'24 plate?

[mintyman]

I just heard they my confirmed build date is week two in 2024, with a collection date 1st-2nd week in March.

Anyone know when registration plates would be issued and whether it's likely to have a 24 plate?

 

[66tim99]

I just heard they my confirmed build date is week two in 2024, with a collection date 1st-2nd week in March.

Anyone know when registration plates would be issued and whether it's likely to have a 24 plate?

1 March ‘24
If it ends up at the dealer early you could just postpone picking it up til after 1 March to ensure a 24 plate at first registration.
What have you bought?

 

[mintyman]

Good to know....I wasn't sure if they get allocated early as part of the import process or something along those lines. Not that's is too important as I'm putting a private plate on it..... But you know how it is about the perception of having a newer registration.

I've ordered an ascot grey Ocean with a couple of updates: velour seats and the sports pack

 

[derek_j_buchanan]

Just ask them to ensure it gets a 24 plate often they ask you to choose the one you want out of several.

 

[Ilikesleeping]

Mine is being built in week one. The dealer told me it should be delivered in February for collection in early March on a 24 plate.

 

[Barry Chuckle]

Good to know....I wasn't sure if they get allocated early as part of the import process or something along those lines. Not that's is too important as I'm putting a private plate on it..... But you know how it is about the perception of having a newer registration.

I've ordered an ascot grey Ocean with a couple of updates: velour seats and the sports pack

If you're within a month of the new registration you're always best pushing back the registration date if you can. A more recent plate will always be worth marginally more than the previous even though only a matter of days can separate them. You may get a bit of kickback from the dealer if they need to register the car to achieve their monthly sales bonus but I'd say stand your ground!

 

[Hawthorn37]

We had a similar situation in 2022. The build date was week 50 2021, and it was in the UK and at the dealers by week 4 2022, so 6 weeks to build and ship. I’ve heard 4-7 weeks is ‘usual’. We enquired if the dealer could delay registration till 1st March, but it was a no go. UK dealers are contractually tied to register and hand over customer ordered VWs within 14 days of arriving in the UK port. The dealer annoying registered our van on 30th Jan, so wasting a months road tax. You can do your own math, but to me it looks touch and go you’ll get it pushed to 1 March.

 

[DianeM]

1 March ‘24
If it ends up at the dealer early you could just postpone picking it up til after 1 March to ensure a 24 plate at first registration.
What have you bought?

Just been called to say my van is arriving at the dealership tomorrow, I said I didn’t want it registered until 1st of March and got a lot of waffle about the 0% interest deal not being available to me if I delay, that ended with me saying I wouldn’t take the finance, hubby is so annoyed he’s considering cancelling all together….. watch this space, I’ve to phone tomorrow with my decision.

 

[66tim99]

Just been called to say my van is arriving at the dealership tomorrow, I said I didn’t want it registered until 1st of March and got a lot of waffle about the 0% interest deal not being available to me if I delay, that ended with me saying I wouldn’t take the finance, hubby is so annoyed he’s considering cancelling all together….. watch this space, I’ve to phone tomorrow with my decision.

Sorry to hear this. Don't let a 'plate spoil your dream!
It's still a 2024 Cali. No buyer really cares if its a '24 plate, or a '73 (or whatever).
(...the Dealer will cave in if you hold out, I bet though...they didn't know when your Cali would arrive so they'd have to have offered you the finance if it had arrived in March, so I smell a rat)

 

[Lambeth Cali]

Their bonus used to be based on registrations in certain months so you might find them wanting to do it this month.

 

[Ilikesleeping]

I picked mine up yesterday. I couldn’t care less about the registration plate. It’s a 2024 California that I plan to own until at least 2034. It makes no real difference to the resale value. Maybe a couple of hundred quid in the first couple of years, but after that it’s all about the condition and mileage. Don’t let the number on the plate spoil your dream and most importantly, don’t let it get in the way of a fantastic 0% finance deal! Go and get it and have fun!

 

[lohr500]

As above. If they won't budge on the registration date, then I wouldn't be too upset.
A 24 plate is nice, but not the end of the world compared to the pleasure you will get from the Cali in the long term. And the residual value won't be significantly different if you plan to keep it.

The 0% finance deal will more than cover any minimal difference in resale value.

Ours is currently at the port awaiting shipment to the UK and I did ask the dealer if they could register it in March if it arrived in the UK in February. They said yes to this, but if they had said no, I wouldn't have lost any sleep.

If you cancel the order and want a new build, then you start from square one and are back into the waiting game. And I think the 0% finance deal isn't available any more.

 

[andyinluton]

Just been called to say my van is arriving at the dealership tomorrow, I said I didn’t want it registered until 1st of March and got a lot of waffle about the 0% interest deal not being available to me if I delay, that ended with me saying I wouldn’t take the finance, hubby is so annoyed he’s considering cancelling all together….. watch this space, I’ve to phone tomorrow with my decision.

Check what it says in the small print on the order form. There is usually a clause about how quickly you have to take it.

 

[Hawthorn37]

As I understand, VWUK requires dealers to register customer factory orders within 2 weeks of date of arrival at the port, otherwise there’s a financial penalty imposed. I don’t know what the penalty is. This was the case in 2022 and I don’t suppose it’s changed.

