leon_81 Posted November 9, 2010 Share Posted November 9, 2010 I'm after some advice... . My Disco 1 has run out of Tax and MOT, and is currently SORN and on a friends drive. It's booked in for an MOT Friday and I need to do a couple of things on it before then It needs to be moved from my friends drive though, to another friends place where I can work on it off the road I know I can't drive it, but am I allowed to tow it with no Tax or MOT - or should it be a trailer only job? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Puffernutter Posted November 9, 2010 Share Posted November 9, 2010 Trailer only I believe. You can drive it on the road to an MoT station with no tax or MoT, but it must be insured, you must have am appointment and it must be a testing station reasonably close. Any car, driven or towed, should be roadworty and taxed. Cheers Peter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leon_81 Posted November 9, 2010 Author Share Posted November 9, 2010 It's still insured, just the Tax and MOT have expired - MOT is booked, but not until Friday, and there's not much point in driving it there in the state it's in... I had a feeling I'd need to trailer it, that means I have a bit of a problem, as I don't know anyone with a trailer Thanks though - at least I know now, and will have to think of another plan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted November 9, 2010 Share Posted November 9, 2010 Thanks though - at least I know now, and will have to think of another plan If you have breakdown cover maybe it could break down at your friend's house and be recovered home? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Puffernutter Posted November 9, 2010 Share Posted November 9, 2010 A bit of Googling and it gets more murky....as you might expect On a tow rope, must be taxed, insured and roadworthy with a qualified driver. On an A Frame, no driver needed, but opinions are varied about roadworthiness requirememnts, but there are towing limits for an unbraked A- Frame. For a braked A-Frame you could get away with it. I don't know how SORN applies to a car that has effectively become a trailer..... Not sure if that helps or confuses..... Sorry Cheers Peter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leon_81 Posted November 9, 2010 Author Share Posted November 9, 2010 AA etc won't be happy as it has no Tax The only reason I need to move it to do the work is because the driveway it's on at the moment is really steep, so not safe to jack it up and work under - all a bit annoying Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted November 9, 2010 Share Posted November 9, 2010 There must be someone about locally that would shift it for a few beer tokens . Trailer or a recovery truck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leon_81 Posted November 9, 2010 Author Share Posted November 9, 2010 More than likely but nobody I know! I only need to move it half a mile too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted November 9, 2010 Share Posted November 9, 2010 Half a mile.... whilst still illegal, I would be surprised if you got nicked for it even if caught.... Not advocating it of course(!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leon_81 Posted November 9, 2010 Author Share Posted November 9, 2010 I'd get caught for sure! Yet the little scrotes round here that drive uninsured etc every day seem to get away with it for ages! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted November 9, 2010 Share Posted November 9, 2010 Thats Sods law for you though isn't it . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted November 9, 2010 Share Posted November 9, 2010 I'll second that - my (total prat of a) neighbour got nicked within ~500yds of home, 3x over the alcohol limit and with several people and 3 dogs in a 2-seater van. Two days later he's on a 3 year ban & a load of community service etc. - and bl**dy good show too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Landowner Posted November 9, 2010 Share Posted November 9, 2010 I'll second that - my (total prat of a) neighbour got nicked within ~500yds of home, 3x over the alcohol limit and with several people and 3 dogs in a 2-seater van. Two days later he's on a 3 year ban & a load of community service etc. - and bl**dy good show too. Have a word with the local constabulary, I'm sure you can drive it a reasonable distance to a place of repair pre the MOT test. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M&S Posted November 9, 2010 Share Posted November 9, 2010 Book the MOT, and drive past your friends house en-route. If you make it there then phone the MOT station and change the booking Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThreeSheds Posted November 9, 2010 Share Posted November 9, 2010 Book the MOT, and drive past your friends house en-route. If you make it there then phone the MOT station and change the booking hmmm - it would have to be ON the route... I once booked an MoT after a longish rebuild, but was early so I stopped for a coffee at a friends place which was 50 yards up a side road (ie off the most direct route) and when I came out I had a ticket for no tax - and since the car had been off the road for a year while I worked on it, they chaged me for a years tax on top of the fine. Not worth risking IMHO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicedayforit Posted November 9, 2010 Share Posted November 9, 2010 Would it not be possible to book your car for an MOT at a garage that you have to pass your mates house to get to and then "call in" at your mates house and then cancel the mot? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Posted November 9, 2010 Share Posted November 9, 2010 Have a word with the local constabulary, I'm sure you can drive it a reasonable distance to a place of repair pre the MOT test. I think this is correct. Considering I once got stopped in a car that'd been untaxed for 4 years, had no MOT & didn't show up in the insurance database & got let off in court. I was taking the car to work (a garage) to fix it for the MOT, it obviously wasn't taxed & I'd registered it in my gf's name so my 'any other car' cover would cover it. EDIT: Actually I've got an odd feeling I had an MOT diary that appeared to show the car booked in further up the road I was stopped on by the time I went to court... