Car Choice: Don't sell that Land Rover...

[RonMcGr]

This is an interesting read!
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Car Choice: Don't sell that Land Rover... but the 4x4 runaround must go - Comment, Motoring - The Independent (http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/motoring/comment/car-choice-dont-sell-that-land-rover-but-the-4x4-runaround-must-go-830179.html)

Car Choice: Don't sell that Land Rover... but the 4x4 runaround must go

By James Ruppert
Sunday, 18 May 2008

Paul Baker is 33, his wife runs a 53 plate Skoda Octavia Estate, 1.8 Turbo 4x4 variant that returns just under 30mpg. It does around 30 miles a day in school and playgroup runs. Paul commutes about 25 miles a day in his 1972 Land Rover Lightweight which does roughly 14mpg. They need to cut their motoring costs. Paul wants a car that will do 50mpg plus. His budget is £4,000.

One of Paul's supplementary questions was whether to sell the Land Rover. No.
For a start as it was registered before 1972 it has historic vehicle status which means that the road fund licence is not payable. That currently saves £185 a year and while Land Rovers rarely drop below £1,000, Paul has a military specification model which is always sought-after. Effectively, he is running a depreciation proof vehicle and it should only be sold as a last resort. The mpg can be improved by fitting an overdrive unit to the gearbox (giving a fifth gear) and also something called freewheel hubs which disconnects the drive to the front wheels when four-wheel drive is not needed. Also the petrol engine could be modified to run on liquid petroleum gas (LPG), although that costs £1,500 and may take a few years to pay for itself.

So that just leaves the family car. Presumably they don't need two 4 x 4s so the Skoda should go, to be replaced by a much more frugal diesel model. Paul hinted at a seven-seater because they need the space; <snip>
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Part of that applies in AU, for Historic Vehicles, also a lot cheaper to register.
If you drive under 15km one way, you are okay :D

Ron

[FenianEel]

Historic/Concessional rego (in QLD) can't be used like normal rego though, i.e. legally you can't even "pop down the shops" or "pick the children up from school."

[loanrangie]

Historic/Concessional rego (in QLD) can't be used like normal rego though, i.e. legally you can't even "pop down the shops" or "pick the children up from school."

Exactly , there is no incentive as per the UK, if you use it daily you are up for full reg and i dare say full insurance as well, you save on the depreciation and servicing/maintenance costs as most who own older vehicles do it themselves.

[RonMcGr]

Historic/Concessional rego (in QLD) can't be used like normal rego though, i.e. legally you can't even "pop down the shops" or "pick the children up from school."

Not quite true!
As I said, 15km from where the vehicle is garaged or any distance to get it repaired. The term "Road Test" applies to the 15km. There is no restriction on "Road Test".

http://www.transport.qld.gov.au/resources/file/ebe41c0432c3e8e/Pdf_reg_special_interest_vehicle_guide.pdf
Queensland Rules.

[Bigbjorn]

Not quite true!
As I said, 15km from where the vehicle is garaged or any distance to get it repaired. The term "Road Test" applies to the 15km. There is no restriction on "Road Test".

http://www.transport.qld.gov.au/resources/file/ebe41c0432c3e8e/Pdf_reg_special_interest_vehicle_guide.pdf
Queensland Rules.

Ron, the registration authorities are not enamoured of concessional or special interest registration and would love to be quit of it. People who bend the rules will give them the excuses they need to say that the scheme is being abused by enthusiasts. One of my fellow club members used to dob in people who were not conforming to the rules and encouraged others to do the same. He always maintained that these people would eventually ruin the scheme for the true enthusiasts. I know the struggle that the Combined Council of Motoring Clubs had to get the present scheme in the face of either disinterest or opposition from the Department.

I, personally, would like to see the scheme restricted to vehicles older than the current thirty years. I cringe when I see things like a 1960 XK Falcon on historic plates. There are lots of 30+ year old cars in daily use. Perhaps a scheme with a list of classic/historic vehicles elegible for SI registration like the elegibility list of the Classic Car Club of America is needed. Low value mass produced vehicles of no great technical interest should not be elegible whilst there are still numberas of them on the road in normal use.

