Why not tax it? It's got a current MOT and you'll get a refund for the remaining tax when you flog it. It'll be a lot easier to sell if it's on the road. Don't worry about the MOT, let that only concern the new owner. You're unlikely to get caught, as long as it's taxed and insured and the only penalty is a fine, if you get caught.

If you give it away, I'd expect a queue a mile long at your door!

.... but will now not pass MOT and is likely to cost about £500 to get required repairs done.

How can I replace this car quickly, without spending loads of money on it?

£500 is not 'loads of money' in the car repair world these days. A car with a year's MoT would probably sell for a four figure sum. It would be interesting to see the latest MoT report advisories and the current fail report, if there is one yet. How many miles has it done?

I want to get a new car and get rid of our old one, but the tax is due on 30th April and MOT in May. We can't have a gap with no car but equally don't want to spend money on the old car unnecessarily.

Current car is 2006 Mazda 6 which we got 3 years ago from a family member for £400. It's been very reliable, no problems, but will now not pass MOT and is likely to cost about £500 to get required repairs done.

You can still renew the Road Tax. If you sell the car, the road tax doesn't transfer with it. As soon as you notify the DVLA of a change of keeper, they will refund you for any remaining full months of road tax. Best to notify the DVLA of a change of keeper online (the last time I did this, I had my refund cheque in around a week).

As others have said, if you think you can get it through an MOT for about £500, I would get it done. Any car with a year's MOT should be worth more than £1000 in today's crazy used car market.

You don't say how many miles it has done, which is important.

In my mind having an MOT will help its saleability. Of course, will the car pay you back is another question. It is hard to tell without photos, service history, condition etc...

I was in a similar boat. Get the car cleaned up washed up and then park it off road. I suspect you will probably get a motor trader buying it off you, without an MOT.

You will need to tax it to drive for a test drive + insurance.

Edited by Warning on 21/04/2024 at 17:18

We Buy Any Car bought my neighbours car even though it was near to the end of it's MOT and unlikely to pass another.He got a couple of hundred or so.