Common IVA Problems

[jezzaaa]

Hi All....sorry, me again!

So I'm already really excited even though I have 10 long months before I'll see my kit delivered.

Was just reading through the IVA checklist from the Caterham website, and I just wondered...what is people's experience of failure items...and are there any big ones that need a lot of work to correct (in terms of having to dismantle a lot of things) to correct? So I can keep an eye out for those items during the build...

Thanks all,

J.

[DCL]

The idea that'll it fail the IVA shouldn't enter your head. If you are doing it yourself and everything is correct it will pass. Any minor adjustments required can be done at the test. Best thing is to be prepared with trim parts, tools and knowledge to align lights and how to adjust the speedo calibration etc. Fill the tank and bed the brakes in if you can. Arrive early, be friendly, accept advice openly.

My recollection of my test at my local test centre was witnessing my car being driven around their test track (yard) in the apparent need to do some further testing. Apparently that required an opinion from several of there staff! It was all a good natured and an enjoyable experience.

[jezzaaa]

DCL said:

The idea that'll it fail the IVA shouldn't enter your head. If you are doing it yourself and everything is correct it will pass. Any minor adjustments required can be done at the test. Best thing is to be prepared with trim parts, tools and knowledge to align lights and how to adjust the speedo calibration etc. Fill the tank and bed the brakes in if you can. Arrive early, be friendly, accept advice openly.

My recollection of my test at my local test centre was witnessing my car being driven around their test track (yard) in the apparent need to do some further testing. Apparently that required an opinion from several of there staff! It was all a good natured and an enjoyable experience.

Ok thanks DCL...it's not good I guess to start being anxious about it. I'm reasonably meticulous and careful, so I'm sure I won't do anything terribly bad. If most things can be fixed relatively easily...and it's gone through the pre-IVA check at the dealer, I guess it shouldn't be too hard. Cheers.

[framerateuk]

Bought mine 2nd hand so didn't get to experience the IVA. I friend of mine built a Mev Exocet and failed the IVA first time on a couple of silly things - namely no rubber trim on the back of some GRP parts to smooth the edges off. I think they also failed on the position of the rear lights.

Thankfully you shouldn't run into issues like the 2nd one! Make sure you've got spare trim just in case you miss something though!

[mickrick]

Is the old dash with the rocker switches acceptable for IVA?
Last time I looked it had been changed for those flush fitting round buttons.

[mickrick]

PH is very quiet compared to what it used to be.

[Boggo]

Yes - Rocker switches still fine - worth labling them with stickers just in case (most remove them after IVA)

[mickrick]

Boggo said:

Yes - Rocker switches still fine - worth labling them with stickers just in case (most remove them after IVA)

Thank you Sir.

[Switch]

I've just built and IVA'd my Academy Car for this year, happy to discuss the issues I had and how to overcome them, drop me a PM.

My primary recommendation is to take it to an IVA centre that's familiar with Caterhams.
Gillingham for instance. Even if it's far from you, the drive down is a great time for the brakes to bed in and get things up to temp. Plus you get to drive around with no number plates which is fun for the novelty of the thing.

HTH

[jezzaaa]

Switch said:

I've just built and IVA'd my Academy Car for this year, happy to discuss the issues I had and how to overcome them, drop me a PM.

My primary recommendation is to take it to an IVA centre that's familiar with Caterhams.
Gillingham for instance. Even if it's far from you, the drive down is a great time for the brakes to bed in and get things up to temp. Plus you get to drive around with no number plates which is fun for the novelty of the thing.

HTH

Thanks Switch...very kind. I will PM you when I get to the point of booking the test

[xcentric]

Issues I've heard of:

• mirrors not in right place (or not fitted)
• ( rough edges on some things (take gaffer tape and tape anything up that causes concern!)

otherwise, if the car works and the electrics work as they should, there's no reason it'll not go through. Any of the tweaks you are considering, wait until after the iVA and take them a standard car.....

[BigCol]

Despite going through a PBC at Caterham, my car failed its first IVA.
That was partially due to an over-diligent tester (who in turn was being assessed) misinterpreting some of the regulations but mainly due to my brakes - the rears locked-up first.
My advice is to take a *very* circuitous route to the test centre and get those brakes properly bedded-in and have as little on the car (eg no doors) as possible. Fewer things = fewer things to fail!
The four hour test will fly by and the tester usually will be as enthusiastic with your car as you and will *want* it to pass and will allow you tweaks so it does.