Potential ban on car modifying NOW WITH PETITION

[dragon green 5]

Thanks Kev for changing title,

I for one have started writing to my MEP's, check out ACE's forum,only set up yesterday to combat the threat !

 

As Citizen Smith said

"power to the people"

[corrado9a 0]

I'd like to see them try! Cars are in our blood. 95% of F1 and Rallying tech comes from Britain. Even the Nissan GTR was largely developed by Brit expertise, as was the Veyron. For those Brussels chunts to tell us Brits we're not allowed to modify our cars anymore is like telling Spain they can't have their Siestas any more, or tomato fights, or Bull fighting etc etc.... to "bring them in line with the rest of Europe". What a bunch of narrow minded, beauracratic toss pots.

 

 

No ofense taken but.... we don't sleep siestas anymore, bullfighting is being banned as we speak in some regions, and tomatoes are being eaten instead of thrown because of the crisis.

They changed the modifying law out here as well last year, apparently to synch with european laws. Now we can't even change the rim size without re-homologating the vehicle. let alone install the supercharger that is now decorating my living room because it is illegal to fit it.

It is impossible to fit parts that do not have some EU approval for that car so my techtonics exhaust is impossible to legalize. Upgrading to 12.3 inch brakes requires the approval of VW and the homologation of the parts in the new vehicle.

In the end is all money. they want to squeeze our wallets for everything we got.

 

And looks like you guys are going in the same direction.

 

if you can, make your selves heard before the law is passed and there is nothing you can do.

[Big_Al 10]

I wonder if this is being put into place due to the amount of car moders that dont always stick within the rules as in fitting parts that are not passed for road use, but are for the race track......

 

I am not happy in the slightest to hear what the EU are trying to do here, but I have to say that I would be a little happier if I had to pay for a test that showed my car was modified but in the correct way and was safe so that all the little 1.1 Corsa boys had there death traps removed from our roads. The ones that give the true modifier community its bad name......

 

I see cars driving around, as I am sure we all do, and think "surely thats not legal...." For muppets like that this will spell the end. For those of use that take pride in our cars, it may mean more expense but at least we can say we did it right :)

 

I know there is more to this that just that, but that was my first thoughts when reading what is going on.

 

just my 2p

 

Cheers.

 

Al.

[tony_ack 0]

Erm... this would mean I'd be left without a car to drive, and I can't afford to put it back to standard or buy a new one?

[Kevin Bacon 5]

No ofense taken but.... we don't sleep siestas anymore, bullfighting is being banned as we speak in some regions, and tomatoes are being eaten instead of thrown because of the crisis.

 

No, but I believe you still get your 2 hour mid day break though. The point I was trying to make is these events are part of your country's heritage. Cars are part of ours and we don't want some arse holes in Brussels telling us what to do, just so that we "fall in line with other EU countries". To hell with them.

[tony_ack 0]

Does this spell the end for the Corrado? No more heading off to China to re-manufacture parts that VW made obsolete years ago? When your genuine exhaust finally fails, that's it, show's over?

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Does this spell the end for the Corrado? No more heading off to China to re-manufacture parts that VW made obsolete years ago? When your genuine exhaust finally fails, that's it, show's over?

 

Yup!

 

From 2020, Brussel's vision is you will be able to buy 'a car', 'a house', 'a pet' and have 'a job'. Freedom of choice - BANNED!!

 

And now that VW own nearly every car company in the world, guess who will supply 'the car' to everyone? Hmmmm, Hitler finally got his Utopia.

[Jim 2]

I don't understand why this legislation is needed when we already have the annual safety test in the form of an MOT to ensure road worthyness. Any modification which was illegal or dangerous would be picked up immediately and the car would be refused an MOT certificate.

 

I would support adoption of a scheme such as TUV here in the UK thought if I'm honest - would go some way to helping against £150 coilovers and other such schitt!

 

This is the nanny state gone crazy and it's especially ridiculous for cars such as the Corrado where in many circumstances modifications are made because the original parts are no longer available. This would, essentially, force older cars off the road. And would decimate the historic car scene all together - cars simply wouldn't LAST the 30 years to pass into historic status.

