V8 Column for November 2004 published in Safety Fast!, the award winning monthly magazine of the MG Car Club

BRG 0388, an exceptionally low mileage RV8 up for sale recently. (Photo: Nick Grant)

The Australian RAWS regulations introduced in early 2003 had the effect of stopping Aussie enthusiasts importing RV8s. With buyers for the Australia out of the auctions in Japan, reimported RV8s have continued to be available in the UK at prices which represent excellent value for money for a modern classic. But how long will it be before the Australians are back at the Japanese auctions because that is a key factor on future prices there with the inevitable effect on RV8 prices for both UK and Japan spec cars in the UK. In September 2004 Gavin Brown, an RV8 specialist in Tasmania, provided an update on RAWS. He noted that the RAWS/SEVS scheme is not a temporary measure, but more a "raising of the bar" for private vehicle imports. The import and vehicle conformity requirements are now much harder when importing a vehicle under 15 years old like the RV8. They have to meet the Australian Design Rules or ADRs. Currently Gavin is only aware of one firm applying for accreditation to import the RV8 model and the cost and effort to get in the scheme is incredible. The work is not only on the car but also the cost of upgrading the workshops too. Some of the vehicle conformity work and tests are extraordinary - even the spring on the glove box lock must be tested for strength and must exceed a certain standard! This is in case the glove box should open in a crash and cause injury to the passenger - strewth! The

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biggest serious hurdle is fitting side intrusion bars - now three rather than just one plus hysical impact testing too! Gavin ends his update commenting that "at this stage the earliest hope for an RV8 approval is March 2005 so other parts of the World have relief from Australian buyers for at least another six months".


Immaculate interior of Nick Grant's RV8 (BRG 0388). (Photo: Nick Grant)

A flurry of UK spec RV8s have come up for sale on the RV8s for Sale webpage over recent months including a wonderful example from Nick Grant (BRG 0388) from Tyne & Wear with a only 9,800 miles and a moderate mileage (53,000 miles) example from Colin McDonald (BRG 0322) in Hertfordshire and earlier Steve Beale (Le Mans Green 0784) from Berkshire. The term "moderate mileage" for an RV8 really means anything over 40,000 miles because the expectations of the market have been driven by the extraordinarily low mileages of the reimported cars from Japan ranging from sub 10,000 to under 25,000 miles for cars between 8 and 10 years old. If your are paying for low mileages, then it seems not only prudent but absolutely necessary to get professional help in checking whether these recorded mileage claims from Japan are accurate.

Next month we have a four page V8 Newsletter with a special feature on V8 enthusiasts in Germany with contributions from Allan Doyle, Kai Knickman and Peter Garton.