4 inch repair plate cost me a car!!

[Hugh Jass]

I made a massive mistake and wanted to warn other newbies like me.

Would you by a Q-Plate car? Of course not, nobody would. The history cannot be confirmed, they are more expensive to insure etc, etc.

I told DVLA about putting a new bit of floor in my project and asked advice about stamping the Chassis number on. The reply:

"The changes you have made to your vehicle make any previous registration invalid and its identity VOID; and the vehicle cannot be used the public road (they missed out the word "on", not me). DVLA will allocate and alternative registration number.
You will need to register your vehicle with a current Individual Vehicle Approval (IVA) and a DVLA Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). DVLA will allocate (give it) a Q registration number."

I should have kept my mouth shut and I don't want people to make the same mistake. I will finish my project and then scrap it, I am a little bit gutted.

The pictures I sent are attached.

 

[yippeekiay]

 

[John Woodward]

That's ridiculous bureaucracy, if you were to go the IVA route that would cost hundreds of pounds, you should have definitely kept quiet !
Maybe you should appeal to the DVLA.
A friend of mine used the same tax exempt registration number on at least 5 classic Mini's, ranging from 60's Radford Cooper S to to a 1992 car, also a Mini van, none of the chassis numbers matched the tax exempt V5, he didn't get caught.

 

[red]

That's harsh, I'm sure I've seen other people in the past repair that section.

 

[RICHARD MANSFIELD2]

Hi.
Not good. pursue it via your MP, the Ombudsman and the Classic car Federation.

 

[RICHARD MANSFIELD2]

Hi,
I have been thinking about this. I would ignore it and just use the car. If you think about it your car is still the same car. It has not morphed into anything else has it. The chances of getting stopped and the matter going any further is slim. If you do let them prove your car is not the original car it purports to be. A second thought if you do have a Q plate can you then get the original number back as a personalised plate?
Richard

 

[Hugh Jass]

I have appealed to the DVLA. I will see what comes back. As I understand it there are no hard and fast rules it just comes down to the Civil Servant's opinion on the day.
I met a few Civil Servants in my old career who were really good blokes, they worked unpaid overtime and really took ownership of everything they needed to do. They were unfortunately the minority. The signs in Abbey Wood's toilets asking people to put used toilet paper in the bowl and flush, rather than throwing it on the floor is my lasting impression of the Civil Service so I am not holding out much hope.

! don't know but I hope I can replace eh Q-Plates with personalised ones.

 

[John Woodward]

You can't get rid of a Q plate unfortunately.

 

[Hugh Jass]

Bugger

 

[tuonokid]

As John says once a Q plate is allocated to a car it can't be changed. The IVA costs £450 and is a full days test at a nominated VOSA centre. An old car would probably fail over several issues and the re-test is £90 a shot but has to be booked in advance. First of all have you saved the plate you cut out and secondly your chassis number is clearly visible through the passenger side of your windscreen. It sounds like you have been dealing with a proper jobsworth at the DVLA. Appeal this any way you can.
Barry

 

[Blackridge]

I repaired te same area on mine, to be fair not much of the Chassis number was there anyway! not really much choice i say?

 

[Hugh Jass]

Reply to my appeal. "The stamped in VIN is missing therefore the identity of the vehicle is not known and the monocoque has been cut to fit the new floor". - Gutted.
Can you guys help, I think I am running out of options.

Option 1- Try and find another VIN stamp behind the dash. Bit of a pain taking a dash bout but worth it. Do Pumas have more than one stamped VIN?

Option 2 - Pay £200 to transport the car to my "local" IVA centre. £450 for the IVA and £200 to bring it home again with the same transport costs and £90 for every re-test.

Option 3 - Get some legal advice and representation to fight my case. My be more expensive than option 2 but less hassle as someone else will be doing the chasing. Does anyone know any law firms that would help here?

 

[ItsAnArse]

Mine is rotted through there too

 

[red]

There's not another place as far as I've ever known or that the Internet suggests for either the Puma or MK5 Fiesta so I'd say pulling the car apart may prove fruitless. https://www.vinnumberlocation.com/ford-puma.html

Option 2 and 3 sound completely ridiculous :evil:

 

[st220kyle]

Can't you get a piece fabricated with the vin number on to do the repair?

If not tell them you've welded the original piece back in and that its been a misunderstanding

 

[RICHARD MANSFIELD2]

Hi.
I would fabricate a replacement as per original weld it in and leave it at that then deal with any issues that arise. After all you are not doing anything dishonest and the car is still legit.
Regards
Richard

 

[Hugh Jass]

Tried the misunderstanding option. No joy. I have tried another compliant see where rhat goes I only really asked for advice from the DVLA and it has cost me dearly.

There are countless Ford's on the road with new floorpans. I don't know why they wrote my car off. Maybe it's because I'm English :grin: I was posted to Wales years ago, and there was a lot of anti English feelings, including burning any English holiday homes.

 

[caprixpack]

Unfortunately the moral of the story is don't tell the dvla if you've done anything that interferes with the vin number or any of the chassis stampings.
Not wanting to be that guy, but I don't understand why you'd tell them.

 

[Hugh Jass]

Naivety. Just trying to do the right thing i suppose. :grin: You live and learn

 

[RICHARD MANSFIELD2]

Hi.
What about going to your MP or the Ombudsman. Is the DVLA preventing you from using the car?