GPS Speedo ?

Joined
Feb 29, 2012
Posts
363
Likes collected
229
Location
Reading & Surgeres France.
Funster No
20,006
MH
Hymer 584
Exp
Motor homing since 1998.
Good morning, I have been wondering about the legality / acceptance of GPS speedos, (not the swimming ones)
Thinking of registering our MH in UK, thought it might be an easier option than replacing kmh only facia.
Does anyone have copy of construction & use regs or experience please ?
Thanks.
Barrie.
 
UK speedo must show MPH
You can use an MPH overlay on your kph dial or simply tippex the corresponding numbers over the existing ones.
 
Imported from Germany through mot with kmh no probs use dighud speed app on android phone or sat nav mph pretty accurate never had a ticket works for me .
No doubt experts will be along soon :)
 
I use an old Satnav placed above the original speedo as I found my speedo pretty inaccurate .

Works for me. :)

Terry
 
My speedo cable broke recently (1991 van - proper cable)

I will replace cable but will have to remove old one to have new one made, just need the time to do it

Due for MOT, wondered if a GPS speedo or sat nav would pass MOT

Speedo is included in MOT since 2012

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Not sure as to the legality if stopped but working speedo is not part of the MOT as far as I know, and also some have suggested they (sat nav) are not as accurate when going up or down hill due to the satellite position overhead.
Having said that I tend to drive but the Sat Nav speed than the Van Speedo - Sat Nav tells me when I am going over the speed limit for the road/motorhome also.
 
I use my sat-nav as my speedo when in France, have it read out in KPH
 
they (sat nav) are not as accurate when going up or down hill due to the satellite position overhead.

Really? You would need to be driving down a really really steep hill for it to make any difference :eek:
 
I may be wrong , happens a lot
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I don't think a gps speedo is accepted as in construction and use regs
Even if not a mot fail
 
Really? You would need to be driving down a really really steep hill for it to make any difference :eek:
Thanks - I don't worry about it myself but was only mentioning what I had read elsewhere.

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Use our sat nav as speedo all the time check it against roadside speed indicators and its far more accurate then the speedo.
Never had mph on our speedo and it passes mot every year.
 
Does anyone have copy of construction & use regs or experience please ?
Thanks.
Barrie.

Extract from the Department of Transport legislation

Imperial Speedometer

Great Britain uses imperial units for speed measurement. The law requires that speedometers must include a miles-per-hour display. Please note in particular that any modified display must be visible in daylight and in darkness.

Markings may be added to the existing speedometer provided they are:

  • accurate;
  • durable;
  • can be seen clearly in daylight and when the instrument is lit during darkness.

also

That a speedometer has been fitted which is capable of indicating speed in both miles per hour and
kilometres per hour, either simultaneously, or by operation of a switch.
Note: We can not accept secondary devices, hand written changes or multiple stickers applied to the
speedometer. We can only accept the changes detailed below.
The speedometer must be marked up to the maximum speed of the vehicle, with graduations at 1, 2, 5, or
10mph, and with values at intervals not exceeding 20mph. For this change we can accept the following
options.
a) That the factory fitted speedometer is dual marked as standard
b) The existing (digital) speedometer is, permanently, re-programmed, through a standard feature of the
vehicle, to display the vehicle speed in mph
c) A miles per hour speedometer is fitted in-place of the factory fitted unit
d) A professional, single, miles per hour, overlay is applied directly to the speedometer face plate, not the
glass front plate (the overlay must be durable and accurate, with markings visible in both day and night
driving conditions).
e) A dual marked dial / facia has been added as a replacement to the factory fitted one
 
I think this from above answers the question: "We can not accept secondary devices"

A separate GPS speedo would be a secondary device I think.
 
c) A miles per hour speedometer is fitted in-place of the factory fitted unit

Doesn't that mean that a replacement GPS speedo would be allowed if say the original did not function
 
Imported from Germany through mot with kmh no probs use dighud speed app on android phone or sat nav mph pretty accurate never had a ticket works for me .
No doubt experts will be along soon :)
The rules changed a few years ago 2011 I think, kmh speedo is legal for MOT but not for VCA (Vehicle Certification Authority). When you import a vehicle not you have to get an inspection done by a garage or MOT station and send a letter/invoice with your application form to VCA stating that Speedo Rear Lights & Headlights conform to UK regulations they in return send you a certificate that allows you to register the vehicle.

Replacement dials available from Broken Link Removed, be careful in selecting the right one Fiat have several variations for each model, they are quick & easy to change.

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I'm thinking of getting one of these for my Ducato - has anyone here bought one? Perhaps a bit pricey? Broken Link Removed

Steve
 
The GPS speedo may not work in tunnels because of lack of signal.
 
The rules changed a few years ago 2011 I think, kmh speedo is legal for MOT but not for VCA (Vehicle Certification Authority). When you import a vehicle not you have to get an inspection done by a garage or MOT station and send a letter/invoice with your application form to VCA stating that Speedo Rear Lights & Headlights conform to UK regulations they in return send you a certificate that allows you to register the vehicle.

Replacement dials available from Broken Link Removed, be careful in selecting the right one Fiat have several variations for each model, they are quick & easy to change.
I imported a vehicle from Japan and had to have fog light fitted and the speedo converted to read mph. The speedo was an electronic type and the conversion was done using a convertor chip. The letter k on the kmph was blanked out so that it read mph. To get the vehicle registered it only had to pass an mot because it was over 10 years old.
 
My speedo cable broke recently (1991 van - proper cable)

I will replace cable but will have to remove old one to have new one made, just need the time to do it

Due for MOT, wondered if a GPS speedo or sat nav would pass MOT

Speedo is included in MOT since 2012
My sons speedy was broken on his car when it went in for a MOT, he forgot to tell them to replace it. The car passed and still has a broken speedo :eek:
 
My sons speedy was broken on his car when it went in for a MOT, he forgot to tell them to replace it. The car passed and still has a broken speedo :eek:

Might be difficult top explain zero miles travelled next time though


:)(y)

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I imported a vehicle from Japan and had to have fog light fitted and the speedo converted to read mph. The speedo was an electronic type and the conversion was done using a convertor chip. The letter k on the kmph was blanked out so that it read mph. To get the vehicle registered it only had to pass an mot because it was over 10 years old.
You won't get away with it now, also if don't have CofC you have to have an inspection that costs £200.
 
This vehicle was brought into UK Dec last year. As it is over 10 years old it only requires an mot and CofC not available as it wasn't from a European member country. If it was under 10 years old it would need an IVA
 
What I missed was it came from a RHD country, the new rules apply to LHD vehicles.
 
What I missed was it came from a RHD country, the new rules apply to LHD vehicles.
I don't know a lot about importing vehicles but it seems to be easier from a non EU country such as Japan
 
I asked my two sons separately, (both MOT testers) the following, "if my speedo was not working but I had a sat-nav showing MPH would you pass my car?"
Both said yes as there was a means of determining the speed, both would drive car in yard to see it did!
So, for the purposes of the MOT, yes a sat-nav would suffice as the display of MPH is a meter of speed! As is a Tachograph.



SPEEDO.jpg

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May pass an MOT but still illegal under the RTA, passes the MOT but you can still be nicked for it.
 
? for the original poster - what is your base vehicle and what age is it as I might have a spare MPH 'speedo dial' that you can have?
 
If you use a GPS speedo, you won't have an odemeter. Surely one is needed ?
 
Phil 1946.
That was a good year !
Thanks for the offer.
2006 Ducato based Hymer,
Barrie.

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