Guest JudgeMental Posted March 30, 2007 Share Posted March 30, 2007 Went to DVLA today to register new imported camper. when I did this before in 2002 they wanted to see the vehicle and just came outside and gave it a quick look over, I presume to make sure it was as described, and a new vehicle. BUT not today! they now make you an appointment with a VOSA office for an inspection before issuing registration. My concerns are, as mine is LHD will they expect a MPH speedo and UK dipping headlights? have moved the fog light so that's OK. I have a COC plus an invoice dated this week - I thought VOSA test was for imports from beyond the EC but apparently not any more well it looks as if our easter trip to France will now have to be cancelled. :$ this is really due to the camper arriving 6 weeks late.... at least its here and its lovely, but we were looking forward to the inaugural trip :-( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Madge Posted March 30, 2007 Share Posted March 30, 2007 JudgeMental - 2007-03-30 3:25 PM Went to DVLA today to register new imported camper. when I did this before in 2002 they wanted to see the vehicle and just came outside and gave it a quick look over, I presume to make sure it was as described, and a new vehicle. BUT not today! they now make you an appointment with a VOSA office for an inspection before issuing registration. My concerns are, as mine is LHD will they expect a MPH speedo and UK dipping headlights? have moved the fog light so that's OK. I have a COC plus an invoice dated this week - I thought VOSA test was for imports from beyond the EC but apparently not any more well it looks as if our easter trip to France will now have to be cancelled. :$ this is really due to the camper arriving 6 weeks late.... at least its here and its lovely, but we were looking forward to the inaugural trip :-( I think they will expect a speedo in MPH but you can buy an overlay at http://tinyurl.com/3ax92g I think you can also get a stick on one but I don't have any details. Good luck. Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
howie Posted March 30, 2007 Share Posted March 30, 2007 As all new vehicles now show both mph and klm this might be acceptable Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted March 30, 2007 Share Posted March 30, 2007 howie - 2007-03-30 5:16 PM As all new vehicles now show both mph and klm this might be acceptable This is true with UK vehicles but for some strange reason European only read KPH. and I know as I have one sitting on my drive! Called local Ford dealer regards a speedo change, and he says just stick labels on at 30/40/50/70/90 he says this has always been good enough in the past Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W3526602 Posted March 30, 2007 Share Posted March 30, 2007 This is true with UK vehicles but for some strange reason European only read KPH. and I know as I have one sitting on my drive! Hi, Way back when, BL, or whatever they called themselves then, boasted that RHD and LHD vehicles rolled down the same production line, and could be either hand acording to the job sheet. If you notice, there could well be spare holes to accept the different sweep of the window winders. I doubt that any foreign cars are able swap from LHD to RHD as easily, even though the UK is called Treasure Island. When you think about it, how much extra would it cost them to show MPH on the speedo? Probably less than having special speedos made. Of course, the odometer is a different matter. 602 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
howie Posted March 30, 2007 Share Posted March 30, 2007 Same old story John. While we fall over ourselves to please our European counterparts, they do exactly as they please and the benifits to themselves always foremost. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted March 30, 2007 Share Posted March 30, 2007 EddyIt sounds as though you may not have a DVLA Personal Importer's pack. This is very useful and includes a guide plus all the necessary documentation and forms. I did ours in 2005 and all the documentation and forms necessary for registration were provided. I may be misunderstanding you, but it sounds just a bit as thought you've been pushed down the Single Vehicle Approval route.If you have an EC Certificate of Conformity your vehicle, you should not have to go this route.However, whether or not the actual procedure has changed, DoT booklet P15, "How to Import a Vehicle into Great Britain", does say that for UK registration you must have at least left dipping headlamps (it also states that masks/benders are not acceptable), a speedometer that reads MPH and legible at night, and the rear fog lamp on the centre line or UK offside of the vehicle. I think you will find your only remedy will be to buy a pair of left dipping headlamps. For the speedo, I don't think Lockswood will be able to help, since the new Transit is too new for them. I spoke to then three months back and they hadn't realised the Fiat, Ford, Mercedes vans were changing! You may be able to persuade them to do one for you, and they are very good, but I think they'll possibly need the overlay from your van to pattern. If you persuade them the new Transit has caught on as a base vehicle for motorhomes, they may be prepared to do you one at the normal charge, now around £30, instead of as a one off. However, Ford bits are supposed to be cheap. How much would a UK pattern speedo actually cost? The danger with the dealer's suggestion is that you may get a reject on the grounds you can't see the markings at night. That might leave you needing a more expensive solution and having to pay for a second inspection.The rear fog lamp shouldn't be a problem provided both your rear lamps have a fog lamp lampholder, or can be swapped.Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest starspirit Posted March 30, 2007 Share Posted March 30, 2007 But why should manufacturers do things that encourage us to buy abroad and deprive them of much needed revenue? It surely pays to research before buying abroad and if you are saving several thousands of pounds then don't be put out if you have to buy a new speedo and headlights for a few hundred pounds - or negotiate these things into the deal before signing. Small price to pay to be legal and safe I would have thought? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted March 30, 2007 Share Posted March 30, 2007 Brian, yes I have the import pack and went with everything including ferry and Air ticket.... I tried to argue the points exactly as you say - and that as it was from within the EU with a COC, VOSA test was not required - the chap was insistent that the rules had changed and VOSA now check vehicles not the DVLA. there is a similar thread on another forum and the chap has been asked to present camper at DVLA office - exactly the same as I had to do in 2002. will have to see next week! Starspirit, exactly why I called ford dealer to get them to fit a new speedo - but he said it was unnecessary and just to mark with MPH. so will have to wait and see. headlights he said likewise as they are not marked they should dip straight down - dealer has already moved fog lamp for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest starspirit Posted March 30, 2007 Share Posted March 30, 2007 Sounds like dealer hogwash to me Eddy? To a simpleton like wot I am I reckon that if we have to change our lights to suit johnny foreigner he would need to afford us the same courtessy - so would 'stick ons' appease your VOSA jobsworths? What about a speedo from a breakers yard - adverts are in Auto Trader for people who will 'correct' it down to zero for you for a small fee? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted March 30, 2007 Share Posted March 30, 2007 Richard, have saved well over 8K on Brownhill's prices, so like you say more then happy to pay whatever is required to make things street legal. its just that there is so much conflicting information, the VOSA test is not a SVA but I think a "Vehicle Identity Check" (VIC) will wait and see what happens hopefully next week! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest peter Posted March 30, 2007 Share Posted March 30, 2007 The reason for the inspection is to stop someone telling DVLA that it is new when in fact it may be several years old. Believe me, this happens, I know this as it happened to me. I bought a Hymer that was registered as a Yr 2000 "V" reg, and I found out it was a 1994 model. Needless to say I rejected it and got my money back. The van I have now is LHD and was bought new from Brownhills. It has KPH speedo and is no problem with M.O.T Etc. But if you are concerned it is very easy to take out the speedo panel (2 screws) and mark it as mentioned above. You will then have dual markings as on U/K dials. Headlights can be adjusted to dip to the left. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brambles Posted March 30, 2007 Share Posted March 30, 2007 Peter, is your vehicle over 10 years old? If so I do not know the regulations. However for new vehicles and vehicles under 10 years old now being registerd the Speedo must read MPH and be legible in the dark when driving. MPH can be in addition to KPH. Something else people are getting confused with when dicussing importing a vehicle - Motorhomes are Exempt from certain requirements. e.g Headlights do not have to be permanently modified for left dipping, beam benders are acceptable. If they have Type Approval in European country then they do not require single Vehicle Type Approval in the UK. Now, unless rules have changed since Sept 06, the above applies. J. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brambles Posted March 30, 2007 Share Posted March 30, 2007 Peter Justto clarify, the MPH , markings can be in added lettering stickers or whatever, as long as they are clear and legible as I mentioned in the dark. Heck, this has all been said before, I am posting ecause your post implied there was no problem with just having KPH. In your case that may well be true because of age or when registered. Jon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brambles Posted March 30, 2007 Share Posted March 30, 2007 JudgeMental - 2007-03-30 10:17 PM Richard, have saved well over 8K on Brownhill's prices, so like you say more then happy to pay whatever is required to make things street legal. its just that there is so much conflicting information, the VOSA test is not a SVA but I think a "Vehicle Identity Check" (VIC) will wait and see what happens hHiopefully next week! Hi, yes, it is a indentity check to make sure the vehicle qualifies as a 'Motor Caravan' and not maybe only suitable as a day out vehicle with say kitchen etc. basically it has to be suitable for overnight sleeping and living. The link , if it works, is a document depicting what VOSA would look for inspecting a vehicle to ascertain it is a Moror Caravan.. http://www.vosa.gov.uk/vosacorp/repository/Motor%20Caravans%20-%20Advice.pdf There are actually some documents on the DVLA website saying it can be carried out by a competant garage - I think that is out of date. It really is confusing I must admit. J. