Importing a N&B Arto need info on speedo changes

[ANDY400R]

I am trying to purchase a N&B Arto 79F from France and need some info on making it legal and ready for registration please.
I believe there are 3 main things that need changing, dipping of the lights, fog light and speedo to read MPH.
Having checked the motorhome this week it appears to have a fog light either side on the rear so this should be ok, the dealer says he can change the dipping of the headlights so again should be ok although I'm not sure how this is done.
But the one that's causing me to worry is the speedo, the dealer says it can be changed to show miles instead of km on the trip and that it changes the speedo to indicate MPH on the dial although the dial is labelled KPH only.
So 2 questions please
1) is the dealer correct in saying that it will indicate MPH on the KPH dial (he wasn't convincing but may have been the language barrier)
2) is that sufficient for UK requirements or must the speedo be marked up in MPH.
I know Lockwoods can supply an overlay but if the dealer is correct is it necessary? Or would the dealer be able to order a UK MPH dial from N&B in Polch and fit it prior to collection.( my prefered option if it needs changing)

Thanks in advance for any help,

 

[pappajohn]

d) A professional, single, miles per hour, overlay is applied directly to the speedometer face plate, not the
glass front plate (the overlay must be durable and accurate, with markings visible in both day and night

This is obviously the cheapest option.

By professional i can only assume they mean an overlay provided by a third party and in one piece, not a group of individual numbers simply stuck on in approximate positions.

 

[Speve]

We changed had ours changed for import got docs back in less than two weeks,this is the insert we took off and replaced with MPH

 

[funflair]

If you had read my earlier post, post No. 16, yiou will see that I have quoted from the VCA application form and it clearly states you MUST have a speedo that reads MPH, without it you can't get a VCA Certificate and without a VCA certificate you CAN NOT register a vehicle.

My comment was directed towards people that say you cant pass a MOT with KPH only as the vehicle does not comply.

As somebody else said there seems to be a big difference between what you have to do for a personal import against what the dealers do against a CoC or whatever they use.

Martin

 

[Clarky]

But further down it says,

(3) Instead of complying with paragraph (1) a vehicle may comply with Community Directive 75/443 or with ECE Regulation 39.

The vehicles we are talking about were constructed to European regs not UK construction regs, I believe the Community directive does not require MPH and trumps paragraph 35.--(1)

Martin

So, in light of the above is my vehicle illegal with only KPH on the speedo?

It seems that it is only the UK that requires MPH and KPH on the dial.
What about all the vehicles visiting from the EC?
One rule for us and one rule for them......yet again.

I'm really not bothered about spending £50, in fact the dealer should pay for that if the speedo is illegal.

Richard.

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[funflair]

So, in light of the above is my vehicle illegal with only KPH on the speedo?

It seems that it is only the UK that requires MPH and KPH on the dial.
What about all the vehicles visiting from the EC?
One rule for us and one rule for them......yet again.

I'm really not bothered about spending £50, in fact the dealer should pay for that if the speedo is illegal.

Richard.

My understanding is that if it was registered with KPH only speedo by the dealer or whatever method, then it is legal at subsequent MOT inspections as it still complies with the EEC directive that negates the paragraph 1 on the UK construction and use regs.

Ours passes every year at local authority HGV test centre.

Martin

 

[ANDY400R]

Wow lots of advice there thank you, although some of it a bit conflicting.

We've just gone through the same process following help and advice from the forum (thanks to @lennyhb and @Judgemental ). The Lockwood dials are easy to fit with good instructions. The finished result is identical to a UK speedo. 10 min job but a bit nerve wracking on an expensive new vehicle
Our dealer in Belgium offered to take the van to his Fiat dealer to do the change if I brought a dial with me, but I ended up doing it myself anyway.
You will then need a local MOT station or garage to certify all the changes have been done.
Feel free to PM me if you're still unsure. Also I can give you a copy of the letter I got the Mot station to write which the Certification agency accepted with no problem.

