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I bought a Range Rover Velar from a dealer and discovered that it is a pre-production model - what do I do?
Having recently purchased a Range Rover Velar from a main dealer and paid £465 road tax I have just received the following from DVLA. "It has been identified that the above mentioned vehicle has been incorrectly licensed in the Petrol Car tax class. This is because the vehicle was declared as a prototype by Land Rover at the point of registration."
"Land Rover has brought this vehicle to standard for use on the road. Whilst this does affect your use of the vehicle, it does affect the tax class of the vehicle. The correct tax class for your vehicle is Private Light Goods (PLG). As of 01/04/2019 the annual rate of tax for PLG vehicles is £265."
"We are taking steps to amend the vehicle record and a new V5C registration certificate will follow shortly. However, you should be aware that when the vehicle is next due to be licensed, you will need to pay the rate applicable to PLG, not Petrol Car."
What are the implications of this for insurance, speed limits and resale value? Should the dealer have declared this as a pre-production model?
"Land Rover has brought this vehicle to standard for use on the road. Whilst this does affect your use of the vehicle, it does affect the tax class of the vehicle. The correct tax class for your vehicle is Private Light Goods (PLG). As of 01/04/2019 the annual rate of tax for PLG vehicles is £265."
"We are taking steps to amend the vehicle record and a new V5C registration certificate will follow shortly. However, you should be aware that when the vehicle is next due to be licensed, you will need to pay the rate applicable to PLG, not Petrol Car."
What are the implications of this for insurance, speed limits and resale value? Should the dealer have declared this as a pre-production model?
Asked on 20 November 2019 by Martin Hazell
Answered by
Dan Powell
Pre-production cars are not generally sold to the general public. This is because they do not always meet the final specification requirements of the production models. This car may present serious problems in the future because it may not match the mechanical or electronic specifications of the production-approved Velar. This means it may be impossible for approved or non-approved JLR service centres to work on it.
I would recommend rejecting the car. I would also recommend speaking with your insurer, as its pre-production status may invalidate the policy. If it does, insist that the dealer pays for the vehicle to be recovered. They should also reimburse you for any financial loss when it comes to cancelling the policy or transferring it to another vehicle. It's important to note that the liability is with the dealer that sold you the car, rather than Land Rover direct. By all means, tell Land Rover of the situation, but only the dealer will be able to refund your money or replace the vehicle.
I would recommend rejecting the car. I would also recommend speaking with your insurer, as its pre-production status may invalidate the policy. If it does, insist that the dealer pays for the vehicle to be recovered. They should also reimburse you for any financial loss when it comes to cancelling the policy or transferring it to another vehicle. It's important to note that the liability is with the dealer that sold you the car, rather than Land Rover direct. By all means, tell Land Rover of the situation, but only the dealer will be able to refund your money or replace the vehicle.
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