MOT woes again!!

[Martyn Vann - Warwickshire AO]

35 minutes ago, jeff oakley said:

I would make contact with the DVSA and ask them for clarification on this matter. The car has clearly been tested with the details you have in the past so I suspect the garage you have taken this to is not fully up to speed with how to do this, or is fearful of getting it wrong and being picked up.

 

I have found in the past if you get hold of the right person you can clear most things up and a letter confirming this will make your life so much easier going forward.

Generally, DVSA will not offer advice over the phone, they will only point to the MOT manual and MOT guide. The only way to get clarification is to appeal a fail or complain about a refusal to test by completing a VT17 and sending it to DVSA. 

[Sam Harland]

Thanks so much Martyn and everyone for your help with this, so just to clarify if I talk to another MOT station show them the V5c to highlight no emissions standards or special notes are listed on it so they are forced to use the flowchart to the point where there is no exact match on the car in the EGA or Emissions book so they have to do a non cat test?  Also when it comes to the debate on the engine age the manual doesn’t actually say that either me or the tester has to prove the age of the engine either! Is this correct? 
 

many thanks all much appreciated 

[Martyn Vann - Warwickshire AO]

That is mostly correct. Just a couple of points:-

1. It is always the presenters responsibility to prove criteria affecting the test ie. what engine was fitted at IVA?

 

2. Following the flow chart will direct the tester to ask what age of engine was fitted at IVA, and if it were pre 1st Aug 1995, then a non-CAT test is required.

 

With regards to point number 1, as this is a kit car, who could give irrefutable evidence of what engine was fitted and what age of engine? As a tester, what can I ask for, a letter from the original builder? I could write that for you, or anyone could, it is not really valid is it? What I'm saying here is that it is unreasonable to apply a strict burden of proof when there is so much scope for doubt. When talking to other test stations just be confident in stating that the engine fitted is pre 95 and it was fitted at IVA. If they are resistant, try another one! Don't forget that you can ask for the reasons why you are being refused/declined a test to be put in writing on a CT30 form. This can be appealed via a VT17 form with DVSA to get a ruling on it. Once you start mentioning the appeal details most test stations start cooperating!

[Sam Harland]

Thanks Martyn 

 

The tester in question did ask me to provide the SVA certificate to clarify the engine fitted (which I don’t have) he said I could get a duplicate copy or even have another SVA test done as it would only cost me £30!? 
 

If I was to appeal the decision is it likely DVSA would apply a ruling in my favour and then could I use this as evidence going forward for future MOTs?  ( it would be nice to have an easy long term solution to this so I don’t have to keep arguing the point every year)

 

many thanks 

 

[dvd8n]

There's been a long standing thread on piston heads, "ask an mot tester" or somesuch, where mot testers answer unusual mot queries, usually pretty helpfully.  You could maybe head over there and ask how you can deal with this.

 

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=23&t=1828627&p=158

 

David

[Sam Harland]

Thanks David I’m willing to try almost anything! 

[Martyn Vann - Warwickshire AO]

1 hour ago, dvd8n said:

There's been a long standing thread on piston heads, "ask an mot tester" or somesuch, where mot testers answer unusual mot queries, usually pretty helpfully.  You could maybe head over there and ask how you can deal with this.

 

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=23&t=1828627&p=158

 

David

My advice is given as an MOT tester, MOT tester trainer, MOT manager, MOT manager trainer, and 50 years of MOT experience!

[Ian Kinder (Bagpuss) - Joint Peak District AO]

8 minutes ago, Martyn Vann - Warwickshire AO said:

My advice is given as an MOT tester, MOT tester trainer, MOT manager, MOT manager trainer, and 50 years of MOT experience!

Exactly, what do you know 😂 I'll ask a load of random people on the internet! 

[dvd8n]

25 minutes ago, Martyn Vann - Warwickshire AO said:

My advice is given as an MOT tester, MOT tester trainer, MOT manager, MOT manager trainer, and 50 years of MOT experience!

Fair enough.  It had escaped me that you had that background 😁

[Sam Harland]

Thanks Martyn for all your help on this! 

[Sam Harland]

Just out of interest I used chatGpt to generate an engine summary using all the parts numbers on the head block and bearing caps and it came up with this…C20XE_Engine_Summary.pdf

[John_Hoyle]

Hi ,if i remember correctly there is a date stamp on the near side of the block ,mine is 1990,this should help .

[Martyn Vann - Warwickshire AO]

30 minutes ago, Sam Harland said:

Just out of interest I used chatGpt to generate an engine summary using all the parts numbers on the head block and bearing caps and it came up with this…C20XE_Engine_Summary.pdf

I would definitely use that as evidence!