My 75 2CV is road tax free, but from next May it’s not due to be Mot’d either , will this lead to more unroadworthy cars having accidents ? , apparently 70% of 2000 interviewed car drivers think it will ,
https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new- ... s-may-2018

Overhere all cars before 1960 don't have tax or MOT but as they are normally well cared for by their owners, there is not much to worry about. Apart from some people that only drive and old car to be cheap. I haven't heard of accidents yet...

Mixed feelings. I can understand why the government has done it. There are more and more vehicles hitting the roads every year and with ever-increasing things added to the test which has uck all to do with "roadworthiness", which was the original point of the test, there's a need to increase volume at testing stations by removing a chunk of vehicles, so freeing up space. But these are the vehicles that really need to be checked. I love driving the 2CV but I don't have a vehicle lift to jack it right up in the air so I can get under it and give it a really good inspection. I'm also not a mechanic, so I'm happy enough to get it looked at once a year. I certainly feel more comfortable in the car with a nice fresh MOT under its belt.

And don't forget that by pigeonholing old cars into a tax and MOT exempt status will make it far easier for future governments to enforce restrictions on use. Not what I want.

@ AZL 57 , indeed I was once in the position of running old cars ( young family + Mortgage etc, old cars were a way of life back then, but I always keep the essential safety parts in good order , (young daughter on the back seat sharpens a young bucks mind) now as a pensioner those days have returned , apart from no daughter on the back seat , she now has her own C 3 ,

@ johnathan , a bit worried about your comment “And don't forget that by pigeonholing old cars into a tax and MOT exempt status will make it far easier for future governments to enforce restrictions on use. Not what I want. Me neither ,
curious about the classic term banded about, my 1975 log book lists my 2cv as a “historic vehicle “
The missing future Mot’s on my part , I started my working life 15.1/2 old as a trainee motor mech , was out of that trade by time I was a 18 y old ,
I had discovered girls , my then & now permanent state grime and lack of money wasn’t helping the quest ,
But the great wheel of life slowly revolves , these days on sunny days =
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIrOMsH1JRI

Read this before you rejoice. Doesn't sound like many 1980s 2CVs will meet the strict requirements anyway. Most are on an after-market galvanised chassis. There are also changes to pre-1960 cars that are currently MOTed exempt and will lose that exemption due to being a rebuild and not original. https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/s ... idance.pdf

Hi Jonathan, interesting read of “Vehicles of historic interest” requirements , never believed a re chassed car was a true Citroen anyway , got some doubts on how the hell can you work out the 15% increase in power to weight ration ? , by using 9-1 pistons & and a Dyane carb , manifold with it’s fan air ducting , all original Citroen “A” series parts , figure maybe my engine produces around another 3BHP, but with all it’s added rust proofing over the years the power to weight matches it’s original spec . if the driver is added with his fondness for pork pies , gross power /weight ratio is now in negative territory

It seems that ANY deviation from purely original will be enough to warrant a refusal of exemption. Got halogen bulbs fitted for better, safer illumination at night? Your car needs to be MOTed every year. Fitted seat belts to a 1950s Austin or Morris to make it safer in today's traffic? Your car needs to be MOTed every year. Fitted disc brakes to a drum braked car to make it safer coming down a steep hill like Porlock Hill in Devon? Your car needs to be MOTed every year. Laughable, if it wasn't so tragic.

Oh heck Jonathan indeed I got halogen head light bulbs , and dyane LHM retro disk brakes maybe buying a bottle of Scotlands best malt whisky at Waitrose was a bit premature ? between the two of us I am also not just a southern soft Surrey guy ( born in Jersey C.I, tail end of WW2) , haven’t been back for 30 years , last time was on the sealink car car ferry with my then Mehari ,
Mot free ? , if it happens for me or not not bothered ,if it is I will maintain the old gal as aways we both have a vestige in our future , it’s race to who fails first ,
what is a historc car? this springs to mind = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HisD_pqlRHQ

Sorry for coming across as downbeat, but years of experience has taught me that faceless, humourless, joyless bureaucrats will think of perverse and downright nasty ways to ruin law-abiding regular Joe's of their joy and happiness.
"Oh look, we give you this with one hand, but we'll take ALL of that and much more with the other hand and there's nothing you can do about it because we're a government agency."

I wonder why people accuse me of being cynical?

no problem mate , thought i was the only world class cynical champion, indeed , I keep out world affairs /religion dont vote in election or brexit etc ,
just know my true friends after the last 45 years , seems like the A series is now top of the list, yeah, maybe I should get out more ,