Side markers - legal requirement

jozi

I'm looking for some info on the legal requirement for having side marker on your wings/mirrors/etc

Reason for asking is, I'm restoring an E30 and I like them better without the side markers on the wings. Some very early E30's came without them, mine didn't though.

If they are a requirement, are there certain standards or guidliness of how it should be placed on the car, brightness etc?

colm_mcm

Dunno how up to date it s, but I know a lot of Japanese imports don't have Indicator repeaters on the wing

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/1963/en/si/0189.html#zzsi189y1963a10

I'd say you'd get away with it

jozi

Thanks for that link Colm. Interesting to see it doesn't have to be amber and that it can be white light. I have an idea on incorporating some side lights, I'm just waiting for some parts to come before I can start making and testing it.

Nissan doctor

jozi wrote: »

Thanks for that link Colm. Interesting to see it doesn't have to be amber and that it can be white light. I have an idea on incorporating some side lights, I'm just waiting for some parts to come before I can start making and testing it.

Only if the car is registered before 1964 though...

I presume you are asking about side indicators as opposed to parking lights?

If so, here is the relevant section..
http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/1963/en/si/0189.html#zzsi189y1963a18

jozi

I am Nissan Doc. Maybe not white then :pac:

I like this bit "to give adequate signals in good time to other traffic " so on some modern car this means you need to be able to see the mirrors at which point the car is nearly half way out on the road. Irrelevant to topic though and I'm sure to some extent the front indicators will also be visible.

What I have in mind means moving them down a cm but replacing the bulb with a few led's.

Anan1

jozi wrote: »

I'm looking for some info on the legal requirement for having side marker on your wings/mirrors/etc

Reason for asking is, I'm restoring an E30 and I like them better without the side markers on the wings. Some very early E30's came without them, mine didn't though.

If they are a requirement, are there certain standards or guidliness of how it should be placed on the car, brightness etc?

AFAIK they were a factory option, but specified on all cars imported here. How old is your E30? I ask because I had a 1989 Golf 16v with no factory repeaters, so it mustn't have been a legal requirement then at least.

jozi

She's a 1990. I'm thinking it's a bit of a grey area as some seem to think it's not needed and others laugh and tell me good luck in getting a nct.

Fishtits

If they are present they must work. If they are not present ... no issue.

jozi

Have you anything to back that up? Is having the wires there but nothing connected (ie. bulb or housing) good enough for them not being present?

Del2005

Fishtits wrote: »

If they are present they must work. If they are not present ... no issue.

If lights are required then you'll need them to drive at night, not having them means you can't drive at night.

kdevitt

Anan1 wrote: »

AFAIK they were a factory option, but specified on all cars imported here.

Not the very early ones - it changed quickly enough, but the initial E30's sold here and the UK did not have sidemarkers - mine is one of them. (on automatic cars of the same vintage, they have the LHD selector - they were released before the RHD pieces were in production)

From the NCT manual

NOTES
1. The presence and operation of ‘four way flashers’ or hazard warning flashers is not a part of the test.
Where “repeater” indicators are fitted as standard equipment, these must be working.

So my reading is that your car needs them - its a question of whether the tester actually knows that they were standard equipment or not.

jozi

Will have to do make up something to replace them then. Thanks everyone.