What is Single Vehicle Approval (SVA)? SVA was introduced by the Vehicle Inspectorate in the late 1990s. It requires amateur-built vehicles, rebuilt vehicles and vehicles using parts from a previously registered vehicle to be examined to check that their construction meet modern safety and environmental standards. It cost £165 at the time of my test.
As I expected, it took 2 attempts to get through the SVA test (100 mile round trip on each occasion (on the trailer) to the Bishopbriggs (Glasgow) Centre). The first inspection took 4½ hours. That the Inspector was himself being inspected by the Vehicle Inspectorate's Quality Standards bod might have had something to do with the thoroughness and duration of the examination of my car. However, a very amicable and helpful experience it was - and I know now that the mechanicals etc of my car have had a very serious looking-at.
The inspection threw up 19 defects - mainly, I should say, related to minor details and non-compliant minimum radiuses. I won't go into the latter - except to say that if you are ever knocked down by a car (any car) you can rest assured that it was designed to flatten you, not lacerate you.
My solution for some exposed bolt-heads (on bottom suspension swivel; scuttle mounting in footwell, etc) might be helpful to those of you heading for your SVA. Unable to find a supplier of what I think are called nutcaps, I sliced up assorted sizes of water-hoses into washers (the same thickness as the depth of the bolt-heads), radiused one edge of the "washers" and stretched them over the bolt head so that the flat of the hose is flush with the flat of the bolt head.
AND simply slapping a fog light on the back panel isn't compliant as the lens isn't perpendicular to the ground. It needs a wedge at the back of it to get the angle right. Oddly, this requirement does not apply to the rear light clusters!
The car did also fail for not having a rear number plate light - as I stupidly thought that as the car did not have a rear number plate at the time of the test (not yet registered), a light was a bit superfluous. Wrong!
The re-test was something of a formality - simply to check that I had remedied all the faults. It was over in 10 minutes - but it still cost £22.
And here I am, pleased as Punch, with my Minister's Approval Certificate! Which passes through the hands very quickly as the Registration people take it away when you register your vehicle. So if you want to see what you got for your money, ask for a photocopy when you're registering.
