Talk Morgan Forums Community Vehicle Talk (non-Morgan) US Resident buying car in UK

Goodmorning from the colonies!
Thought I'd lob this ball across the pond and see if anyone has either firsthand knowledge of someone doing this or just some general advice. Any advice welcome.

Looking at purchasing a friends early 90s TVR - great car, in phenomenal shape, two owner...etc. It's really only because I know the car and could stand to be given a "family" deal on it that I'm very seriously considering the purchase. Unfortunately he and I have no clue how to go about it. The short and sweet is I'd like to nab it before he's forced to consign it or sell it off (he's lost its garage space) and to do so I'd need to pick it up and drive it off just as speedily! ...which is a great excuse for a trip across the pond and a driving tour from the UK to the EU this Fall.

So. What's the verdict? Would it be foolish to even try? I've used a third party company out of Germany to register a car before in the EU that a friend purchased and I drove around for approximately a month a year or so ago...hoping that is something I can do again. but is there anything I'd have to worry about for the week or so I'd spend in the UK with all the registration restrictions, driving license restrictions, etc..

I don't know. I feel like it'd be a lot of work for a car that's not worth all too much. but it also happens to be a '90 that I could, at my leisure, ship back to the States and enjoy. An added plus that makes it more interesting to me. I have a friends garage in Italy I can store it in infinitely once I get it out of the UK...but there's a lot I've got to figure out before that becomes possible.

So! On the phone with insurers today - see what an international policy on the car might cost me...and then need to log some time online to see what it'd take to acquire a legitimate international drivers license.

Thoughts?

Thats a question or three. A car in the UK needs to have an MoT test which your pal could get before you bought the car. It needs to have insurance - plenty of companies on the net but not being a colonial I do not know how they view colonials. Then finally there is an annual tax to use the vehicle on the road and this cannot be transferred owner to owner any longer. Lest you feel inclined to ignore these laws, we are the world capital for state-run CCTV cameras and there is no doubt they would spot you. Whether they would physically catch up with you is a different issue. The best way round all this is for your pal to MoT test, tax and insure the car himself with you as named driver on the insurance and do the legal ownership handover when you ship the car back to the USA.

For you yourself you need a driving licence that is recognised here. I think the US one is but I dont know for sure.

Finally, TVRs are notoriously unreliable, the company went bust and I really wouldnt like to risk driving one outside the UK. Plus there will be some states in the US where you could not put the car on the road for eco reasons. California would be doubtful for example.

Best advice? Forget the whole thing.Too many potential pratfalls.

P.S. I am not an expert on the various rules above - this post is my understanding of how things work, so if you do decide to go ahead - check everything carefully.

From my experience, not being a resident to the UK will preclude you from obtaining insurance on the vehicle. I have British friends who live abroad who wanted to purchase a car to keep here and insure it. I could not find an insurance company who would provide cover and as Howard says with the minefiled of red tape here now you would ahve to get a friend to purchase, tax and insure it with you being a named driver and then your friend sell it to you at the point the vehicle is to be exported.

We have members in MOGSouth that have imported 1989 Morgans from the UK.

Cheers,

Ah but you can keep an old Morgan going with a big hammer, a greasegun, and insecticide to keep woodworm at bay . Later TVRs have a home built engine which would make a Harley seem like the peak of reliability

Agreed, and there is a plentiful pool of knowledge, spares and a established support community.

Cheers,

Do you know what model TVR it is? That would be the starting point!

If you can find out what the model it then I'd suggest do you homework on Pistonheads.com a lot of TVR knowledge can be found here.

Is the car in the UK? It might be possible to get it covered on an any driver policy which would give you the chance to drive it but it would be expensive as you would probably have to get someone from the UK to insure the car for you to then drive.

Yes, but he was talking about an early 90's TIV, so the engine will be Ford or Rover derived. Neither of them are scary.

I think you are in luck because you are buying from a family friend. Just keep It registered in his name with you named as a driver on his insurance, with a European driving clause in the policy. When you have put it on the ship to the USA then do the registration transfer. You can do the sales contract at any time if you trust each other.

I have done this twice importing cars from the UK to continental Europe. It is legal and allows time to go through the process of getting it registered in another country.

It is almost impossible to get a UK insurance company to insure you if you don't have a UK address and a record of being insured there. But I have encountered no difficulties, as holder of an EU license, of being named on UK insurance policies as an approved driver. Hope this helps and that you have a successful ownership.

I think Auster's & the others advice is the best way.
When I hire cars in the US I just show my UK license.

You could get an international license in the UK via the AA.
No idea who does them in the US.

Good luck