Results 1 to 14 of 14

Thread: Question for importing a S14a from France and passing the MOT

  1. #1
    Guest
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Leamington Spa
    Posts
    72
    Rides
    0

    Question for importing a S14a from France and passing the MOT

    Hello to all,

    I am not sure that this is the right place for this question. Please tell me if I need to move the post.

    I am French, owner of a S14a for 10 years now, and I use my car for drift and time attack, at local event. I also use the car on public road, so it has the "French" MOT. The car has a "classic" stage 2 modifications :
    Engine : Greddy turbo, Tomei cams, injectors, fuel regulator, oil cooler, intercooler, exhaust manifold and turbo elbow from Tomei, catback from Apex performance and a power FC
    Chassis : coilovers, arms front and rear, Cusco LSD, wheels, R32 rear calipers, K sport front brake kit...

    I will move to the UK on a permanent basis, in the midlands, to work in the automotive industry. I know that there are plenty of nice cars in the UK, but I build my car and I am attached to this specific one. So I would like to bring the car with me.

    I contacted the DVLA's office and the main thing for me is to have the MOT test. And as you can imagine, I never passed the UK MOT.

    Could you please tell what are the key points I have to check before the MOT ?

    Here is my first idea :
    - put back the catalyser (of course..)
    - change the light to Right hand drive car (mandatory ?)
    - change the dashboard to get one with the vehicle speed in miles/hours (mandatory ? I heard about some stickers that might do the job)
    - I heard that the front fog lights are mandatory in the UK. Is it true ? Because mine are gone for a long time now... I am not even sure to still have a working harness and connectors for this
    Other ?

    Many thanks for your help !

  2. #2
    Guest
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    NW, England
    Posts
    1,761
    Rides
    0
    As you say putting the cat back on is a good idea as the car might not pass an emissions test without it on. Regaurding the headlight's you could either fit UK S14 headlight's or there's a stick on thing you can buy that sticks onto your headlight's so the beam doesn't kick up to the right. I'm not sure on the speedometer as you can enter mileage in KM's when you do a test so you'll have to look that up. Front fog light's are not part of an MOT test, you don't need them.

  3. #3
    Guest spm_steve's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    New Milton (down South in HANTS)
    Posts
    2,645
    Rides
    0
    As said front fogs not required. But Does your car have a rear fog light?

    If so then which side(s)?

    UK needs at least 1 rear fog mounted to the right.

    Regarding LHD headlights I'm not sure the stick on beam adjusters comply with MOT regs.

    If you have ABS fitted (or removed it) the warning light must go out when car is started.

    If your exhaust is overly loud (judged by tester) that could be a fail. Regarding the catalyst, any exhaust emissions equipment must be fitted as standard.

    Generally if you have a well maintained vehicle and a friendly tester you will be fine.

  4. #4
    Guest spm_steve's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    New Milton (down South in HANTS)
    Posts
    2,645
    Rides
    0

  5. #5
    Guest
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Leamington Spa
    Posts
    72
    Rides
    0
    Thank you for your replies !

    Regarding the fog light, I have one on the rear, which is working, but I am not sure about the side. I will have to check. Thanks for the tip.

    I will be near Birmingham (Leamington spa, Kenilworth). Do you have an advice regarding friendly MOT tester ? As this will be the MOT required for the registration, I will have a car without a UK registration number and so the MOT will be done using the chassis number. I understood that some MOT center do not really like this (to much trouble for them...)

  6. #6
    Guest
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Leamington Spa
    Posts
    72
    Rides
    0
    Other questions :
    - is a roll cage OK for the MOT ?
    - is racing harness OK for the MOT ? (in addition or in replacement of the standard belt)

  7. #7
    Guest
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    NW, England
    Posts
    1,761
    Rides
    0
    Most garages will pass your car with a roll cage and harnesses. There's too many modified cars over here for them to stop you really.

  8. #8
    Guest
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    walsall/tamworth
    Posts
    6,744
    Rides
    0
    tbh I would try and keep it registered as French and on French plates. I quite often see foreign cars speeding through all the speed cameras as they know they will not get fined.

    as people have said you will have to do something with the headlamps/fit a cat and check your fog light work. presuming the rest of it is in good condition you should be ok. if it fails you get 14 working days (Monday-Friday) to rectify the faults to qualify for a free retest.

  9. #9
    Guest
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Leamington Spa
    Posts
    72
    Rides
    0
    Quote Originally Posted by green_rs13 View Post
    tbh I would try and keep it registered as French and on French plates. I quite often see foreign cars speeding through all the speed cameras as they know they will not get fined.

    as people have said you will have to do something with the headlamps/fit a cat and check your fog light work. presuming the rest of it is in good condition you should be ok. if it fails you get 14 working days (Monday-Friday) to rectify the faults to qualify for a free retest.
    Actually this is not possible because no insurance will cover me. The french insurance can cover me only for 3 months. Then I have to find an English one and for this my car needs to be register in the UK.

    Do you have some good tips to buy cheap headlamps for S14a in the UK ? Like used one from a garage.

  10. #10
    Guest
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    NW, England
    Posts
    1,761
    Rides
    0
    You could try getting some headlamps from a scrapyard but it might be difficult because they aren't a common car. Alternatively you could grab some off someone on here that's breaking an S14.

  11. #11
    Self confessed player of the pink oboe docwra's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2001
    Location
    ken is still God
    Posts
    35,049
    Rides
    0
    Quote Originally Posted by green_rs13 View Post
    tbh I would try and keep it registered as French and on French plates. I quite often see foreign cars speeding through all the speed cameras as they know they will not get fined.
    Dont listen to this guy, hes an outlaw with no respect for anything, not even his Mum.

    you can MoT a car with light deflectors, and the foglight just needs to be working, not on any particular side of the car and you dont need front fogs either
    Quote Originally Posted by scimmy ben
    I get the feeling that this would only work if we could pursuade Ernest Borgnine to drive the Isle of Wight to Portsmouth hovercraft.
    Quote Originally Posted by sprout
    After I shave my balls swarfega helps soothe, but means the hair grows back quite quickly, so give it a go

  12. #12
    Guest
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    NW, England
    Posts
    1,761
    Rides
    0
    I thought rear fog had to be right hand side. Left hand side fog is not testable?

  13. #13
    Guest
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    walsall/tamworth
    Posts
    6,744
    Rides
    0
    mot law says fog has to be on right hand side of vehicle.

    for the headlamps, I would just stick a wanted thread in the wanted section on this website.

  14. #14
    Guest
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    NW, England
    Posts
    1,761
    Rides
    0
    I looked it up today rear fog has to be in the centre or offside of the car.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •