DIY imports, VCA, type approval, DVLA etc

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growlygrowler

Active Member
Joined
Aug 20, 2009
Messages
61
Car
1990 500SL
Hi all

I'm just wondering if anyone has imported a rairly recent LHD Merc into the UK in recent times?

I work for much of the time in Germany although I still officially live in the UK. Most of my business mileage is overseas so it makes sense to buy a left-hooker for business use (I just bought a 2009 E350CDI W212 in Berlin) and use my R129 or W126 (RHD) here in Blighty.

I will have to UK register the car, so I believe that the process is:

Fill in a VCA "Mutual Recognition" thing from here http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consu...n/@motor/documents/digitalasset/dg_071776.pdf

Take the resultant certificate to the DVLA and register the car with a V55/5

I asked the local MB dealer what I'd have to do to adjust the headlamps and they tell me that they can program the car for left-hand or right-hand traffic using Star and that this would swap the intelligent headlamp and rear fog software to work on UK roads. I can do this myself using my bootleg Star but I need documentary evidence from someone "respectable" - ie. not me :)

The digital speedo can of course be programmed for MPH or km/h as a user-adjustable setup and you can make it appear in the "permanent display".

The rear seat belts and side indicators are of course standard fit.

VCA tell me that I have to send something official from the garage (headed notepaper, invoice for work etc) and my EC Type Approval that I got with the car (and 70 bloody quid of course).

My question is: exactly what sort of wording do they require? Is the reprogramming of the digital speedo enough or do they insist on changing the physical scale on the speedo as well?

Has anyone got any experience of this?

cheers

Dave
 
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