?MOT SVA VOSA BIVA?
Turbo Mini Forums

In miniworld this month there is a section about the various vehicle testing catagories. A large chunk of it states that a BIVA test is required for structural changes to a vehicles body shell. As most of us will have fitted the bulkhead box (and i've also tubbed the rear arches) has anyone got any pearls of wisdom on the subject? Apparently it's not the responsibility of an MOT tester to tell you the BIVA is required, he'll just test the car presented to him. The DVLA will tell you if it's required when you inform them of the mods carried out.
confused 'dot com'
sorry for the long post.

scaremongering.

Medusa + injection = too much torque for the dyno ..https://youtu.be/qg5o0_tJxYM

I agree with robert, just a scaremongering thing.

Still tubbing, still got my bulkhead mods.

Manchester Minis

keep quiet?

Its not quite so simple.

I belong to another car club/forum and there have been several different examples very recently of DVLA getting very difficult with advised mods to engine capacity.We are working through it, and it may just be one difficult individual, but I think it is a sign for the future that modifying cars is going to become increasingly fraught with officialdom.

You are probably aware of the TUV regulations in Germany, where even changing a light bulb to a different type could be contravening the law - and we are (at the moment) still part of Europe, so where next ?

IF DVLA decide to get anal about mods it is likely that the MOT will be the place where they are reported,but how many MOT testers will be bothered to report body mods, even if they recognise them ?
I always inform my insurers of all mods but I think that its my business what I do to the car as long as its safe and passes the MOT so DVLA can remain blissfully ignorant

I haven't read that particular magazine article but it is an impending can of worms driven, undoubtedly by a desire to come in line with parts of Europe.

I've tried to research it, not just because of the Mini but I also have an unfinished kit car that would have required an SVA but they changed the rules last year.

Apparantly it's now an IVA (for the kit car) but when you read two different sections of the government/DVLA websites there are places where they contradict each other.
Considering a modified Mini (rather than the kit car where the new rules are reasonably clear) one section say an IVA is used "if you.... rebuild older cars with major changes". It then directs you to another page with further details that says "Most motor vehicles and trailers used on the road will require approval, however some are exempt, for example cars and light goods vehicles over ten years old"....

And if you get past that contradiction and actually use an IVA, depending on which standard it is tested to (yes, there is more than one....) it cannot pass certain of the latest requirements ie, collapsible steering column (biggest problem with the kit car).

But how they will start to enforce all this as a good question. Like David, I suspect it will be by getting MOT stations to "report" suspect vehicles ie, they will test "as presented" but inform DVLA/VOSA who will then call it in to determine if an IVA is required.

Schrödinger's cat - so which one am I ???

Ive read up on it and found the official guidance on it to be pretty confusing and inconclusive to be fair.

Theres plenty of scaremongering and panic going on about it but im of the opinion that il deal with it when/if i have to and carry on as normal until then.

Cheers Ross.

i'm in agreement with you guys. it is a big can of worms better left shut. with all the contradictions and no sign of any hard and fast rules it's going to be down to interpritation. best to keep our mouths shut and deal with it if and when. luckily i know a friendly local MOT tester

Indeed, a can of worms.

1. Identity is questioned.
2. Vehicle summoned for 8-point assessment.
3. Fail, DVLA withdraw V5 vehicle is no longer road legal.
4. Apply for BIVA to regain identity.

For a Mini modifying the bulkhead is enough to trigger those steps (it sounds dumb right? modding a bulkhead calls into question the identity? wtf). I think expanding the rear wheel arches inside the boot might trigger it as well. Either would be modification to the monocoque.

By law, you're supposed to inform the DVLA of modifications yourself but there are other ways they can find out: an MOT tester, police stop and inspection, VOSA road side inspection, submitting changes to the V5 e.g. engine size, number plate transfer, even others grassing you up to the DVLA, may be also switching from SORN to licensed.

I think most people are just gonna deal with it if and when it catches up to them but hoping to get away with it as long as possible. It could end up nothing ever happening or getting a letter from DVLA for an identity check and eventual QQ'ing.

(QQ = eyes with tears rolling out of them)

i posted my v5 off to dvla to say change of engine size from 998 to 1331cc i didnt here nowt back, i phoned them and they said i should send a photo of engine and a gargae letter to confirm change,

i didnt bother then i get a letter telling me what i need to send,

i didnt bother then i get me v5 back still in 998cc lol

if dvla get shitty bout it ill just keep mini as drag/track car

no longer a series, but still 1.3 turbo.

