Is SVA required for MK1 SC Import?

[richinlondon]

Trying to find some info on the SVA test and if I'll need to get this carried out for a '89 Supercharger, also, is it in any way possible to insure an unregistered car to drive it home?

I went to DVLA website and it says if the car is driving to an appointment for an MOT test, it can be driven on the road, not nearly specific enough though.

I'm guessing if I was pulled, it would be a contentious issue.

Any advice appreciated

[flak monkey]

You can get insurance for 30days on the VIN number of the car through specialist companies such as adrian flux. And you can legally drive the car to SVA and MOT as long as it is insured. But...wait for it... you can't drive the car to the DVLA office to collect your tax/reg number and let them do their vehicle inspection (check VIN and engine #).

Any imported car will have to go through an SVA test. I have the SVA manual to hand if you need a copy. Not all of it will apply to an import though.

David

[Black_mk1]

Any imported car will have to go through an SVA test. I have the SVA manual to hand if you need a copy. Not all of it will apply to an import though.

Not true, you only need an SVA for a car under 10 years old.
So, for a 89 SC, you only need an MOT, insurance and the relevant customs forms to register it.

Most insurance companies will insure on the VIN number if you ask them, however, not all will insure the SC so go with a specialist or someone like A-Plan.

[richinlondon]

I remember seeing on an import site something about RX-7's newer than 97' not being able to be imported as they didnt pass some kind of the SVA so the ten year thing must still stand.

Thanks for the info, Ill get the VIN and then all will be jolly,

Thanks

[Flat Pack]

But...wait for it... you can't drive the car to the DVLA office to collect your tax/reg number and let them do their vehicle inspection (check VIN and engine #).

If they're doing a necessary inspection (such as checking chassis / engine number as they like to do on kit cars, don't seem to bother so much on imports though) then you can drive it there. Your DVLA office might tell you otherwise, but they're (not for the first time) wrong. I got pulled on the way to my inspection in the Striker and plod were happy with where I was going. If you just want to pick up tax or something then you can't drive as there are other ways of getting there

I don't think you're allowed to drive an unregistered car home though, only to an inspection / test that's required to get the car registered or to a garage that's carrying out remedial work required to pass the test.

Process for registering my Supra (should be the same for an SC as it was over 10 years old) went like this - Get car transported to my house, insure on chassis number and drive it to MOT station, get MOT. Fill in DVLA form (V55/5 iirc) and post it to my local office, along with payment, MOT, proof of my address, insurance and customs import document thingy. Wait a week, get back tax disc and temporary reg document so I can get plates made up Wait a bit more and get V5/C for car

You can order the forms you need from the DVLA, its the 'Import Pack' you want and that explains what you need to fill in, include etc.

[Charged]

Hi Rich,

you will be able to insure it on the VIN number as stated above. The problem you may have is a lot of companies will not insure you on a short term basis, you may have to take a policy out for a year.

regards

Ollie
Sky Insurance

[richinlondon]

Good info Flat Pack, cheers. Looks like I'll have to book it in for an MOT and drive the 400 odd miles to get it there, arguably, if its in one journey, would be legit!

I'll have to call a few insurers, I wonder if them short term policy people would do it with the VIN only, find these new policies real handy for cars used only a handful of times a year.

Flat Pack, out of interest, do customs, ACTUALLY look at every vehicle coming off the ship and valuate it or does it all come down to the bill of sale or receipt value?

Couldn't really get an answer off the agent, seemed she was suggesting they might just make an independent valuation.

[Flat Pack]

I don't know, but I very much doubt it! I expect if they see something that's obviously odd (like a brand new car for a couple of grand or something) then they'll check it out, but anything with a realistic value will just get passed.

I got an agent to handle clearing it through customs for me, they needed the deregistration certificate from Japan and the bill of sale... I think that was about it but I can't really remember now. Took a few days from the ship arriving to getting the car unloaded and customs cleared. One of the annoying things is you have to pay VAT and import duty on the total cost of the car to reach the UK, so that includes shipping etc.

[richinlondon]

Thats what I was thinking, 1989 car, £1-£2k value, Toyota badge should help it through in regards to that too!

I love the tax put on top of shipping price, that really is the cherry for her majesty and the lads.

[flak monkey]

I stand corrected on the SVA point, but I will argue the ability to drive an unregistered car to the DVLA inspection.

The official legal position from both the insurance companies, VOSA, DVLA and police is that you can drive to and from a mandatory inspection but this is only counted as the SVA and/or MOT.

You cannot drive to a DVLA inspection, full stop.

I went through all of this when I had to register my kit car and had to trailer the car to the DVLA.

If you drive to the DVLA inspection and have a prang or get pulled your insurance will be invalid.

