Buying a van (trade only sellers)

[Poseidon]

Howdy all,

A bit of guidance if you will. I’m in need of a van and there’s several I like the look of. Slight issue is the dealerships selling them explicitly state that they only engage in trade to trade sales, not to private individuals.

Aside from the usual sold as seen malarkey, I’m assuming this is to avoid having to add vat etc onto the sale (if indeed they’re subject to vat). What I would like to know is, how do I as a private individual get my hands on one of these trade only vehicles? Is it simply a case of rocking up in some grubby overalls and saying “mate” a lot, or do I need proof... And if I need proof, how rigorously will this be checked? If I got 50 business cards for a make believe firm knocked up, would that suffice? (As it happens all my overalls are emblazoned with the company name of a now defunct Irish engineering outfit.)

Maybe if I stick a pencil behind my ear too...
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1977 Honda CG125
2002 Ducati Monster S4 (currently restoring)

[Freddyfruitba...]

[Poseidon]

[MCN]

Anyone selling shit is usually constrained by the rules that they have to sell something.

I would ignore the 'trade only' bit and ring them up.

They can only say, 'feck off, can you not read?'.

The trade only may be to deter The Trotter types.
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Disclaimer: The comments above may be predicted text and not necessarily the opinion of MCN.

[Poseidon]

[Islander]

[Nobby the Bastard]

They have to charge vat if vat registered. Whether you reclaim it after selling it on is neither here nor there.
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trevor saxe-coburg-gotha:"Remember this simple rule - scooters are for men who like to feel the breeze on their huge, flapping cunt lips."
Sprint ST 1050

[Poseidon]

All the ads I’ve seen for trade only sales explicitly state “no vat” hence wondering if that’s a trade to trade specific thing, and that they’d have to charge private buyers vat...
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1977 Honda CG125
2002 Ducati Monster S4 (currently restoring)

[Ste]

Sounds like discrimination to me.

Any meaning is down to how the seller chooses to define "trade".

You might be setting up business as a sole trader doing gardening or you might even be in the trade of selling wipers for visors. There's nothing to show that you're a trader because you haven't got going yet and that's why you need to buy a van.

[t121anf]

Is this not one of the sold as is, no warranty as you know what you are getting into type of situations?

[Nobby the Bastard]

[Islander]

[Nobby the Bastard]

Yep,to a degree. Commercial vehicles are advertised as ex vat and most private buyers won't get that they have to pay an extra.20.% on top.
____________________
trevor saxe-coburg-gotha:"Remember this simple rule - scooters are for men who like to feel the breeze on their huge, flapping cunt lips."
Sprint ST 1050

[Poseidon]

Hmmm... maybe Ste is on to something. Maybe it’s not traders in general they are selling to, maybe it’s other motor traders when they say trade sales only.

They are open today, so I’ll give them a call. At least I now know it’s not something obvious I’m missing.
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1977 Honda CG125
2002 Ducati Monster S4 (currently restoring)

[Poseidon]

[Polarbear]

How do they know a second hand vehicle is vat exempt or vat paid or whatever anyway?
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Triumph Trophy Launch Edition

[Nobby the Bastard]

VAT would be payable on every change of owner, even if it is another dealer. Sounds dodgy to me.
____________________
trevor saxe-coburg-gotha:"Remember this simple rule - scooters are for men who like to feel the breeze on their huge, flapping cunt lips."
Sprint ST 1050

[Ste]

When a dealer sells a second hand vehicle, they pay VAT on their profits. It makes no difference if the buyer is a private individual or if it's someone with a trade. If the buyer is VAT registered then the buyer can reclaim the VAT but that's got nothing to do with the dealer who they buy from or the VAT the dealer has to pay.

The tax arrangements of the dealer has got nothing to do with anyone who buys a second hand vehicle from them.

I say phone them up and ask to buy the vehicle.

[Poseidon]

[Ste]

Business to business transactions aren't covered by the Consumer Rights Act so I think them saying "trade only" is to do with the terms of the sale in that the seller doesn't want the responsibilities that come with selling to private individuals.

[Polarbear]

[Nobby the Bastard]

[Ste]

The VAT thing is a red herring, who the vehicle is sold to doesn't change whether or not the seller is liable to pay VAT to the tax man.

[doggone]

[Ste]