SLROC Forum

im wandering if its a good idea to buy a Q reg plate landrover 90.  it seems too good to be true and ive been warned that Q regs are abit dodgy..as they been made from 2 or more different vehicles stuck together. :S

any advise would be appreciated.

A "Q" plate usually means that the vehicle is made up with parts from several vehicles - not unusual for older LR but in this case there were obviously so many bits that DVLA would not accept that underneath it all was an "original" vehicle. Many Kit cars are on Q plates for example. A new replacement chassis is OK but an old re-used chassis counts against the "points" that a vehicle needs to be classed as "original". Another reason would be that the date of manufacture is indeterminate - Ex MOD vehicle with incomplete info on the release papers being registered for the first time etc - or its an import, again with poor record of when built.

With an Landrover I'd be keen to check that its mechanically sound and straight - both physically and legally. Check engine no and chassis no against bulkhead plate and the V5 paperwork for a start. If the paperwork does not tie up exactly with whats bolted together I'd run a mile. If bits are found to be nicked in a roadside check Plod will impound the lot and you'll lose whatever you paid for it.  
 

maybe worth doing a check on the vehicle with one of the online mobs if you are serious about buying it,
find out why its a Q plate it could be made from bits of everything , or it may be a legitimate rebuild or a complete vehicle stolen recovered with no id
a friend of mine rebuilt a smashed 110 station wagon with brand new chassis and all new bits so it was like new, however when he took it for the vic check they gave it a Q plate because it was a galvy  richards chassis not a genuine one, i would buy that  one no probs

try getting some ins quotes first i had a q plate transit and it was murder to get ins cover for and i was never done getting stopped by the police, me personally unless it is the best defender you've ever seen i'd stay clear,

thanks very much guys. much appreciated!

is it a silver 90 in dunfermline we are talking about?

yea it was in dunfermline and silver, is it urs like?

not mine  but it has been in the area for over 10 years it used to belong to the chipshop owner in dunfermline , maybe still does. looks a bit rough now, seen it on ebay last week

sounds like its a bit dodgy to me likes.
thanks for lettin me no.

In what way does it sound dodgy, if he has had it all those years ?

You can get a perfectly legal Q registered vehicle.

If you go & build one or rebuild one with used parts or even brand new parts,
but cant give an exact year of manufacture its possible to get a Q plate issued.

IMO, *to have been issued with a Q registration it has almost certainly had a VIC done,
(vehicle identification check),
also possibly within the past 10 years a SVA or since May 2009 a IVA.
The thing is a Q registration vehicle can probably have its records checked & engine & chassis number with more chance of being honest than lots of other 'age related plate 4x4's'*

You may find lots of the Land Rovers that you look at as having been built from more than one vehicle.
Look out for ones that have been re-built using the Second Hand chassis from another Land Rover but still have the original Registration Number.
(they are very likely to be dodgy if they have not under gone a VIC or IVA)

Take each vehicle as you find it,
 i wouldnt just reject a vehicle without checking it out.

There are plenty of insurance companies that cover Land Rovers with Q plates.

Many Q plate vehicles come about because Insurance Companies allow written off or damaged vehicles to be re-built/repaired,
pretty off when they then will not provide cover for a legit vehicle thats undergone the procedure required to have it legally back on the road.

Many 'ex MOD vehicles' will have a Q plate in Civvy life.
These can often be a bargain compared to an 'ex MOD' with a age related plate,
because buyers are put off them. It could be a better vehicle, the Q plate means nowt on the condition of it.
www.premiumchoice.co.uk
or
www.sureterm.com
for modified or offroad 4x4 cover.

www.vehiclelicence.gov.uk
put into 'Vehicle Enquiry'
 the Vehicles Registration & the Make,
 as a first check free on vehicles,
you will possibly get , year of manufacture, year first registered,
& when the road tax is due.

have fun looking.
george

totally agree george, had the owner spent ?250 quid on a private plate you would be none the wiser, and as you say probably had a visit to vosa at some point, how many 90/110's are there about running tax exempt as a series something,  at least three i have seen

totally agree george, had the owner spent ?250 quid on a private plate you would be none the wiser, and as you say probably had a visit to vosa at some point, how many 90/110's are there about running tax exempt as a series something,  at least three i have seen

I stand to be corrected but I thought you could not swap a Q plate for a private plate ? 

I agree with all the rest tho. Having a Q plate does not automatically mean there is anything wrong with the vehicle mechanically or in terms of ownership - in fact you could argue the opposite - the "system" is aware of the vehicles status, unlike the ebay special "tax exempt series 1a jeep rebuilt with 2.8 lt toyota engine on original Disco chassis, ?,000 spent. " type stuff.

You are correct,
you can not transfer a 'cherished number' to a Q registration vehicle,
it has to stay showing Q reg.

george

In what way does it sound dodgy, if he has had it all those years ?

You can get a perfectly legal Q registered vehicle.

If you go & build one or rebuild one with used parts or even brand new parts,
but cant give an exact year of manufacture its possible to get a Q plate issued.

IMO, *to have been issued with a Q registration it has almost certainly had a VIC done,
(vehicle identification check),
also possibly within the past 10 years a SVA or since May 2009 a IVA.
The thing is a Q registration vehicle can probably have its records checked & engine & chassis number with more chance of being honest than lots of other 'age related plate 4x4's'*

You may find lots of the Land Rovers that you look at as having been built from more than one vehicle.
Look out for ones that have been re-built using the Second Hand chassis from another Land Rover but still have the original Registration Number.
(they are very likely to be dodgy if they have not under gone a VIC or IVA)

Take each vehicle as you find it,
 i wouldnt just reject a vehicle without checking it out.

There are plenty of insurance companies that cover Land Rovers with Q plates.

Many Q plate vehicles come about because Insurance Companies allow written off or damaged vehicles to be re-built/repaired,
pretty off when they then will not provide cover for a legit vehicle thats undergone the procedure required to have it legally back on the road.

Many 'ex MOD vehicles' will have a Q plate in Civvy life.
These can often be a bargain compared to an 'ex MOD' with a age related plate,
because buyers are put off them. It could be a better vehicle, the Q plate means nowt on the condition of it.
www.premiumchoice.co.uk
or
www.sureterm.com
for modified or offroad 4x4 cover.

www.vehiclelicence.gov.uk
put into 'Vehicle Enquiry'
 the Vehicles Registration & the Make,
 as a first check free on vehicles,
you will possibly get , year of manufacture, year first registered,
& when the road tax is due.

have fun looking.
george

thanks for ur help, ill have a beta look into it.