Do they get your car on ramps for the SVA?

[james_m]

Just wondering really, do they inspect the whole car, underneath etc. or is it mainly lighting?

[kenski]

Uninformed opinion, but I don't see why they would. It's mostly the lighting, including height of lamps above the ground and angles of vision.

[Nath V]

They did with mine, checked nothing was hanging off and that the wiring was all secured etc

[LuS1fer]

Yes, straight up on the ramps. It's like a supr-MOT so the car is being tested not just for legality but roadworthiness.

[kenski]

Oops, my bad :-)

[mikef]

At Mitcham the sequence is external and internal once-over (lights, tyres, belts, etc) then inside for emissions, headlamp alignment check, up on the ramp and inspection underneath, lastly rolling road/brakes

[james_m]

Thanks everyone, but from LuS1fer's guide to the SVA I was under the impression they did not check emmisions and brakes?

[LuS1fer]

They don't check the emissions and brakes provided the car has the certificate on the door panel which states it complies with all current US laws and I suppose it follows that what that means is the car must be standard and unmolested.

The equivalent tests which the SVA recognises are the FMVSS for US cars. Now the guy who tested mine pointed to the label and said "That means we don't have to test emissions and brakes". The car, being a Z06 with 3800 miles on, was stock so there was presumably nothiong that cried out "Modified" to the inspector. Oddly, several months later, my friend took his 2003 Z06 with 12k on the clock to the same SVA Centre and the other tester insisted on testing the brakes.