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest peter Posted March 31, 2007 Share Posted March 31, 2007 Brambles - 2007-03-30 11:26 PM Peter, is your vehicle over 10 years old? If so I do not know the regulations. However for new vehicles and vehicles under 10 years old now being registerd the Speedo must read MPH and be legible in the dark when driving. MPH can be in addition to KPH. Something else people are getting confused with when dicussing importing a vehicle - Motorhomes are Exempt from certain requirements. e.g Headlights do not have to be permanently modified for left dipping, beam benders are acceptable. If they have Type Approval in European country then they do not require single Vehicle Type Approval in the UK. Now, unless rules have changed since Sept 06, the above applies. J.It's 6 Yrs old. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted March 31, 2007 Share Posted March 31, 2007 JudgeMental - 2007-03-30 10:17 PM Richard, have saved well over 8K on Brownhill's prices, so like you say more then happy to pay whatever is required to make things street legal. its just that there is so much conflicting information, the VOSA test is not a SVA but I think a "Vehicle Identity Check" (VIC) will wait and see what happens hopefully next week! EddyMight it be worth visiting the VOSA test station without the van, to have a chat to them, and establish just what will, and won't, be accepted.I was warned against changing the speedo on our Fiat for a new MPH version by the Fiat service centre because, the sender unit on the gearbox needed changing as well and, since my van version wasn't UK standard spec, getting a sender for a MPH speedo couldn't be guaranteed. Can't see why that should affect yours, because so far as I know the Ford specs are common both sides of the ditch. However, might be worth checking how easy it would be to change the speedo head in practice. It's all drive by wire now, so even the speedo signal is electronic and can't be guaranteed to be a straight swap! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted March 31, 2007 Share Posted March 31, 2007 Brian, have spoken to Ford again this morning. a speedo depending on type, from £130 - £180 + 1 hr labour £90. plus they have to tinker with software as well. So not to bad. once I have VOSA appointment I can drive to Ford from there as he says he needs to examine parts to ascertain what he needs to order. will get there - but Easter break unlikely :-( BUT! the vans outside on my drive and its smashing! my 14 year old son and his mates had a sleepover in it last night and my 15 year old daughter is doing likewise tonight - so it is being used... :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted March 31, 2007 Share Posted March 31, 2007 howie - 2007-03-30 6:07 PM Same old story John. While we fall over ourselves to please our European counterparts, they do exactly as they please and the benifits to themselves always foremost. Now, let me see, Howard. How many European countries drive on the right and measure distances in KPH? And how many drive on the left and measure distances in miles? We "fall over ourselves to please our European counterparts, they do exactly as they please and the benifits to themselves always foremost".It's more a little matter of us being the odd one out among 23, or whatever it now is, methinks! Even Ireland is now doing its distances in KPH!Just consider, if we'd changed to lhd back in the 60's, when it was suggested we should, the average price of a motorhome in UK would be somewhere around £6,000 lower that it now is, and most other road vehicles would cost less as well. Who was against that change, who won, and who has gone on paying the bill ever since? It's not a European plot against us we're seeing, it's the consequences of our own plots against anything European! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted March 31, 2007 Share Posted March 31, 2007 Brian Kirby - 2007-03-31 3:33 PM It's not a European plot against us we're seeing, it's the consequences of our own plots against anything European! Well said Brian - stick it up the little Englanders :-D and duck! :-> I much prefer KPH, as travel is more optimistic - in that the kilometres fall away reasonably quickly whilst travelling - where as miles take for ever... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest starspirit Posted March 31, 2007 Share Posted March 31, 2007 Brian is right if we had done it when Sweden did it would proportionately have been a lot easier than cheaper than it would now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Jones Posted March 31, 2007 Share Posted March 31, 2007 But watch TOMORROW'S news - someone will no doubt announce that we WILL be changing over to driving on the right, but that either (1) HGV's will do so on a different date because their regulations are different or (2) since devolution Scotland and/or Wales will not be joining in, so every border road (even the smallest) will need "changeover" flyovers built. Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest starspirit Posted March 31, 2007 Share Posted March 31, 2007 Almost right Tony but due to a shortage of police and sign writers it will be done county by county in reverse alphabetical order so as to avoid confusion and starting with York because most folks in York already know it all and were born in a state of confusion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Posted March 31, 2007 Share Posted March 31, 2007 Just a quickie when I was in Ireland last year I saw my cousins brand new Subaru Impreza supplied by main dealer and righthand drive, the speedo was in kph only. Regards Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted March 31, 2007 Share Posted March 31, 2007 starspirit - 2007-03-31 4:58 PM ..............due to a shortage of police ............. Yes, things have never been the same since they allowed people under 6' 0" tall into the force!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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