The DVLA offers prefix, suffix, new-style and dateless registration plates for sale on their website, www.dvlaregistrations.direct.gov.uk. All available plates are viewable, but a fee of £137 is payable if you wish to purchase a list of them. You can request a copy of this list by sending your payment to DVLA Personalised Registrations, C2E, Swansea SA99 1DN.

You can only use the plates on a vehicle of equal age or newer. You are not permitted to carry them on an older car in order to make it appear to be a more recent model. For this reason, it is important to know the issue dates for prefix, suffix and new-style registrations.

DVLA will not resurrect old and void registrations for sale. This includes the registration plates from scrapped or written off vehicles. However, if there is a particular plate you are interested in, you can register your interest with DVLA and they will inform you if the current position on the resurrection of plates changes.

Similarly, there are no current plans to offer Q registrations for sale. Q registrations have long been used to identify that the origins or age of a vehicle are uncertain. The Q mark is a consumer protection measure and a change to the current rules surrounding these being unavailable for purchase, transfer or retention would adversely affect the degree of protection offered. To allow the sale of Q marks would be costly and it is likely there would be little return, as they would only be eligible for assigning to a limited number of vehicles.

If you’re seeking a practical and reliable car rather than an exciting high-performance gaze-catcher, you need look no further than Audi’s A3 range. You’ll get a good quality hatchback which, whilst not winning many beauty contests, manages to be pleasing to the eye even so.

With the A3’s excellent insulation, cruising along the motorway becomes a real pleasure (although any passengers sitting in the rear will wish for a short drive – it’s a little cramped back there). The A3 offer three diesel versions and four petrol models. If you want a little extra verve and power, the 2.0 litre TFSI with its 197 bhp Golf GTI engine can do 0 – 68 mph in seven seconds. The diesel models at the higher end of the power scale, like the 2.0 litre TDI, will give you a more than respectable 168 bhp.

The car handles beautifully, and if storage space is a factor in your calculations, try the ‘Sportback’ A3s. These models are somewhere between an estate and a standard hatch and offer bags more space in the boot. However, the ordinary hatch boot space is 350 litres, which expands to 1,000 litres when the seats are folded.

Finally, if fuel costs are a consideration, the 1.9 litre diesel delivers an impressive 60 mpg and attracts relatively cheap company car tax. The A3 range may not be the most exciting in Audi’s repertoire but as practical, reliable cars, they more than worthy of their badge’s high reputation.

The first Freelander was available for car leasing in Europe in 1998, and has been a great success. The Freelander is a utility vehicle which was created by Land Rover, a world-famous British company. Now, it is one of Europe’s best selling four-wheel drive vehicles. At present, many people are using Contract hire and leasing to purchase these cars. For a Freelander, the contract hire is from £317 to £490 for 36 months.

During 2001, more features were included in the vehicle like an improved gearbox and engine. The price of the vehicle may be high, but the Freelander offers a smooth ride and is very secure. In 2006, the new model, Freelander 2, was introduced. It included a 2.2-litre turbo charged diesel and two new engines. There were other changes in this new version such as the full time intelligent system four-wheeled vehicle for better traction and fuel economy, the ‘Terrain Response’ to make driving easier, and the ‘Gradient Release Control’ that assists drivers when they use brakes on slippery and steep slopes. Rain-sensing wipers, bi-xenon headlamps, and keyless starter button are the other features of the new model.

Another great feature of the car is the ‘stadium setting’ in which the rear occupants are seated higher than the front passengers. According to some people, the technology and design of this new model are excellent but some buyers complain about its price. The disadvantage of the new model is that it is too big to fit in parking spaces and car washes. As a result, though it is best for motorway driving rather than urban journeys.

Daihatsu cars are known throughout the motor industry for quality, excellence, and convenience. Moreover, Daihatsu cars are reasonably priced compared to other car brands. Daihatsu cars such as the Terios, Mira, Charade, and Applause offer the combination of speed, power, and precision, making them a wise choice for the discerning motorist. As the economic crisis puts some car-purchasing plans on hold, various car contract-leasing companies take this as an opportunity to supply assistance to anyone finding him or herself in the situation where they cannot afford to buy a car outright. In the Daihatsu car-leasing scheme, everyone has the option to avail of a Daihatsu car, minus the worries of a rapid car depreciation rate.

Leasing a Daihatsu can be easily arranged.  On average, the Daihatsu Sirion Hatchback 1.0 S 5DR model is being leased for the amount of £219 per month, excluding VAT, payable over a period of 36 months. The lessee can have the option to include the optional maintenance package, which is about £18-20 a month. Upon settling all the terms and conditions of the lease, the lessee can now freely drive a Daihatsu car into the fast lane. Upon expiration of the agreed term, a car lessee is given the opportunity to buy the car or officially end the contract. Buying the car requires the lessee to pay the remaining balance, while ending the contract entitles the lessee to get the Residual Value, an amount that is derived from the pre-use and post-use value deductions.

The Daihatsu leasing scheme is an ideal way to drive a Daihatsu car.

The 307 had acquired a rather ropey reputation; happily, it’s replacement, the 308, does much better on all fronts. Whilst its firm chassis has a tendency to convey every jolt into your backbone on bumpy terrain, on good road surfaces it’s better than fine.

It’s more spacious than the 307, although this seems to have been used to good effect in the cabin with little left over to improve appreciably on the boot space, which remains a little miserly. The interior spec of the cabin, however, is a vast improvement in quality on the 307. It’s stylish without quite making it to ‘classy.’

Whilst it doesn’t handle spectacularly, it is by no means poor and is certainly above average; it’s just that the competition for this range of vehicle is getting better and better, not least from Korea, and Peugeot needs to deliver more than ‘good enough’ to stay ahead. For a French hatchback, the steering is not as taught and responsive as you might have come to expect but it is respectable and it would be exaggerating to suggest that it is poor.

There are a range of engines available but the most solid and reliable are the diesels; the model is a fairly bulky beast so it might be wise to opt for the 2.0 litre HDi, which delivers both power and smooth running.

On receipt of your V750 Certificate of Entitlement you will have 12 months in which to assign your plate to a vehicle, although this period can be extended for up to three years for a fee.

When you are ready to put your new plates onto a vehicle, you should apply to your local DVLA office. This can be done by post or in person and you will need to complete the relevant sections of the V750. It is important to note that if you are the nominee named on the V750, you will require the signature of the purchaser to assign the plates to your vehicle. Other items required include the V5 registration document, a valid MOT certificate (if applicable) and if your road tax has been purchased at a post office within two weeks, you will have to enclose a photocopy of the tax disc.

Once you have completed this process you must have your private number plates made up. You should only approach a registered supplier, who will need to confirm your identity. The preferred documents are your driving licence, which confirms this and the V5 registration document, which confirms your entitlement to the registration number.

If you decide not to assign the mark to a vehicle you can apply for a refund of the £80 assignment fee, as long as the mark was purchased after 1st May 1983 and you can only apply for a refund after the expiry date shown on the V750. You relinquish all entitlement to the registration mark if you apply for a refund of the assignment fee.