Imported Civic

Hi, I was hoping someone in this group might be able to help me.
I have a Honda Civic that was originally imported into the UK from Cyprus.
I have come to get its MOT certificate and was told I need a
"Certificate of Conformity" as the car is not fitted with the required
catalytic converter to enable it to pass UK emissions laws.
I have tracked down the original car dealer in Cyprus who tried to help,
but could only give me a note explaining what I had already tried to
tell the testing centre. It has to be the official document, normally
coming from the car manufacturer.

Anyone offer any help?

TIA

 

Have you tried calling Honda UK directly?

 

Yeah, first thing I did. They could only 'suggest' I call Honda Cyprus.

 

Four questions come to mind:
1) Who imported the car?
2) Is it already registered in the UK? (Do you have a V5?)
3) What did Honda Cyprus say?
4) If you simply installed a cat, would that make them happy?

 

1. A friend of my boss - who is now unfortunately, long out of the picture.
2. I have been using the car for 4 years now, and only since the
computerisation of MOTs have I run into problems. Simply telling the MOT
centre the car was imported seemed to be enough before. I have all the
other papers.
3. Honda Cyprus emailed me a letter saying the car was imported without
a Cat, and said they were waiting for Honda Japan to get back to them.
They haven't as yet, and this was way back in December.
4. I have been told the car does not have the necessary connections, as
I don't know anything about the mechanics I dont really know what this
means - but was told that it is not simply a matter of bolting a cat to
the exhaust.

Just tried Honda UK again, thought I was actually getting somewhere when
I asked if I could apply for the Certificate and they knew what I was
talking about! It eventually dawned on them that the car is imported
*into* the UK. End of that conversation!

Banging my head against a wall is less painful!

 

So have many other people, from what I've been reading.

It sounds like your car is being emission tested according to the specs for
UK-market cars for your year, but you can't meet that because there's no
cat.

According to an article in the April 2001 issue of Practical Classics
magazine, engines that have never been able to meet MoT emissions
regulations are exempt from emissions testing. You do, however, need a
letter from the manufacturer stating that the vehicle was never meant to
meet UK regs. I'd think Honda UK could do that.

The author of the PC article was Simon Goldsworthy.
PC's phone number is 01733 264666. Perhaps they can help provide some
guidance. I remember seeing similar enquiries in the magazine.

They may be referring to the oxygen sensor. A suitable generic cat may be
spliced into ANY exhaust system of ANY car by ANY competent exhaust shop.

The oxygen sensor is an integral part of a feedback fuel control system, so
many expensive parts would need to be changed to accomodate the O2 sensor
and its signals. Having said that, you don't *need* an oxygen sensor with a
cat.

 

A Certificate of Conformity is a certificate (bit of paper) that
certifies that it complies (meets) with the European regulations in
force at the time of manufacture. In other words it has been
'homologated'. From memory this CoC will also give the WVTA number.
(Whole Vehicle Type Approval).

As your car was not built to meet the European regs it can not have a
certificate as it does not comply.

When it was imported it must have been treated as a single vehicle
import. This should show it is not a European model.

Failing that I suggest that you call either the VCA or VOSA in Bristol
and they will be able to tell you what to do - not sure which is
appropriate.

Of course if it was not imported correctly in the first place it may
mean more trouble.

 

Ah, then it's similar to our North American "Certificate of Compliance".

And somebody must have gone through all this to be able to get a number
plate and a V5 in the first place. This would appear to be the OP's boss's
friend, who is apparently incommunicado.

I wonder what's in the logbook (if one's available).

What if he calls the DVLA in Swansea? They issued the V5 in the first
place, did they not?

 

DVLA does driver and vehicle licencing

VCA - vehicle certification agency - Homologation and type approvals

VOSA - Look after the MOT stations where the OP had his problem in the
first place (For interest they are also the people that pull trucks and
busses over for roadside safety checks - can a a dangerous job).


But I bet that whichever of the 3 he calls will tell him it's not their
problem, and to call whichever is next on the list.........


Let us know how you get on.

 

it seems to me the easiest solution is buying a UK exhaust and bolt it
to your motor... that way it will have the flanges for your Cat.

 

Thanks for all the replies!

Finally tracked someone down at Honda UK, who immediately understood my
problem. Form to apply for Conformity sure enough came to me from the
Homologation Department the next day. Hopefully will hear reply soon.
FWIW V5 document just states "VEHICLE WAS REGISTER/USED OVERSEAS,
DECLARED MANUFACTURED 1997"

 

Good news! Did you discover whether or not you're emissions exempt?

 

Not yet, hopefully this form will be the end of it!

 

Update:

Honda UK tell me that as the car is from Japan, I must deal with them!
Anyone speak Japanese?

 

Im decatting my car anyway......

 

This is utterly false.

Honda UK should be able to tell you from your car's VIN that the vehicle
was NOT MADE FOR THE UK MARKET, which is all that matters, from what I'm
reading. You just need Honda UK to type up a letter saying simply that,
which any fool working for them ought to be able to do.

You are getting the runaround. Either be more forceful, or call Practical
Classics magazine. Your car isn't a clessic, but you are facing typical
classic-car type problems, namely trouble importing and registering a
vehicle not intended for your market.

 

As I said before, this is not a Honda UK problem. You have a grey
import. If it was registered correctly when imported, the VOSA/VCA/DVLA
should be able to help you. A letter telling you that the car was never
intended for the European market will not help you with the MOT.

If the car is registered (incorrectly) as an EU car the tester will test
it as such. If it's registered as a 'one off' import the tester should
test it as such. Check the 'log book' and see which way you need to go.
If it is registered correctly talk to VOSA to sort out the test station,
if it's registered incorrectly you have a problem.

You will not get a CoC from Japan because they can not give you one if
it was not built to EU spec as it does not comply with the EU regs. I
predict it will take weeks if you write to Jpn to be told what you know
already.

 

According to the article I referenced in Practical Classics, it is only
necessary to have a letter from the automaker saying the car was never
meant to meet UK emissions regs. It said nothing about EU market.

Maybe the article is wrong. I don't know.

The OP has stated that the logbook says this:
VEHICLE WAS REGISTER/USED OVERSEAS, DECLARED MANUFACTURED 1997

Pretty vague.

So you're saying he has to get hold of VCA and determine with them how
exactly the car was certified in their system?

 

Sadly, I think you may have hit the nail on the head here.
But, fingers crossed, the letter has been sent and some nice lady in
Tokyo is finding what I need.

 

According to the article I referenced in Practical Classics, it is only

A few years ago we in Europe moved from national regs (in my case UK) to
EU wide regs. So now if a car is homologated (certified by a government
Tech Authority) in any EU country, it can be sold and registered in any
of them.
In the old system, manaufacturese would have to get approval country by
country.

So the new system is better for everybody.

However if you do a personal import of a used car, it is still done
country by country, but once registered you can of course drive in all
of them.

I'm still not sure what the op is hoping to get from Honda in Japan, as
I can not see how they can issue a CoC, unless the car was originally an
EU spec car, in which case it would have been registered as such, and
have the bits needed to pass the mot test...........

Still good luck.