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazwell24 Posted November 9, 2010 Share Posted November 9, 2010 Tow rope or Solid bar Both of these towing methods requires a driver to use the controls of the towed car and as driving in law is completed when using the steering and/or brakes the towed car needs INS/MOT/TAX the driver also needs a valid full UK Driving licence. A Frame or Dolly When using these forms of towing device the towed car is driverless and is no longer classed as a car so it does not require INS/MOT/TAX however it does require to be road worthy in the same catagory that a trailer would be in i.e legal tyres that touch the road and also mudgaurds fitted etc. It's also now the responsibility of the towing car to be suitably insured to cover the vehicle (trailor) it is towing. Weight limits (this also includes trailers) are also now brought into the equasion. The towing car will have a gross train weight (this weight is stamped on the chassis plate, see pic below)....this includes the weight of the towing car, the towed car and the towing device. Exceeding this weight is an offence. Believe it or not the train weight of a Fiat Panda 4x4 is 2100kg so 2.1 metric tones The plate also includes maximum weight limits for axles etc The maximum weight a car can tow without a braking device fitted is 750Kg that includes the A frame, dolly and trailor. However if the A frame, Dolly and trailor are fitted with a braking device the maximum weight you can tow is the gross train weight minus the weight of the towing car. hope this helps you i was wrong in my original thinking this was posted by a traffic officer on a towing forum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leon_81 Posted November 10, 2010 Author Share Posted November 10, 2010 All sorted, a friend of mine had an A-frame he uses to tow his off roader, we used that and my Disco is now at my friends place, off the road where I can work on it A few minor jobs to do before Friday afternoon, then it's crunch time! Hopefully it'll go through the test ok... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Range Rover Blues Posted November 12, 2010 Share Posted November 12, 2010 Glad you got it sorted, now to add my 2 penneth.... As I understand it, if you have booked an MOT or work in order to get an MOT at a garage or mechanic you are allowed to drive without MOT and if the lack of MOT prevents you buying tax then without tax too. You must be able to prove the appointment. Towing any car that has not been modified (engine removed) requires that the car be legal and roadworthy and that includes A frames, tow poles etc. Although the law allows you to recover a stricken vehicle "to a place of safety" without observing the weight limit for braked trailers, if you start the journey with the car on-tow then it has to comply fully with the law regarding trailer braking, weight etc and if any wheel of the vehicle remains on the ground it must be legal in it's own right. Loads of people will tell you that A frames are legal, well unless it has brakes that are rated above the weight of your car fully loaded then they are not legal and you may find yourself uninsured in the event of an accident. As for getting a recovery guy to shift it, I have mates with trucks and only the ones with a Cargo can shift a LR legally, a transit hasn't got the payload. If you are lucky you can hire a trailer for £30 a day, the insurance can be a bit steep though because so many get stolen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DEANO3528 Posted November 14, 2010 Share Posted November 14, 2010 Loads of people will tell you that A frames are legal, well unless it has brakes that are rated above the weight of your car fully loaded then they are not legal and you may find yourself uninsured in the event of an accident. Another point is that any trailer over 750kg must have braking to all wheels in contact with the road and as such most towing dollies only have brakes on the dolly itself. Therefore most folk who use a dolly to tow their off roader to the pit are in danger of a ticket unless there is a means of braking the wheels of the towed vehicle that are not on the dolly. And this is my first post on LR4x4 for a heck of a long time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Range Rover Blues Posted November 16, 2010 Share Posted November 16, 2010 Are you sure about that? I ask becasue I was advised that the trailer must have brakes rated at the max weight of the trialer but they don't have to be on every axle. For example a twin axle box trailer with 750kg axles and 1000kg brake on one axle can carry 1000kg including the trialer itself. The AA use braked dollies on their recovery vans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted November 16, 2010 Share Posted November 16, 2010 Dollies are only allowed for towing to a place of refuge/safety. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DEANO3528 Posted November 16, 2010 Share Posted November 16, 2010 Are you sure about that? Would I lie to you? To be sure I checked with both NTTA and an old RHA manual I have from my driving days which state: Braked trailers manufactured after Oct. 1982 require brakes that comply with EC Directives. If brakes are required, all wheels must be braked. (if manufactured in or after 1968) And as Ross quite rightly states, recovery companies use the exclusion of moving stricken vehicles to a place of safety. However I believe that has to be the 'nearest place of safety' if memory serves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Range Rover Blues Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 Good stuff, thanks for that. Luckily I'm with Green Flag who always sent a recovery truck out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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