Top Gear reasonably priced Astra on eBay

[simonrockman]

Vauxhall has stuck the (one of the?) Astra(s) used for Top gear on ebay

They say it's not street-legal because it has no airbags. How do cars which don't have airbags (Atom/caterfield) get past this?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/-/231786726259

Simon

Edited by simonrockman on Monday 21st December 13:59

[Sixpackpert]

Because the Atom etc don't have airbags fitted as standard, unlike the Vauxhall.

ETA: Would be my guess.

[R8VXF]

Depends on it's type approval. If it was approve with airbags it has to retain them for it to be roadworthy.

[thebigmacmoomin]

I guess that because it used to have them now it doesn't is the issue. With the Atom, as it never had them it isn't an issue.

[shakotan]

simonrockman said:

Vauxhall has stuck the (one of the?) Astra(s) used for Top gear on ebay

They say it's not street-legal because it has no airbags. How do cars which don't have airbags (Atom/caterfield) get past this?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/-/231786726259

Simon

Vehicles which have factory-fitted airbags removed cannot pass an MOT test.

[Iva Barchetta]

Listing says "airbags disabled",not removed.

Put the fuse back in ?

[RenesisEvo]

Iva Barchetta said:

Listing says "airbags disabled",not removed.

Put the fuse back in ?

Not necessarily that easy - the airbag itself may have been removed entirely, and it may not have a reel seatbelt. You'd have to remove the cage. Generally, you don't mix airbags with rollcage/helmet, it's one or the other.

[Helicopter123]

Iva Barchetta said:

Listing says "airbags disabled",not removed.

Put the fuse back in ?

Did you bother to read to ad?

It's in bold in case you missed it...


IMPORTANT NOTE: Bidders should be aware that the airbags have all been disabled making room for the roll-cage. To re-instate the airbags would involve removing the roll-cage and seating. So, in its current state, the car is not type-approved and should not be driven on the road. The Vauxhall Technical Team will work with the successful bidder at handover to fully explain how the vehicle has been adapted. Please be aware converting the vehicle back into use on the public highway would incur significant cost.

[Krikkit]

Iva Barchetta said:

Listing says "airbags disabled",not removed.

Put the fuse back in ?

Actually I suspect they've unplugged them, the listing states that the cage and seats would have to come out to allow access to enable them again. Not to mention that those seats aren't going to be reporting to the ECU which will also cause a fault light.

[SonicShadow]

shakotan said:

Vehicles which have factory-fitted airbags removed cannot pass an MOT test.

Not true, there are exceptions for competition vehicles like rally cars, for example.

[Iva Barchetta]

Helicopter123 said:

Did you bother to read to ad?

It's in bold in case you missed it...


IMPORTANT NOTE: Bidders should be aware that the airbags have all been disabled making room for the roll-cage. To re-instate the airbags would involve removing the roll-cage and seating. So, in its current state, the car is not type-approved and should not be driven on the road. The Vauxhall Technical Team will work with the successful bidder at handover to fully explain how the vehicle has been adapted. Please be aware converting the vehicle back into use on the public highway would incur significant cost.

Reading it on a phone gives far less detail than that.

[SonicShadow]

Iva Barchetta said:

Reading it on a phone gives far less detail than that.

eBay's mobile skin and platform specific apps have exactly the same info. Click on the item description.

[Corranga]

I love that the auction states:
1:54.3 - Ed Sheeran (automatic) (wet)
1.54.5 – Jack Whitehall (automatic)

Clearly not in this car then!

Maybe someone should buy it and convert it for road use. It'll be pretty rare, all the new Astra's I see are silver

[HorneyMX5]

As long as this has a registration and a V5 this will go straight through any reasonable MOT tester without a problem. I know plenty of road legal track cars with far more mods than this that easily pass the MOT.

[SteveSteveson]

thebigmacmoomin said:

I guess that because it used to have them now it doesn't is the issue. With the Atom, as it never had them it isn't an issue.

Manufacturers with small output have a different, less stringent, type approval.

[MG CHRIS]

SonicShadow said:

shakotan said:

Vehicles which have factory-fitted airbags removed cannot pass an MOT test.

Not true, there are exceptions for competition vehicles like rally cars, for example.

This competition cars are exempt from that rule and a lot of fail points as long as its clearly used in a motorsport environment. So this will as it was used on track and has all the correct safety gear could be issued an mot and used on the road.

[Jim AK]

I'm confused.

Just recently I saw a TG episode where Hamster took their Suzuki Liana to be scrapped because they weren't allowed to sell it.

Why is the Astra different?

[Jimmy Recard]

Jim AK said:

I'm confused.

Just recently I saw a TG episode where Hamster took their Suzuki Liana to be scrapped because they weren't allowed to sell it.

Why is the Astra different?

At a guess the cars were owned by the manufacturers and lent to Top Gear to use. Suzuki wanted the car to be scrapped after Top Gear finished with it, Vauxhall didn't.

That's only a guess

[danlightbulb]

Lol at the advert.

ebay said:

piece of motoring history

ebay said:

celebrities such as Olly Murs ... Margot Robbie, Ron Howard and James Blunt all thrashed it around the Top Gear Test Track

Its a 1.6 Astra. Why would anyone want this?

[loskie]

MG CHRIS said:

SonicShadow said:

shakotan said:

Vehicles which have factory-fitted airbags removed cannot pass an MOT test.

Not true, there are exceptions for competition vehicles like rally cars, for example.

This competition cars are exempt from that rule and a lot of fail points as long as its clearly used in a motorsport environment. So this will as it was used on track and has all the correct safety gear could be issued an mot and used on the road.

Rally cars are used on the public highway (have to have valid MOT) to get from stage to stage;road miles.