EU Roadworthiness Package BE AWARE
Discussion
Now that we are leaving the EU it might be a good time to write to your MP asking that the Government do not introduce the disgusting European Roadworthiness Package.
This legislation is (was) due for implementation from 20th May 2017. Apart from increasing the MOT fee to £72 it introduces 14 more points to our MOT. The aim was to get us more in line with the German TUV test.
The additional points cover things like tyre pressure warning gauges and dashboard warning lights as well as optional extras. Because this type of item is often inbuilt software on many cars the cost of repairing such faults can be more than the car is worth. One classic car magazine estimated that an additional 1 million cars between 3 and 20 years old would be scrapped (scrapped not just fail the MOT) annually because of this legislation. Imagine having a beautiful 1998 Jaguar (as one reader did) this car is virtually concours condition but the air bag warning light is defective. Instead of a common sense approach so that the defect is noted as an advisory, the car will fail. With this particular vehicle there is (apparently) no replacement part available anywhere in the World and the fault cannot be fixed. This car will have to be scrapped or taken off the road. Even fairly new vehicles can face a bill of £2,500+ to fix minor dashboard problems. Would you spend £2.5k to fix a car worth £5k?
I have been in communication with my MP for a long time about this and he is liaising with the Minister concerned but if you have a car over 3 year old you need to know about it and the impact that it could have on you and your car.
This legislation is driven by the big European car companies who have multi million € lobbying groups in Brussels. The ultimate aim is to get everyone to lease cars from them rather than own them and then return them for re-cycling after 3-5 years. Good for VW and Co and for the banks, not good for the rest of us. Scrapping perfectly good cars because they have minor faults is not good for the environment or the economy.
Now we are coming out of the EU there is a chance to stop this kind of lunacy here in the UK.
(P.S. I used to be on this site as Oily Puddles but my account got messed up and I have't been able to post for a while)
This legislation is (was) due for implementation from 20th May 2017. Apart from increasing the MOT fee to £72 it introduces 14 more points to our MOT. The aim was to get us more in line with the German TUV test.
The additional points cover things like tyre pressure warning gauges and dashboard warning lights as well as optional extras. Because this type of item is often inbuilt software on many cars the cost of repairing such faults can be more than the car is worth. One classic car magazine estimated that an additional 1 million cars between 3 and 20 years old would be scrapped (scrapped not just fail the MOT) annually because of this legislation. Imagine having a beautiful 1998 Jaguar (as one reader did) this car is virtually concours condition but the air bag warning light is defective. Instead of a common sense approach so that the defect is noted as an advisory, the car will fail. With this particular vehicle there is (apparently) no replacement part available anywhere in the World and the fault cannot be fixed. This car will have to be scrapped or taken off the road. Even fairly new vehicles can face a bill of £2,500+ to fix minor dashboard problems. Would you spend £2.5k to fix a car worth £5k?
I have been in communication with my MP for a long time about this and he is liaising with the Minister concerned but if you have a car over 3 year old you need to know about it and the impact that it could have on you and your car.
This legislation is driven by the big European car companies who have multi million € lobbying groups in Brussels. The ultimate aim is to get everyone to lease cars from them rather than own them and then return them for re-cycling after 3-5 years. Good for VW and Co and for the banks, not good for the rest of us. Scrapping perfectly good cars because they have minor faults is not good for the environment or the economy.
Now we are coming out of the EU there is a chance to stop this kind of lunacy here in the UK.
(P.S. I used to be on this site as Oily Puddles but my account got messed up and I have't been able to post for a while)
Interesting to read your responses. My information came not just from the industry publications but also directly from a tester who is doing the training for the new test. He stated to me that under the new rules he expected to fail the vast majority of cars he tests as opposed to about 50% now. I don't think he had anything to gain by lying to me. My MP is concerned about this matter and is in discussion with the Minister about it as he fears a lot of people will be affected.
My position is not that I am against cars being safe but I do I believe that minor faults should remain as 'advisories' only not become 'fails'. If I choose to drive a car with defective air bags, no airbags, (or pre-1965) no seatbelt for that matter it should be a matter of choice. If such a 'fault' was 'advisory' any future owner would be aware should they buy the car. Scrapping cars for minor faults is absurd. The Jaguar concerned reportedly had had airbags added as an optional extra, if the owner hadn't specified them the car would be fine, because he had, it faces being removed from the road as the fault cannot be fixed.
None of you seem as concerned about this as I am, perhaps I am completely wrong and it will make little change. It will be interesting to see how it plays out after 20th May.
Personally I think that we are the envy of much of Europe (not the EU) currently rather than a leper! Whether we are in the EU or not Greece still can't (and won't) pay its bills, Spain and Italy are in a total mess and will remain so and we have been under the control of people we didn't (and can't) vote for. I am not a politician but it seems to me that for good or ill the people of Britain have voted, we are now committed to coming out and we need to get on with making the best of it.
My position is not that I am against cars being safe but I do I believe that minor faults should remain as 'advisories' only not become 'fails'. If I choose to drive a car with defective air bags, no airbags, (or pre-1965) no seatbelt for that matter it should be a matter of choice. If such a 'fault' was 'advisory' any future owner would be aware should they buy the car. Scrapping cars for minor faults is absurd. The Jaguar concerned reportedly had had airbags added as an optional extra, if the owner hadn't specified them the car would be fine, because he had, it faces being removed from the road as the fault cannot be fixed.
None of you seem as concerned about this as I am, perhaps I am completely wrong and it will make little change. It will be interesting to see how it plays out after 20th May.
Personally I think that we are the envy of much of Europe (not the EU) currently rather than a leper! Whether we are in the EU or not Greece still can't (and won't) pay its bills, Spain and Italy are in a total mess and will remain so and we have been under the control of people we didn't (and can't) vote for. I am not a politician but it seems to me that for good or ill the people of Britain have voted, we are now committed to coming out and we need to get on with making the best of it.
Edited by Puddles of Oil on Sunday 26th June 12:33
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