88 Nick Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 Hi, I've been trying to decide whether to keep my motor road legal or not. The MOT Tax and insurance are'nt due for quite a while but the decision will influence the extent of some modifications that I'm considering. Thoughts I have had so far .... In favour of remaining road legal • Can travel between sites on multi venue events without loading on trailer • Makes me maintain and keep up appearance better - (shut up Dave) • Can use as second vehicle if necessary - (rare) • More pride in ownership. • Probably maintains value better. • I quite like the idea of competing a vehicle, rather than a scaffolded up earth mover. In favour of going off road only....... • No worries about off road mods, especially in light of recent developments and how they could be viewed by the authorities. • Can tray back, move axles etc without SVA malarkey. • Obvious savings on tax mot etc. • It’s already not nice on the road with soft springs and knobbly tyres. • Less time and money on repairs. I have a question regarding insurance too - can it still be insured against theft if non-road legal, and, how many comps do not allow non-road legal motors? Any thoughts and opinions appreciated. Many thanks, Nick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JST Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 and, how many comps do not allow non-road legal motors? AWDC Challenge series next year cater for non road legal my events next year will require vehicles to be road legal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T1G UP Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 personally i think keeping it legal is a must. If the only thing keeping it "landrover" is legallity then i'd forgoe the landrover part and build a fit for purpose "buggy" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbocharger Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 If you don't drive it regularly on the road, the reliability suffers. We've all seen motors trailered to events, and they're often loaded up again at lunchtime with overheating / misfiring / dirt in the fuel / other, which you'd have to sort out if it is used regularly. Unless you've got some land of your own, there's no easy way to test these things before you're on an event 'in anger'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JST Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 If you don't drive it regularly on the road, the reliability suffers. We've all seen motors trailered to events, and they're often loaded up again at lunchtime with overheating / misfiring / dirt in the fuel / other, which you'd have to sort out if it is used regularly. Unless you've got some land of your own, there's no easy way to test these things before you're on an event 'in anger'. i dont think the road legal side of it makes that difference its the regular use that means it will be more reliable as you will have to stay on top of things now if you can sort that with use and not be road legal (ie have the land as you say) then there no need for it to be road legal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treebloke Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 I think it would be quite difficult to have a road going vehicle that would compete seriously. Not saying it could'nt happen but you will have to be on the ball with your repairs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88 Nick Posted December 17, 2008 Author Share Posted December 17, 2008 If you don't drive it regularly on the road, the reliability suffers. We've all seen motors trailered to events, and they're often loaded up again at lunchtime with overheating / misfiring / dirt in the fuel / other, which you'd have to sort out if it is used regularly. Unless you've got some land of your own, there's no easy way to test these things before you're on an event 'in anger'. Thats a good point but it already gets pretty infrequent road use,I dont have access to land for regular testing but I am planing on sticking the smaller tyres on and doing a bit of cheap and chearful trialling next year. PS Have you managed to get through all those diffs and shafts you bought off me a while back? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tractorboy16 Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 Hi, to help you on the question about insuring it if it is not on the road. I have just insured my 88" Hybrid with the NFU (Fire and Theft) as a vehicle not on the road as i am still building it at £10 for ever £1000 worth of value. The only critear is that it has to be locked up in a shed but they said they also do a deal for if it is kept outside. I also had to produce a sheet with all the costs of the vehicle to justify the reason for my valuation, which i though was going to be quite difficult however when i added it all up. I even suprised my self and had to get the amount increased i was insuring it for!!! Ring up your local office and they should be really good, no foreign call centre and a one to one person acount so can tailor insurance for exactly what you want. Were brilliant for me, and when i come round to insuring it for the road they said it will be fairly easy as they are already insuring it. Hope this is of use. I thought about having my hybrid off road however i know if i didn't it would very quickly turn into a vehicle which just gets abused and you don't quite care about so much, your list of possitives seems to outweigh the off-road to me!!! cheers James Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveRK Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 From a monetary perspective if you decide to off-road only then the cost saving benefit in not having to TAX, MOT & insure it will need to be offset against the cost of the MOT, TAX and insured vehicle & trailer that will be used to trailer it to events. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
white90 Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 Road going is the only way for me, the events have to be driven to and from. this impacts on how you behave aswell during the event. I see the other side re trailering but I: don't have a trailer a suitable tow car. I understand the problems this can bring but so far have managed to avoid a totalling of the car, and always driven home, in light of recent court events this may have to change? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 If the only thing keeping it "landrover" is legallity then i'd forgoe the landrover part and build a fit for purpose "buggy" ^^^ This is very true, if it's not got to be road legal, you can do things far better than suffer all the compromises of a road-legal vehicle. As long as the events you want allow non-road-legal stuff in you're OK - the only problem is which class that might then put you in. All well and good turning up with your non-roadable 90 but if you're then put up against a load of mad custom "earthmovers" will you be having any fun? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark90 Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 With the comp safari cars we have found it much better when they are road legal as it gives the oppertunity to road test between events. There's nothing more annyoying than fixing/replacing/modifying something after and event only to retire early at the next one because the 'fix' hasn't. Still get's trailered to events though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88 Nick Posted December 17, 2008 Author Share Posted December 17, 2008 Road going is the only way for me, the events have to be driven to and from.this impacts on how you behave aswell during the event. I see the other side re trailering but I: don't have a trailer a suitable tow car. I understand the problems this can bring but so far have managed to avoid a totalling of the car, and always driven home, in light of recent court events this may have to change? I've got nothing but admiraion for the guys who drive to and from events,I already trailer to challenges though,I would drive to nearish trials,I had a couple of frights driving back, one time we had removed the steering damper wich had been crushed and straightened a bent steerig rod,on a roundabout the Petlas tyres (remember them?) set up such a good steering wobble that the rod folded in half and I slewed right around,luckily there was no one about exept my codriver who was following (in hysterics). the next time a union on my gearbox oil cooler wich is in the rear pick up,let go on the M6,it sprayed ATF all over the following vehicle,once again my codriver (less hysterical). Checking a motor over at the end of an event when its coverd in mud and and somtimes in the dark is a thing of the past for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T1G UP Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 As long as the class system is kept current and fair there should be no problem with a road legal truck. Ther will always be people pushing there standard-ish 90 but i think close scrutiny is required. i think a list of aceptable mods to be listed to clearly define the legal status EG, should highly modified front suspension be allowed? it may have an MOT but awfull to drive and clearly set up for off roading. I believe this will keep costs down and keep it competitive. so say the spec for a standard class 90 should be standard PAS, suspension set up, springs and shockers within say 3" of original mounting points,limit on tyre size,options for lockers, winches, modified bodywork would add a handycap system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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