T5 Pre-Reg / Demo V5 Question

[craig j]

Hi

After lots of research and I have finally found a pre-registed T5 California that I have agreed to purchase from a dealer. Although it is pre-registered it has not been used and is sat in the show room with less than 20 miles on the clock.

Once I agreed to purchase the cali and given the dealer a deposit I was informed that I will not be registered as the new keeper until 6 months has lapsed from initial registration. I am assuming this is because the cali is considered a demo and the deal with VW is that the car must be registered with the dealer for a minimum of 6 months. In summary, I will have a receipt of proof of ownership, but will not be shown as the registered keeper.

I have tried to do some research on the web with mixed results. Some information I have found suggests that this could be an issue with my insurance company and with the police should I have an incident or get stopped. Other information says that this is common practice and that the insurance company asks only if you are the owner and that this is common sometimes with lease cars, etc.

As a newbie I just wanted to know if anyone has come across this before and if they had any advice? Personally, I feel uncomfortable buying a car which will not be registered to me for some time, but at the same time it is a good specification and meets my needs. Some of you may have gone through this already and it might be nothing for me to worry about.

Anyone who has seen my roof thread will know my purchase process is not going very smoothly and this could be the next chapter in the story.....

Cheers
Craig

 

[Bibs]

I purchased a pre reg California ( unused)earlier on in the year. When the dealer pre registers the vehicle they are not allowed to let you have it until 3 months has passed. Mine was registered on the 28/1/15 , I paid a deposit in Feb and I collected on the 28/4/15 where I paid for the vehicle in full and it was then registered in my name. I don't know why the dealer is telling you he has to have it registered in his name for 6 month, I had it on very good authority from a number of VW van centres that the dealer only has to have the vehicle for 3 months from initial registration. I wouldn't collect or use the vehicle if it wasn't registered in my name.

 

[rich-s]

We took delivery of our SE in April. It wasn't released by the dealer until it was 6 months old. This was because the dealer had it on the books as a rental vehicle. I enquired about the possibility of having it about a month earlier, on the basis that at that time T5 order books were already closed. I was told not possible as it would attract a considerable penalty from VW.
I'm guessing that your dealer might be circumventing VW's penalty by keeping in their name until the 6 months are up.
I would be very careful about the insurance situation as most insurers require you to be the registered keeper. I have been trying lately to insure my sons car in my name as he is not yet 17. The only company we found who would do it were Aviva, and that was only because the registered keeper is a close relative at the same address.

 

[snowy55]

Are the rules for "pre reg" and "demos" different?

 

[Bibs]

My comments about the 3 month rule related to vehicles pre registered by the dealers as Demos, I can't comment on them being pre registered as rentals. The dealer also told me that it was possible, worst case scenario, that VW would withdraw the dealers franchise if they let me have it before3 months was up, even if it was still registered to the dealer.

 

[chris kurt]

Warning when buying a pre reg. I paid my deposit on a pre reg in the show room. Told I had to wait three months for collection the salesman said Cali would be locked in compound with sold ticket on it. I called in to show room a week later only to find my Cali still in show room with three people with cups of coffee in their hands trying to rotate the captains seats around. Not happy

 

[briwy]

We picked up our ex demo (showroom for three months) in January and had to tax it before we could collect it as the dealer had it on SORN as it wasn't being used on the road. No problems doing this but you need to check with the dealer if the van is already taxed or not.

 

[rich-s]

You have to tax it anyway. Even if it is taxed, it is not transferable. The issue would be if you need to pay the hugely inflated 1st registration tax.

 

[craig j]

Warning when buying a pre reg. I paid my deposit on a pre reg in the show room. Told I had to wait three months for collection the salesman said Cali would be locked in compound with sold ticket on it. I called in to show room a week later only to find my Cali still in show room with three people with cups of coffee in their hands trying to rotate the captains seats around. Not happy

This does worry me as I haven't seen the car yet and the showroom is on the other end of the country. I've bought on spec and fingers crossed its all that it should be when I get there. I would hope they have taken the appropriate actions to protect it from potential damage….

 

[craig j]

You have to tax it anyway. Even if it is taxed, it is not transferable. The issue would be if you need to pay the hugely inflated 1st registration tax.

I'm being told it won't need taxing because it is in their name and already taxed. The first reg tax should already have been taken care of by them.

 

[reserves]

This does worry me as I haven't seen the car yet and the showroom is on the other end of the country. I've bought on spec and fingers crossed its all that it should be when I get there. I would hope they have taken the appropriate actions to protect it from potential damage….