[mcrover]

Not quite true!
As I said, 15km from where the vehicle is garaged or any distance to get it repaired. The term "Road Test" applies to the 15km. There is no restriction on "Road Test".

http://www.transport.qld.gov.au/resources/file/ebe41c0432c3e8e/Pdf_reg_special_interest_vehicle_guide.pdf
Queensland Rules.


Not so in Vic, historic reg means you can only drive it on affiliated club events or to and from a licenced repairer.

The only way you can drive it outside those guidlines is to apply to vicroads to say do a wedding or test drive or transport to another place for storage etc.

Usage is much the same as a cover note.

[FenianEel]

Not quite true!
As I said, 15km from where the vehicle is garaged or any distance to get it repaired. The term "Road Test" applies to the 15km. There is no restriction on "Road Test".

http://www.transport.qld.gov.au/resources/file/ebe41c0432c3e8e/Pdf_reg_special_interest_vehicle_guide.pdf
Queensland Rules.

Absolutely true, actually Ron.
Pretty bang on what Brian said.
I used to work for QT many moons ago, and know the policy and enforcement of it, first hand.
"Road Test" means exactly that, and the onus of proof is on the driver to show they were "road testing".
If you stop at the shops, pick the children up, etc, you can be pinged.
The policy states:
Road testing within a 15 kilometre radius from the place where the vehicle is garaged;
That doesn't mean you can drive it to do anything within 15ks.
If you're driving it when you shouldn't, and have a crash, or someone hits you, you are not covered by your insurance either.
The main infringements are for 1. unregistered vehicle 2. Uninsured vehicle. These two alone add up to more than 1 yrs rego for a V8.:(

They also have different plates to identify them. Even when you have personalised plates your rego comes up as "concessional" on the Peelers and Transport Inspectors screens - it's an easy "get" for them, and they check most they see on the road as SOP.

[RonMcGr]

A15ks.

They also have different plates to identify them. Even when you have personalised plates your rego comes up as "concessional" on the Peelers and Transport Inspectors screens - it's an easy "get" for them, and they check most they see on the road as SOP.

A mate in the Jaguar Club got picked on once, they saw his SS plates and pulled him over. He was on a club run, but pi**ed off nether the less! I told him to fit Personal Plates similar to mine, which he did.

Both of us are retired so we don't use the vehicles daily.
I have two, Richard has three.

[RonMcGr]

Ron, the registration authorities are not enamoured of concessional or special interest registration and would love to be quit of it. People who bend the rules will give them the excuses they need to say that the scheme is being abused by enthusiasts. One of my fellow club members used to dob in people who were not conforming to the rules and encouraged others to do the same. He always maintained that these people would eventually ruin the scheme for the true enthusiasts. I know the struggle that the Combined Council of Motoring Clubs had to get the present scheme in the face of either disinterest or opposition from the Department.

I, personally, would like to see the scheme restricted to vehicles older than the current thirty years. I cringe when I see things like a 1960 XK Falcon on historic plates. There are lots of 30+ year old cars in daily use. Perhaps a scheme with a list of classic/historic vehicles elegible for SI registration like the elegibility list of the Classic Car Club of America is needed. Low value mass produced vehicles of no great technical interest should not be elegible whilst there are still numberas of them on the road in normal use.

Hi Brian,

Yes I now the "authorities" (as you say) would love to dump the scheme. They are loosing money!

I'm also aware of the abuse problems.
I see it on the roads, whilst driving the Disco (Full rego :D).

I agree with you on the selection, maybe the "authorities" should look at a similar scheme for classic cars, with some restrictions but not as cheap. That would cover the old Holdens and falcons.
Seeing we have one of the worst State Governments in decades, nothing will happen unless it feathers their personal nest or joint "feeding trough"!