Iva test passed!
 

22nd July will be forever etched on my memory as the day our Sportster passed its IVA at Vosa Bristol! Couple of close calls, but overall the guy was very fair. He never even picked up the spheres of doom, check about 3 points for radius, had a brief look at seat mountings etc, but again didn't get too bogged down with the prescribed tolerances/requirements. Had to bend over the ball joint washers on the front whilst there and re-align the headlights a bit, and disconnect and disable/remove (and then plug the holes with grommets) the 2 extra side repeaters that were 2 too many, one is all that is allowed apparently.

Then major brake testing, which looked pretty brutal, but passed with loads of extra in reserve, self centred ok, he was (dare I say it) very impressed with the quality of the kit, and the build we had put together.
Had the sound level checked, with revs at 5,500. Db Limit apparently is 99db, clocked in at 98.9, he even checked it twice, and read 98.8 second time! I kid you not!

So now just have the DVLA paperwork to sort (any help would be great fully received btw), and the M3 based Sportster is good to roar through the Cotswolds!

Thanks for all your help guys, without your tips/build diaries to follow, we would never have got to this momentous day!

Congratulations Rob. That's great news. That's two Sportsters thru' IVA in a couple of months. If you need any help with the DVLA paperwork, let me know. All the detail are at https://www.gov.uk/vehicle-registrat...-registrations. You have to fill in a V55/4 form, (and leave the majority of the boxes blank) and a V627/1 Built up vehicle inspection report. Apparently our cars are classed as "kit conversions" by the DVLA.

I found the process quite straight forward. I avoided Swansea, took all the required documents (as listed on the website above) to my local DVLA office at Theale, handed over the cash, and they did all that was needed. I booked an inspection with them for ten days later and trailered (WHY:frusty:) the car there for a five minute inspection of the chassis number and engine number, which had both been checked already on the IVA. Four days later my registration number and authority to have plates made and tax disc arrived. There was no question of a "Q" plate once they had seen the original V5. So other than the ridiculous bureaucracy of it, it all went fairly smoothly.

So well done and congratulation again. I was in the Cotswolds in my Sportster at the weekend so maybe I'll bump into you (metaphorically!!) at some time.

Hi Nigel. Thanks. A hearty handshake over the interweb from a fellow successful builder! Do you live in the Cotswolds? I live in Lechlade (very near to Fairford, where the RIAT was this weekend, so had the red arrows flying over as a good luck charm). So happy, can't believe how open to interpretation the IVA test is, some things he seemed obsessed with, other bits he seemed completely dis-interested/nonchalant about, that to me seemed more important than the bits he thought were!
Still, a win's a win. I'll take the pass anyway it comes!
DVLA office is a good 1 hour away from us, so will be a trek there, then a mother trek with the trailer I fear, but it's the light at the end of the very long tunnel!

Cheers

Rob (and David, my dad, co-builder, the best swinger of the lump hammer!)

fantastic news, well done! :D

Thanks Patrick. Now need to she'd a few IVA additions, and louvre the bonnet, as it was really struggling to keep temperature on the way back, mind you it was the same temperature as the core of the sun this afternoon! :target: Your's and other builder's diaries have been so helpful, and inspirational. Still think the Sportster is the finest looking self build out there, proud to be one amongst your number!

Thanks :) had temp problems myself. I added louvres but also a big aluminium radiator and a 16" fan - I don't have any issues at all now even in the sort of weather were having now. The rad and the fan have made the biggest difference.

Well done!
I don't know where you will go for registration, but beware in Bristol! First of all you have to trailer the car there (goodness knows why as you can drive it to the IVA test). DVLA in Bristol is in a cul-de-sac, AND there are only single rows of car parking spaces, so if you haven't towed before its a nightmare!

Furthermore the inspection is redundant, as it checks only what is on your IVA form!

Next, in Bristol there is one guy (at least back in 2009) who, regardless of the evidence thinks all kit cars should be Q plated. You MUST ask what the registration mark will be, have loads of evidence it should be non-Q (i.e. old log book, build photos etc.) and stick to your guns. I had to get him to finally go onto DVLA's own website and argue the toss with him.

Further more DVLA don't seem to be the most efficient organisation. They first issued my logbook to a random address in Lancashire (I live in Somerset), The next attempt described the car as a Sierra 5 door hatchback in blue (actually Marlin Carbrio in green), then next attempt has nearly everything right except the chassis had some digits transposed. Otherwise it was a really good service!

