Vintage Minor Register

Hi All,

I wonder what effect the new MOT regulations (not required on older vehicles)will have
on insurance premiums as now the onus of the vehicle being roadworthy is on the owner.
I am sure most owners want them to be roadworthy anyway, but now the test is not compulsory
there will be some who take short cuts.

As far as i'm aware, it is still compulsory until at least october......... and acording to my mot tester he has had no information regarding the scrapping of mot';s on pre 1960 cars...........

Yes ,I understand it is Oct. My local testing station had not had any info either..

This is a topic I'd very much like to cover in M 143 (M 142- our Summer Magazine is at the printers). So any and all info, opinions, conspiracy theories most welcome!

I think this could be a hot potato
I feel that although i would agree that the modern mot test is mostly irrelevant, eg seat belts etc. it would be a bad thing to scrap the idea of annual inspections.
I can see the scenario of perhaps an accident involving a pedestrian where the insurance company might ask if the car was roadworthy.
of course the answer would be yes, so the company might then ask "by what authority?"
I am not a qualified mechanic, simply a hobbyist, so an insurance company might wriggle out of its liability in this way.
At least with an annual inspection by a registered garage (an mot station) there is something to officially show the cars roadworthiness.

There are countries where driving vintage cars is restricted. This could be the thin end of the wedge towards announcing restrictions to use in the UK.
I will still get my cars independently inspected if the mot is scrapped, and i strongly commend that strategy to others.

Perhaps we could campaign to other car clubs including the VMR to make it a requirement for continued membership of the club. Or at least a policy to strongly endorse the idea of annual inspections.

Colin,

I agree with your analysis, as does the VSCC and the FBHVC. All sorts of problems present themselves, including the ones you have mentioned. I don't think we're supposed to use our pre-60's cars for 'regular transport' any more, and if our cars are modified - and not MoT'd - then insurance problems could be compounded. This could be particularly problematic for specials.

Owners of exempted vehicles will still be able to take them for voluntary test under the new regulations, and this would appear to be the safest approach for owners - as long as testing stations continue to offer the service to exempt vehicles. Presumably they won't be keen to turn away your business, but by what standards will they test if there are no longer to be official standards?

The late Richard Sanders was a VMR member and worked for the FBHVC, and he recommended we join as a club. At that time we had far fewer members (Richard was member number 100) and the idea was added to the to-do list for the future. But now, with approaching 250 members, and with more and more legal risks to our sport emerging that need resisting in a co-ordinated fashion, I think the future may have arrived and the time is right to join. This will require a small portion of the membership dues to be paid to the Federation, but I think this would represent a sound investment for the members and for the Register. I will start the necessary paperwork.

Ian,
Current membership of FBHVC for clubs is 39.4 pence per member with a minimum cost of £25, as they point out less than the cost of a second class stamp. I support the idea of the VMR joining as the bigger the voice the FBHVC has the more we are listened to.
Voluntary tests are being looked at by VOSA and DfT after pressure from FBHVC and others but consultation is still continuing, discussions are also continuing with regard to the ethanol levels in petrol and it's effect on older cars.

Regards,

Philip

Thanks Philip,

Once we are members, we'll get the Federation newsletter and can pass on a summary to members via the Magazine as other clubs do.

Ian