Correcting the DVLA

[williamcorke]

My 6th Series B20 (843UXD, previously 7PMG) is listed on its V5 as having been manufactured ('Date of first registration') in 1965.

This didn't bother me at all, but with the new pre-1960 MoT exemption, it does make a difference.

So I wrote at the start of the year to DVLA requesting that they issue a corrected V5.  I enclosed the production record for the car which was supplied to me by the Registro Aurelia, and a print-out of a Wikipedia reference page for the Aurelia which shows that Aurelia production finished in 1958.

Yesterday I received a new V5, with.... you guessed it, the same date of registration as before, 1st July 1965.  No covering note or explanation for why they had refused my request, or for that matter whether they had even considered it.

Does anyone have any idea what I should do to sort this out?  I think the club used to provide letters to validate such matters, but does the DVLA still regards the LMC as a sufficiently authoritative body?

William

[Parisien]

I would sincerely hope its not the latter Will.

As luck might have it some junior PS whose literacy aint .......too hot never quite got the gist of your complaint/request.

Perhaps if you could find out who to write to with a bit of gumption and authority to resolve same, let us know how you get on


P

[ncundy]

I would call them and also resend everything with the request in BOLD. Do you have a local office you could visit, as this sometimes bears fruit.

https://www.gov.uk/dvla-offices

You have my sympathy though, I have had three dealings with the DVLA in the last 5 years and they have never failed to demonstrate anything other than breathtaking incompetence, lack of communication and total ignorance of their own rules and regulations. Apparently it's a service they provide......

[lancialulu]

william

The club still provides a dating ( ) service. Contact Barbara Longlands in back of VL. It may require a club member verifying your car. There will be many that can do.

I would also do as Neil suggests and maybe try a short cut to go to the local DVLA office while they are still there.

Tim

[Sliding Pillar]

William, Tim is correct, to get your registration document corrected you must have a letter from the Lancia Motor Club confirming that your vehicle has been inspected by an authority (i.e. the Club's Aurelia advisor) within the club, you will then be given a dating letter from the club that you can send to the DVLA to get your document changed. Other that travel expenses this service is free to members. Your first action would be to contact the Aurelia advisor......... whoever that is!!!! see useful addresses in 'VL'

[Neil]

William, I think they still have an office in Wimbledon, near the station, ask one of your local Surrey member's Dale he visited them last July August to register his Augusta with paperwork and the car in the end and it was sorted, perhaps call them first so not to waste a journey.

[simonandjuliet]

Hi, I had the same person to person conversation with the DVLA about the Aprilia (first reg in 1973) and asked how to change the date. I was clearly told that the V5 would not change since that was the date of first reg, however they have accepted that the car was built in 1947 and as such no longer needs an MOT. Indeed when I applied for a new disk, all I did was tick the box that I was MOT exempt they checked it and issued the disk. All online !

I asked if I could have a note recorded on the first page ( I had seen this on a Harley V5) stating the declared year of manufacture, but this wasn't acceptable either ! So I am sure if you provide the info, it will be accepted but they are unlikely to change the V5, but you will be MOT exempt

Bon courage

[Kevin MacBride]

Thats funny, these people must all go to the same 'training school' as they are exactly the same over here. I imported my Aurelia in 1999, and the date of manufacture was listed as....1999. As they had no Aurelias listed in the database, my car was a Lancia 'other' first registered and manufactured in 1999. I didn't care to be honest, as they somehow accepted the correct year '54 when I was taxing it (much cheaper for vehicles over 30 years) The was because the car was classed as a vintage/veteran for tax purposes. I managed to get them to change the name except the bloke typed AURELIEA into the database, when I asked him to change it he said he couldn't. So while I was waiting for him to issue me a registration number I kept calling him 'Sue' (as in the Johnny Cash song). He was clearly annoyed, and kept repeating his correct name to me. Eventually he asked me to stop calling him Sue.....sooo, I said...'Its annoying being called by the wrong name, isn't it ?'    so now, I have an Lancia AURELIA, manufactured in 1954 on my taxbook.
And yes, my kids teachers hate to see me at parent/teacher evenings, and my wife rarely complains in restaurants.......

[Sliding Pillar]

William, if you want the date of first registration changed this is NOT possible. You can however have a note recorded in section 3 on the front page of the V5 stating 'first registered overseas, declared manufactured 1958'
To do this you will need the LMC dating letter.
I can do this for you, pm me for details. Ade.

[Parisien]

Excellent Ade.......sanity prevails...........systems are seemingly unfit for purpose in both jurisdictions!

P

[Parisien]

Thats funny, these people must all go to the same 'training school' as they are exactly the same over here. I imported my Aurelia in 1999, and the date of manufacture was listed as....1999. As they had no Aurelias listed in the database, my car was a Lancia 'other' first registered and manufactured in 1999. I didn't care to be honest, as they somehow accepted the correct year '54 when I was taxing it (much cheaper for vehicles over 30 years) The was because the car was classed as a vintage/veteran for tax purposes. I managed to get them to change the name except the bloke typed AURELIEA into the database, when I asked him to change it he said he couldn't. So while I was waiting for him to issue me a registration number I kept calling him 'Sue' (as in the Johnny Cash song). He was clearly annoyed, and kept repeating his correct name to me. Eventually he asked me to stop calling him Sue.....sooo, I said...'Its annoying being called by the wrong name, isn't it ?'    so now, I have an Lancia AURELIA, manufactured in 1954 on my taxbook.
And yes, my kids teachers hate to see me at parent/teacher evenings, and my wife rarely complains in restaurants.......

Kevin............what can I/we say.........bar thats one of the funniest and most telling posts on here for a while......simply fabulous!

P

[Kevin MacBride]

Many years ago I was done for speeding in a 131 Sport I had. For whatever reason it ended up in court rather than the usual fine (no penalty points then). I had my own soliciter, who was a friend of my dad. On the letter I'd received my name was spelt 'McBride' rather than 'MacBride'. My man contended that there was a possibility that there was indeed a Kevin McBride who had been speeding, and not me (Kevin MacBride). the judge told him not to labour the point as there was no difference between the names...I couldn't believe it when my man argued the point, and contended that to condemn a man just because he spells his name in a particular way, where was it going to end, he bellowed, were the school children of Ireland to be commended because they mis-spelt names, would banks and insurance companies happily hand out money willy nilly to John S-m-y-t-h rather than to John S-m-i-t-h, should we drop the second 'O' from the word ZOO and save on the signpainters time........
I got off......the soliciter is now a Judge

[Thotos]

Not that many years ago I was stopped for speeding in France in my Maserati Biturbo. It was either a case of being timed between toll booths or (more likely) a speed trap before the toll booth. After paying the toll, a Gendarme jumped in front of my car and stopped me. He had a small piece of paper  in his hand and he looked at the paper then looked at my number plate and said to me "you were speeding and you have to pay a fine". I looked at his little piece of paper which had a registration number almost like mine but not the same; one digit or one letter were wrong. So I said to him "not my number plate!" So he looked again and said "Close enough. We'll keep your car until you pay the fine". So I paid!

Getting back on post, Tim Speechley is the Homologation Executive of Fiat UK and he can provide a dating certificate for any Fiat Group car. Once you have an official dating certificate the DVLA should accept it and issue the correct V5 document. Send me an email or PM and I'll give you Tim's contact details as I don't think I should be posting them here on a public forum.

[Sliding Pillar]

Was that soliciter or solicitor??

[williamcorke]

Thanks to all for advice.  I've sent Ade an email.

Tim Speechley has been at Fiat a long time.  I remember writing to him for vehicle details in the days before email :-)

William