Future UK resident
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Registered User
Joined: Jul 2008
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Future UK resident
Hello mates 
I would like to introduce myself to the UK s2000 community before my destined arrival to Molesworth before the year ends.
My name is Matthew and I'm originally from Texas but I'm moving from Virginia.
I'm shipping my USDM 2000 AP1 which will arrive later than I will.
I want to get familiar with the area, rules, laws, and ettiquette. I would also love to attend a meet and do some spirited driving on some nice UK roads which I'm sure you all do.
A couple questions.
How strict is the law? Laws of the road?
How do inspections of cars work? I got a HKS Hi-power with a test pipe..
I'm kind of sweating about that. But I've read some of you have similar setups.
Can I run with no cat and get away with it? How do you all deal with this situation.
Do police care about ride height there? Noise levels?
Is there enough Honda resources in the area to support maintenance and repairs?
What do I basically have to do with my car, when I pick it up from the port, to be within regulations?
Appreciate any answers
I would like to introduce myself to the UK s2000 community before my destined arrival to Molesworth before the year ends.
My name is Matthew and I'm originally from Texas but I'm moving from Virginia.
I'm shipping my USDM 2000 AP1 which will arrive later than I will.
I want to get familiar with the area, rules, laws, and ettiquette. I would also love to attend a meet and do some spirited driving on some nice UK roads which I'm sure you all do.
A couple questions.
How strict is the law? Laws of the road?
How do inspections of cars work? I got a HKS Hi-power with a test pipe..
I'm kind of sweating about that. But I've read some of you have similar setups.
Can I run with no cat and get away with it? How do you all deal with this situation.
Do police care about ride height there? Noise levels?
Is there enough Honda resources in the area to support maintenance and repairs?
What do I basically have to do with my car, when I pick it up from the port, to be within regulations?
Appreciate any answers
Registered User
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,543
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From: kent
basically
Too much hassle
Not cost justified
May be liable for 15% tax
May be liable for 10% duty or more
SVA test and requirements if your car is less than 10 years on date of import - its less rigous if its older (which yours may be close to ?)
From the port it needs to be paid up interms of duty and import taxes, trailered to a sva center that wil do the nessacery work to comply with regulation, pay road tax then pass SVA test. Takes about two weeks. Key thing is that you wont be able to just drive it off!
You will need a cat and a fog flight to pass the sva
If your car is super slammed you may want to raise it!! You will plough the tarmac otherwise, the roads are very uneven.
For your car the yearly road tax will be around $650!
more help here...
http://www.import-car.info/import-a4.pdf
its written by a us guy who was in the usaf i think.
Too much hassle
Not cost justified
May be liable for 15% tax
May be liable for 10% duty or more
SVA test and requirements if your car is less than 10 years on date of import - its less rigous if its older (which yours may be close to ?)
From the port it needs to be paid up interms of duty and import taxes, trailered to a sva center that wil do the nessacery work to comply with regulation, pay road tax then pass SVA test. Takes about two weeks. Key thing is that you wont be able to just drive it off!
You will need a cat and a fog flight to pass the sva
If your car is super slammed you may want to raise it!! You will plough the tarmac otherwise, the roads are very uneven.
For your car the yearly road tax will be around $650!
more help here...
http://www.import-car.info/import-a4.pdf
its written by a us guy who was in the usaf i think.
Former Moderator
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 24,771
Likes: 311
From: Stanmore
Hi Matt,
Some useful links
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/Buyin...icle/DG_4022105
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/Drive...cence/index.htm
The law is strict, particularly with regards to speeding/parking. There are fixed speed cameras all over the place, as well as lots of mobile camera sites. I'm unsure how a US license would be affected, but you'll have to to apply for a British license after 12 months.
You can get camera locations for your satnav (Tom Tom and Garmin being the most popular and locations by registering on www.pocketgpsworld.co.uk )
Various detectors are also available.
As for noise levels, you may struggle to pass the SVA test mentioned in the first link, but others will have more idea about that than me, particularly those who've imported cars from Japan where they also drive on the correct side of the road.
As long as your car meets the emissions requirements, you can run with no cat, but there's no guarantee.
Ride height is up to you, but we have lots of speed bumps, which may cause you a problem, and the road surfaces are quite often poor.
Which Molesworth are you going to be living at the one near Hoddesdon, or near Cambridge?
Are you in the US forces? If so, you may be exempt from certain regulations.
Some useful links
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/Buyin...icle/DG_4022105
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/Drive...cence/index.htm
The law is strict, particularly with regards to speeding/parking. There are fixed speed cameras all over the place, as well as lots of mobile camera sites. I'm unsure how a US license would be affected, but you'll have to to apply for a British license after 12 months.
