Hi folks, I've been offered a Polish Cinquecento, which is interesting as it's the 700cc version with the Fiat 126 engine, not offered in the UK. The car is already over here, but has not been on the road. It has 'paperwork' with it and is still on Polish plates.


What would the situation be with regard to getting it registered and issued with UK plates? Is it even possible? A trawl of the web seems to suggest it's complicated and fraught with pitfalls....



Thanks,
Steve

It’s a lot easier for old cars and I’m sure a 700 Cinq is old enough.

I’m sure all the info is on the government website. Just avoid other search results for agencies to “help” with registration.

It helps that it came from Europe and is still registered there.

Thanks David, I'll pick my way through the DVLA website and see what I can find. A shame that their local offices all have closed, otherwise I could just drop in and enquire.


Steve

Yes I did it for a friend via a local office years ago, they explained that although the form had spaces for a huge amount of details, given the age of the car they actually didn’t need much of it filled in.

Ask if it has a NOVA certificate
Without it you won’t be able to do anything with DVLA

Thanks Lukmek, that's is really useful to know. The car has come up just when I don't have the room to accommodate another one, but I guess there are hardly any 700cc Cinqs in the UK so I should at least try to give it a home if I can.


Steve

Steve70 said:

Thanks Lukmek, that's is really useful to know. The car has come up just when I don't have the room to accommodate another one, but I guess there are hardly any 700cc Cinqs in the UK so I should at least try to give it a home if I can.


Steve

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Hi Steve
As far as I know the 700 wasn’t for sale in the U.K.
if you got the NOVA it’s very easy to register, just need an MOT and DVLA will send you a new number plate (according to the age of the car, so no Q plate)

I've been to view the Cinq today and it's a bit cosmetically challenged shall we say, but under the dirt is rock solid on the inner sills etc. Really odd to see (and hear) the Fiat 126BIS engine under the bonnet! The interior trim is also unlike UK market versions with plain vinyl on the door trims and seats that are part vinyl with jazzy coloured cloth inserts.

I think the story may end here unfortunately as there is no NOVA certificate in the paperwork as far as I could see, just the original Polish equivalent of the V5. The car is still on Polish plates. Following the advice on here, although it would be great to save it, I daren't risk taking on a car that I can't effectively ever do anything with if I can't register it. Sadly the owner is planning to break it if it can't find a home


Would it be possible for me to take on the task of gaining a NOVA certificate? If that were possible then presumably I would be liable for any VAT payable on the car? The DVLA website is good but these are the times when you wish their regional offices were stilll open for face-to-face advice.


Steve

It looks as though I can complete a NOVA form for the car myself. Research seems to suggest it's unlikely there would be any VAT to pay. The only issue is that the form has to be filed within 14 days of the car coming in to the UK or a fine will apply.. I'm not sure where I would stand with regard to buying a car which has already been here for an unspecified time, having been imported as a spares car/engine donor, which is the case with the Fiat. Maybe it would be from the date I bought the car. So many questions! There is a DVLA Helpline, so maybe I'll have a chat with them...


Steve

I would not buy it as spares can be a problem.

I had one of these many years ago and the gearbox ended up scrap after the CV boot leaked.

Good point about spares, although I would have thought 126 owners are fairly well catered for.. They seem to have at least one owners' club and in this internet age parts can presumably be sourced from Poland (at least that's what the current owner of the car I'm looking at tells me....)



Steve

I have recently imported a Y10 from Turin, process was pretty easy. I think you're problem might be that you need to tell HMRC within 14 days of bringing the car to the UK. This also kicks off the NOVA application.

Not sure how it works for a foreign car already over here, guess the 14 days from import will begin when you buy it and begin the process of it becoming a UK car.

I rang the DVLA more than once during the application and they were always friendly and helpful, give them a call.

Cinq is old enough to be exempt from most of the extra hassle when registering a car.

You'll have to get it MOT'd before you get your UK reg as well.

Steve70 said:

Good point about spares, although I would have thought 126 owners are fairly well catered for.

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Remember that the engine is rear mounted in the 126, so uses a different gearbox to the Cinq version.

Duncan said:

You'll have to get it MOT'd before you get your UK reg as well.

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Hmm I was wondering about that. I assumed that it would need to have it's UK identity established before being submitted for an M.o.T as otherwise it would not be on the DVLA database.

I guess that if an M.o.T. pass was issued, the certificate would just quote the VIN number, in lieu of an actual reg number? I should think the car is pretty likely to fail, at least on minor points, as it's been stood for some time, although it does start and drive. I'd need to find a set of RHD headlamps too.

Steve

Eklipze3k said:

Remember that the engine is rear mounted in the 126, so uses a different gearbox to the Cinq version.

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Noted!

Steve70 said:

Hmm I was wondering about that. I assumed that it would need to have it's UK identity established before being submitted for an M.o.T as otherwise it would not be on the DVLA database.

I guess that if an M.o.T. pass was issued, the certificate would just quote the VIN number, in lieu of an actual reg number? I should think the car is pretty likely to fail, at least on minor points, as it's been stood for some time, although it does start and drive. I'd need to find a set of RHD headlamps too.

Steve

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Yeah, they MOT it with the VIN number. Unless you can trailer it to the MOT station you'll also have to insure it off the VIN. Useful tip - it's illegal for a UK citizen to drive a foreign registered car on UK roads unless it's to and from a pre-booked MOT.

Believe it or not you can use the stick on beam deflectors for an MOT. RHD headlamps are no longer available but used should be easy enough (Try finding some for a Y10!!). You don't need to change the speedo to MPH either.

You'll need the Polish logbook to send off to the DVLA when you register it, or a certificate of authenticity from Fiat motor club or similar. This is to prove the age of the vehicle, if not you might end up on a Q plate.

As for spares, they are cheap and plentiful in Poland and the exchange rate makes it very cheap even with postage.

Excellent info. Thanks Duncan

Duncan said:

Believe it or not you can use the stick on beam deflectors for an MOT. RHD headlamps are no longer available but used should be easy enough (Try finding some for a Y10!!). You don't need to change the speedo to MPH either.

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Yes people think that the MOT is extremely tough, it really isn't.
In truth it is one step above scrap!

The dashboard illumination (an MOT requirement) can even be a torch taped to it!!

Well, for better or for worse, good idea or bad, it's here. In due course I may well be banging my head on the desk wondering why I bothered, but sometimes you just have to go for it. Having read up all I can find I'm pretty confident I have sufficient info in terms of documents, photos etc to put together to support a NOVA application, so that will be the homework for this week. I'm told the car was brought over here to be broken for spares, with the engine destined for a 126 project until the owner discovered some fundamental differences that made it impossible (like the fact that rear mounted engines in the 126 rotate the opposite way).

So here are some photos of the car, which is very dirty inside and out, with an underside liberally plastered in mud from either Lincolnshire or Poland. There's also an impresive dent in one sill. The inner sills are solid at the rear and the boot corners are fine. The 700cc engine is really - it's mounted longitudinally - but then again it is only half the length of a 4 cylinder unit. The spark plugs looks pretty inaccessible.

The interior is interesting with part-vinyl seats, which we never saw over here, along with plain grey vinyl door inserts. Rear seat passengers are treated to featureless hardboard trim panels. The Cinquecento branded fitted mats are a bit of a bonus... and you've got to love the air freshener.

The car starts (eventually) drives and stops, but before anything else, it needs a massive clean up.

Steve

More pics