Having read peoples SVA stories I just wondered who has the best tale to tell when it comes to the SVA day?!

Mine was fairly straight forward apart from losing my throttle cable clamp on the way there and the front arch on the way back!

I had in my pocket a pair of prepared cotter pinned (just the ends) lock nuts for my brake balance bar When it came round to the time of securing it my inspector was looking over my shoulder all the time, so I then had to carefully plier out the superglued cotter pin ends out of the nuts and do the job properly all arse and feet in the air down in the footwell!

The only other event was when I had to remove the red hot (literally) exhaust decibel killer to see if it would reduce the level. I prised it out with a screwdriver but later when I went to recover it, it had melted into the white line painted on the floor, a suitable hammer sorted it out!

When I helped my friend at his SVA after only a mile to the petrol station we had glowing and seriously smoking rear disks!

I've heard a few horror stories about maiden voyages on the way to SVA appointments. When you think about it, it is really taking a huge chance if the car has never turned a wheel before - anything could drop off, overheat or fail in some way, not to mention missing your SVA and having to rebook (and maybe pay again).
I'm going to do some shakedown miles at my local airfield before the day - hopefully ironing out any little surprises

Our SVA was quite amusing. We initially failed the noise test and the tester suggested he was going to have a cup of tea and that if we could figure a way to quieten the exhaust, he would re-test the noise.

We eventually managed to get some wire wool from the local builders merchants and rammed it up the tail pipe as tight as we could. The wire wool would hold firm until about 7,000 rpm but about 7,500 rpm if would shoot out of the exhaust about 20 yards down the carpark. We kept running to retrieve it and kept ramming it back up with a screwdriver but the same thing kept happening.

The SVA tester knew we weren't going to give up until it passed and after about 20 minutes of him laughing hysterically, it eventually held for long enough to get a pass but I felt like I'd just run a half marathon

Phil

imy journey to sva was in pouring rain with no windscreen or helmet it was also freezing cold.

just before arriving i had to drive through 3" of standing water which i tried to slow down to go through but as i later found out i had less than 30% braking eficiency i didnt slow down too well so i get a tidal wave of freezing cold water dumped on my lap - log flume stylee

I then had to be at the test in soaked clothes for the duration

Two simple issues to fix while the tester went for the obligatry cup of tea!

First up I lost a bolt from one of the rear caliper brackets on the drive down. Sorted by a rummage at the local scrappy.

The other was a switch installed by RAW the previous day cus they thought mine would fail. Theirs failed and luckily I had my original one in a box spares which I took along.

Justin

Drive to Gosforth test went without hitch. I failed but drive home was great.

Fixed the fail points and drove back up for retest with Swimbo. Had a slight nightmare with handbrake cable fastening (a bit lightweight and opened up) but managed to fix it with jubilee clamp from caravan place next door. Drove onto rollers for brake test (handbrake) and all was well. When i reversed off a core plug failed and dumped rusty coolant water in the rollers and right across the floor. It had passed by then so still got MAC but very embarassed at the state i left the immaculate floor in!!!!!

Ended up having to wait for father to drive up (40 miles) with RAC card, wife drove his car back, got stuck in traffic and was late collecting daughter from Nursery. RAC left me stranded as car wasnt registered and had to get a mate of a mate to come up with low loader and recover me. 3 hour trip turned out to be 8pm home and £75 (which was very cheap recovery). It was a bloody cold day.

[Edited on 8/12/06 by DarrenW]

Missed first test as car just wasn't finished... needed loads doing still.

2nd test. First thing he asks me is where's the chassis number.... doh! new I'd forgotten something. So I had to stamp it in there and then with stamps rented from local garage!

Cheers,
James

Broke down enroute to first test. A problem with the wiring left the starter permanently running, so it burnt out, cooked the battery and overloaded the alternator. Hmm fun. Got recovered home by the AA. Nice.

Second attempt had finished the car on the Saturday for a Monday morning test. Went out on the lash all day Sunday. Woke up Monday morning with a maahhooosive hangover. Tried to start the Indy, flat battery. Looked around for the jump leads. Remembered they were in the boot of my tin top, which I'd abandoned outside a pub on the opposite side of town. Woke the neighbours up, got a set of leads, finally got it started but I'd missed the test.

Third test was OK, although as it was the first I actually turned up to I was a happy bunny. Got my fail sheet.

Fourth test (second attempt) passed.

Some lessons learnt there for me, try to book a track day or some shakedown testing prior to the SVA, hire a trailer to get it there (and back) and finally expect the unexpected.

Mike