Type approval certificates

[SprintGT]

Hi Folks,

I've just bought myself a nice S3 off the Pistonheads website and am now in the process of registering it in France. To cut a long story short there are two ways of doing this, the hard way, or with the aid of a type approval certificate!

As I'm sure you can appreciate, getting a certificate out of the factory at the moment isn't easy, so...

Does anyone out there have either a) a European Certificate of conformity for a 1990 S3 that I could have a scan of, or b) a UK type approval certificate for the same?

The information contained therein would help me fill out the details for the French SVA test and with a bit of luck get some French plates on my car!

Thanks in advance
Sprint GT

[ketvrin]

Hi Chris

I've had a ratch through the docs tha came with my car without any luck I'm afraid... maybe someone else will be able to help, but meanwhile why not contact a TVR Dealer to see if they can help ?

good luck

Kevin

[Barkychoc]

Isn't there a type approval number under the bonnet that could be looked up?
Guessing here.

Chris

[SprintGT]

There is a type approval number, yes, but I need all the silly info that goes along with the type approval itself. Details on seat belt mounting points and all that rubbish.

They're difficult things to find and the end customer doesn't usually see them. The certificates are supplied to the dealers new and then kept by the DVLA when the first reg is done. Sometimes people get a photocopy of the original though which is what I'm hoping for!

I do have a contact at the factory who's looking into it for me, but he said that all the records are in storage and it may take some time...

Incidentally, I've tried Fernhurst and David Gerald to no avail. Both happy to help but nothing on record. Teach me to want to export one to France I suppose...

Sprint GT

[ijbd]

Sprint,

sounds like you need to contact the French TVR club. http://www.tvrcarclub-france.net/ I am sure they speak English, otherwise I will try to interpret.

I have seen French S's. So I assume the model was type approved in France. That is much cheaper than a one-off approval.

Some countries, of course including us Dutch, considered the S3 in 1989 a new model, over 2 liters, hence it needed cats. If France did the same, you may need cats to be type approved as well.

mvg Boudewijn

[Le TVR]

The problem will be that your prefecture will demand an original of the certificate of conformity signed by Terry Lendrim of TVR for DS28P and DS29P models.

What have your prefecture requested?
- Demande d'identification?
- réception à titre isolé?

As the S3 will pre-date the EU directive of 1998 that really permits free movement of EU registered vehicles I guess and RTI is going to be needed.

Good luck in any case.

[SprintGT]

Dear Le TVR,

I think a reception à titre isolé is the only way forward, but if have a copy of a certificate at least I'm sure to have the information I need.

Cheers
SprintGT

[SprintGT]

Dear Ijbd,

I think for the cats I'm okay on pre-94 cars in France, its just getting the car through the "reception à titre isolé" or SVA for the English speaking folks thats going to be tricky and I'd like to have as much information as possible at my fingertips.

Cheers
SprintGT

[SprintGT]

Incidentally, thanks for the French TVR club tip, but they haven't responded to my mails, answerphone messages as yet. Thanks also for the translation offer, but my French is pretty passable, Mrs Sprint is French you see...

SprintGT

[Le TVR]

Just had a look and it would appear that the certificate of conformity is only obligatory for NEW cars.

Your best start would probably be a 'demande d'identification' to the DRIRE:

http://www.drire.gouv.fr/vehicules/demande_identif...

The model is known to the DRIRE so they should be able to ID it. If they judge necessary they will request that you present it to the Service des Mines for a RTI.

I dont know if the S3 will have an EU style VIN plate with the weights PTAC, PTRA, etc as needed for the application form?

I can always have a look a mine if you need.

[SprintGT]

Dear Le TVR,

I just had a look through the photos I took (the car is still physically in the UK for the moment), there a Uk national type approval number, the VIN plate with the chassis and engine number, plus another with a bunch of E11 and E2 codes which I don't really understand. Nothing as explicit as PTRAC etc.

SprintGT

[Le TVR]

OK, I have 2 VIN plates, one UK one and an EU one.

EU one states:

Max gross wt 1170 kg (PTAC)
Max combined wt ------- (PTRA)
Max front axle 609 kg
Max rear axle 680 kg

Carte Grise data:

Genre: VP
Marque : TVR
Type: DS28P S
Carrosserie: CABR
EN: ES
Puissance: 13cv
Pl Ass: 2
Poids TC: 1170
Poids à vide: 970
Br (dBA): 99
Régime: 4275 tr/min

[SprintGT]

Thanks le TVR,

I'm guessing DS28P S means that your car is a 2.8? Is is too much of a logical leap to assume that an S3 (2.9) would be type DS29P S?

My car seems to lack the EU VIN plate, probably not required in the UK.

SprintGT

Edited by SprintGT on Tuesday 13th November 13:20

Edited by SprintGT on Tuesday 13th November 13:24

[Le TVR]

If it is an S3 (and not S3C) then it is DS29P.

Your VIN will confirm : SA9DS29P..........

[SprintGT]

Le TVR,

Curiouser and curiouser, my chassis number starts SA9DSN2P...

Any ideas?

SprintGT

[Le TVR]

N2P was the later reference for the S (dont know when the change was made) and N4P was the V8.

So it will be DSN2P.

[SprintGT]

Brilliant, thanks Le TVR