Steve Cragg Posted April 28, 2003 Share Posted April 28, 2003 Took my Superlight for its MOT test on Saturday. Car is a 1.6 SS Superlight, registered 30th June 1998 and has a non-cat 4-1 competition exhaust. My understanding is that pre-August 98 cars do not require a cat test but the tester was not familiar with the rules and could not find anything in the manual that clearly stated that the car did not require the test. He found the clause that said that cars after August 98 definitely required it but would not accept this as confirmation that mine didn't. He undertook to talk to the ministry today, which he has, and they have now told him that any cars from Jan 98 require the CAT test. I have spoken with Caterham who were veryt helpful but could not point me in the direction of anything other than the post Aug 98 clause referred to above. Does anybody either know of any specific clause or regulation that would apply to this or have any letter or statement from the ministry clarifying requirements. Any help will be rewarded with life long gratitude ❗ Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caterhamnut Posted April 28, 2003 Share Posted April 28, 2003 I know it is not the answer you are looking for, but if you can find someone with a cat-equiped car, you could swap over the 'can' bit of the exhaust ( a very simple 5 minute job unless fittings are seized) for MOT purposes. I guess it is cheating a bit, but..... 😬35,000 miles in 19 months! angus@tinyworld.co.uk Caterham pics here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dino ferrana Posted April 28, 2003 Share Posted April 28, 2003 Or does anyone know of any friendly and temparily partially sighted MOT testers near Lincolnshire? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Cragg Posted April 28, 2003 Author Share Posted April 28, 2003 Just spoken to them again and they have now been in discussions with the truck division at the ministry who it seems have the final say in this . It may be that if no SVA test was required, which it wasn't, then the pre 1975 rules apply which is just a smoke test 😬 Unfortunately they have not yet confirmed this so I am waiting with fingers, and everything else crossed. If this fails then a trip to a friendly tester in the area might be the answer. Any suggestions 🤔 Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheds Moderator Posted April 28, 2003 Share Posted April 28, 2003 Hello steve, if Bob Hewson is still going in Louth (used to have a garage on the Saltfleetby road, on the edge of town) then he is (or certainly was) pretty au fait with the testers in the area who are relaxed over this kind of thing provided the brakes and steering are A1. If you see a scruffy red N-reg 7 in Browns of Louth, that's the one my dad has taken for a Krypton today to see if they can sort the ign. fault 🙆🏻, then I can beetle off to France in it. Heh he. May be around this weekend, if so I will give you a call. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Cragg Posted April 28, 2003 Author Share Posted April 28, 2003 Hi Steve, It would be good to meet up again if you're around. Give me a call. My car passed everything except for this cr*p around the emissions and they are ready to give me the ticket as soon as they get the rules confirmed. Everybody I speak to, including Caterham, are positive that the CAT test is not required but I can't seem to be able to find the magic words that confirm it. It's all total 🙆🏻 and I am getting pretty p*ssed off with the whole thing Anyway, hopefully the sun will be shining at the weekend and we can get out for a quick blat. MOT or no MOT 😬 Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Woods Posted April 28, 2003 Share Posted April 28, 2003 You car is pre SVA so all depends on whether it was kit or factory built. If its factory built you will have to pass an emissions test appropriate to the car - my tester has a handbook which includes 1.6K-series caterhams so you cant do much about it except to find another tester or borrow a cat from somebody If it was kit built, the bit you need is refer your tester to section 6.4 in the MOT manual - in the 2001 edition there is a flowchart on page 5c which tells them what to do, and at the bottom right hand side of that page is a 'boxout' which states kit or amateur built vehicles are exempt and only need a visible smoke test. Your registration document should say kit built or similar, otherwise they wont believe you. There is a thread here which discusses it Post august 1998 cars need an emissions test regardless of who built them Nick P8MRA - Red and Black 1.6K supersport, back on the road at last. See pictures of it being rebuilt here Edited by - Nick Woods on 28 Apr 2003 17:24:55 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Site Manager Posted April 28, 2003 Share Posted April 28, 2003 There's a little bit in the FAQ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Flatters Posted April 28, 2003 Share Posted April 28, 2003 According to a man who performs dozens of Caterham MOT's each year: "All Caterhams, SVA or otherwise, are treated as kit cars and as such are only subject to a visible smoke test" This may of course change in the future, but that IS the position at the moment. *arrowright*Harry Flatters *arrowright* AKA Steve Mell of Su77on Se7ens and Joint AO - Surrey Edited by - Harry Flatters on 29 Apr 2003 08:42:20 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Woods Posted April 28, 2003 Share Posted April 28, 2003 Barry - its probably worth updating the FAQ for pre SVA cars - do you want me to write something up or are you happy to do it ? Nick P8MRA - Red and Black 1.6K supersport, back on the road at last. See pictures of it being rebuilt here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Flatters Posted April 28, 2003 Share Posted April 28, 2003 Wouln't want to upset anyone Edited by - Harry Flatters on 29 Apr 2003 08:42:59 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Site Manager Posted April 28, 2003 Share Posted April 28, 2003 Hi Nick, I've copied it into the FAQ contribute area and you (and anyone who knows what's what) can update it there (double-click anywhere on the page). Just let me know when it's complete. Thanks Barry Edited by - site manager on 28 Apr 2003 18:19:31 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griff Posted April 28, 2003 Share Posted April 28, 2003 Interested in Nick's comment that the registration document should say "kit built". Mines 95/N and before I bought it Caterham confirmed to me it was a customer built car but there's nothing to verify this on the V5. My MoT isn't due until July, but time will fly and I don't have a catalyst either..