V5C What is it?

[porka944s]

My wife and i bought an 09 plate ford focus off of a local approved ford garage, we got the documents through the post today and we got a V5C with a red and pink front page instead of a V5 with the usual blue front page. It also states in massive letters on the top 'THIS DOCUMENT IS NOT PROOF OF OWNERSHIP' 'It shows who is responsible for registering and taxing the vehicle'.
Can any one tell me why we got this? is it likely to be a mistake? the car was a Hertz rent a car before its not something to do with that is it? Please help were a bit worried we've been duped now!

[kentmotorcompany]

Sounds like you have a the new version of the V5, which is now red.

[porka944s]

Really? but if its not proof of ownership what is then?

[Gruber]

Proof of registered keeper.

[Crafty_]

porka944s said:

Really? but if its not proof of ownership what is then?

V5 never was proof of ownership IIRC.

It means you are the keeper of the vehicle, hence uses the "registered keeper" term..

[x type]

In plain english the owner of the vehicle is the one whose name is on the receipt when the vehicle was purchased

[Deva Link]

The form has been called V5C for years.

They changed the design because 2 million of the old forms got nicked 2-3 years ago and it was becoming a bit embarrasing that genuine V5Cs were being used to sell cloned cars.

[Gruber]

x type said:

In plain english the owner of the vehicle is the one whose name is on the receipt when the vehicle was purchased

But even that's not so straight forward. If I buy a car on a PCP deal from (say) BMW Finance, the receipt from the garage will probably have my name on it, the V5 will have my name on it, but until the finance agreement is settled, the car is owned by BMW Finance.

Hence why HPI-type checks are so important.

[porka944s]

Interesting! Thanks for this guys!

[Chiswickboy]

Deva Link said:

The form has been called V5C for years.

As above. Pay attention at the back there.

And in other breaking news, there is also no need to have a man with a red flag walking in front of your horseless road transport machine. :-)

[saaby93]

Gruber said:

Hence why HPI-type checks are so important.

Whys that?

[miniman]

Seems baffling to me that one could own a car but not know what a V5C is.

[Deva Link]

Gruber said:

Hence why HPI-type checks are so important.

This was the problem with the stolen V5Cs and cloned cars. HPI checks come up clear - because the donor car is clear. There are many cases (there are a couple on PH) of people taking the V5C to the Polce, or calling the DVLA, and being assured that all was in order.

[paoloh]

Gruber said:

x type said:

In plain english the owner of the vehicle is the one whose name is on the receipt when the vehicle was purchased

But even that's not so straight forward. If I buy a car on a PCP deal from (say) BMW Finance, the receipt from the garage will probably have my name on it, the V5 will have my name on it, but until the finance agreement is settled, the car is owned by BMW Finance.

Hence why HPI-type checks are so important.

Actually the invoice should have you and the finance company on it.

HPI makes no difference in this case.

[Gruber]

paoloh said:

Gruber said:

x type said:

In plain english the owner of the vehicle is the one whose name is on the receipt when the vehicle was purchased

But even that's not so straight forward. If I buy a car on a PCP deal from (say) BMW Finance, the receipt from the garage will probably have my name on it, the V5 will have my name on it, but until the finance agreement is settled, the car is owned by BMW Finance.

Hence why HPI-type checks are so important.

Actually the invoice should have you and the finance company on it.

HPI makes no difference in this case.

But they do tend to catch whether or not there's finance owing... which was the point I was trying to make.