[intimidator]

hi,


well i was thinking of fitting an A-bar to the front of the captiva..



but i have been told that they are now illegal, but yet on ebay, they are still advertised as road legal!!!!?



anyone know the laws on this matter!!?



thanks

 

[Adikus]

You can get road legal A-Bars.


Got mine from Proppa.Com Looks good!

 

[MrX]

Before getting them I reckon you should check with your car insurance company.
You know they dont need much to refuse a claim.

I just put some side steps on mine and been told I need to tell my insurance as they are classed as a customisation.

 

[K.L.Richards]

I didn't inform the insurers of my side steps... You can buy a second hand (or new) captiva with the steps on, you don't inform the insurers then do you ....
As for Nudge Bars. They are illegal if they aren't of a certain BS standard, so you need to check the ones you buy, especially if they have been made in China.



Not sure of the BS standard ( ie the number), but it is all to do with the rigidity of the car in a crash. Nudge bars have been linked with deaths, where a car hits a pedestrian, or simply smashes through the car it hits in an accident, as they don't crumble during impact.

 

[MrX]

"I didn't inform the insurers of my side steps... You can buy a second hand (or new) captiva with the steps on, you don't inform the insurers then do you ...."






I know what you mean but I just remember seeing on BBC's Watchdog a few years ago that a young girl bought a standard model VW Golf but the previous owner had put new alloys on it. Anyway, long story short, she needed to make a claim on her insurance but the company refused to pay out as they said the car had been 'customised' and it had not been declared.Their reasoning was that as it had been blinged up with the alloys it was now more of a target for thieves, therefore the premium should have been higher than what she had paid.



So even though she wasn't aware that the car was non-standard, the fact that she hadn't declared the different wheels, meant she was not insured.

 

[bigiainw]

Bars and steps also alter the structure which means that a ding might be more or less serious because of the add ons, as it changes the crush structure. You would think that adding more metal would be a good thing in a crash, but in reality, they can make the car bend in an unplanned way which can actually make the car more dangerous to the occupants, never mind those you have hit. I'll stick to my air freshener and the window sticker I think. Plus, its just more to wash....

Edited by: bigiainw

 

[K.L.Richards]

Both good points re Side Steps and insurance.


As you could buy these already fitted by the manufacturer, would you then inform the insurer ?



This is a real issue... My insurer already takes more than I believe is fair, dont think I'll give them an excuse to increase my premiums. The Captiva was more expensive than my last car, which was a 2.5 V6 S-Type Jag. The Jag was worth more, faster, and more sporty. Why was the Captiva more expensive. They said, because it is a 4WD and can go off road. But "going off road" is specifically excluded from my policy (small print). So they charge me for something, that they wont cover me for.... Nope, not giving them any more dosh...

 

[bigiainw]

They as far as i am aware, are only available as a dealer fit extra, so they are not technically fitted by the manufacturer. In the age where insurers will use any excuse to get out of their responsibilities, I wouldn't take the risk.

 

[Bryan]

I understand this post is from 6 years ago, but I have recently bought a captiva and I would really like to get a front bull bar and side steps fitted, does anyone know where I can get this done? or if it is legal? there isn't much out there in the way of answering my question so that is why I am commenting on a 6 year old post, please help

 

[Aussie Ed]

Bryan, You havent completed your data info but I'll assume at this stage you are based in UK.There is plenty of info on Bull Bars and the UK Government web site is a good place to start.

Simple answer is Bull bar is not technically illegal but you have to prove they meet safety standards which is virtually impossible to meet modern vehicle compliance. There are some exceptions I believe for forestry vehicles and the like.
info link:- https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/bull-bars
info link :- http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/1676832.stm
Most of the Bull Bars fitted now on 'road vehicles' are actually cosmetic CP on plastic or rubber.

Side steps are readily available. Plenty of info on web, eBay etc. Must know year Series of vehicle.
All the answers you want are on the web.

Ed