You can get camera locations for your satnav (Tom Tom and Garmin being the most popular and locations by registering on www.pocketgpsworld.co.uk )
Various detectors are also available.
As for noise levels, you may struggle to pass the SVA test mentioned in the first link, but others will have more idea about that than me, particularly those who've imported cars from Japan where they also drive on the correct side of the road.
As long as your car meets the emissions requirements, you can run with no cat, but there's no guarantee.
Ride height is up to you, but we have lots of speed bumps, which may cause you a problem, and the road surfaces are quite often poor.
Which Molesworth are you going to be living at the one near Hoddesdon, or near Cambridge?
Are you in the US forces? If so, you may be exempt from certain regulations.
Registered User
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 1,094
Likes: 0
From: Jersey C.I
Agreed. Sell up, buy another. Spend the 25% you will likely be liable to pay on bits.
You will get RHD too which helps with anything you need to do without a passenger - Toll booths, ticket stations etc.
Goodluck coming to the UK though!
You will get RHD too which helps with anything you need to do without a passenger - Toll booths, ticket stations etc.
Goodluck coming to the UK though!
Registered User
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,543
Likes: 0
From: kent
no probs for an hks to pass sva, i ve imported two cars from japan and noise has never been a problem ( one of them had hks)
BTW do you have non standard wheels ? If you car is less than 10 years old when it arrives the wheels will need to be standard for year to pass the model report.
BTW do you have non standard wheels ? If you car is less than 10 years old when it arrives the wheels will need to be standard for year to pass the model report.
Registered User
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,308
Likes: 0
From: Welwyn Garden City
Hi Matt,
Welcome!
Is that RAF Molesworth in Cambridgeshire?
If so, and you have any friends into MGs, the HQ of the MG Owners Club is just up the road at Swavesey. Their shop is well worth a visit.
All the best.
Welcome!
Is that RAF Molesworth in Cambridgeshire?
If so, and you have any friends into MGs, the HQ of the MG Owners Club is just up the road at Swavesey. Their shop is well worth a visit.
All the best.
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 318
Likes: 0
okay, thank you all for all the advice and information. This is alot of info.
Most likely, I am waived from some regulations and fees. That $650 road tax sounds outrageous and hasn't been mentioned to me but I'll keep it in mind. I don't have stock wheels but by the time it gets there it will be in 2010.
Is that the rear fog light or front fogs? Sounds interesting.
I'm familiar with bad roads all over Virginia. I wouldn't say I'm slammed, but just lowered. ADS super down springs on stock suspension, anyone have a similar setup? So are the country side roads at least decent? I'm surprised to hear the roads are bad but I wouldn't know any better.
Dennohue, no I don't have any friends into MGs but I'll definitely check that out as a newbie tourist when I can.
Most likely, I am waived from some regulations and fees. That $650 road tax sounds outrageous and hasn't been mentioned to me but I'll keep it in mind. I don't have stock wheels but by the time it gets there it will be in 2010.
Is that the rear fog light or front fogs? Sounds interesting.
I'm familiar with bad roads all over Virginia. I wouldn't say I'm slammed, but just lowered. ADS super down springs on stock suspension, anyone have a similar setup? So are the country side roads at least decent? I'm surprised to hear the roads are bad but I wouldn't know any better.
Dennohue, no I don't have any friends into MGs but I'll definitely check that out as a newbie tourist when I can.
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Former Moderator
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 24,771
Likes: 311
From: Stanmore
Rear fog light.
Rural roads are bumpy, and very narrow compared to what you're used to.
Go to 2:45 in this vid to see what I mean
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kogV6u3_6ko [/media]
Rural roads are bumpy, and very narrow compared to what you're used to.
Go to 2:45 in this vid to see what I mean
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kogV6u3_6ko [/media]
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 10,112
Likes: 2
From: Banbury, Oxfordshire
Assuming you do have to do the SVA, the car has to match the model report, which means to all intents and purposes you'll have to put everything back to standard (including wheels) to get it through the SVA. But once you do get the SVA, you can put all the mods back on again and all you have to worry about is the yearly MOT.
You will need a rear stuck on foglight for the the MOT, and will need to pass the emissions test, but other than that you can get away with most things as long as they aren't obviously dangerous.
We have it pretty easy for mods in the UK.
You will need a rear stuck on foglight for the the MOT, and will need to pass the emissions test, but other than that you can get away with most things as long as they aren't obviously dangerous.
We have it pretty easy for mods in the UK.