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Woods Posted April 28, 2003 Share Posted April 28, 2003 Mine definitely says 'Kit built - assembled from new parts' on it. Probably your best bet is to get something in writing from Caterham then approach the DVLA to get your v5 updated. Nick P8MRA - Red and Black 1.6K supersport, back on the road at last. See pictures of it being rebuilt here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dino ferrana Posted April 28, 2003 Share Posted April 28, 2003 harry might be best to remove that info and provide it offline. It would be bad if the owner in question was found not to be in the right and was punished for it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Flatters Posted April 29, 2003 Share Posted April 29, 2003 Dino, The man in question has nothing to hide here. If you phone him and ask the question, you will get the answer. As he is an MOT garage proprietor of some cosiderable experience, I would be inclined to take him at his word. However... *arrowright*Harry Flatters *arrowright* AKA Steve Mell of Su77on Se7ens and Joint AO - Surrey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Woods Posted April 29, 2003 Share Posted April 29, 2003 When I was going through the same problem last year my MOT man said if it could be proven that he'd knowingly passed a car that wasnt valid he would lose his MOT 'licence' Nick P8MRA - Red and Black 1.6K supersport, back on the road at last. See pictures of it being rebuilt here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Sewell Posted April 29, 2003 Share Posted April 29, 2003 Also worth putting in the FAQ (for us Q-plate owners) - From the MOT Tester's Manual How to use this manual Page 1: 3. Vehicle 'first used' dates - application of test criteria A vehicle's 'first used' date is; a. Its date of manufacture, if the vehicle was originally used . without being registered in GB [e.g., an imported vehicle or ex-HM Forces vehicle), or b. Vehicles having a Q plate registration when presented for MOT are to be treated as follows: For emission purposes only, all these types are to be considered as vehicles first used before 1st August 1975. For all other testing purposes they are to be considered as being first used on 1 st January 1971,or c. In any other case, the earlier of either . Its date of first registration, or .The date six months after it was manufactured. Low tech luddite - xflow and proud! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul D Jones Posted April 29, 2003 Share Posted April 29, 2003 Steve ring me 07970 916076 had a chat with the MOT station I used and It will pass as is. Paul. Paul. See My Car Here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Cragg Posted April 30, 2003 Author Share Posted April 30, 2003 Been away so haven't been able to post. Thanks for all the input Latest situation is that the test station I used have still not been able to get confirmation that the car doesn't need a cat test. Car is an owner build BTW. In fact the MOT test people, the ministry at Peterborough and the DVLA are all saying it does need a cat test. The confusing thing is they are all quoting different dates and different reasons why it does The MOT people are saying if there is a direct reference number match in the book it needs the full test. The Ministry at Peterborough are saying that anything after 1st May 1998 needs it. The DVLA are saying that anything after 1st Jan 1998 needs it. It is looking increasingly likely that I am not going to get the answer I need Paul, Thanks for the information. I will talk to the garage today. Hopefully this will solve my problem There is obviously a massive amount of confusion on this matter. I wonder if there is anything we can do as a club to get a definitive statement from the ministry. 🤔 On second thoughts it might not be the answer we want so maybe it is better to maintain a hogh level of confusion and hope that friendly test stations continue to operate 😬 Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve-B Posted April 30, 2003 Share Posted April 30, 2003 i have a cat you can borrow if needed...may/02 one, sealed up with duct tape. suspect others do too Steve 210Bhp Sinister Version-VHPD here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Cragg Posted April 30, 2003 Author Share Posted April 30, 2003 Steve Thanks for the offer. Much appreciated It looks like I might be able to get sorted without fitting a cat by going to a test station that have a different view of the rules but not definite yet. I should know by close of play today. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Woods Posted April 30, 2003 Share Posted April 30, 2003 It sounds like you are having the same grief that I had last year What sorted it for me was finding the section in the MOT testers manual and showing the V5. As soon as i'd done that it was all smiles again Nick P8MRA - Red and Black 1.6K supersport, back on the road at last. See pictures of it being rebuilt here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Cragg Posted April 30, 2003 Author Share Posted April 30, 2003 It now appears that the main issue is the period between May 98 and Augsut 98. The rules make a clear statement that cars before May 98 do not require the test and that cars after 1st August 98 do. I have spoken to Simon Lambert at Caterham and he says that an exclusion was made for the May to August period which is why the 1st August date came out as a special adendum. Unfortunately this is not clearly defined anywhere in the rules and it requires the test station to"know" that this is how the rules should be applied. Simon's advice was to ring around and check that the garage is familiar with the rules before taking the car in as it is almost impossible to get a clear and consistent answer from the ministry if there is any confusion. I have now booked a test on Friday with the garage suggested by Paul and when I spoke to them on the phone they were totally comfortable that the August date is the applicable one 😬 Moral is to check before the test to avoid all this grief. Hopefully my experience on this will help other owners avoid a similar pile of cr*p Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Cragg Posted May 2, 2003 Author Share Posted May 2, 2003 What a result ❗ Not only did my car pass with flying colours (without even a mention of an emissions test) but I haven't been charged for the first test at nearly £40 and this one was only £20 😬 Thanks to all for guidance and offers of help and for Paul in recommending this garage I know where my car will be going in the future Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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