Legality / penalty for DECAT?
Discussion
Vickers_VC10 said:
Classic PH...
'mine passes therefore it means that all pass'
If it passes and it is missing a cat, bully for you and not so good for the tester, it does not mean it is 'legal' to the letter of the law. The chances of actually being subject to further scrutiny are trivial, that said I wouldn't want to have an accident that caused someone to be a KSI statistic.
What's classic is that someone chose to revive such an old thread at precisely the time when any cars that would now be due for their MOT have had them extended for 6 months.'mine passes therefore it means that all pass'
If it passes and it is missing a cat, bully for you and not so good for the tester, it does not mean it is 'legal' to the letter of the law. The chances of actually being subject to further scrutiny are trivial, that said I wouldn't want to have an accident that caused someone to be a KSI statistic.
I'm also far from convinced that any accident investigators would go poking around in the emissions equipment of a car, just because it was involved in a fatal. Brakes, suspension, steering, certainly, but checking if the CATs are there and/or working, seriously?
The law on this is pretty clear, there's very little chance of being stopped and if so then all you have to do is refit the original.
A neighbour had his CAT stolen (Toyota Prius) whilst at work and was gonna fork out over a grand for a new CAT till I showed him that you could legally use a £50 'decat/test pipe' and still be compliant with the law, his car was jacked up again a few weeks later (likely by the same people) but they left it alone when they saw that no replacement cat had been fitted.
A neighbour had his CAT stolen (Toyota Prius) whilst at work and was gonna fork out over a grand for a new CAT till I showed him that you could legally use a £50 'decat/test pipe' and still be compliant with the law, his car was jacked up again a few weeks later (likely by the same people) but they left it alone when they saw that no replacement cat had been fitted.
gov said:
MOT
Most vehicles have their exhaust emissions tested as part of the MOT.
Usually, they’re tested using a meter. Petrol vehicles used before August 1975 and diesel vehicles used before January 1980 are tested by sight.
If your vehicle fails the emission test it fails the MOT. The problem must be fixed before you can get an MOT certificate.
The only vehicles that do not have an emissions test as part of the MOT are:
vehicles with fewer than 4 wheels
vehicles with 2-stroke engines
hybrid vehicles
quadricycles
hydrogen fuel cell vehicles
electric vehicles
Roadside checks
Your vehicle can also be tested during a roadside check.
If it fails the check, you’ll be given a prohibition notice. You’ll have 10 days to fix the problem. If you do not fix it within this period you may be prosecuted.
https://www.gov.uk/emissions-testing
Most vehicles have their exhaust emissions tested as part of the MOT.
Usually, they’re tested using a meter. Petrol vehicles used before August 1975 and diesel vehicles used before January 1980 are tested by sight.
If your vehicle fails the emission test it fails the MOT. The problem must be fixed before you can get an MOT certificate.
The only vehicles that do not have an emissions test as part of the MOT are:
vehicles with fewer than 4 wheels
vehicles with 2-stroke engines
hybrid vehicles
quadricycles
hydrogen fuel cell vehicles
electric vehicles
Roadside checks
Your vehicle can also be tested during a roadside check.
If it fails the check, you’ll be given a prohibition notice. You’ll have 10 days to fix the problem. If you do not fix it within this period you may be prosecuted.
https://www.gov.uk/emissions-testing
A little bit off-topic, but bear with me:
Way back yonder, I used to own a 1977 Pontiac Trans Am, and the rear lights were still in full USA specification, with the rear indicators using the red tail/brake lights (the thinking was [and still is], that UK drivers would get confused by the red tail/brake lights flashing, and not realise they were indicators - Can't say I ever had any problems)
The MOT, and the Law required the car to show amber light for the rear indicators, and so should have been modified one way or another to be road legal. I liked the American indicators though, so left them in USA spec.
I was made aware of a guy not too far away running an MOT garage, who was an American car enthusiast, who would turn a blind eye to the red rear indicators, and pass the car unmodified.
So the car got a MOT - It didn't make it road legal though.
(I was followed by a Police car for a while one night, who pulled up next to me at a two lane traffic light. The Officer in the passenger's seat wound his window down and said: "Nice car mate!.....Like it!", to which I said thanks. He then added with a wink and a grin: "You know your rear indicators aren't legal though?", and they drove off, leaving it at that)
As with my rear lights, to this day there are plenty of MOT garages who will pass cars they really shouldn't, and as with my Trans Am - It doesn't make the car road legal.
Way back yonder, I used to own a 1977 Pontiac Trans Am, and the rear lights were still in full USA specification, with the rear indicators using the red tail/brake lights (the thinking was [and still is], that UK drivers would get confused by the red tail/brake lights flashing, and not realise they were indicators - Can't say I ever had any problems)
The MOT, and the Law required the car to show amber light for the rear indicators, and so should have been modified one way or another to be road legal. I liked the American indicators though, so left them in USA spec.
I was made aware of a guy not too far away running an MOT garage, who was an American car enthusiast, who would turn a blind eye to the red rear indicators, and pass the car unmodified.
So the car got a MOT - It didn't make it road legal though.
(I was followed by a Police car for a while one night, who pulled up next to me at a two lane traffic light. The Officer in the passenger's seat wound his window down and said: "Nice car mate!.....Like it!", to which I said thanks. He then added with a wink and a grin: "You know your rear indicators aren't legal though?", and they drove off, leaving it at that)
As with my rear lights, to this day there are plenty of MOT garages who will pass cars they really shouldn't, and as with my Trans Am - It doesn't make the car road legal.
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