 

If there's a protest about this, I will most definitely be there.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Yeah but the Nanny in this case isn't even in our own feckin country :censored:

[Tempest 0]

Although I am amazed at why and how countries like France and Spain have interpreted the EU directives as stating "no modifications on cars", I can't see that Germany would interpret this directive with their strict TÜV rules and associated paperwork for modding parts.

 

Germany has just successfully resisted the directive of introducing annual MOTs across the EU (like we have, and we have in turn rejected the bi-annual MOTs that Germany has been pushing for), resulting in different MOTs still across the entire EU.

 

I am hoping that something similar may happen with this directive. I am hoping that the UK will see some sense, that some automotive aftermarket industry bodies that this country still has, will be providing essential feedback to the relevant powers that be in Whitehall, and I am also hoping that it's another EU directive, which every membership state can interpret to a certain degree prior to establishing national law.

 

Having spoken to the UK's 928-guru yesterday, he also thinks this will be difficult to get into the UK, as it would kill too many national companies. The UK has too many companies and associated revenue streams and taxes for the government as to kill all that off.

 

Tempest

[vornwend 0]

Have read the document. Looks like there is plenty of wriggle room in it - for example non compliances can be categorised as minor only ("having no significant effect on the safety of the vehicle and other minor non compliances")and not even require a re-test - I imagine a lot of the mods we are talking about would be categorised as that. It goes on to say....

 

"roadworthiness test’ means a verification that the parts and components of a vehicle

comply with its safety and environmental characteristics in force at the time of

approval, first registration or entry into service, as well as at the time of retrofitting"

 

If you think about it most mods will at least comply with standards at the time of first registration if not exceed them so why wouldn't the vehicle be regarded as compliant??. It does not say components have to be EXACTLY the same just that they need to comply. I'm not worried at all. Looks like a storm in a tea cup to me

[VW_OwneR_85 2]

everyone has different opinions on what a "modified vehicle " actualy is, anything thats been changed that didnt come with the car can be classed as a modification right? but surely if this law comes into play there has to be certain mods which will be ok..

like body mods for example, i.e smoothing, as that effects nobody but your own wallet! so how can it be justified that your car gets made illegal because your toweing eyes been smoothed off!! doesnt make sense! so there has to be certain classifications of modifications! i realy think they would be enforcing bhp mods like turbos and superchargers etc etc , either way its bull 5h1t!! as you can just go out and buy a more powerful standard car if you had the money anyway!! , you guys already got MOT so thats the road worthyness test done!

just glad i dont have to be too bothered by this as living in the channel islands were not governed by your road laws..fingers crossed it doesnt happen!

[aide 0]

/\ exactly vornwend, I've half read it and it's very open to interpretation, you lot need to calm down lol.

[guildmage 11]

I just hope i dont have to remove my upgraded loom and wipers ;p

Cause driving to two candle lights and almost no wipers is no fun at all.

 

I know it's not about that but hey, first its engines, suspension and exhausts next it will be all the little things we take for granted now.

[aide 0]

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=COM:2012:0380(51):FIN:EN:PDF

 

this is annexe 3 which lists and rates the 'deficiencies'

 

brakes for an example - check out footnote 8 of page 41.

 

in fact checkout footnote 1 which says only modifications which adversley affect road safety are deficiencies, everything else is couched in the term 'inappropriate'.

 

its pretty specific on 'illegal ECU modifications' though....!

[seanl82 23]

And how would they test for modified ECUs? Standalones I get, but mapped will be almost impossible without dismantling it. As long as emissions are within parameters (Tested on MOT anyway) then they wont know. You general back street garage is never gonna get the equipment to read every map are they!

[dragon green 5]

This is a copy of the letter ACE got from the DoT, not good

cCn I just bring this info back to the top . We (ACE) picked up on this from a DfT document forwarded to us They have exactly the same concerns as we did once we read it. They are not known for putting into writing concerns that normally only enthusiasts would have . To me this reads they NEED ammunition to fight as THEY are not happy either

 

 

 

"Quoting from the DfT document:-

 

 

 

The Commission proposes to introduce a definition for a roadworthiness test that components of the vehicle must comply with characteristics at the time of first registration. This may prevent most modifications to vehicles without further approval of the vehicle. (this will apply to many components and to all types of vehicle)

 

 

 

The Commission proposes to change the definition of an Historic Vehicle that may be exempt from periodic testing. This may allow vehicles older than 30 years to be exempt from testing providing the vehicle has been maintained in its original condition, including its appearance. "

 

 

 

Full DfT document here :-

 

 

 

http://tinyurl.com/cpw5lnj

[Portent 0]

Coilovers are easy to spot.

