Just chating to my local mechanic earlier and VOSA decides to pop in.

Only managed to have a slight chat but here is what I managed to find out.

Any warning light on the dash including engine management light on is a fail or they will look into it until they find a reasonable safe explanation to why it's on.

EGR delete is a fail.

Decat is a fail even on diesel car.

Any play in ball joints, bushes - fail. (Even small amount of play will no longer be advisery, just a fail)

MOT and advisery will be on one sheet, not one stapled to the other.

Your pass certificate and advisory will be online to view. (Thought this already done though)

Gas converted cars will be checked for leaks.

Car will be MOT'd for an hour and no less (also thought this rule already applied)

That's all I managed to find out..

Probably a guide somewhere about the new rules but thought I'd just share a few things of what they said in person.

What doe this mean for all us de-catted folks - will we need new exhausts and will this affect our remaps if we do. Surely this is going to affect a **** load of people.

EGR delete fail on cars made after what year? same applies the other information you found out you need to know what year cars it will effect.

Oh for crying out loud. I probably need an EGR now then as well as the cat, steering wheel, airbag. This car is costing me a bomb thanks to VOSA changing the rules

Your pass history and advisories already are online, but to see if you need the V5C reference number and last MOT test pass reference number to view them, maybe by that they mean they're going to make it easier to see the history (similar to askMID where you can pay a few quid to find out whether a car is listed insured, maybe there'll be a system where for a few quid you can see the history of any car via numberplate)?

As for what year, it's easy to decide on things like airbags and cats as they were fitted to every car after a certain year. Maybe for EGRs there'll be data provided by manufacturers on which engines had them from the factory, so as soon as they see that they're testing my ASZ engine they know there should be one.

My tame mechanic/mot tester has answered these to me (in italic)

Any warning light on the dash including engine management light on is a fail or they will look into it until they find a reasonable safe explanation to why it's on. Agreed

EGR delete is a fail.On Euro 5 cars (cars after 2006)

Decat is a fail even on diesel car.On Euro 5 cars (cars after 2006)

Any play in ball joints, bushes - fail. (Even small amount of play will no longer be advisery, just a fail)Agreed

MOT and advisery will be on one sheet, not one stapled to the other. Yep

Gas converted cars will be checked for leaks. Should already by done

Car will be MOT'd for an hour and no less (also thought this rule already applied)It does already apply

Basically, I've been told that any major changes will only occur to cars manufactured on or after 2006.

"Any warning light on - fail" - Even "door open", "low charge" and "handbrake on"? How about the coolant level/overheating sensor?

"Any play in bushes - fail " - They are aware that rubber bushes are designed to have play in them?

He's got to have misunderstood this surely?

I'm guessing that a "safe explanation" for the handbrake light being on, is that the handbrake is on. Therefore it'll pass. Ditto door open.

Where will the vrs se stand? Only euro 4 but built after 2006?

54 reg

Think I'll leave my DPF on just in case

Some interesting bits there, but as ever - we shall see....

Re the cats.....my mate had a Scooby P1.....every time he went for the MOT he had to remove the straight thro' pipe and refit the cats...which the remap (pushing out 330ishbhp) on the car didn't really like.....then after the MOT he then had to swap the cats out and refit the thro' pipe!!!

This is basically a re-read/misinterpritation....call it what you want......of the manufactureres stating that we spend shed loads on getting the cars to meet/pass all these anti polution regs......we want to make sure that they stay that way! This is also the government making sure that this country meets its antipolution targets as well.......the fact that we as a country account such a small ammount compared to everyone else eg china/usa/india...etc etc is neither here nor there........soon they will be charging for the right to fart!!!!! :S

Basically, I've been told that any major changes will only occur to cars manufactured on or after 2006.

I really hope that's true as I do NOT want to be faffing about getting a cat and egr in place just for MOT, only to remove it afterwards....

How many mods do you have to make before it's a "kit car" and has to have the other sort of test (SVA?) which would disregard the original manufacturer's specs or at least makes them more lenient...?

The revisions are explained in the VOSA manuals, published on their website. VOSA - Vehicle testing manuals and guides

See these pdfs

Brakes

Steering & Suspension

Lighting

Other Items

How many mods do you have to make before it's a "kit car" and has to have the other sort of test (SVA?) which would disregard the original manufacturer's specs or at least makes them more lenient...?

Very good question...

How about the coolant level/overheating sensor?

Bloody good question, most of us here already know that the Fabia coolant sensor is twitchy and will come on even when their is no reason for it to be on.

Yawn. I'll believe it when I see it..

Or just know the MOT'er well enuf....hehe

Or just know the MOT'er well enuf....hehe

+1 to this Ant. Sod refitting the cat and egr for an hour MOT

Good to see the part about the xenons. 'adjustment is made either by the headlight or self levelling'. Does say it needs a washer system, so i best start looking for the bottle and the jets

A good point mentioned though is that they never actually said (unless I didn't hear) what year of car the egr delete effects??

But I did hear VOSA telling a mechanic off for not refitting a popped washer pipe on an Audi TT as it was marked down as a fail or some sort. They told him to fit the pipe and test it and it sprayed fine.

Just hope they crack down on petty MOT stations to who charge you the earth for nothing.

Where will the vrs se stand? Only euro 4 but built after 2006?

VRS SE diesel Fabias are Euro 4 as you say. Euro 5 came in in 2009/2010. Euro 4 came in 2005/2006.

I think the poster got his euro 4 and 5 mixed up.

Re the cats.....my mate had a Scooby P1.....every time he went for the MOT he had to remove the straight thro' pipe and refit the cats...which the remap (pushing out 330ishbhp) on the car didn't really like.....then after the MOT he then had to swap the cats out and refit the thro' pipe!!!

I have to do that on the Atom - problem is I don't have a CAT so I have to borrow one!