Battery Vehicle Society

Hi Paul,

Two City El owners I know have just gone through the process without a problem. Don't scare him!

Sorry, but the DVLA are scary!

I've had great service from my local office, but have also faced possible prosecution on two occasions becuase of incompetance on a central level. Once because they repeatedly failed to aknowledge that I'd sold a vehicle (later involved in several offences including a hit and run) and once threatening to take me to court for failing to SORN a bike that couldn't be SORN'ed (off road before SORN came in).

NEVER send two (or more) doccuments in the same envelope to save on postage and waste. They will only be 'looking' for one and will probably lose the others.

NEVER send in your licence without making a notorised copy. That means either a solicitor or local DVLA office. They are still removing motorcycle and HGV entitlements from licences and refusing to reinstate them without a pass certificate. Not easy of you took your test 20 years ago! People have had to spend large sums of money re-taking their tests.

You should probably make notorised copies of any important doccument you send them.

It's not that they make many mistakes, they don't. Particularly if you consider how many transactions they deal with.

It's just that the consequences can be pretty dire.

It does sound as if you've had a spot of bad luck over the years with them. We're lucky and have a DVLA office just around the corner who are very helpful. I have dealt with other unhelpful bureaucrats before (though not in the DVLA!)

If I have any words of advice for City El importers/registerees I would suggest that you double-check your paperwork prior to going to the DVLA - which should be done in person if possible. That way you can answer any questions there and then.

You will need an MOT certificate and insurance, plus proof of purchase and age of the vehicle. The rest should be fairly straightforward. If you go in person too you can normally get some of your documents back there and then, although it takes two to five days to get the registration documents!

Paul , looks like you made some fatal errors there .......sending important documents without taking copies

I've got Reg docs of vehicles that currently are not on the road and before SORN came in and dont have any probs ??

The removal of grandad rights was an issue due to new puter system but was only for a short while from memory.

Getting vehicles registered for road use shouldnt be a problem at all, worst case it "might" need a SVA test but I dont know the full rules for light weight trike/quads etc but if the likes of scrappy races and topgear can get those things roadworthy I cant see a City El being much of a problem

ChrisB

Lifted this from the C5alive forum...made me giggle !

Oh we are just going to have to do something with that

thought you'd like that....plus it covers up the bodywork damage quite nicely ...

I've been going through all the paper work; handbook,a sort of "log book",wiring diagram and loads of stuff about contactors from a firm called "Allbright". There's also some pages printed from an internet site by Ralf Wagner.

I'll scan some stuff tomorrow and put a few pictures up.

My daughters friend is half-German,so I have a nice little translation project lined up

...and there was me learning German, albeit slowly.

I can now say. "Ich heisser Nikki"

booboo wrote:Lifted this from the C5alive forum...made me giggle !

There a bunch of nutters on there

Nice one

ChrisB

I have now made some progress in restoring my mini-el to a road legal condition ;

the speedo now has MPH stickers

a UK spec headlight is now fitted

matching reversing light and rear fog light fitted. Although the fog light isn't wired up yet...

I've been assured a box of spares is on its way from Denmark..

Slowly getting there...