The SVA test was carried out yesterday at the VOSA Bristol centre.
My car was booked in at 8am and as I was going to drive my car to the test centre,I was up at 5.30am!to make preparations.My younger brother had very kindly agreed to be a passenger,although I must admit he did not require much persuasion.The anxiety of the test was somewhat releived by the thought of my my first drive which was going to be about 50 miles round trip.
We arrived at the Avonmouth centre late at 8.30am; fuelling the two tanks took longer than expected and the traffic was heavy.Not a good start. The examiner greeted us accepted my excuses for being late.He then immediately began the examination which lasted about 4 hours.
The car FAILED the test on the following points. I was not expecting to pass as I had been unable to align the headlamps the day before so I was not too disappointed.
1. "Front lower indicators and side light lamps not completely disconnected"- I had moved the indicators higher up on the bonnett in the small air ducts but had not removed the indicator and side light lamps from their original positions.
2. "screw thread projecting into the passenger footwell"- There is a screw roughly in line with the lower windscreen edge which projects into the passenger footwell from the top.The examiner suggested I cut it short and put a dome nut over it.
3."front indicators fail to meet angles of visibility at 80 degrees"- As I mentioned I had positioned the indicators in the small air ducts on the bonnet and done my own rough checks on visiblity from various required angles in my garage. The examiner again was very helpful and suggested I mount the indicators on a rounded fitting to bring them higher up.
4."Both headlamps aim incorrect"- As I have already stated I was unable to align the headlamps.I think there is not enough adjustment in the cibie headlight brackets.
5."Exhaust pipe edges incorrect radius less than 2.5mm"- I had hoped that the standard CAV tailpipes
would pass as I had incorrectly thought that they do not project beyond the rear of the car.However the 30 degree cone the examiner brought out showed that they did project a tiny amount,enough to fail.
6" Brake warning lamp fails to be identifiable" The handbrake and brake warning lamp on the dash does not have any markings on it.
7." Service brake peformance fails to meet the front to rear brake distribution requirements"- The CAV has a brake bias control inside the car which I had hidden inside the center tunnel.The examiner did not ask me about brake bias control and I did not volunteer the information. I was not able to adjust the control and test the brakes before the test.
All the failure points are in my opinion minor and can be rectified easily.
In conclusion my experience of the SVA test was positive.The examiner was both fair and polite and suggested solutions to the failure points.The drive to the test center was uneventful,the car behaved itself and tyhe engine ran sweetly.However the drive back home was interrupted by run in with the law.I was cruising along a dual carriage way about 1 mile from home when I noticed in my rear view mirror three police cars with sirens and flashing lights. One police car pulled in front of me and another was alongside and one behind,a BOX IN manouvre I think. Reminds me of an episode of "Police, action, and camera". I had no choice but to pull over but had I been some lawless young joyrider I am sure I could easily have outrun the police in their escorts and mondeos in my 400hp gt40!. Anyway I had all the relevant documents and after ten minutes of interrogation they let me go home.
If anyone has any specific questions about the preparation of my car for the SVA test then please ask on the forum or e-mail me.
My car was booked in at 8am and as I was going to drive my car to the test centre,I was up at 5.30am!to make preparations.My younger brother had very kindly agreed to be a passenger,although I must admit he did not require much persuasion.The anxiety of the test was somewhat releived by the thought of my my first drive which was going to be about 50 miles round trip.
We arrived at the Avonmouth centre late at 8.30am; fuelling the two tanks took longer than expected and the traffic was heavy.Not a good start. The examiner greeted us accepted my excuses for being late.He then immediately began the examination which lasted about 4 hours.
The car FAILED the test on the following points. I was not expecting to pass as I had been unable to align the headlamps the day before so I was not too disappointed.
1. "Front lower indicators and side light lamps not completely disconnected"- I had moved the indicators higher up on the bonnett in the small air ducts but had not removed the indicator and side light lamps from their original positions.
2. "screw thread projecting into the passenger footwell"- There is a screw roughly in line with the lower windscreen edge which projects into the passenger footwell from the top.The examiner suggested I cut it short and put a dome nut over it.
3."front indicators fail to meet angles of visibility at 80 degrees"- As I mentioned I had positioned the indicators in the small air ducts on the bonnet and done my own rough checks on visiblity from various required angles in my garage. The examiner again was very helpful and suggested I mount the indicators on a rounded fitting to bring them higher up.
4."Both headlamps aim incorrect"- As I have already stated I was unable to align the headlamps.I think there is not enough adjustment in the cibie headlight brackets.
5."Exhaust pipe edges incorrect radius less than 2.5mm"- I had hoped that the standard CAV tailpipes
would pass as I had incorrectly thought that they do not project beyond the rear of the car.However the 30 degree cone the examiner brought out showed that they did project a tiny amount,enough to fail.
6" Brake warning lamp fails to be identifiable" The handbrake and brake warning lamp on the dash does not have any markings on it.
7." Service brake peformance fails to meet the front to rear brake distribution requirements"- The CAV has a brake bias control inside the car which I had hidden inside the center tunnel.The examiner did not ask me about brake bias control and I did not volunteer the information. I was not able to adjust the control and test the brakes before the test.
All the failure points are in my opinion minor and can be rectified easily.
In conclusion my experience of the SVA test was positive.The examiner was both fair and polite and suggested solutions to the failure points.The drive to the test center was uneventful,the car behaved itself and tyhe engine ran sweetly.However the drive back home was interrupted by run in with the law.I was cruising along a dual carriage way about 1 mile from home when I noticed in my rear view mirror three police cars with sirens and flashing lights. One police car pulled in front of me and another was alongside and one behind,a BOX IN manouvre I think. Reminds me of an episode of "Police, action, and camera". I had no choice but to pull over but had I been some lawless young joyrider I am sure I could easily have outrun the police in their escorts and mondeos in my 400hp gt40!. Anyway I had all the relevant documents and after ten minutes of interrogation they let me go home.
If anyone has any specific questions about the preparation of my car for the SVA test then please ask on the forum or e-mail me.