car properly?

If I were stopped on the test drive by AGS would the fine for driving the car in a public place apply to me or the owner who made the declaration?

Thanks in advance.

You can't be fined for driving a car declared off the road, as it's not you who made a declaration.
Only the owner who made a declaration can be fined for driving or allowing someone to drive a car declared off the road.

However you can be fined for driving untaxed car.

TomOnBoard

CiniO wrote: »

You can't be fined for driving a car declared off the road, as it's not you who made a declaration.
Only the owner who made a declaration can be fined for driving or allowing someone to drive a car declared off the road.

However you can be fined for driving untaxed car.

More important perhaps is, if it's declared off the road, chances are the owner has his insurance transferred to his 'new' yoke. So, will you be insured to drive it if you're stopped by AGS or worse, hit someone or something while you're driving it?

Veloce

TomOnBoard wrote: »

More important perhaps is, if it's declared off the road, chances are the owner has his insurance transferred to his 'new' yoke. So, will you be insured to drive it if you're stopped by AGS or worse, hit someone or something while you're driving it?

I know with Liberty fully comp, you are allowed to drive other cars regardless if they have an insurance policy in place or not.

As for the off road declaration - surely the owner can be fined for allowing the car to be used in a public place? They declared the car off the road, declared that the car would not be used in a public place, and then permitting a test drive is essentially in contrary to that.

Ugh it makes things too complicated.

unkel

I wouldn't be too worried, Veloce. As long as your insurance for driving other cars is in place and it seems you have that. Most of the time this is for third party cover only though, bear that in mind! Or in other words: don't crash the car on your test drive

Veloce

I'll keep that in mind about not crashing Unkel!

TomOnBoard

unkel wrote: »

I wouldn't be too worried, Veloce. As long as your insurance for driving other cars is in place and it seems you have that. Most of the time this is for third party cover only though, bear that in mind! Or in other words: don't crash the car on your test drive

Also, when I was with Liberty, the cover only applied to private cars ( excl. vans, 4x4 etc) in sound mechanical condition (however that would be judged, I don't know). If in doubt I'd be checking with them.