Hope you're getting a very healthy discount, especially with T6's arriving into the country (although it's only the Beach so far)

 

[Skylark2.0]

Make them pay for vw gap insurance. Unless you are the first registered owner the insurers won't replace your Cali with a new vehicle if it is lost. Something like that. Check it out.

 

[craig j]

Hope you're getting a very healthy discount, especially with T6's arriving into the country (although it's only the Beach so far)

14-15% on list

15-20% would seem logical based on the 8% you can get on a T6 and for a pre-reg, but not a hope. Seems the secondhand prices are keeping market strong despite the new model round the corner and out of season. I came to the decision I wasn't prepared to stretch to the T6 and I didn't want to pay not much less for 1-2 year old secondhand T5.

 

[rich-s]

I'm being told it won't need taxing because it is in their name and already taxed. The first reg tax should already have been taken care of by them.

If it is a rental, perhaps you can be driving it on their insurance?

 

[Leemac74]

I just bought mine more or less the same way over a 3 month wait but it had been a staff demo car which had 2.5k miles on it time I saw it, never slept in just driven to/from work, I saved 6k on list so I was happy to wait 7 weeks.
A new T6 to the same spec would have been approx 4k more than I paid with a 6% discount so thought it was a good deal for me as I was very happy with my T5 kombi previously.

 

[MattBW]

Mine was an ex demo, 300 miles on it. I was told they aren't supposed to sell it before its done sufficient demo miles (my sales document lists the mileage as 1100 miles) and 3 months old. Mine was 2 months old, after a month they re-registered it to me in between I had to sign a long term loan form. I did get a month of free tax out of them because of it.

 

[MCh1777]

I bought mine as a demo - one month old, 70 miles. Then I was told all about VWs 3-month policy and how the dealers finessed this policy, about how I would be parting with my £50k+ but wouldn't be seeing the V5 logbook for a couple of months, and some uncertainty about whether or not I could insure the Cali.

VW - this is not the way we should be buying our Calis.

 

[MattBW]

I agree, it felt very dodgy when he told me and I almost backed out I didnt find out the day of pickup which wasn't great. Everything else about the experience was good.

Effectively its the sales people playing the VW system to make a sale and get the money in the bank, before they technically should be selling the vehicle. It's good in a way for the customer except for the V5 and ownership issues.

Are VW head office aware of it?

 

[AlanC]

I agree, it felt very dodgy when he told me and I almost backed out I didnt find out the day of pickup which wasn't great. Everything else about the experience was good.

Effectively its the sales people playing the VW system to make a sale and get the money in the bank, before they technically should be selling the vehicle. It's good in a way for the customer except for the V5 and ownership issues.

Are VW head office aware of it?

They are now

Alan

 

[Swissian]

The dealers will most probably get a very, very good discount from VW for their demo vehicles, but are limited to 1 every 3 months (or something like that) and that's why VW have these strange conditions. What's to stop a dealer buying lots of "demo" vehicles and then selling them all quickly with a bigger profit!

 

[jts46]

I bought mine as a demo - one month old, 70 miles. Then I was told all about VWs 3-month policy and how the dealers finessed this policy, about how I would be parting with my £50k+ but wouldn't be seeing the V5 logbook for a couple of months, and some uncertainty about whether or not I could insure the Cali.

The V5C is not a document of ownership, it is a document to say who is responsible for registering and taxing vehicle.

John

PS How will you tax the vehicle or is VW keeping it taxed for you?

 

[ackyi]

Quite common practise with dealers trying to hit sale targets. Mine was pre regitered to a lease hire company, although I had it from new. Got 20% discount though, so was not complaining. Had to wait 6 months to register it in my name although I was the owner. The V5C is not proof of ownership. No problem with insurance.

 

[shudycamps]

We

I purchased a pre reg California ( unused)earlier on in the year. When the dealer pre registers the vehicle they are not allowed to let you have it until 3 months has passed. Mine was registered on the 28/1/15 , I paid a deposit in Feb and I collected on the 28/4/15 where I paid for the vehicle in full and it was then registered in my name. I don't know why the dealer is telling you he has to have it registered in his name for 6 month, I had it on very good authority from a number of VW van centres that the dealer only has to have the vehicle for 3 months from initial registration. I wouldn't collect or use the vehicle if it wasn't registered in my name.

We only had to wait three months too.

 

[craig j]

The V5C is not a document of ownership, it is a document to say who is responsible for registering and taxing vehicle.

John

PS How will you tax the vehicle or is VW keeping it taxed for you?

The tax will be supplied by VW whilst it is still in their name.

 

[VWCVKettering]

To clear this up.

Vehicles are registered in two different ways, depending on the registering dealership. Demo vehicles are required to be held for 90 days from registration, Rental vehicles are required to be held for 180 days.