Ledbury failed its MOT!!!

[Guest]

Hi everyone our 2001 Ledbury maestro has failed its MOT on the emissions because it has been tested as having a catalyst fitted. The previous owner managed to get it through last year because it was tested to earlier vehicle spec. Should the vehicle have been tested as having a cat fitted and if so how can the emissions be lowered?

Thanks, Mike

[Guest]

I was told the cut off is 1995. Shame my fiesta is a 95 model and not made 6 months before Tho it was well within. So bad news for you probably.

[bodgit0_0]

It should say on your logbook that it's a kit car, think there are some exemptions because of that?

[E_T_V]

Emissions is tested as a kit car which are very easy to pass. What were the emissions figures for the test?

Logbook will state that it is a kit car.

[BIGDAVE]

re mot of ledbury

there is no emision test on kit cars as far as i know
its just a smoke test from the tail pipe.
maybe worth trying another garage who knows the regulations

[RobK]

All Kit cars after 1998 have to have an emmision test, I have somewhere a flowchart explaining emmision tests for kit cars i will see if i can dig it out and post up.

[E_T_V]

Yes I think it is visible smoke pre 98 and 4.5% CO after. The MOT manual is online so you can see what is required and then print out that section to take with you!

[E_T_V]

Just doing some more digging and it looks a lot more onerous than that unfortunatly now. It all depends on if the vehicle was first used before 1 Aug 1998. If so then it is visible smoke only. If after it gets more complicated.

If built after this date then the emissions requirements should be on the logbook.

http://www.motuk.co.uk/images/730_newnoncat.pdf

Oh and one last glimmer of hope

"Vehicles Fitted with a differnt engine

Test according to which is older, engine or vehicle.
e.g. A 1995 car fitted with a 1991 engine (of whatever make), test to 1991 standards for emission purposes.

Note: The onus is on the vehicle presenter
to prove engine age."

[Austin-Rover]

Good point Dan,

I've seen log books for Ledburies with emissions limits printed on them - they're normally quite generous for 1.3 Maestros too.

My own - way back when - was on an 'R' plate and visible smoke test only.

[Guest]

Thanks for the replies so far this seems to be a very grey area, the main problem we seem to be having is that because it has the catalyst fitted it needs to be tested as having one, is this correct? Also the logbook states it is Kitbuilt but does not state anything in the exhaust emissions section, Very confused... Cheers

[BIGDAVE]

re exhaust

ive got a y reg tet maestro and it past the mot with no problem.
and it one of the last ones assembled and never had a cat fitted from new

[Austin-Rover]

It won't have had a catalyst when it was new - none of them did. Most likely it was fitted by someone who thought it needed one due to its age. Catalysts were fitted to the very last 'proper' Maestros.

[E_T_V]

Thanks for the replies so far this seems to be a very grey area, the main problem we seem to be having is that because it has the catalyst fitted it needs to be tested as having one, is this correct? Also the logbook states it is Kitbuilt but does not state anything in the exhaust emissions section, Very confused... Cheers

If the emissions aren't printed on the log book and it has a cat fitted then yes it has to do the cat test.

[cybernaughthippo]

Have you managed to get anywhere with this? Just had my 2000 plated Ledbury fail for the same reasons (emissions).

It appears the regs have changed, my logbook lists the car as a Rover Maestro not mentioning it as a Kit Car anywhere. Again there are no emissions listed on the log book and VOSA (DVSA now) or are telling the garage it needs to have a cat and be tested as a 2000 yr car... ARGH!!!

I guess I need to get the log book changed but it would be useful to have a copy of one with the right details for them to compare against.

Help!!

[digital efi]

Is the car tuned correctly? I would assume that the cat-equipped Maestros would have been capable of passing the 'cat' emissions test when new, although 20 years of wear and tear could make quite a difference.

Perhaps one of our resident journalists could research this further and write an article on it for CCW, etc.

A lot of carburettor-equipped cars had catalysts fitted in the early to mid 'Nineties, so the problem of trying to get them through emissions tests nowadays may be quite widespread.