Schrödinger's cat - so which one am I ???

Carl,s experience mirrors that of one of the club members I mentioned earlier, with the addition that they requested a certificate attesting to the roadworthiness of the vehicle and a certificate from the insurers to the same effect !They required a receipt from a garage (!)_ for the engine and queried the change from 948 to 1275 as they stated that very few manufacturers had ever made a 1275 engine !

We have a traffic policeman on board and he has a friend in VOSA so we are working slowly and cautiously to see if we can get some official approval for what is a very common change.

We are acutely aware that there could be a precedent established and it may not be the right one, so are keeping this below the radar as far as possible.

I therefore am in complete agreement that we dont make this a big issue -at least not yet.

christ, i totally forgot about the flip front i've fitted, this gets worse! the original engine was 1293 and the new one is 1293 turbo so i might get away with that one (if the individual at the DVLA isnt too bright) i'll keep shtum about the rest and get my buddy to MOT it when it finally gets finished.

Also i think its worth mentioning that allegedly there are DVLA/VOSA personel that read forums,

bear that in mind before you post up pic's of your bulkhead box's, chopped out boot floors, flip fronts, fibreglass roofs, beam axles, chopped out rear companion bins and seat squab, etc

also a good reason not to have your no plate in pics,

Keep an eye for "guests" spending a lot of time in your build threads.

Schrödinger's cat - so which one am I ???

ive heard horror stories of anal MOT testers reporting flip fronts as radically modified vehicles and people having to have an IVA. Probs more scaremongering

Edited by webba on 3rd May, 2010.

Was reading a similar question somewhere else. A helpful chap posted a link to this:

http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/Transport_f...ation_Guide.pdf

Section 3.1 states:

Yea I just read that....

Another who visits forums is insurance companys, I had a rant about a certain company who used to insure my mk3 astra, and 2 days later they had registered on the forum and sent me a pm. After all they are public message boards and anyone can look. Thats why there is a few forums which are private and local or national meets have to bbe attended in person before you can join on the main boards.

one day boost will be mine!

The less than 10 years old has come up before (I think Sprocket posted about it a while ago).

I think the important words are "which require first licensing".

As an aside though, the owner and one of the mechanics from my local garage were at my place last week (to tow the Mondeo away for the last part of its DMF change which I decide against doing myself on a cold wet drive) and they had a good look all over the Mini.

Both qualified MOT testers and when I asked them about their opinion on IVA/IVC/BIVA etc. they both said "not our job, we test "as presented" to MOT rules" and will be happy to test it as it is - whenever I finish it.......

If you read the MOT rules they can fail it on an MOT if the modifications are deemed unsafe, all at the discretion of the Tester.

Schrödinger's cat - so which one am I ???

It's mostly a crock of shit designed to put car enthusiasts off the road, or make them buy new shitboxes.

Yes some regulation can be a good thing, as there are many unsafe cars out there. But at the same time, the IVA etc rules are beyond ridiculous, and many old or classic cars as standard would struggle to pass, if they could even pass.

And lets face it too, there are thousands of very unsafe standard cars out there too.

9.85 @ 145mph
202mph standing mile
speed didn't kill me, but taxation probably will

I like the IVA, it's a great idea for kit cars and one offs.

The problem was when they started buggering about with it to include minor mods to chassis.

However, although there are lots of people harping on about it (especially one vocal forum nob on TMF (named after a rainbow charater)) thre is little actual evidence of anyone being affected by it.

Infact I here more stoiries of how easy it was to pass than, about how my car is now off the road.

The test can only test no-standard items of a car, so any stuff that wouldn't pass but was originallly fitted is not an issue.

Fastest 998 mini in the world? 13.05 1/4 mile 106mph

Tbh I'm fed up of hearing about beaver tests and all the rest of it on tmf. Every time something was mentioned about a bulkhead box, flip front etc they were spammed with abbreviations from certain members. I'm simply ignoring it all, if i felt something i was doing was unsafe, i simply wouldn't do it.

Beaver test? Sounds fun

Hahaha. I've had conversations about biva tests being beaver tests before.