Hi Chris. Thanks. Have phoned the DVLA, and guess what 'The rules have changed'. They now say send all the paperwork to Swansea by post, they will then forward it to my 'local' office, which is Oxord in my case, who will then contact me with a appointment! Queried this many times, and kept getting the same advice! So hopefully they are giving the correct advice now. Have a sinking feeling they don't know their A from their E, and frustratingly, can't seem to fine a contact number for the local Oxford office, so I can call them direct!
Watch this space.... Might have plates before the summer is over....

Cheers

Rob

Hi Rob, Of course you won't get a number for your local DVLA office. Do you really think they want to actually talk to the people they are there to serve as public servants........................!! Not if they can help it. It costs too much. Digital by Default is the latest policy. No human interaction whatsoever and that appears to be the way they like it. But that's probably just the cynic inside me coming out!!

I had a completely different story regarding registration of our "kit conversions" from DVLA in Swansea. The first person I spoke to said the vehicle didn't need to be inspected at all. Just send in all the paperwork with your payment and we will issue a registration number and tax disc. The second person said that of course it needed to be inspected and that my only option was a "Q" plate. That's when I gathered together all my documentation and went to my local office. And despite my protestations above, once I got face to face with them they were very helpful, checked all my docs, gave me an appointment for an inspection and a local contact number if I had any further queries. And armed with the original donor V5, they confirmed right there that I would get an age related plate.

I know it's a pain having to make two separate trips to the local DVLA office and that it's a fair old distance for you, but from my experience it is well worth doing.

Just off go to the Oxford DVLA office, with more paperwork than has been produced by the print media since the new royal baby arrived! Hopefully will come back victorious. Will let you know....

I suspect some of these problems and "rule changes" are because the Government is slowly closing all the local DVLA offices. I think many of the smaller ones have already gone.

Who knows - it might mean that long term we no longer have to take the vehicle to be inspected by the DVLA as well as Vosa. Or - it might mean we all have to go to Swansea.... (tongue in cheek - I hope)

Robin

Been down. They looked over the paperwork for around 15 minutes. Relieved us of £270, said they would send it to Swansea. No mention of an inspection. The Oxford office is due for closure on October. Then all will have to go through the faceless elecrto-maze of Swansea office! Glad we got in before that!

Rob

What a sad day this is when the local office closes, they'll probably all be phased out over the next few years :cry: You won't even be able to talk to them soon if it carries on like this :(

To find the Oxford local office, its go to DVLA, then find local office, then offices in England, go to Oxford.
They show a picture of the office which is on the ground floor and its Cambridge Terrace, Oxford OX1 1RW. They give a number of 0300 790 6802 and they say that you will be put through to Swansea first. Presumably you ask to speak to the Oxford. Been there myself and they have a ticket system and you wait for them to call your number.

Hi Dennis. Got there and back fine today, never thought to ask if I could be put through to the Oxford office, not sure if they would patch you through or not!! Only took 15 or so minutes, they took the money, kept some documents, copied others, stamped it, and said they would send it off to Swansea 'for processing'. Hopefully not too long for the tax disc and number plate authorisation to arrive, fitted the screen tonight, so want it to be fully weatherproof and road legal asap!!

Rob,

It'll be really interesting to hear whether you manage to get it registered without having to do the 5 minute DVLA inspection.......................:surprised:

Perhaps it's a postcode lottery for vehicle registration as well :noidea:

N.

I get the feeling it is!! They were very efficient at the desk, but just kept saying it was to be processed by Swansea, and wouldn't elaborate on what the next step would be! I am praying I shall just get the tax disc and plate paperwork through the post. If so this may be the 'New Way'. Really can't get my head around trailering an IVA'd car 45 miles to a place with no car park, for somebody to look at it.....

Rob

Belated congrats! :)

Only just seen this, as I'm deepest Pembrokeshire, and the 3G is a bit spotty...

Thanks Goo. Will see you at Stoneleigh next year hopefully. Just fitting the screen, wipers and hood, and awaiting tax disc and Reg plate authorisation. No mention of an inspection of the car, (as yet). Then it'll be time to test the country roads out!!

Congratulations
 

Hi Rob - and dad!

Congratulations - you kept that all very quiet.

How about some of those promised photos?

As a recent recruit to the MOC committee, where I would like to encourage greater use and more interest in the Forum, could I beg a favour, and ask you to post a thread on your success, and experience of IVA, on the MOC Forum?

Regards

Mike