IMPORT LOOPHOLE

[Stuart Mills]

The initial message was deleted from this topic on 06 August 2014 at 20:51

[Fastpedeller]

Stuart Mills said:

I have been looking at import rules as my tilting trike is now being manufactured under licence in China. The company is sending me a sample and I will need to MSVA test and register it.
Looking at documents for some Chinese scooters I found the so called certificate of European conformity to be somewhat worrying. Apparently the DVLA accept this cert and no MSVA is required. The reality is that when I checked the EU approval numbers they only tested emissions on one and radio interference on another and yet the DVLA allow it as a whole vehicle approval. Now bear in mind how much work us UK manufacturers have to go to in order to ensure compliance, add in test fess, time, etc and it appears some importers are getting off light here. Come on Gov officials, why are you allowing these farcical documents to bluff your system? Can we have a level playing field please?
Has anyone else found similar rule twisting on imports?

Mentioning no names (although it may now be common knowledge), when I worked in a UK test facility of a vehicle manufacturer it became known that a Far Eastern manufacturer had got around emission rules by using the bonnet switch (activated during test) to set the ECU to a mode favourable to the test. I understand the company was subsequently fined several million for this deliberate breach!

[Compo_Simmonite]

After buying several Chinese scooters and quads just to break for parts (for a project) I'm very cynical about Chinese quality. Neighbour worked for UK company who wanted to transfer manufacturing to China so sent him out there for 2 years to oversee the operation. He said whilst they would do as they were told to your face then as soon as your back was turned they'd go back to their own way of doing things - which was cheapest / easiest.
I experienced this myself with a Tefal instant water heater / kettle. Manufactured in China but developed a fault within warrantee period so Tefal changed for a new unit. Straight away strange taste to water so complained to Tefal who then gave a full refund. Turned out a supplier of a seal had changed the material composition to a cheaper alternative that was leaching chemicals into the water hence the tainting. Every one they had in stock affected so £millions of products ruined - just so the Chinese parts supplier could make a few more pence !
Back to the plot - even with MSVA a Chinese built machine probably only has a life of 2-3 years so MOT isn't going to be a problem. I'm not joking so unless you are sitting in China overseeing EVERYTHING that is done during the building then despite being made "under licence" the Chinese will put their own spin on things. Whether it's a cheaper spec part, material or less preparation before painting and such they will save a penny here and there until the product becomes as disposable as a toaster, kettle etc that has a life of a couple of years.

[qdos]

I've seen this kind of certificate waved about as full EC approval before on Chinese vehicles. As I said the other day on another thread, some of these 'certificates' beggar belief. Personally I'd walk the opposite direction from cheap Chinese 'approved' imports. This is not to say that Chinese made always means junk, far from it they can make very impressive goods but it's not easy to ensure that's what you get without someone you trust implicitly on the ground over there making sure that's what you get.

[ZeusF]

I worked on a midlands based, Chinese owned car but won't mention the name directly.
I had to changed the emissions of the vehicle as it didn't meat requirements but along the road of this work we found that this new car which had a decent heritage in British motoring was designed from the ground up with a three year life !!!!!!
I have to say that the build is shocking. Components are of the cheapest order and money has definitely ruled the way. Having said that, the original last ran the company into the ground, making a fortune along the way.

[Fastpedeller]

ZeusF said:

I worked on a midlands based, Chinese owned car but won't mention the name directly.
I had to changed the emissions of the vehicle as it didn't meat requirements but along the road of this work we found that this new car which had a decent heritage in British motoring was designed from the ground up with a three year life !!!!!!
I have to say that the build is shocking. Components are of the cheapest order and money has definitely ruled the way. Having said that, the original last ran the company into the ground, making a fortune along the way.

No prizes for guessing where you work then!

[ZeusF]

Fastpedeller said:

ZeusF said:

I worked on a midlands based, Chinese owned car but won't mention the name directly.
I had to changed the emissions of the vehicle as it didn't meat requirements but along the road of this work we found that this new car which had a decent heritage in British motoring was designed from the ground up with a three year life !!!!!!
I have to say that the build is shocking. Components are of the cheapest order and money has definitely ruled the way. Having said that, the original last ran the company into the ground, making a fortune along the way.

No prizes for guessing where you work then!

Sorry for the spelling, had an awful nights sleep last night. Anyway, I don't work for them, I was drafted in to do some emissions work only.
Its shocking how bad some cars are and when end users think they are buying a £10k at a bargain they are in fact buying a disposable taxi.

Anyway, Korea is going to dominate soon in the auto market, they are bringing out some of the best cars available for both low and medium end.
I was in miami last week and one of the guys at RSC had a korean car that I can't remember the name of and it was awesome, it was a big gasoline engined car yet returned over 30mpg and the inside was as luxurious as I've seen.