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Southampton test centre
tomgregory2000 - 25/2/09 at 08:29 PM

As its getting close to test time i was wondering what the main things the testers at southampton focus on?
As i would like to be prepared as much as posible before i arive

Tommy

omega0684 - 25/2/09 at 08:42 PM

Simply put everything they have to and just to put your mind at ease i hear that southampton is very hard to pass at along with newcastle

westf27 - 25/2/09 at 08:52 PM

everything the test covers as per manual.Get your car finished and photographed on to here and wait for the comments.These people are fair and thorough and will pass it if they can.My attitude was always to put the car for test when I thought it was finished and collect a failure list,which I did.Then I had a short list of things to sort which took four hours and retest/pass.This is no different in some respects to an MOT.Its open to interpretation by the tester,the manual and a bit of luck.A lot get it right first time,you know, the smart arses who passed their driving test first go.

good luck and dont worry

spdpug98 - 25/2/09 at 08:57 PM

I only live 20 minutes from the test centre in Southampton, but I have got my test booked in at Taunton (almost 3 hours away)

I have heard too many stories about them being very difficult and not allowing people time to put things right, just failing them.

chrsgrain - 25/2/09 at 09:01 PM

My experience at Southampton was entirely posisitve - they gave me lots of time to fix little things (leaking rear calipers, mirrors, sharp edges) the examiner even corrected the headlight aiming for me! Don't believe the horror stories - enjoy it!

Chris

nick205 - 25/2/09 at 09:43 PM

quote:
Originally posted by spdpug98
I only live 20 minutes from the test centre in Southampton, but I have got my test booked in at Taunton (almost 3 hours away)

I have heard too many stories about them being very difficult and not allowing people time to put things right, just failing them.



Have you SVA'd a car there before then?

In my own experience they were very thorough (the whole point of SVA), friendly, professional and focused on getting both the car and me through the test.

My examiner Mark couldn't have been better. He allowed and assited me in correcting the headlamp aim using their test equipment. He gave me an opportunity to fiddle with the carb to try and sort the emissions. He gave me a few minutes to try and figure out why my speedo was reading wrong.

At each stage he explained what he was going to check/test, what he was looking for and was happy to discuss rememdies where needed.

The fact that I turned up with a clean well built car, as much paperwork as possible, a few tools and a posiive attitude all helped too IMHO.

There's certainly no reason to trek to Taunton on the heresay of others.

peterparsons - 25/2/09 at 10:10 PM

Just passed my SVA at Southampton on Monday.
The examiner was hard but fair, couldn't fault his issues with my car.

chrsgrain - 26/2/09 at 08:44 AM

quote:

There's certainly no reason to trek to Taunton on the heresay of others.


+1

Chris