I’d want to have a new reg if I’d the choice as well. We tried, and were denied, when collecting our van. Get a private plate - then no one will know !

 

[DianeM]

Sorry to hear this. Don't let a 'plate spoil your dream!
It's still a 2024 Cali. No buyer really cares if its a '24 plate, or a '73 (or whatever).
(...the Dealer will cave in if you hold out, I bet though...they didn't know when your Cali would arrive so they'd have to have offered you the finance if it had arrived in March, so I smell a rat)

We have a van to sell so not in a rush to drive our new one in the snow, would much rather have a 24 plate as it will be the last purchase before retirement ‍, will definitely not be collecting in Feb

 

[DianeM]

I picked mine up yesterday. I couldn’t care less about the registration plate. It’s a 2024 California that I plan to own until at least 2034. It makes no real difference to the resale value. Maybe a couple of hundred quid in the first couple of years, but after that it’s all about the condition and mileage. Don’t let the number on the plate spoil your dream and most importantly, don’t let it get in the way of a fantastic 0% finance deal! Go and get it and have fun!

We didn’t really want the finance anyway, got kind of talked into it as paying fully actually costs more, it’s a mad world.

 

[Hawthorn37]

Our financial advisor talked us in to a short term PCP deal - same reasoning, plus an offer of £1k in options, and we could get more keeping cash in investments than the (then) PCP interest rate.

 

[DianeM]

As I understand, VWUK requires dealers to register customer factory orders within 2 weeks of date of arrival at the port, otherwise there’s a financial penalty imposed. I don’t know what the penalty is. This was the case in 2022 and I don’t suppose it’s changed.

I’d want to have a new reg if I’d the choice as well. We tried, and were denied, when collecting our van. Get a private plate - then no one will know !

I’ve offered not to take the finance if that’s the only issue but we will see. There wasn’t a great deal of conversation just your vans here come and get it in the next week, which we can’t do anyway.

 

[Hawthorn37]

I’ve offered not to take the finance if that’s the only issue but we will see. There wasn’t a great deal of conversation just your vans here come and get it in the next week, which we can’t do anyway.

We were told, and then was shown the evidence, the dealers basically get fined by VW if they don’t move the vehicles on to the customer quickly. I’m assuming it’s something to do with dealers saying they have customer orders, only to hold on to the van to build up stock?

 

[66tim99]

We were told, and then was shown the evidence, the dealers basically get fined by VW if they don’t move the vehicles on to the customer quickly. I’m assuming it’s something to do with dealers saying they have customer orders, only to hold on to the van to build up stock?

Eurovans Crawley said they would hold the van for a few weeks and register it when I picked up. I was out of the country though. And the order to delivery had been 18months!

 

[Hawthorn37]

Eurovans Crawley said they would hold the van for a few weeks and register it when I picked up. I was out of the country though. And the order to delivery had been 18months!

I guess they’ll make certain exceptions, and take it on the chin for you!!

 

[DianeM]

We were told, and then was shown the evidence, the dealers basically get fined by VW if they don’t move the vehicles on to the customer quickly. I’m assuming it’s something to do with dealers saying they have customer orders, only to hold on to the van to build up stock?

I’m sure if it’s the difference between a sale in 3 weeks or no sale at all we hold the cards, unless we are unlucky and someone walks in to the showroom and wants our van immediately.

 

[DianeM]

As above. If they won't budge on the registration date, then I wouldn't be too upset.
A 24 plate is nice, but not the end of the world compared to the pleasure you will get from the Cali in the long term. And the residual value won't be significantly different if you plan to keep it.

The 0% finance deal will more than cover any minimal difference in resale value.

Ours is currently at the port awaiting shipment to the UK and I did ask the dealer if they could register it in March if it arrived in the UK in February. They said yes to this, but if they had said no, I wouldn't have lost any sleep.

If you cancel the order and want a new build, then you start from square one and are back into the waiting game. And I think the 0% finance deal isn't available any more.

Just been looking for some info and it seems they can allocate a 24 plate up to a fortnight before it’s actually registered on the 1st March as the dealer will already have an allocation of registrations which allows the paperwork to be completed before collection.

 

[Hawthorn37]

I’m sure if it’s the difference between a sale in 3 weeks or no sale at all we hold the cards, unless we are unlucky and someone walks in to the showroom and wants our van immediately.

I hope the dealer plays along with you, I really do. If it happens that you don’t take the van, then no doubt you’ll be foregoing your deposit. When we collected our van towards the end of the 2 week period, we found that the dealer had applied the reg plate a week earlier, and annoyingly on 29th January, so effectively losing a months road tax! We weren’t consulted about this.

 

[Sheffield10]

I hope the dealer plays along with you, I really do. If it happens that you don’t take the van, then no doubt you’ll be foregoing your deposit. When we collected our van towards the end of the 2 week period, we found that the dealer had applied the reg plate a week earlier, and annoyingly on 29th January, so effectively losing a months road tax! We weren’t consulted about this.

First registration allows 1 week at the end of the month to roll into the following month, so if registered on the 29th Jan - your road tax expiry should be as if it started on 1 Feb