So, anyone free that day to see the car go through it's SVA?
May have a spare seat in the locost, if you're feeling brave.
Especially wanted mechanically minded people to weild spanners/gaffer tape if it fails on something minor (and they will retest it same day)?
Also, hecklers welcome.
Cheers guys,
Mark
Good luck Mark
If they are as good as Derby they will let you fix it on site so you don't have to pay the retest fee. Hopefully you won't need to though.
Best of luck.
yours, Pete.
Best of luck mate, I'd love to come along but I'm at work and also miles away 
hope it goes well for you mate sure you dont need it though
James
Good luck, mark. There will be a candle burning (maybe a complete church) next friday.
Good Luck
That`s whereI think my nearest centre is so let us know if their freindly.
Cheers
Sting
How did you get an afternoon appointment. I had to be there for 9 a.m.
Is it the centre at Watnall, Notts?. I've not heard much about them. Chris Gibbs(PTM) might have experience of them or someone at MK.
yours, Pete.
I'll give you the obligatory breakdown of the 3 hours with the man from the ministry.
Checked everything, but just can't tell if i've missed anything. I'll find out pretty soon. At least i can drive the thing!!
Mark
good luck!
could you let me know what they are like? As mine is going there in the next couple of months.
Cheers
Mine to , does anyone know what the waiting time is at present?
Paul.
quote:
Originally posted by Markp
good luck!
could you let me know what they are like? As mine is going there in the next couple of months.
Cheers
It was 4 weeks when i booked, but two weeks the month before. They were saying that at this time of year the waiting list gets well long, so i
suspect it may be longer.
If you're anywhere near finishing, I would book in. A deadline gives you some enthusiasm, if nothing else does!
Cheers,
Mark
The suspense is killing me
Come on let us in on it, or aren't you back yet.
yours, Pete.
P.S. Are you Peter Kay's stunt double?
...but not a bad one, if you know what i mean. The full experience..
Set off from Sherburn at 10.30, very gingerly (the first time I've driven it in more than second gear). It was also wet - very wet!
Stopped at a few services on the way - the amount of interest i got from people was fantastic. Met an AA man at Woodall services - a right Jobs
comforter. SAid it'd fail on loads of stuff. Oh well i thought, at least I'll know what needs doing.
2 miles from the test centre, i did my first accidental pirrhouette - slippy as i left the main road, with a bit too much power on. Nicely controlled
if i was on an airfield, but it was lucky there was no traffic coming the other way!
Well, it is meant to be a sunny day car!
Got to the centre, drove into Bay 3 - can easily fit the biggest of HGV's in, so the locost looks a bit small.
Blokes friendly enough - likes the car, and i can tell he wants it to pass (thats got to be good). He said he's seen a lot worse!
Starts the test, opens bonnet - it's only got a petrol leak from a split hose! The bloke leaves me for a couple of minutes to do an on the spot
repair.
He's quite relaxed about the test (i'm not) and was basically looking for anything "obvious" - he didn't really spend much
time on the minutae of the regulations, a lot of the time seemed to be getting an overview.
He told me that all brake pipes/fule lines need securing every 12 inches. I had missed one, and he stuck a tie wrap on it whilst he was under the car
ramp - top bloke!
The other "assist" i had was the loudness test. The first test failed. When we were back inside, i said - oh thats a shame, i bought the
exhaust as SVA compliant.
He said its the VI's fault for changing the goalposts re revs necessary for the test. We had another go and i passed! Yeah!
Anyawy, it did fail on a few easy (and most importantly cheap) issues:
1. Sharp edges - theres always some you miss, hey? Mine were:
1a. the bonnet catches (velcro something smooth and roundish over each one was the advice);
1b. The front light mountings - I left them as Stuart Taylor intended. Just pad em up (BTW, pipe lagging wrapped in black tape caused no raised
eyebrows - put it everywhere!!)
1c. Seat belt upper anchorages - this needed rubber bolt covers on the bolts. The actual square metal that the bolt goes through is close enough to
the body mot to need edging. I've got shedloads of rubber boltcovers ( just phone Tifosi and they'll come next day for £7) so thats a 5
minute job.
2. Brakes:
2a. bias bar - failed as it could be adjusted by him, there was no sign of a locking bolt/cotter pin arrangement he would have liked to have seen. In
fact, the bar can be twisted so far over that the brake pedal won't depress! Again, straight from Stuart Taylor, but easily sorted with a bolt,
a small drill, and a split pin.
2b. the braking failed when the bias bar was fully over one way - a trip to the MOT station after the locking nut is in place should sort that.
3. Speedo incorrect. Scraped the test until 70 mph - 1 mph out of the required band. The speedo can be re-calibrated - any one got instructions on
an ETB unit?
4. Design weights incorrect. We weighed the car, he gaveme the figures for the retest. No worries! Would have been an arse if it failed on just
that though!
So, all in all, a pretty fair test. I reckon each fail point is only a few hours/few quid at most, so that's nice. Glad i don't have to
buy a new exhaust.
