Fast Marina Magazine

So with with the MOT exemption just around the corner for us with cars 40 or over, who are going to have yearly checks done at their local garage and who are going to trust their own work?

I will continue to have an MOT as its a good chance to get it up a lift and check the underside.

I will continue to have an MOT done but never had anything fail so far

As I am putting my Coupe back on the road after 5 years, I will have it MOT’d this year to have a third party check my work, not sure about future years though.

Yep, sorting PTH out now as we speak ready for the nats. Would probably sell better over one without an MOT if I ever decide so.

My MOT expired 18th March and the road tax April 2018. Just thought I’d take a look and see if the DVLA website had updated, it then informed me that my car is 40 years old or older and will not need a mot. The car is now taxed and insured so can now be used on the road!

I've just been looking at some of the new rules coming in and wonder how strict they will inforce oil and fluid leaks. We all know brakes, fuel and powersteering are no no's anyway but trying to keep an A series bone dry especially in a mini or metro can be quite a challenge. All my marina's are free from leaks but I'll need to solve a lot of drips on my sd1 from engine and gearbox.

Im Sure it will become clear, when the new testing manual goes live today. Had a look in training manual the other week, said significant oil leak was a major fail. Link to new Testing Guide wsn't working when I looked, so will have a read. Then copy and paste the relevant section.
Dave

My 71 saloon is leaking oil like a sieve from the scroll seal and diff. It's come up as an advisory every year but doesn't fail on that for some reason. I do need to fix it as it's been long enough now and it's not going to get any better.
Looking on the DVLA website, it said my car may be MOT exempt so I took a look. I was directed to a page where you have to fill in a declaration to qualify and is not automatic, which is good as I've no intention on filling it out.

Gareth, I'm still unclear though that by not declaring a 40 years + car as MoT exempt means its lumped together with the heavily modified category and then you still need to pay the VED as I understand it.

Up until now Engine oil leaks have not been a testable RFR (Fail), but only Non Component Advisory, The only oil leaks failable were from Power Steering and the Brake Fluid. Petrol and Diesel leaks were also fails. Now Engine oil leaks, Engine undertrays, Reverse lights and Engine MIL light have been added. Also Diesel emission have been lowered from 1.00 to 0.70 opacity Euro 5/6 engines are tested to value shown on VIN Plate
Dave

Don’t confuse MOT exemption with Historic Vehicle zero VED. Your MOT status has nothing to do with the VED tax rate. Whether you declare your car is MOT exempt or you get an MOT pass, you still have zero VED, as VED is based just on date of manufacture and not whether the car is roadworthy or not.

I thought I'd read Chris (but I've thrown the papers away now) that previous historic VED free vehicles that have been heavily modified ie custom cars, which don't qualify for MoT exemption, were going to have to start paying for road tax. As were previously MoT exempt pre 1960 vehicles also in a modified condition. So from that I concluded if you didn't declare your historic vehicle unmodified and hence MoT free, it was no longer historic. The situation certainly isn't clear cut for a lot of people.

No, there was a concern, but the DVLA clarified that it wasn’t the case.

I did read that in Classic car weekly a good while ago that if say a ford pop had a V8 in and Jag axle etc and you couldn't proove it had been done over 30 year ago I think it was they were on about removing their tax exempt status and wouldn't allow them to become mot exempt.
On to Daves point above about engine undertrays, I used to be an Mot tester years ago so know whats what and still keep up with whats going on. I personally hate under trays and all the plastic coverings on modern cars because as a tester they block out so many parts and pipes from view and I hate getting an advise notice on my mot cert saying under trays fitted! I totally understand the tester has to cover their own back these days but it means you can't have a "clean ticket" unless you take them all off before you go and who wants to do that? This is something I think vehicle manufacturers need to look into.