Dark Blue Mark

May be looking at an import 03 STi and have a speedo question.

The car in question has MPH on the dials but the owner says the actual speedo has not been re-calibrated into MPH - its still on KPH.

Car has been in the country since new.

I thought it had to be converted via electrical converor box for it to pass an SVA?

MB

esp ltd

iTrader: (1)

You are correct!! The SVA test includes a speedo test on the rollers and this must obviously run in MPH so i'd be a little wary of the seller.

Dark Blue Mark

Good info thanks.

MB

GC8

Are you sure that the car is a JDM and not a Euro import?

Dark Blue Mark

Been advertised as a JDM

Any more ideas on this?

MB

GC8

If it has a 17 character VIN then its a European/UK car. If it has a chassis number prefixed GDB then its a Japanese car.

Simon

Dark Blue Mark

I should get it today. Def JDM - I now have pics and it has DCCD etc.

MB

harvey

iTrader: (48)

A convertor is available from David O'brien @ API Engines amongst others. Around £70. He will need model information to ensure you get the right one.
The SVA test involves running the car at various revs and checking the accuracy of the speedo. If it under reads it fails. If it over reads by more than a %age, around 10% then it fails.
If it has passed the SVaA it should be OK or there is something amiss.

Dark Blue Mark

Thanks Harvey. What are the "something amiss" options? I've owned a few imports but not come across this issue, so would like to understand what could have happened here.

MB

harvey

iTrader: (48)

Under ten years old and the car has to have an SVA. Over ten years and you can register it with an MOT and the remainder of the documentation but no SVA required.
The SVA test includes a check on Speedo Calibration. The Speedo must be marked MPH not KPH and tyres and wheels are checked to ensure they are as specified per the test report for that model.

I cannot see a car getting an SVA if the speedo is reading in kilometers even if it is marked MPH.

Rather than surmise what might be wrong would it not be best to check the accuracy (or innacuracy) of your speedo?
This can be done in a number of ways.
For instance the posts at the side of the motorway, about 2 feet high, white and blue hoops , just on the grass off the hard shoulder are 100 meters apart. They are numbered eg 16/7 That is 16 km 700 meters from the datum point so if you drive to post 34/9 you have done 18.2 km X .625 = 11.375 miles. How does that compare with your trip/audometer? Percentage deviation?
In my experience it is normal for Scoobies to over read from 3.4% to 8.5%, sometimes moreif there has been a change of tyres and wheels. The recent cars are most accurate. The only cars I have come across that under read have had a change of diff and top gear ratio.

Let us know if it is in fact reading KPH. If it is then an explanation is required from whoever you bought it from and if that is not forthcoming the SVA cetre.

1 mile = 1.6 Km. 1 Km = .625miles.

I hope this is helpful.

Dark Blue Mark

Yes most helpful.

In the guy's words:
"I have purchase the car from presteige cars at st. helens with hpi report and receipts paid by cash and all nessary paper work ie sva test and so forth which is all dealt with from the car dealer. the dials on the car is mph but actually runs on kmh but can be change but havent bother get round which is the only thing that needs doing if you really wanted to"

I guess its not even possible to pass just with a new dial that displays in MPH, and the odo will still read in KPH.

MB

harvey

iTrader: (48)

Correct. As I said above, an electronic converter is about £70. About M/Y 97 and before they were mechanical.
IF the speedo reads in KPH the car should not have an SVA. Start by verifying the descrepancy.

Dark Blue Mark

Will do ta Harvey

MB

esp ltd

iTrader: (1)

£70????? get onto ebay and look up a seller called code7t He only charges £25 for the tiniest electronic convertor we've used. I've bought a dozen or so now and used them for my SVA cars and they are brilliant!! They even supplied one for a GT-R Skyline i imported with a Nismo 320KMH speedo for £25.....not bad eh
Dave.

Dark Blue Mark

Can you comment on this speedo issue Dave?

MB

esp ltd

iTrader: (1)

Hi Mark, there are a few possibilities......the first is that it may have been SVA tested in Cyprus (on route from Japan) a couple of years ago as i saw many cars from there that were poorly prepared and some even without foglights!!! The second reason could be a clock change either to disguise a high mile car or simply to replace a faulty set of clocks. The third reason could be a tightarse SVA prep team who put a cheap clockface on the speedo to SVA it and who then remove it and replace with the original KMH face.......yes, i know people who actually do this!!!! Last reason could be a simple break down of the MPH speedo chip.
Whatever reason you go for it's no major issue, i'd knock £100 off the price, fit one of the speedo chips i mentioned earlier and then spend the rest of you price reduction on Stella
Dave.

Dark Blue Mark

Great info, appreciate that Dave

The clock change one worries me most though! I should be able to tell if its high mileage - and hopefully an HPi will pick this up too.

The owner just says ""I have purchase the car from Presteige cars at st. helens with hpi report and receipts paid by cash and all nessary paper work ie sva test and so forth which is all dealt with from the car dealer. the dials on the car is mph but actually runs on kmh but can be change but havent bother get round which is the only thing that needs doing if you really wanted to"

So sounds like it was always like this?

