car registered with dvla as something it's not

[stuartp]

i bought my escort on saturday and don't have the log book back from dvla yet obviously

 

but the tax ran out at the end of september so i had to buy that first thing today (with the little slip you get off of the previous owners papers).

 

the car has a 2 litre pinto in it but i found out when buying the tax that it's still registered with them as a 1300 (it was originally a 1300 xl auto)

 

it's had the 2 litre engine in for a good while i believe (several years), has someone been naughty for all that time and not told the dvla

 

i'm not really contemplating it but the question is what are the consequences if i just leave it as it is? will that make my insurance invalid? (although footman james have insured it as a 2 litre)

 

i think the colour still came up as the original too (it's been resprayed)

 

never had a car with a different engine to it's original so i'm a bit lost

 

presumably when all the papers come through in my name it will have instructions as to jhow to declare changes and stuff? aand i'll just update it all then

 

anyone been in a similar position?

[Copey]

i think if you just phone up and explain whats goin on it will be fine

[emu]

When I changed mine from 1300 to 2 litre, I just sent off the log book to DVLA with the changes written on the appropriate bit of the log book.

 

BUT, I have heard that DVLA now want proof of the change in engine size, regardless of whether it is larger or smaller. They used to just want proof if smaller because of the change in tax bracket.

[mk1super]

When I changed mine from 1300 to 2 litre, I just sent off the log book to DVLA with the changes written on the appropriate bit of the log book.

 

BUT, I have heard that DVLA now want proof of the change in engine size, regardless of whether it is larger or smaller. They used to just want proof if smaller because of the change in tax bracket.

 

What if your vehicles tax exempt?

[Fishtailparka]

My Blue Mk1 with a pinto in says its a red 1300 on the logbook.

I haven't told them about the engine, but did tell the insurance.

I told them I had resprayed it blue, from its previous white. Why they put red I don't know.

[Savvi]

A lot of people are leaving the cars as 1300 etc because of getting cheaper tax.

 

The nova boys are all doing it with their Xe conversions also.

[Fishtailparka]

Mine is tax free. I wouldn't do it to cheat paying tax. I expect that could mean big trouble, cheating tax can get you in deep doodoo.

[sab6024]

I remember when I had my old Mk1 Escort the log book said it was an 1100....I sent the logbook back with the changes (as it had a 1300 in it) complete with engine number and they sent it back to me without changing the details. I tried this 3 times until I thought it really was a complete waste of my time and stamps

 

But the first time I tried to insure it they told me the computer said it was a 1600 Twink......blimmin wished it was, but no such luck

[FredTransit]

I have also heard the DVLA need proof of change of engine size. At the end of the day, if you don't tell them, how will they know? The MOT test is the same, and your insurance (who you have told) are the ones you need to worry about. If (god forbid) you have an accident, it's only the insurance company who will inspect it, not the DVLA. It sounds like it's more trouble to tell them, rather than not tell them.

 

If I were you I would just leave it. I would get the colour sorted though, or you will constantly be getting stopped by the police. It's a visual discrepancy that doesn't need a degree in engineering to spot.

[ratman]

When I changed my Mk1 Tina from a 1200 to a 2.0 I filled in the logbook sent it back with different engine size & engine number and body color change

and got the changed log book back in about 3 weeks

[stuartp]

i'll hold on until the forms all come back in my name and then see what the score is

 

tempting though - would be nice to pay £120 rather than £180 a year

[Mk2Jo]

If it was me I would contact the DVLA when the logbook comes back and explain it to them. It IS very tempting to have cheaper tax as long as you are prepared to face the consequences of not declaring changes (even if you didn't make them) if it ever came to light

[stuartp]

i fully intend to do the right thing

 

never knowingly done anything dodgy motoring wise in the past, why start now with the car i always wanted?

[bomber1]

If it was me I would contact the DVLA when the logbook comes back and explain it to them. It IS very tempting to have cheaper tax as long as you are prepared to face the consequences of not declaring changes (even if you didn't make them) if it ever came to light

 

as jo said and now its all linked together its more likley an mot,er will spot the larger engine then your in trouble for defrauding the tax

[Ken B]

Some years back I worked for an engineering company and we had the large roll on/roll off type skips for scrap. Believe this or not, but when i went to tip the days scrap into it, i found it already full with someones car. The boss phoned the police who duly sent their experts round the next day. All identifying tags had been removed including the chassis numbers ground out of the floor. It was an old Fiesta. The only way of tracing who it belonged too was by the engine number which whoever had dumped it hadn't removed. So I guess the moral is always have the correct details in case it gets stolen. Incidentally, the car turned out to belong to someone on the housing estate around the corner, they merely dumped it, but it seems they knew someone who worked at our place and had used our forklift to get it in our bin!!! Needless to say they soon got fired .

[FredTransit]

If it was me I would contact the DVLA when the logbook comes back and explain it to them. It IS very tempting to have cheaper tax as long as you are prepared to face the consequences of not declaring changes (even if you didn't make them) if it ever came to light

 

as jo said and now its all linked together its more likley an mot,er will spot the larger engine then your in trouble for defrauding the tax

 

I seriously doubt this. Our local MOT tester is years younger than anything I have shown him, and quote frankly wouldn't know a crossflow from a DI. The actual engine is not too relevant, the fuel is as it dictates how the test is done. That having said, a certain one of our vans is down as diesel, yet it's a petrol under the bonnet. It's still tested as a diesel, as that's what's on the log book. I know this as I noticed one day the engine size was correct for a diesel, not the petrol it actually is. However it is a class7, ans none of our class7 certs have a fuel on them.