21st MOT

[macandsue]

I thought it would be a boost to 944 morale to let you know that our 1986 Lux just passed its 21st MOT with a smile. It is our every day car and it has had a replacement engine(timing belt failure) There is only 131,500 miles on the car many more on the engine and it lives outside. It has insurance value of £3500 but as it gives such good service and is totally reliable it is worth a lot more to us. We bought another last year because we had a few problems with smoky startups but a £45 Sun tune sorted it. The spare hasn't done much for its money but it only has 48,000 miles so it will probably see us out. It makes you sad though to think how many have been scrapped when a bit of care will keep them going forever. We bought this one in 1996 when it was a mere 10 years old expecting it to last 2 or3 years . We still smile when we drive it and it is always nice to walk back to it when its been in a car park or some side street in a town or city. We wondered if anybody else has one this old that they still use as every day transport.

 

[Sandspider]

Hi there

I too have a 1986 Lux as my everyday drive (and only car). It lives outside on my drive, and has only let me down once in two years when a handbrake retaining bolt broke and locked the handbrake on when I was driving. (My fault really - I hoped the scraping noise I'd been hearing for a while was nothing serious!) It failed its first MOT under my care, but passed the second one with flying colours - no warnings at all. And, as you say, I still enjoy every journey and love the way it looks. I service it myself as much as I can, and even though I'm a bit cackhanded with tools, with help from people on here we keep on going together.

Incidentally, does anyone know if our cars still qualify for free road tax at over 25 years of age? I seem to remember a rumour that that had been changed...

Cheers,

Giles

 

[Mike_Pollock]

Its been changed!
Mines 27 this year and they still want £195!
Mike

 

[Sandspider]

Bu55er, that's what I thought .

 

[pauljmcnulty]

Incidentally, does anyone know if our cars still qualify for free road tax at over 25 years of age? I seem to remember a rumour that that had been changed...

It never even started [:'(]. Once the first year was implemented, it was changed to that year and earlier, not 25 years or older. I think it's pre-1973, from memory.

 

[Mike_Pollock]

If it can have white on black plates - it can have free road fund licence - think thats right!
Wish it meant that it was to be used on roads and their upkeep!
Mike

 

[craig2105]

It's pre-'73 cars that have a road tax exemption. It was supposed to be a rolling exemption once vehicles reached 25 years, and was implemented by the last tory government. It was repealed and fixed at 1973 by Bliar's lot as soon as they got in. []

 

[morris944s2john]

Craig is right- thanks Tony, not.[]

Fortunately, my other classics are all pre 72 (1968 Minor convertible, 1969 Minor Traveller and 1970 Minor saloon) and they all give me immense pleasure when it is time to get a new tax disc and I still get that odd, but great feeling of walking out the post office with 12 months tax and not having to pay for it!!!

It was a Tory MP that brought in the historic tax classification. Alan Clark , who was a classic car nut and ladies man, and much loathed by liberals and socialists!!

We need MP's in power that understand car enthusiasts and pass sympathetic legislation.

 

[Frenchy]

Agreed about Politicians most are WAAAANkers.....i do know a few BTW.
My 220 is 24 now and is due an MOT soon, i do not expect much if anything to be wrong, but it is a "Garage Queen"

 

[Sandspider]

Darn. Another reason to dislike Blair!

If it can have white on black plates - it can have free road fund licence - think thats right!

Ahh, I wondered what those cars with white on black plates were (often numbers only, no letters) - I thought it might be diplomatic plates or something. Does anyone know what those plates mean? (Besides possibly no road tax...)

 

[morris944s2john]

It just means that different years of car are allowed to have certain types of number plate. On my pre 72 cars the plates are actually aluminium stamped with the background painted black. It means the plates can be restored to new condition by a bit of metalwork, painting and polishing. Unlike the modern plates that delaminate and have to be thrown away after 10 years or so. Much like the philosphy behind the cars design. Most modern cars are throwaway items and most pre 72 classics are designed to be repaired and re-built by hand.

It was a kick in the teeth for the classic car world when Tony froze the tax free date as soon as he got in power.

 

[Sandspider]

ORIGINAL: morris944s2john

It was a kick in the teeth for the classic car world when Tony froze the tax free date as soon as he got in power.

True, and I doubt it even makes a mahoosive difference to tax revenue.

However, I've seen some modern cars (Fords, Audis and the like) with black plates with white numbers on. I'm pretty sure they're not classic, so I wondered what those plates mean? Could be delivery plates for a not-yet-registered new car perhaps...?

 

[morris944s2john]

Or foreign plates!

 

[Copperman05]

If its on a post '73 year car then black and white number plates are illegal, the ones you see on modern cars are illegal plates installed by owners who either do not realise they are illegal or are ignorant to the fact.

Edd

 

[ChasR]

Copperman05 is right. People who run post '73 cars on black and white plates are chancing getting their plates taken off.

When I had my 1973 MGB (made in June '73, registered in July '73 so on an old L Plate) I had tons of people saying to me that it could be tax exempt and have old style plates etc. The fact that it was built in June and not before December 31st 1972 escaped their attention. A friend of mine was in a similar situation with his 1973 MkIII Cortina, where he bought it with black and white plates on. A month later, the police threatened him with a £1000 fine, and to revoke his registration off the car (so possibly crushed/put onto a Q plate).

IMO, I don't really see the appeal of black and white plates unless it's a 60s car. Most 70s cars (even before 1971) were on 'normal' style plates long before 1973, it just strikes me as a 'trend'. If people want to change their plates, I reckon they should go for the old 'Charles Wright' font on the plates instead of the new style Charles Wright which is narrower for EU regs. Such 'period' plates can be bought from Framptons.

Anyway, back on topic here's another member who uses his car daily. ATM it hasn't moved for almost 2 weeks (bar being driven around the block a month ago as I moved it on the drive to another spot). It's currently almost got the radiator installation finished (waiting on a short piece of top hose from Porsche), and I am around halfway through the heater matrix swap before it sees the road again.