MB

esp ltd

iTrader: (1)

Best thing to do mate is if in doubt leave it alone! There are 100's of good cars floating around so why settle for something you are a little concerned over especially in a buyers market......don't forget....you may decide to sell it on yourself soon so save yourself the hassle.....unless it's an absolute bargain that is
Dave.

harvey

iTrader: (48)

Sounds like good advice. If the history is questionable, walk away.
Sorry I did not realise you did not have the car as yet.
ESP. Thanks for the info on chips.

Dark Blue Mark

Its the only wite one ive seen though! I shall be cautious.... This is why I dont like JDM's - there is always something a bit fishy about these things

But the benefits outweigh that I guess

MB

esp ltd

iTrader: (1)

Mark, there was a white WRX on Pistonheads and it looked a real minter but it depends if you want a WRX or STI. It had a nice leather interior, wheels and some other nice bits. I've not spoken to the owner nor seen the car so you'd obviously need to make up your own mind on it but it did appeal to me as a re-sale car.......worth a look!!
Harvey, no probs with the chip / delimiter advice, i sell the mechanical type myself at £49.50 so the electronic type at £25 through the seller 'code7t' is a bargain in my eyes! Some sellers will tell you they need the VIN number from your car to match a delimiter with your car but it's just a ploy to charge more.....naughty rascals!! Glad to be of help!
Dave.

APIDavid

iTrader: (4)

APi have a White 2003 STi 9 for sale ready to go trackered, alarmed, decatted ecuteked, janspeeded, VERY quick and with graphite grey alloys PFF-7's looks the biz, taxed, MOT'd etc etc

Scott Lowe front lip spoiler, 7000 warranted miles from new with no issues over history or mileage. AND a Warranty.

Generally, the speedo chip we use is recalibrateable to allow for larger or whatever wheels.

We used to use those small cheap converters and after 9 duff ones gave up the time fitting and refitting cost too much so we went with one that works every time.

http://www.apiengines.com/car_sales_detail.php?id=18

Call if I can help, price has been lowered from the ad price.

David APi

Dark Blue Mark

Thanks again both! Dave, it has to be an STi though

David - what's the current price??

MB

DazW

iTrader: (1)

SVA only requires the speedo to read MPH not sure the Odo has to read in miles (scroll down about 2/3rds to 'Imperial Speedometer'):

http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/group....hcsp#P40_2806

I wouldn't worry too much ...It just sounds like the dial face has been changed to MPH (which is what ive just done on my JDM Type RA) ...its the cheapest option @ £15 ...although that does mean that the odometer will still be in Km's & it will still be restricted to 112 Mph

PS You can easily tell if this is whats been done ...the dial will only show up to 120 Mph

harvey

iTrader: (48)

I f the MPH resding is not accurate to within a few % then the car should not pass the SVA. Is your RA subject to an SVA?
When chipped, the Speedo and mileometer/trip are also sorted to read miles.

MMT WRX

This is what was done to my JDM import...speedo reads MPH, ODO still KPH...I have checked it against satnav and it seems to read about 2mph faster, at all speeds, than what the satnav says.

DazW

iTrader: (1)

I didnt need an SVA as it's more than 10 years old ...but my speedo is accurate ...the dial face just show's what was Kmh as Mph ...hence my old dial read upto 200 (kph) ...my new face only reads upto 120 (mph)

Wouldn't be an SVA problem if Subaru made one dial that showed both Mph & Kph!

esp ltd

iTrader: (1)

I'm very suprised you had 9 duff delimiters David but i suppose you get through a few I've used loads and never had a problem unless i fitted them incorrectly, check your fitter isn't colour blind . Out of interest i've never ever come across a 'variable' delimiter......who makes these as i asked the guys down at the SVA test centre earlier and they'd never heard of one either.
Dave.
ps....your STi sounds superb and i also recently sold a Type R with one of your engines in it.......absolutely fantastic re-build, was so impressed i was going to write in to you but as per usual i forgot but will be comming to you if i ever need another engine!!
Dave.

stevebt

iTrader: (8)

i imported my car into the country and it had 29000km which is around 19k miles but when my car was MOT'd they put that down as miles so maybe what the person is stating is that the car was imported with Xkm but the milage is lower ??? mine is now working in miles but the speedo reads 10k miles more than the car has done

dij

seems like its possible that the SVA test wasn't as strict as its supposed to be ( I have come across cars that are recently registered/SVA'd etc without illuminating fog light switches,wooden steerings without SRS,aftermarket alloys with wrong offsets etc).This is a possibility,although one would expect a proper job on such a car (or any that youre paying for).

I would assume that the speedo has been 'messed with' at some point after SVA,poss disconnected the converter due to a fault,or worse when the mileage has been(cough)corrected.

No way of knowing the real mileage of most imports,they all look/sound good even with 200,000 kms....

good luck