Amid warnings of used car market disruption and the development of a two-tier used car market with the introduction in February of new V5 document rules, BCA has produced a new registration document tracking service for customers.

From February, vehicle owners will not be able to tax vehicles without a V5 document – a change which the trade fears would make used cars without documents virtually unsaleable. Now, with the V5 Tracking Database, BCA says it can monitor the location of all V5 documents within BCA's nationwide network. It also flags up those vehicles which do not have a V5 logged with BCA -–and can also interrogate the seller for the document's location.

BCA's Tom Madden says: “Many commentators have been just content to issue dire warnings to the motor industry in advance of the new V5 procedures on 1 February 2003. BCA, however has been proactively working with the industry to ensure not only that its customers are fully informed and prepared for the new regime, but that our systems and processes are enhanced and ready for the changes.”

Under the BCA system, cars will be described as either having the V5 document. If the V5 is not in BCA care and control at the time of the sale then it is sold without it “with the resultant effect on values,” says a BCA spokesman.