French MOT & Emmisions

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apiebyanyothername
Posts: 25
Joined: Sun May 21, 2017 7:09 pm
MGF Register Region: Europe

French MOT & Emmisions

Post by apiebyanyothername » Tue Aug 08, 2017 5:54 pm

Took the Mgf in for its MOT today, more to find out what needed doing than to pass, and to my amazement it passed. Last MOT it scraped though (just ) on emmisions after three attempts, this year it was as clean as a whistle and all I'd done was change the air temperature and water temperature sensors! I'd already bought a cat and o2 sensor expecting to have to change them. The sub frames and gearbox cross member got through with a warning that they wouldn't pass the new much stricter mot that comes out in 2018. I'm now ok until August 2019, but I'm going to be busy replacing the sub frames( they are really not that bad), gearbox cross member and cutting out the corrosion at the bottom of the body infront of the rear arch - It might be easier to find someone with a MGF for sale in good condition!! I'm more worried about my Triumph with the new mot - it can fail the new MOT on oil leaks! The legislation doesn't say what is considered an oil leak - nobody including the test centre seems to know what level will be applied - ho hum it looks as though it going to be a good pressure wash before the MOT, The Triumph has always left a drip of oil on the garage floor in the 18 years I've had it.
Anyone got mgf front and rear subframes and rear wing section?

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Reckless Rat
Posts: 1887
Joined: Tue Apr 01, 2008 9:01 am
MGF Register Region: Europe
Model of Car: 97 1.8mpi in BRG
Location: South of France - in the Gard.

Re: French MOT & Emmisions

Post by Reckless Rat » Wed Aug 09, 2017 1:09 pm

Unless your MGF is a left hand drive model it may be a cheaper (and easier) option to buy a replacement car in the UK rather than trying to source and replace subframes etc. The chances of you finding a decent MGF in a scrap yard in France is pretty remote.

(A LHD export model MGF will still have a decent residual value in France - a RHD one is worth much less despite what some folk ask for one on leboncoin.fr)

apiebyanyothername
Posts: 25
Joined: Sun May 21, 2017 7:09 pm
MGF Register Region: Europe

Re: French MOT & Emmisions

Post by apiebyanyothername » Thu Aug 17, 2017 10:56 am

Reckless Rat wrote:Unless your MGF is a left hand drive model it may be a cheaper (and easier) option to buy a replacement car in the UK rather than trying to source and replace subframes etc. The chances of you finding a decent MGF in a scrap yard in France is pretty remote.

(A LHD export model MGF will still have a decent residual value in France - a RHD one is worth much less despite what some folk ask for one on leboncoin.fr)
Agreed! Its 1999 RHD, I imported it in 2010 after spending alot of time and effort looking at rubbish in France & Belgium. Unless I could find a UK one thats in very good shape and has had its subframes & drivers side wheel arch done, I think I'd sooner change sub frames on my existing car, at least I known what state its in and what work has been done on it ( head gasket, new clutch, gear cables, radiator, ss coolant pipes, ball joints front & rear & poly bushes . new brake pipes). I would hate to redo all that!

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Reckless Rat
Posts: 1887
Joined: Tue Apr 01, 2008 9:01 am
MGF Register Region: Europe
Model of Car: 97 1.8mpi in BRG
Location: South of France - in the Gard.

Re: French MOT & Emmisions

Post by Reckless Rat » Thu Aug 17, 2017 12:10 pm

Mine was brought out here by the previous owner around 2004 and I've had it since early 2008. I paid him peanuts for it because he couldn't be bothered taking it back to Blighty to sell it. I have done all the usual jobs, including a suspension re-gas so hopefully it will keep going for many years to come. There is no corrosion on it anywhere so I can only assume that it was dry garaged when it was in the UK and not used much in the winter,; and the climate here is warm & dry. Not sure I'd really want to tackle a subframe change although I could do one, it's just a matter of can't be arsed. There are plenty of later, and very tidy cars for sale in the UK and as long as it comes with the cert of conformity the paperwork for French registration is easy.

The problem with the French Contrôle Technique is that everything is computerised and readable anywhere - if your tester has put a "défaut sans contre-visite" on the test form it will be flagged up next time you present the car for a test, wherever that may be. However, some testers are more generous than others. Try one who likes old cars. My tester flags up a slight leak on the diff on my 16yr old Merc every time it goes in for its CT but I'm sure it's just so he can put something on the form. It's never leaked a drop onto my garage floor in 16yrs and 265,000km!

The problem with an MGF or TF is that it's likely that the tester has never come across one before so he may well be hyper-critical when examining it. That in itself isn't a bad thing but a little preparation beforehand can pay dividends. Wire brush and Waxoyl are a worthwhile investment.

jaapaap1111
Posts: 56
Joined: Tue Jun 14, 2016 9:26 pm
MGF Register Region: Europe

Re: French MOT & Emmisions

Post by jaapaap1111 » Thu Aug 17, 2017 3:07 pm

Mine was on the edge at its emissions when mot tested cold. Now i always use some injection cleaner additive before having it Mot tested with a warm engine. No problems anymore..!

Verstuurd vanaf mijn SM-G920F met Tapatalk

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Reckless Rat
Posts: 1887
Joined: Tue Apr 01, 2008 9:01 am
MGF Register Region: Europe
Model of Car: 97 1.8mpi in BRG
Location: South of France - in the Gard.

Re: French MOT & Emmisions

Post by Reckless Rat » Thu Aug 17, 2017 3:30 pm

Best to run the car first and get it up to proper operating temperature and then give it a good spanking. The "Italian" tune-up works a treat.

apiebyanyothername
Posts: 25
Joined: Sun May 21, 2017 7:09 pm
MGF Register Region: Europe

Re: French MOT & Emmisions

Post by apiebyanyothername » Fri Aug 18, 2017 4:37 pm

couldn't agree more. The only point to make sure of if you import from the UK is that if its bought from a garage make sure the V5 is in their name, or that you can get the previous owner to sign off on the French
change of owner document. Its not happened to me, but it can cause you problems with both the tax office and the prefecture. It seems that garages in Spain, Italy ( and I believe Greece ) can recover the VAT paid on a car leaving you with VAT to pay ( a nasty suprise ). Some tax offices seem to believe that applies to garages in the UK as well with delays while they check. A declaration from the UK tax authority that all taxes & duties have been paid certainly helps ( the UK garage can get it for you ). It helps if you have a bill of sale ( preferably in English & French as well ).
I've bought in five cars, the last one being the MGF in 2010 and the only problem I had there was in fact with the UK road tax. I had to tax it in the UK for the week I was there, with the assurance that I could recover the unused part from the DVLA. The DVLA said I could recover it provided I sent the new V5 proving
change of ownership. I pointed out I couldn't do that, but that I could send them a copy of the French equivalent.- This was not acceptable to them. I do trust things have changed since 2010 - but I wouldn't bet on it.

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