Driving to SVA

[SDS]

Hi ,

  Just wondered how many of you drove to your SVA test and your views on any pros or cons to driving/trailering to the test. Any funny or not so funny incidents would be interesting too.

[corsechris]

I drove to the SVA for my Strat replica. 100 miles each way.

Pros; get to drive it, cheaper than a trailer (although only just in my case as I got the missus to follow in the Jeep with almost every tool I own crammed in the back), bed everything in, get to drive it (Oh, I said that)

Cons; Can't think of any really.

I would suggest you get it MOTed before the SVA though. Assuming you have a friendly tester, you can use the test to adjust headlight aim, check the brakes, lights, emissions etc. and generally get an experienced pair of eyes cast over the car.

No incidents, funny or otherwise (happy to say!. I was constantly expecting to get pulled for having no plates but I don't think I saw a Police car the whole trip. I was more concerned about being pulled on the way to the VRO as this seems to be a bit of a grey area. Drive to/from SVA is clear-cut. To from VRO inspection seems to depend on the mood of the person you talk to at the office in question.

HTH

[KerryS]

I drove mine to SVA, about 15 miles away with a mate in a support car "just in case". Was first real drive other than a short trip to local MOT garage and a chance to bed teh brakes in a bit.

Absolutely no problems getting there ar back, though getting back was more relaxing given that I had an MAC in my pocket!

Kerry S

[neilb]

Drove mine to the SVA (twice) the first time the local police were having a crack down on cars with tax and pulling cars over but they din't seem to care that I didn't even have plates on mine

Pro's: first proper run out

Con's : got wet

[MAT1800]

Hi,

I drove to my SVA...failed (emmissions) then drove all the way from Manchester to Westfiled and back, with no tax plates etc... and was not stopped once!

Drove to and from my re-test too. (passed) All the driving did help bed my brakes in.

I wasn't allowed to drive to the VRO, I had to wait for them to come out to me, took years!! or at least it felt like it  

Just make sure you have Insurance though, that is necessary!

Mat.  

[KerryS]

Just make sure you have Insurance though, that is necessary!

Excellent and most important point

Kerry S

[Tamariki]

Drove both ways, 155 miles, Poole to Taunton, (having been warned off the nearer Southampton SVA), with no problems. It was cold, but happily dry.

Only saw one parked plod car in a layby. Did a Smokey and the Bandit thing by passing a high sided large lorry as we went by on a very convienient dual carriageway. Had a chase car with me like everyone filled with my whole toolkit, toe rope etc. just in case.

Started with soggy brakes, got there with loads more feel. Worth doing just for that. Passed too!

[Black Shadow]

I drove to my SVA and my re test's.... each time I drove there it rained....      

On the last re test, got caught in a white out over the dunstable downs..... NICE.....

Still was good to know how to get her back in shape after some side ways actions out of juntions....

[Pembroke Pat]

I drove to my SVA ( ~ 100 miles to the centre) but the rad burst during the noise test!  The RAC wouldn't recover my car from within the test centre or from out on the road as they claimed it wasn't legal to be on the road.  

The wife came and picked me up ( boy was she happy).  The nice guys at Llantrisant let me lock up the car in an empty building and come back a few days later to replace the rad ( I then passed the noise test and got SVA)

definately drive to the test centre

Definately have a buddy with a trailer to take you home if necessary.

But the car was fine on brakes and self centring which I think was due to the drive to the test centre which helped to bed everything in a bit.