I'll be getting my car UK legal in the next few months.
Are side repeaters necessary on my 88 build, 89 first reg car?
If so will I be able to fit them in the bumper trims, like the US spec cars have - from a legal not practical point of view. Don't want to put unnecessary holes in it.
I've owned my touring for nearly 4 yrs now and the garage has never picked me up for not having any side repeaters on my M5 . I maybe lucky or they just turn a blind eye to it ...I dont know. To answer your question......you do need to have them I believe to make the car legal in the U.K.
Strictly speaking yes the are an MOT failure on any car registered or build after 1984.
But if you get a sensible MOT station then you are normally fine. The same applies to a MPH speedometer so you should also change this for registration.
But the same thing applies to this too get the right station and it is fine.
Lights in the black rub strips are sidemarkers and only work as parking lights. Repeaters work only with the blinkers and are in the quarter panels or wings as you say. see below
Lights in the black rub strips are sidemarkers and only work as parking lights. Repeaters work only with the blinkers and are in the quarter panels or wings as you say. see below
But you' d agree that its kid-stuff to re-wire them.
Am thinking about getting them myself as one can order all the parts @ the dealer at low price, and it makes for a nice change...Also, the OEM bumper strips damage immideately at a stone chip ( the area goes shiny instead of the flat black that is OEM, as some laqcuer stuff peels off easily.) Maybe this is better on the US strips
My M5T has been in the UK for 5 years now and has passed the MOT each time without the side repeaters.
Whilst it was having work done at my local dealer they mentioned that they would fail it for not having them, but not fail it for it KMH speedo interestingly.
As Simon said (no pun intended!), find a sensible MOT station......
@ tx530it.....your tourings suspension looks extremley high off the ground for standard ....is there something different about your dampers m8 or wot !!
Ahh just noticed!!! its a 530i not an M5.........something gives that away but Im not sure wot.....durrrrrrrrrr
I have a good 1K flat black paint, but no semi-gloss as it is OEM-style
I painted my headlight surrounds and the grilles attached to that with my flat black, as they had gone "greyish" of the sun.
Just annoying to get a new part and needing to respray it immidiately.
I know it's metallic would have painted them body color if the car wasn't black painted the rear strips to, if this problem occur on #788 it will get 086 Schwarz or something similar (hate body color on other colors than black)
I understand it's annoying, I bought new ones, they lost there paint, got another new set for free, same thing happened, I was feed up and painted them, voilà 4 years later they still look the same:grinyes:
Discret change, side strips still factory but M5 panel is 303.
Thanks for the replies lads, i'll see if I can sneak it through as is.
I realise what the US spec markers are. I just want to know if that location will satisfy the MOT specs.
It'll be a piece of piss to wire them up as blinkers. I don't really like the look of the repeaters, and I don't want to drill any holes in the bodywork that i don't need to.
As for the speedo, I do have a UK set of clocks (thanks Geach), so an MPH speedo no problem.
Anyone aware of any other changes i might have to make. (I know the headlights will need to be realigned).
G'day Simon, I'll be in the UK from Thursday onwards - will try to catch up, PM me your number.
Thanks for the replies lads, i'll see if I can sneak it through as is.
I realise what the US spec markers are. I just want to know if that location will satisfy the MOT specs.
I think legislation says that the repeater must be visible from 1 metre (outwards and backwards)from the rear corner of the vehicle. So converted US spec markers ought to suffice.
If you don't want to make holes in the wings and think US side markers are not allowed, put the Euro side blinkers in the bumper strips and buy a new set and drive with out after the MOT, that's what I would do, or I did on a 1993 Ford Probe GT 24V here in Sweden and would have done on my E34: s if they weren't 1995-96 model year with factory side blinkers.
Stephan
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