ITV and roof racks...

[rafiki]

The other day I was talking to another Land Rover owner, a Spanish guy, who had a roof rack atop his Defender. I asked him if he removes the roof rack before the ITV test. He said "no need, if it is removable it's allowed". Last time I took the test I removed my Rhino roof rack - so was that really unnecessary?

[El Cid]

It depends on the guy doing the test.

A friend was made to remove those cheapo reflectors that you stick on the edge of your doors!

Anything is possible and all the rules are made up to be misinterpreted or ignored and if they aren't enough they can invent new ones!

Cynical Cid

[rafiki]

Might be worth a trip to ITV La Palma del Condado to ask the chief there? Especially as the roof rack has a roof tent on it....

[gus-lopez]

It depends on the guy doing the test.

A friend was made to remove those cheapo reflectors that you stick on the edge of your doors!

Anything is possible and all the rules are made up to be misinterpreted or ignored and if they aren't enough they can invent new ones!

Cynical Cid

[Acen]

im going with the car on monday, i was there earlier this year with the bike.

Had a late appointment and as they wanted to go home they rushed it thorugh.

they could not find the VIN number on the bike so ticked it as checked anyway. (it was not the fist ITV so I guess it did not matter too much)

They locked the doors and had to open it to let me out. Literally 6 men were waiting for me to get out so they could go home.

They even said to me "why have you come here so late" it actually was not the last time slot of the day but they have 5 people for cars and just one for Bikes!!!!

Doing the rolling road brake test on two wheels is a bit hairy!!!

[rafiki]

You are taking the car with roof rack?

[Gasman]

Hi - we imported our French land rover Defender from France and immatriculated it here after a right performance with the ITV - the Defender was alright, it was the add-ons we hadn't bargained for. We thought they would just test the car, yeh? ... No! It had gone through an authorised engineers inspection for the ficha technica, and unbeknownst to us the idiot had included the roof-rack and the winch on the front, and the ball for towing on the back - these are now an integral part of the vehicle and will not pass future ITV inspections without them on and we apparently can't even sell it without them on - this could be a problem as the roof-bars are currently rusting in a corner and may not be fit to go back on!

Anyone else had this problem - its too late to argue once you are at the ITV with man arguing over the homologation of your Warn winch and its special bumper!!
Cheers!

[country boy]

I had a similar problem with my Range Rover. It had a factory fitted Bullbar when it was matriculated, this subsequently rotted out ( £45K vehicle , it lasted 8 years!) About two ITV's later they noticed it had gone and it failed. I had to go to a Gestor and get the paperwork changed and a certificate from a registered installer to say it had been removed safely...don't ask! Cost me €180 for the privilege! You just have to go with it

[rafiki]

All very interesting but does anyone know if a car with a removable roof rack will fail if the rack is left on for the test?

[morlandg]

I have 2 removable roof racks and have never been questioned about them. The car has had 6 or 7 ITVs.

[rafiki]

I have 2 removable roof racks and have never been questioned about them. The car has had 6 or 7 ITVs.

Thank you, did you ever take it in for test with roof rack with roof box attached?

[morlandg]

I have 2 removable roof racks and have never been questioned about them. The car has had 6 or 7 ITVs.

Thank you, did you ever take it in for test with roof rack with roof box attached?

No - sorry.

[rafiki]

I took the Land Rover to the Palma del Condado test centre this morning and spoke to the chief tecníco there. When I showed him the car with roof rack and roof tent attached he told me it was no problem. To save another journey I went to the desk on the off-chance of getting an appointment today and was surprised to be offered one in 50 minutes time. The OH and I toodled off to a shady car park to check the car over as I hadn't expected to get an appointment today. All went OK. The very nice tester guy was OK with my limited Spanish and used hand signals. They are dipping the oil as part of the test these days. I was surprised they didn't do an emissions test. When the tester guy went down the pit he got a colleague to waggle the steering wheel to his instructions to save me using the two-way radio which ususlly screeches the instructions. Ten minutes later he came out of the hut and said 'see you in two years'. Result

Really glad it's not necessary to take that rack and roof tent off for the test.

[El Cid]

Really glad it's not necessary to take that rack and roof tent off for the test.

That was your result at your testing station with that particular tester and that's great news

I wouldn't guarantee that it would be the same elsewhere and even when your two years are up don't take it for granted that it will be accepted again!

Sid

[rafiki]

Agreed Sid. I'll follow the same procedure then as today.

[pilgrim2]

I tend to save up all things official for July and August as there seems to be a much more relaxed attitude and more often than not you do not need an appointment. I am now compiling my list of things that need to be done for August:)

I mean who would want to go to Sevilla in August - except us foreigners!!!