Thank you for your kind offer which I will take up and will send you a PM.

You need to change it for VCA/MOT inspection. And to comply with UK construction and use regs

Get dealer to take photo of speedo with lights on (many different ones with different warnings) send photo to Lockwood who will post directly to dealer..get him to do something for his money

Lovely choice of van ..did you get a better deal in France. How are you handling insurance getting it home...

Eddie

Thanks Eddie I think thats the approach I will try and take.
I think savings will be in the region of 30,000 pounds when all things taken into account and have managed to find fully comp insurance (at a price) which covers driving back from France. I have another contact in Rotterdam who I am waiting to hear from who may also cover for either 3rd party or comprehensive according to their website. The motorhome is a brand new 2016 model but won't be available for collection until March 2016 so I have a bit of time to finalise these things.

I think a bit of perspective is called for.....You are importing a van worth 10's of 1000's and arguing about a speedo overlay that costs from £50..seriously?lol

From what your saying perhaps I am worrying a little too much over the detail and these things like lights and speedo can easily be sorted and I should just commit and go for it. I know I do normally like every detail sorted and clear before entering into a major purchase and tend to be a bit too concerned about the little things instead of just going for it.

Andy

 

[Clarky]

My understanding is that if it was registered with KPH only speedo by the dealer or whatever method, then it is legal at subsequent MOT inspections as it still complies with the EEC directive that negates the paragraph 1 on the UK construction and use regs.

Ours passes every year at local authority HGV test centre.

Martin

Thanks Martin.
Won't be losing any sleep over that little matter then.

Richard.

 

[Lenny HB]

My comment was directed towards people that say you cant pass a MOT with KPH only as the vehicle does not comply.

As somebody else said there seems to be a big difference between what you have to do for a personal import against what the dealers do against a CoC or whatever they use.

Martin

Just because it will pass an MOT is does not make it legal under the Vehicle Construction & Use laws which it needs to be to comply with the law. There is no difference between what a dealer needs to do for small quantity imports compared to individual imports, what was said was the dealer was self certifying, i.e. telling porky's to the VCA to save 50 quid and a few minutes labour.

 

[Mr Mousy]

Mr Mousy are you on Merc or Fiat?

Merc

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[jongood]

F

That is how they were on the old units since about 2007 you just need to flip a lever.

With respect mine is a 2010 and have seen 2012 with the same setup. I will be pleased if they have changed them on the new ones, maybe the OP er will enlighten us?

Jon

 

[funflair]

Hi Jon

Not sure if ours are classic or performance but either way the Hella catalogue seems to show that you rotate them.

http://www.hella.com/caravan/assets/media_global/Brief_Information_90mmPerformance_EN.pdf


Martin

 

[Mr B]

This was sent from Wokingham Rapido dealership regards to hella headlights.

 

[Lenny HB]

That is the Hella Classic they are still made for replacement, I was not aware of any manufactures fitting then to new vehicles, but we all know how manufactures penny pinch. Hymer have been fitting the new Performance vesion unit since 2006 I would assume N & B have also been fitting the newer unit.

 

[Mr B]

It is fitted to our 2011 Rapido A class

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[ANDY400R]

We changed had ours changed for import got docs back in less than two weeks,this is the insert we took off and replaced with MPH
View attachment 85993

Which make of motorhome was that Alan? How easy was it to do and did you do it yourself?

 

[Speve]

Which make of motorhome was that Alan? How easy was it to do and did you do it yourself?

@ANDY400R didnt do it myself as we imported through Bundesvan and they got everything done for us but had to have the instrument cluster changed end of last month due to warranty fault and Fiat dealers had to take out the Km face and replace with our mph face they told me it was very easy to do they actually changed the whole cluster including the speedo insert in less than two hours.

 

[Mr B]

Which make of motorhome was that Alan? How easy was it to do and did you do it yourself?

