ChrisP wrote:

Jonny,
I just think they will always win over you as they get the VAT back presumably and then know if its a decent plate they can still make 70% retail margin.

Chezzers,
I know VAT isn't included in margin ,I was just saying as a private individual purchasing for themselves that they wouldn't get the VAT back whereas the plate dealer would,same as buying a car at auction. MY2011 HSE Santorini/Ivory/Piano Black/Privacy Glass/TV .Sadly gone.
Audi A5 Sportback Black Edition 3.0 tdi quattro S Line

chesterfield wrote:

ChrisP wrote:

Jonny,
I just think they will always win over you as they get the VAT back presumably and then know if its a decent plate they can still make 70% retail margin.

But they will have to charge VAT on the product when they sell it, so that wouldnt be an advantage to their margins when purchasing, they are just dealing with ex vat figures all round.


Does anyone know how I would go about having a company trace the owner of an existing plate and perhaps approach them with an offer? I have a specific plate in mind to add to my collection but unfortunately was beaten to it as I didnt pay attention to when the 11 plates went on sale. Ive got three of my ideal five plates that use an 11 reg, the fourth is going to auction and the fifth is already registered by somebody else and on a motorbike.

I would ideally like to get in touch (or have a 3rd party get in touch with) the owner of said plate and make them an offer.

Any ideas?

You could stick a big wanted ad on the front of a daily news paper Or put the plate you are after on here and we could help you look out for it.

ISTR that this

http://www.tracedirect.co.uk/trace-plates.html

can be done on DVLA somewhere - as the site says you need to have reason to do it - had a quick look on DVLA but not much time at the mo - I am sure it is there somewhere and for less than £95 I should think !

chesterfield wrote:

ChrisP wrote:

Jonny,
I just think they will always win over you as they get the VAT back presumably and then know if its a decent plate they can still make 70% retail margin.

But they will have to charge VAT on the product when they sell it, so that wouldnt be an advantage to their margins when purchasing, they are just dealing with ex vat figures all round.


Does anyone know how I would go about having a company trace the owner of an existing plate and perhaps approach them with an offer? I have a specific plate in mind to add to my collection but unfortunately was beaten to it as I didnt pay attention to when the 11 plates went on sale. Ive got three of my ideal five plates that use an 11 reg, the fourth is going to auction and the fifth is already registered by somebody else and on a motorbike.

I would ideally like to get in touch (or have a 3rd party get in touch with) the owner of said plate and make them an offer.

Any ideas?

http://www.dft.gov.uk/dvla//data/relinfo/howtorequest.aspx

Scan read it but £2.50 or £5 is less than £95

DVLA/RegTransfers/VAT - one of my (many) hated combinations: was half way through buying a particular 11 reg plate when they came out last year when the web site crashed. The system locks the reg out for 11 minutes whilst the transaction goes through. If it doesn't complete within 11 Minutes, the reg comes back up for sale. Site crashed. Reg locked (to me) all day. Reg locked all night. The next day apparently the DVLA give the plate dealers a list of unsold regs. My reg was locked at 6:00; 6:15; 6:30; ... 7:30, and at 7:45 was sold! Came up on RegTransfers site at 11 times the price. The relationship between RT and the DVLA seems a little too cosy for my liking.

Second (boring) story was enquiring about a registration (RT again) and asking why VAT was to be added. When they finally came back to me they informed me it was sold. The other week, the same reg appeared for sale with VAT to be added again (more than 2 the price in 12 months), so I enquired and was given the advertising story. I'm sure HMRC would not accept a registration assigned to a DB9 Volante as legitimate company advertising. Anyway, needless to say it has now been 'sold' again (or withdrawn).