well today has been a good day the zed passed her MOT with flying colours, so thats me sorted for another 12 months. good job i took in today as the new MOT rules come into effect saturday and as i have an HID kit fitted it would have failed, time to get some h3c's for mot time next year.

I have HID fitted! MOT due next month.

as i have an HID kit fitted it would have failed, time to get some h3c's for mot time next year.

 

Did that come from the MOT tester?

yes he said if i had taken the car for mot after sat it would have failed, the new mot rules state that after market fitted HID kits are now a MOT fail, however he said there was nothing stopping me from popping in a couple of standard bulbs for the test and re-instating the HID's a few days later

Can we have some Clarity on this please?

well i think it's quite clear, aftermarket HID kits are now an MOT fail (well from saturday) i very much doubt old bill would know the difference if they stopped you.

Congratulations on the test pass mate...:thumbup:

 

well i think it's quite clear, aftermarket HID kits are now an MOT fail (well from saturday) i very much doubt old bill would know the difference if they stopped you.

 

It is - but only if the tester notices they are aftermarket! With the projector lenses on the Zed, it's not immediately obvious - both that they are HIDs and that they are actually aftermarket!

Mine wasn’t obvious, ballasts are hidden under nose panel, however with the extended strike up time of hids they are more noticeable. What I have noticed is on my Range Rover with factory hid they light up far quicker than any aftermarket kit I’ve seen.

alternatively become the tester :D

Mine doesn't have extended strike up times. Just lights up like any other bulb.

I have a suspicion that, like many things on the MOT test, it will end up coming down to the testers opinion. Such as exhaust loudness, non-dangerous corrosion and certain other vague points. The reason I say this, I spoke to my MOT tester and asked him outright about my HIDs. The ballasts are plain to see in the engine bay, he said to me it would fail, but if i hide the ballasts somewhere, he would never know and the car wouldn't fail. However another MOT tester I used a while ago failed my car on it being too loud, its never failed for that before or since. It really does depend on the tester and much like police officers, if they are having a good day or bad day...

I have a suspicion that, like many things on the MOT test, it will end up coming down to the testers opinion. Such as exhaust loudness, non-dangerous corrosion and certain other vague points. The reason I say this, I spoke to my MOT tester and asked him outright about my HIDs. The ballasts are plain to see in the engine bay, he said to me it would fail, but if i hide the ballasts somewhere, he would never know and the car wouldn't fail. However another MOT tester I used a while ago failed my car on it being too loud, its never failed for that before or since. It really does depend on the tester and much like police officers, if they are having a good day or bad day...

 

Do they use a sound meter to measure the sound?

Do they use a sound meter to measure the sound?

 

Pardon?

Do they use a sound meter to measure the sound?

 

From what I understand. They don’t have to, the law is regarding it being louder than production. The MOT and the of have no requirement to state a dB. I believe the SVA test does contain a dB limit. The police when a bit nuts round this way booking scoobies and next for being too loud then having to retract it as they had factory exhaust systems. There’s a common sense approach normally but I too had a minor year before last for “exhaust noisey”, it’s a lot quieter many production cars. Can’t hear the exhaust over the tyre and wind noise on the motorway.

From what I understand. They don’t have to, the law is regarding it being louder than production. The MOT and the of have no requirement to state a dB. I believe the SVA test does contain a dB limit. The police when a bit nuts round this way booking scoobies and next for being too loud then having to retract it as they had factory exhaust systems. There’s a common sense approach normally but I too had a minor year before last for “exhaust noisey”, it’s a lot quieter many production cars. Can’t hear the exhaust over the tyre and wind noise on the motorway.

 

So you need a MOT tester thats hard of hearing :biggrin:

Tbh sometimes the minute you walk through the door you know they’re gonna give you a hard time with a modified car. My old guy was great but it’s just not practical to go to him these days.

Do they use a sound meter to measure the sound?

 

No, Its down to the MOT testers discretion (like a lot of things, such as rust, hence the grey areas!). I got failed on a noisy exhaust, took it around the corner to another MOT'er and they passed it fine. Although they spent most of the time asking if it was "Kit" the knightrider car and then inviting friends from around the industrial units to have a look at it!