So, i won't make Stoneleigh, but whats next?
Cheers,
Mark
PS - my avatar is of Rik Waller. I am much more svelt than that!
"Rik Waller" i thought it was ROWLAND from Grange Hill .
Anyway nice test i'll be happy with a 1st test like that,brakes / speedo / sharp edges and noise seem to be the norm.
Chrisw should make a hit list on the site,highest pecentage fail points and all that.It would really help i think.
Shouldn't take too much sorting then. Good job done. Who's Rik Waller?. Is he the giant bloke with the little head who lost on popstars. I
only heard of him because I read a description of him as a litle bloke looking over a pile of clothes
.
Good luck with the retest.
yours, Pete.
Yes, I have passed the retest, and am a proud owner of an SVA certificate!
Sadly can't drive it coz the DVLA want to send an inspector out before reg - may take two weeks!
I have applied for an 03 reg (instead of a Q) - I'll tell you how i get on.
Cheers,
Mark
Congrats.
well done mark, Hope it doesnt take you too long to get on the road
James
Well done Mark, brings hope to us all.
WELL DONE!!
How long did it take to apply for a retest??
Happy driving.
Cheers,
Dr F - don't know whether thats a compliment or not!
Jim - Yeah, shouldn't be too long - DVLA just called (quite efficient really) and are coming to check the car out on Monday 12th am. Be nice if
i can get a reg number by Wed 14th - that the Yorkshire meeting!
Markp - The retest gets fitted in around other bigger tests, so was only 7 working days after the fail (i asked for a longer time in fact, so i could
get two weekends in!).
Cheers,
Mark
Well done. Another Indy on the road
Andy
Well done Mark.
Talking of all things SVA, what flexible brake pipes have you fitted ?
Donut wrote:
"Congratulations!!! Well done. Another Indy on the road
Andy "
LOL - you crazy guy When's the next competition on MKowers site? Wait till you see my "upgraded" MK grill! Seriously though,
the one i've got at the moment looks like an ex barbeque one.
Wicket - I'll send you a couple of photos tonight if i remember!!
Heres to some happy summer blatting!!
quote:
Originally posted by Mark H
Donut wrote:
"Congratulations!!! Well done. Another Indy on the road
Andy "
LOL - you crazy guy
Wicket - I'll send you a couple of photos tonight if i remember!!
Heres to some happy summer blatting!!
James,
DVLA phoned yesterday to arrange a viewing. Its Monday am so quite efficient.
She did say that it wont get an 03 plate, because "you're only allowed one reconditioned item". I had engine and rear axle.
I will ask some more q's on Monday, but assume that it all has to be new except one major part. Of course, new means that you have a receipt
saying the item is new (or even new old stock).
Mark
quote:
Originally posted by Mark H
James,
DVLA phoned yesterday to arrange a viewing. Its Monday am so quite efficient.
She did say that it wont get an 03 plate, because "you're only allowed one reconditioned item". I had engine and rear axle.
I will ask some more q's on Monday, but assume that it all has to be new except one major part. Of course, new means that you have a receipt saying the item is new (or even new old stock).
Mark
Will do James, but if I end up in Armley Prison I'll have to kick your ass (once I've recovered!), and I'll expect a cake with a file
in it.
Good idea though (or was it mine?) - I may become a Northern distributor! I'll let you know the outcome!
[Edited on 9/5/03 by Mark H]
quote:
Originally posted by Mark H
Will do James, but if I end up in Armley Prison I'll have to kick your ass (once I've recovered!), and I'll expect a cake with a file in it.
Good idea though (or was it mine?) - I may become a Northern distributor! I'll let you know the outcome!
[Edited on 9/5/03 by Mark H]
James...... my understanding (which is always limited!) on 03 plate (new) is that EVERY component used to build your car has to be brand spanky new
with receipt except for 1 item which may be pro recon usually the engine.
If i'm wrong then can someone put me right but that's my understanding
Andy
quote:
Originally posted by James
quote:
Originally posted by donut
James...... my understanding (which is always limited!) on 03 plate (new) is that EVERY component used to build your car has to be brand spanky new with receipt except for 1 item which may be pro recon usually the engine.
If i'm wrong then can someone put me right but that's my understanding
Andy
Yeah, that's what I thought too.
Fortunately ink for the dot matirx is cheap!
James
Hi James,
I had my DVLA inspection this morning, no dramas - definitely getting a Q plate though!
Anyway, the inspector has all my receipts, and will photocopy them and keep them on file in DVLAs dungeons.
The quality of the Stuart Taylor receipts were handwritten (even the Stuart Taylor Ltd bit), and she didn't even bat an eyelid - She just took a
note of the manufacturer. So a decent looking receipt may be enough.
Personally though, it a bit close to fraud for my liking. Depends if they do a random audit on a receipt, or you have a more tenacious inspector.
Either way I enjoy the driving more than the paperwork!
Cheers,
Mark