It's easy to do. I think it's two screws that hold the pod ( fiat) then just disconnect the wiring plug. Then just remove the glass/surround from the instrument pod. Remove the fingers from the dials, remove/stick the mph replacement on ( I got a mph speedo pod and just swopped the display over)
Rebuild and replace.

 

[Judge Mental]

It's easy to do. I think it's two screws that hold the pod ( fiat) then just disconnect the wiring plug. Then just remove the glass/surround from the instrument pod. Remove the fingers from the dials, remove/stick the mph replacement on ( I got a mph speedo pod and just swopped the display over)
Rebuild and replace.

OR take it round to @lennyhb and get him to do it

 

[Lenny HB]

@ANDY400R didnt do it myself as we imported through Bundesvan and they got everything done for us but had to have the instrument cluster changed end of last month due to warranty fault and Fiat dealers had to take out the Km face and replace with our mph face they told me it was very easy to do they actually changed the whole cluster including the speedo insert in less than two hours.

If it took them more than 15 min they must employ right numpties.

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[Jenben]

Mr Jenben changed the speedo in 10 minutes, he definitely isn't a numpty.

 

[ANDY400R]

Thanks guys, I phoned Lockwoods this afternoon and they were extremely helpful, indentified which dial it is (only 2 for 2015 Ducato, auto or manual box so that makes life a bit easier) and spent 10 mins going through the procedure. With help from @Jenben as well I think I can stop worrying about this now.

Also got a second qoute for damage cover to drive across France from a UK insurer which is a fair bit better than previous quote but does not cover 3rd party, however finally heard back from Rotterdam broker who will do this for €180 for 15 day cover.

No reason to delay confirming deal now really just would of liked the £/€ exchange rate to have recovered a little from last weeks fall. Suppose you can't have everything.

 

[Jenben]

I think @lennyhb recommended using NFU for insurance ? I think it was on another thread ?

 

[Judge Mental]

Thanks guys, I phoned Lockwoods this afternoon and they were extremely helpful, indentified which dial it is (only 2 for 2015 Ducato, auto or manual box so that makes life a bit easier) and spent 10 mins going through the procedure. With help from @Jenben as well I think I can stop worrying about this now.

Also got a second qoute for damage cover to drive across France from a UK insurer which is a fair bit better than previous quote but does not cover 3rd party, however finally heard back from Rotterdam broker who will do this for €180 for 15 day cover.

No reason to delay confirming deal now really just would of liked the £/€ exchange rate to have recovered a little from last weeks fall. Suppose you can't have everything.

Please could you share the UK insurance company's details as this sort of cover unheard of here I thought...

 

[Lenny HB]

Also got a second qoute for damage cover to drive across France from a UK insurer which is a fair bit better than previous quote but does not cover 3rd party, however finally heard back from Rotterdam broker who will do this for €180 for 15 day cover.

That sounds really good.

I think @lennyhb recommended using NFU for insurance ? I think it was on another thread ?

I used NFU, but only got cover once on UK soil, on anther thread someone got full comp from them for bringing an N & B back from Germany.

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[sallylillian]

That sounds really good.


I used NFU, but only got cover once on UK soil, on anther thread someone got full comp from them for bringing an N & B back from Germany.

That was me with my Flair in July, full comp cover on the VIN from the moment I paid the invoice, however someone else tried and they told him they only offer that to existing customers (which I am). But nevertheless worth a try as they are competitive in any event.

 

[ANDY400R]

Please could you share the UK insurance company's details as this sort of cover unheard of here I thought...

One was AIB insurance the other was done through a friend of a friend who had a contact at Lloyds London. Don't want to give out personal email at moment as would need to speak to them first and it may have only been done as a favour. Although this was cheaper than AIB was damage cover only and I would have to add the cost of the 3rd party cover. It was only for 15 days whereas AIB is an annual policy and covers both from pick up on the VIN.