Record for change of ownership

[arriva1]

Have good friend with 1972 Stag and he told me today that on his log book there are 17 previous owners, so he no. 18
Wonder what the record is for a stag ownership changing hands officially ? Or is 18 the highest ?

[new to this]

on mine i had 9 and i thought that was high

[WealdenManinKent]

When I sent off to DVLA for previous owners I discovered an interesting point that my reg had changed with first owner, always thought was original! Apart from that all original numbers which was reassuring

[alpenmac]

Not going for record on numbers of owners but, out of interest, I too tried to research with DVLA for info on my Stag VXA 93 acquired in 2012. I am registered as the 8th "keeper" but thought that as it was first registered in June 1973 it should have started out with an "L" suffix. I was surprised to learn that it was first registered in Chester as VXA 93 (a Kirkaldy plate) so the first owner must have had the plate as a cherished number previously. Notwithstanding that, a subsequent owner had transferred the plate within the family and, for 5 years "Nigel" became WEU 399L. On the sale of the car, to the PO to me in 2000, VXA 93 was transferred back to it. Of the 8 previous keepers, one was just a change of address, one was within the family and one was for just 4 months with a motor trader so really I am just the 5th custodian. It costs £5 for DVLA to research their records and took 6 weeks. My research continues just to find out what car VXA 93 was on originally. Unfortunately DVLA records only go back to 1997 so I will have to approach the archives held in Kirkaldy - if they still exist!

[alpenmac]

Sorry, finger trouble. Should read "Unfortunately DVLA records only go back to 1977"

Just a thought, anyone on the forum know of VXA 93 or WEU 388L. Would be happy to hear from you and pleased to provide details, by PM or e-mail, of current restoration.

Alex

[brian0443]

I am the 19th registered owner on my 1973 MOD., first owned in Bishop Aucland and having 15 owners before body restoration in 1991. Then owned for 9 years before sale into Northern Ireland in 2001. It then had an extensive mechanical restoration. I bought it ten years ago. Full bare metal restoration in 2012, so it is now in its third life cycle.
Brian

[Tdm]

Looking at it from the opposite end (how few owners), I am only the second owner of my car. Anyone on here who is the 1st and only owner of their Stag?

[Stagsongas]

Not quite, but I'm the second registered keeper of my car from new.

Notice I'm not falling into the trap of using the term 'owner'. In legal terms, the two are quite different things, i.e. you can be a keeper but not the owner, and you can be the legally titled owner but not be the registered keeper.

You can, of course, be both, or neither for that matter....

Regards

Steve

[WealdenManinKent]

Well put Steve
I was lucky with my 'terry'
DVLA did have and provided photocopy of original paper log book so the dealers first registration was shown, then 1st owner who then changed it to its current registration.
It should be remembered that Leyland dealers did have some cars fail and these ended up being registered with later registration numbers to the production code dates, once factory replacement engines were available. Must have been hell being a dealer at that time!

[Stagsongas]

Well put Steve
I was lucky with my 'terry'
DVLA did have and provided photocopy of original paper log book so the dealers first registration was shown, then 1st owner who then changed it to its current registration.
It should be remembered that Leyland dealers did have some cars fail and these ended up being registered with later registration numbers to the production code dates, once factory replacement engines were available. Must have been hell being a dealer at that time!

I'm sure Julian would have story or two to share, but perhaps not on the forum. But yes, it must have been a hell of a time at the dealerships, and not all BL or Triumph's fault either.

The practice of giving out a new age related registration mark after a cherished number had been transferred from a car ended in the early nineties as far as I can tell, it was open to misuse and would not happen today. A single reg. number follows a car through its life whether it is on the car, or off it whilst a cheirshed number is on.

This would also prevent the practice you describe, that of later reg. numbers going onto cars that faied before sale. In fact, BL used to repair cars that got damaged within the factory confines (and sometimes outside) and later sell them as new, but thankfully that was stopped when Europe got wind of it. Perhaps the only good thing it ever did IMHO.

Regards

Steve

[Tdm]

When I bought my Stag I put a cheap Private number plate on it (MXI 124), and that has gone into a black hole somewhere as when I emigrated and put the car onto Spanish plates, the original Private Plate ended up in Limbo somewhere. I cannot pass it on to to anyone without driving my Stag back to the U.K., and re-registering it, and then selling the plate which obviously I am not going to do. I couldn't sell the plate before I left as I had already registered it on the Ferry and I would have only be allowed on board if my registration matched what was on the ticket. I realized my mistake only afterwards, and when we drove my wife's car over the following year we sold her private plate beforehand and re-acquired the original number which we then put on the Ferry ticket.

[Stagsongas]

When I bought my Stag I put a cheap Private number plate on it (MXI 124), and that has gone into a black hole somewhere as when I emigrated and put the car onto Spanish plates, the original Private Plate ended up in Limbo somewhere. I cannot pass it on to to anyone without driving my Stag back to the U.K., and re-registering it, and then selling the plate which obviously I am not going to do. I couldn't sell the plate before I left as I had already registered it on the Ferry and I would have only be allowed on board if my registration matched what was on the ticket. I realized my mistake only afterwards, and when we drove my wife's car over the following year we sold her private plate beforehand and re-acquired the original number which we then put on the Ferry ticket.

Timing is everything, not always in our favour. Not to worry, you'd probably find that DVLA have already flogged it in one of those auctions, they can do that under some circumstances. You never 'own' a cherished number, you only 'own' the right to use it as long as you keep paying your dues.