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  #1  
Old 6th December 2020, 09:00 PM
GH77 GH77 is offline
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Default Testing times - 2 passes!

I used to have my MOTs nicely spaced out - D2 in the summer and D3 in December. With the Covid extension they are both now due in December. On the same bloody day, December 8th!

Delighted to say they both got clean bills of health again, D3 last week and D2 this week. Looks like I'll be needing D3 rear tyres soonish but old Alexander (D2) sailed through. He's only done 1,400 miles since the last one 18 months ago to be fair.

December's now a horrendous car month. Both taxes due on the 1st, both MOTs due on the 8th and both insurances up on the 24th. Bloody hell

Missus' Freelander 2 up next week. We now don't own a car with less than 100k on the clock
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2000 FL A8 3.7 QS - Turned 21 years old on 15th March 2021. Ming Blue - 175k miles. I love having a 90's car worthy of 90L of 98 RON! If only they still did 4* fully leaded!

2009 A8 4.2 FSi LWB - Marine Blue - 164k miles. Extras? Too many to list. But I do like the Rear Seat Entertainment . . . . . .

477k miles to the moon and back. 238k to go and between them they'll have made it!
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  #2  
Old 6th December 2020, 09:07 PM
HPsauce HPsauce is offline
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I've found the best thing to do is bite the bullet and get the MOT done early. It's only about £50 for 12 months so just the price of a pint to bring it forward a month to a better time.
(The MOT extension didn't work for my D2, it was withdrawn at exactly the wrong time so I had to get it done PDQ!)

And to change the tax renewal date just find a convenient time well away from the MOT and SORN it at the end of the month and tax it on the first of the next one. If you pay annually that costs nothing and changes the due date. Or just tax it for 6 months, though that costs a little more.
There is a catch about not being able to tax online for a few days after SORN, but you can always do it at a Post Office if you really need it.
My S8 has actually been SORN'ed twice this year and is currently on it.
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2003 D2 FL S8. Irish Green Pearl/Beige. Solar sunroof, auto-dim mirrors, electric rear seat functions, ski hatch retrofit; extended leather. Aftermarket DVB-T, reversing camera and full XCarlink (Bluetooth etc.).
2016 Volvo V40 T5 Cross Country (4WD) with ALL the toys including adaptive cruise etc. etc. Osmium Grey with Blonde/Charcoal leather interior. Polestar performance "optimisation". (A much rarer model than a D2 S8 by the way!) Oh, and a brand new engine at just under 30,000 miles on the factory one!
Finally: gone, but not forgotten.....
1998 D2 PF S8. AgateGrey/Platinum. Every option (I think) except electric rear seats, tiptronic steering wheel, ski hatch, towbar & dimming door mirrors.
e.g. Cruise control, NavPlus/TV, Bose, GSM, Xenons, Solar roof, Parking sensors, Alcantara/leather everywhere of course. (internal dimming mirror added later)
1998 (very early) Ford Focus 1.8 Zetec; ABS/TCS, Heated screen/mirrors, Aircon, Auto-dim mirror, Leather, Trip computer, Cruise control, OEM Ford SatNav with CD changer.
And before that a lot of Rover 800s, a few oddities, a lovely Triumph Dolomite 1850HL with Overdrive and way back in my schooldays an Austin Seven aka Mini 850!

Last edited by HPsauce; 6th December 2020 at 09:12 PM.
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  #3  
Old 6th December 2020, 09:44 PM
GH77 GH77 is offline
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Good advice for swapping things about if needed.

I've just got in the habit of putting the money aside each month and then I know it's there come December when it all goes flying back out. D3 road tax is a sore one whether the money's saved or not - 575 ouches

The annual insurance debate with Adrian Flux is next up "why are you trying to charge me 20% more than last year with no claims and no changes?" I usually get my way.

Last year I did go 2 or 3 thousand over my 12k and had to pay them £80 to make it go away. This year, with Covid etc, I've done 9,000 miles less than my newly agreed 15k. Wonder if the £80 is a two way street so they owe me £240 off?
__________________
2000 FL A8 3.7 QS - Turned 21 years old on 15th March 2021. Ming Blue - 175k miles. I love having a 90's car worthy of 90L of 98 RON! If only they still did 4* fully leaded!

2009 A8 4.2 FSi LWB - Marine Blue - 164k miles. Extras? Too many to list. But I do like the Rear Seat Entertainment . . . . . .

477k miles to the moon and back. 238k to go and between them they'll have made it!
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  #4  
Old 7th December 2020, 11:08 AM
tintin tintin is offline
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I may SORN my Coupe over the winter, since I'd probably only take it out once or twice for a trip of less than 10 miles, which would work out at about £10 per mile (excluding fuel...), which is senseless .

On the insurance front, I have to give Admiral some (small...) credit for making a discretionary refund during Covid to all of their customers: A nice - if small - gesture, but one which still cost them £110 million in insurance premium refunds.
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Autos Autos everywhere...
(1) 2015 Tesla Model S: (was 85D, now 90D ). Silent and deadly, and very fast... But not as fast as Ian's M3P-
(2) 2002 D2 S8 Final Edition: Bulletproof and faultless: Brilliant Black with Extended (Red!) Leather. Three-times winner of Best D2 1st prize
(3) 1997 Fiat Coupe 20v Turbo: Scots (! ) Green. Fragile, but beautiful.
(4) 2010 Fiat Panda 100HP. White Pandamonium (Final Edition!!). Pure old-fashioned 6-speed go-karting.
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Old 7th December 2020, 11:55 AM
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David's8 David's8 is offline
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Funny enough, I've managed to get 3 vehicles (including a Freelander 2 - snap!) all due tax at the same time in August
I need to employs HPs tactic to separate them next year!
The £25 refund from Admiral was something i suppose but i wouldnt bank on the insurers refunding for unused mileage allowance!!
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2002 D2 S8 – Ming Blue, Valcona leather, Vavona wood insert, solar sunroof (to be fitted), Heated rear seats, extended leather pack, 18” Avus, ski hatch, Bose, auto dim rear view mirror, rear blind.
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  #6  
Old 7th December 2020, 12:25 PM
ainarssems ainarssems is online now
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Mileage is just an estimate. I put it down as 10k, some years I do 6-8k, others 12-15k so it evens out over time. Never had to pay extra or got any refunds
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