Fresh to the Kit Car Scene! Need advice...

[Andi]

 

This looks a bit tasty

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/379280669977199/?ref=search&referral_code=undefined

[Andi]

Or this for cheapness (edit to say I think he is looking for a swap and so this may not be the price)

Edited January 24, 2021 by Andi

[richyb66]

Clearly no shortage of cars for sale, including this which isn't a Robin Hood despite the registration saying it is:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Kit-car-Q-plate-zetec-high-spec-robin-hood-Westfield-locost-track-car/184628581705?pageci=2a1ab023-cd09-4346-bdda-195daa6e7a2c

[blue]

Going back to the last pic of the Red/black car.  
the `Dutton owners club are VERY strict on ringers and if this comes under there radar they WILL have it crushed and push to prosecute the owner also god forbid you have an accident and it’s found your in a ringer ( contrary to beliefs insurance assessors do know about kit cars )  you face prison time 

[Grim]

21 hours ago, nelmo said:

I see that sort of comment all the time - does it really matter what it's registered as? I've never been asked for that for insurance purposes or when stopped by police. If the condition of the car is fine, why care what the log book says?

For a normal car, I understand because you don't want something nicked but kits are always being rebuilt and modified. 

The only real reason to do this is to avoid IVA. Why avoid IVA? Apart from the modest one off cost, it implies to me the car is not capable of passing an IVA, ie built poorly or potentially dangerously. I know we are all likely to make iva-incompatible alterations to our cars once built, but a car that's not broadly capable of passing an IVA should not be on the road, and I wouldn't buy one without committing to the work required to bring it up to standard

Edited January 25, 2021 by Grim

[fry61]

You play football?? Do you play by the rules?  You run a sportscar, then play by the rules if for public road use or else stick to running up & down your drive/private estate.

SVA/IVA got rid of a lot of dangerous cars.

[nelmo]

17 hours ago, blue said:

Going back to the last pic of the Red/black car.  
the `Dutton owners club are VERY strict on ringers and if this comes under there radar they WILL have it crushed and push to prosecute the owner also god forbid you have an accident and it’s found your in a ringer ( contrary to beliefs insurance assessors do know about kit cars )  you face prison time 

I think you'll find the owners club will have zero claim over what happens to a stolen car (much as we have no say if someone gets a stolen RH) and if it was stolen (how many kit cars are stolen, anyway?), at worst, you'll lose the car, you will NOT go to jail unless YOU stole it  

I get the other reasons - make sense...although if I went to see it, it drove well, nothing dropped off, build quality looked good etc, I'd be tempted...

[theduck]

Clubs officially recognised by the DVLA - which the Dutton owners club are - do have an official line of communication with the DVLA for reporting things like this and action is taken to take the vehicles off the road, and has been mentioned, it is something the Dutton club are very hot on.

[nelmo]

Whoah, didn't know that - can we get registered? 

[theduck]

Possibly, I did send an enquiry back when I was on the committee to find out what was required but never got a reply. 

[theduck]

Interestingly enough this just popped up on Facebook. A real world example of what can happen when you buy a ringer https://www.facebook.com/groups/390896610925969/permalink/4288270724521852/

[blue]

21 hours ago, nelmo said:

I think you'll find the owners club will have zero claim over what happens to a stolen car (much as we have no say if someone gets a stolen RH) and if it was stolen (how many kit cars are stolen, anyway?), at worst, you'll lose the car, you will NOT go to jail unless YOU stole it  

I get the other reasons - make sense...although if I went to see it, it drove well, nothing dropped off, build quality looked good etc, I'd be tempted...

So let me get this right ...... you would be happy to purchase say a CATERHAM 620R. Or a Dax Cobra ( both are just kit cars ) with a Dutton log book and in your eyes that’s fine as long as nothing falls off ?? 

Im sorry but as someone on the committee of a kit car club saying RINGERS are fine …I’m blown away. 
and then to ask can we get recognised by the DVLA …to what report the ringers your happy to buy ???  

We as a club give LOTS of advice and help to help other people get through the IVA … your advice. … buy a £300 Dutton and knock ya socks off

[brumster]

He only said "I'd be tempted...". If you're going to jump down his throat at least read exactly what he wrote rather than misquoting him as saying "RINGERS are fine" which he, quite clearly, didn't?!

[brumster]

HELIflipper03, if you find a car where the V5 doesn't match what you're actually looking at, there are a few possibilities as to why.

And let's be honet, the most likely reason, irrespective of what the seller tells you, is that they (or a previous owner) wanted to avoid the paperwork, effort, cost and red tape of going through an IVA but wanted to build a kit car. So they found an existing kit car, bought it, and used the identity for the one they built. Whether it's actually MADE from that car (ie. they stripped it and put the bits into a new chassis) or they just swapped number plates and chassis number, doesn't really matter. It's illegal. If you did it with a conventional car, you'd be in trouble for it, and it's only because some people don't question what a "Dutton" looks like that it's so rife (many non kit-car types will look at any unusual kit car and won't have a clue, so if you tell them it's a Dutton they'll probably believe you, whereas trying to make out a Volkswagen Beetle is a Ford Mondeo is a tougher sell).

Does it mean the car is nicked? No, of course not. Does it mean the car is unsafe? No. Can you buy it and "make it right"? I'm not an expert but I believe you can, yes - but tread very carefully, seek the advice of wiser men, and know what you're getting into in terms of work and cost to put right. Maybe others with experience in doing that can comment. Assuming the ownership/source of the parts of the car aren't in question, I am guessing you effectively start afresh - start the IVA process anew, a 'clean' identity for the car. Almost certainly a Q-plate. And certainly not worth strong money on anything... 'seek significant financial compensation' as part of the deal, I would say

Edited January 26, 2021 by brumster

[nelmo]

2 hours ago, brumster said:

He only said "I'd be tempted...". If you're going to jump down his throat at least read exactly what he wrote rather than misquoting him as saying "RINGERS are fine" which he, quite clearly, didn't?!

Thank you Brumster, my thoughts exactly...

My point was about the mechanical, not legal, issues -  that an incorrect reg doesn't mean it's a death trap because it hasn't been through IVA. Like an MOT, an IVA doesn't guarantee quality.

Edited January 26, 2021 by nelmo