80 replies to this topic

[Compdoc]

The government are introducing legislation in parliament today to make changes to the requirement of Vehicles over 40 years old to require an MOT test. 

Also, substantial changes have been made to the classification of vehicles that have been "substantially changed", (since 1988) which now includes a limit of 15% increase in the power to weight ratio of the vehicle.

https://www.gov.uk/g...storic-interest

 

 

[r3k1355]

A limit in the increase of the power to weight ratio?

 

Full document is here for the power to weight stuff

 

https://www.gov.uk/g...ge-guidance.pdf

Edited by r3k1355, 14 September 2017 - 03:15 PM.

[Mat]

I'll still be getting mine MOT'd, regardless. What a stupid idea.

[Ethel]

Similar topics come up every now and then. I wouldn't be surprised if they suggested extending it, especially post Brexit.

 

I guess somebody doesn't like hotrods 

[Compdoc]

Similar topics come up every now and then. I wouldn't be surprised if they suggested extending it, especially post Brexit.

 

I guess somebody doesn't like hotrods 

I know that this has been in debate for quite a while now, but this decision is "alleged", to be the definitive answer.

 

I'll still be getting mine MOT'd, regardless. What a stupid idea.

I entirely agree. Having more classic, untested vehicles on the road can only give classic vehicles a bad press and possibly lead to their eventual ban. Perhaps this is the ultimate plan!

[DeanP]

Mines exempt, but I get it MOT'd anyway. Peace of mine and forsight before the MOT you may have missed something, is always better than saying "if only", post a fatal accident. 

[absx2]

When is this alleged to come into force or is it a case of talking about it for another three years ? 

[Compdoc]

Mines exempt, but I get it MOT'd anyway. Peace of mine and forsight before the MOT you may have missed something, is always better than saying "if only", post a fatal accident. 

Up until the new legislation being put before parliament today, goes into force, all classic cars over 40 still require an MOT but get free road tax as an historic vehicle. The government seem to want to discriminate between "genuine" historic vehicles that have changed very little since new, and vehicles like the Mini that often sees a huge amount of changes to its specification over time. Is this to be classed as a "non historic" vehicle and given a Q plate?

Edited by Compdoc, 14 September 2017 - 04:57 PM.

[Compdoc]

When is this alleged to come into force or is it a case of talking about it for another three years ? 

The Department plans to finalise the guidance during November.

[Mat]

When is this alleged to come into force or is it a case of talking about it for another three years ? 

From May 2018, according to the second document.

[Jordie]

Price of mot exempt cars will rise as did with the pre 60 ones. This will hopefully reflect that people who are driving 40+ year old cars are enthuisasts rather than the local glue bag sniffer buying any car over 40 to save afew quid.

[tiger99]

In some ways this is truly horrific. The government has chosen to ignore all their own evidence, and opinions expressed in the survey (in which I did express my opinions, not that they were even noticed), about the inevitable reduction in safety. They go on about most, or maybe just some, of the over 40 year old cars being well-maintained, but their own wording clearly demonstrates that there are some significant number which are not. and as pointed out by some respondents, the worst offenders may be business users.

 

There are some indications that the next move will be to deal with all those who have dodged IVA. I suspect that those who have illegally modified their monocoque, which includes flip fronted Minis, and many otherwise good engine transplants, will soon be in danger of having their cars crushed. That actually is not before time, action on such things (excluding well-engineered engine transplants of course) is long overdue, but it will catch out people who have done genuine safety modifications too. Many. who have done well-engineered modifications, will be forced to continue to have MOTs for ever but out and out bodges which are not glaringly obvious but downright dangerous may become MOT exempt, and that is not right.

 

The cut-off date should not be a rolling date, as there was a very distinct change from nasty, evil-handling cars with poor brakes to cars that were satisfactory to drive (leaving aside certain German brands...) in the early 1960s (driven by the Mini and everyone trying to copy its advantages). That is a fixed point in time, and should be seen as such, and nothing at all to do with a rolling date. I would have suggested fixing it at 1970.

 

As for the guff about MOT testers not being able to test old cars, the ONLY car made since 1953, till 1959, that was so remote from modernity that it would challenge a tester was the E93A Ford Pop. Note that it ended production in a very significant year, 1959! Its replacement, the 100E range, had McPherson struts and was quite nice to drive, as I know at first hand. But other cars of the 1950s and even late 1940s (Moggy, A35, Morris Oxford, Hillman Minx, Ford Consul/Zephyr/Zodiac and many more) had made the transition to independent front suspension, and in some cases, rack and pinion steering, and would be testable by a modern MOT. Speed came, in relatively cheap cars, with the Triumph Vitesse in the 1960s, then the 1600E Cortina, MGC (bit of a dud due to understeer), various Jags including E-Type etc, and then the early hot hatches, all by 1970, and then we are in the modern era, with Volvo initially in gthe lead on secondary safety. Roughly speaking, others may wish to express their ideas about when things became "modern".

 

Apart from my grumbles about the intent of VOSA, DVSA and the government, I strongly recommend that everyone puts their cars through an annual MOT, even if not required to. It doesn't guarantee roadworthiness (the MOT never did, despite what some people imagine) but it is an extremely useful way of checking for the sort of silly human errors that anyone can make in their maintenance procedures. And don't say that you never make mistakes, it is a fact that we all do! I know some of my errors and omissions which the MOT tester spotted.

 

Someone pointed out in the contributions that properly using a car, any car, helps keep it safer because things like brake cylinders tend to seize if left unused for too long. That is a very sound opinion, and I do wish that some people here would use their Minis a lot more to help keep them in good order. It often happens that a brake failure comes within a week or two of putting a car back on the road. The monthly comics often advise about laying up a car and bringing it back into action, but they invariably forget about the brake and clutch hydraulics. It looks like the Mercedes plot has failed in the UK and there will be no limit on annual mileage (it is a derisory amount in Germany), so use them while you can, preferably as daily drivers. Have fun!

[CityEPete]

Mines exempt, but I get it MOT'd anyway. Peace of mine and forsight before the MOT you may have missed something, is always better than saying "if only", post a fatal accident. 

Up until the new legislation being put before parliament today, goes into force, all classic cars over 40 still require an MOT but get free road tax as an historic vehicle.

No they don't, I've got an mot exempt car, 1957.

[Compdoc]

 

 

Mines exempt, but I get it MOT'd anyway. Peace of mine and forsight before the MOT you may have missed something, is always better than saying "if only", post a fatal accident. 

Up until the new legislation being put before parliament today, goes into force, all classic cars over 40 still require an MOT but get free road tax as an historic vehicle.

No they don't, I've got an mot exempt car, 1957.

 

Sorry Pete, your absolutely right. Pre 1960, cars at present, don't need an MOT. I was concentrating on the Mini.

[Ethel]

Explains a lot?

 

also