David

[Sports Toyota Breakers]

Two options: Friend with trade plates or hire someone to transport the car for you. The latter would probably end up working out cheaper than taking a day off work, paying through the nose for short term insurance blah blah.

Cheers,
Jon

[richinlondon]

Just learned about DVLA's splendid idea about having insurance before they will register also, is this to keep individuals out the import game?!

Trade plates have insurance usually that cover any car?

So much hassle, at least avoided that sva test though, cheers for all the input guys.

[coverco]

When I built my first kit car many years ago the inspector actually came to my house to check the car and issue a VIN number (from memory it was a good looking young lady), this was of course before SVA. I guess nowadays they are not allowed to due to health and safety

[Black_mk1]

Why are you driving 400 miles for an MOT?
Any mot station will do the trick

You need an MOT, not a "DVLA inspection".

Driving it directly to and from your nearest mot station is fine without plates. It obviously needs to be insured.

If you got pulled driving 400 miles to an MOT station without plates, I expect the police would think you were having a laugh and trying to push the rules.

[coverco]

Why are you driving 400 miles for an MOT?
Any mot station will do the trick

You need an MOT, not a "DVLA inspection".

Driving it directly to and from your nearest mot station is fine without plates. It obviously needs to be insured.

If you got pulled driving 400 miles to an MOT station without plates, I expect the police would think you were having a laugh and trying to push the rules.

Possibly the imported car is at a dock 400 miles away

[Black_mk1]

Possibly the imported car is at a dock 400 miles away

Ah good point

However, in my experience, it would be a bad idea to try and drive it anywhere after it rolls off the ship.
My mate collected a skyline recently from Portsmouth, it had sat on the ship for 6 weeks with 3 flat tyres.
The battery was knackered and the tyres had huge flat spots when they were pumped up.
It cost him a fortune to get someone out to change them.

It would be well worth a once over before taking it on the road

[richinlondon]

The car has actually been laid up (although pampered) for some time before it got on the ship, there are pure hurdles presenting themselves every turn with this,

Would anyone bet against ye old Toyota to make it 400 without a blip....touch and go for sure, good point on the tyres. I happen to know the battery was being trickle charged when the car was put on the ship, so this might be the first headache!

[monkeymax]

Rich, not that I want to scare you (I honestly don't!) but one of my collegues here (also one of my best mates) used to work at Southampton Dock when he was at Uni. He used to drive the newly imported cars off their ships and into the docks...
Unfortunately, there's a good chance they'll try to drive the car anyway... and unfortunately there's no chance they'll look after it in the way you will.
So basically there's a chance it'll have been driven between being unloaded and you collecting it.
My Dad imported a Merc a few years back, and that was okay to drive back from the docks to my Gran's (no idea how he did it but he had temporary import plates or something...) - in terms of, it drove... having been on the sea for 6 weeks. But it only had to go 50 miles or so.

If I were you, I'd look into the cost of getting it transported. Weigh that cost up against the potential cost of breaking down, as well as your own transport to the docks, and time off work (unless you're definitely going to go to the docks even if you don't drive it back).
Personally, I'd not want to drive it until I knew it had had a good going over to check everything.

Alternatively, take someone familiar with the engine and car with you? Plus a spare battery and portable tyre inflator...

[tonigmr2]

I've helped pick up several imported cars from the docks - observations are:

1) DO take a battery jump kit. 90% chance you WILL need it.
2) Take some petrol to get you out of the docks to the first station!
3) Take a tyre inflator. You will need it.
4) Don't be surprised if you find windows open/stereo nicked/or a knackered clutch. It can and does happen.
5) Upon leaving the docks the guys on the gate will challenge you about legality of the car so take your insurance docs.

~When I picked up my Skyline it had FOUR bald tyres. And I mean bald, the canvas was showing. Not apparently what it went on the ship with...

Nowadays I would seriously consider only trailoring from a dock tbh. You can get a good quote, www.cartransportbroker.co.uk

T

[Flat Pack]

For me it simply wasn't worth driving the car from the docks. It was only from Liverpool to Warrington (about 20 miles) and getting it transported cost me £40. On the other hand I wasn't driving it illegally (or at best dubiously legally), I didn't have to worry about getting the car started when I got there or whether it'd actually be capable of moving under its own power and then I didn't have to risk driving what was a total unknown home. Instead a giant car transporter turned up outside my house, dropped off the car and then had a complete nightmare trying to turn round

The tyres on mine had gone out of round (I had huge steering wheel shake at m'way speeds, couldn't be fixed by balancing the wheels but went away when I put new tyres on it), but Jap spec tyres are a liability on UK roads anyway. Get them changed ASAP.