Uprated headlight looms are easy to spot.

:(

[aide 0]

'characteristics' is a deliberately loose term on its own, if it said something like 'components must maintain the exact design and performance characterists established at first registration' i'd be more worried, not only that but the further approval mentioned is the roadworthiness test!

 

the government aren't happy because they'll be required to ensure testing competence, provide training, ensure testing, start roadside spot checks and ensure equipment compliance and calibration of every backstreet MOT/ roadworthiness check garage in England/ Scotland & Wales (NI already has centralised govn't testing) - this will cost them a fortune! Ireland doesn't even have a mandatory MOT, or at least its not heavily enforced historically, this legislation targets that base requirement.

 

annexe 3 doesn't say coilovers are illegal, it doesn't even mention them by term, it limits defficiencies to those that adversely affect the cars safety - i.e. chopped springs, missing bolts, weeping shocks etc.

 

if this threatened the aftermark modification market we'd be reading about it on every manufactures website and every scene magazine, i'm only reading about it on enthusiast forums!

[owen g60 10]

Ive seen this on so many forums... there has been a major over reaction to this.

As long as the parts you use meet the relevant standards (BSI,TUV etc) there is nothing to worry about...

German parts makers have been aiming off for this for a few years now, they will now supply data sheets for obsolete to prove the standards to which they have been made... the same applies to near enough all other manufacturers, they will have the data on their parts... most parts fitted to older cars are going to exceed the original specs of the car anyway... mk4 brake upgrade on mk2 golfs springs to mind

yes it will mean people will have to keep the paperwork that comes with parts, but who doesnt have a folder of reciepts etc for their car anyway!

[jaded2882 0]

I don't have that kind of paperwork from when my car was modified, and have no idea how to get it for the amount of stuff on it.

[aide 0]

manuafactures are making it downloadable, others are copying it and posting it on ebay.

 

maybe its time to start a CF Standards Thread with downloadable content for the common upgrades?

[owen g60 10]

I see someone mentioned about maps on ecus...

I feel this is designed to get rid of bad chips... eBay specials etc...

Again most places will have some kind of standards Iso etc.

 

I can't see how a well mapped car would be banned... Since mapping mine has a lower emission level than what it did as standard... I have the mot printouts to prove this.

[lilfuzzer 1]

So I may have problem with my custom made short runner? Also the downpipe fabricated for teh down pipe on the turbo one.

 

Both made by very reputable custom car builders.

 

Unless I replace them with off the shelf parts?

 

Also whats the standing on making brackets to fit say brembo brakes. These improve the brake efficiently but arent bolt on so you would need a custom fabrication of brackets that want have the TUV etc?

[tentonhammer 10]

No, but I believe you still get your 2 hour mid day break though. The point I was trying to make is these events are part of your country's heritage. Cars are part of ours and we don't want some arse holes in Brussels telling us what to do, just so that we "fall in line with other EU countries". To hell with them.

 

Well said.

 

Glad to finally see this on the forum. This has been on the forefront of bikers' attention for some time now, in fact I would say there's been more of back lash against the new bill from bikers (myself included) than from car enthusiasts. It'll take enthusiasts of all types of vehicle to do what we can to stop it, talking about it just isn't enough. England should not conform to the ludicrous laws of the EU. The EU is slowly creeping into our way of life here and I for one (for what it's worth) will do everything I can to stop this happening. Seriously, if there's ever a time to protest over this - it's now, not that I'm some tree hugging jobless hippie protester ;) ... In fact I've never felt the need to protest against anything before but this is different. By allowing the bill to go through we are essentially opening the door for the EU, allowing them to impose what ever they f*cking want from here on. This gives them the leverage to control our way of life again in the future and that there is the problem.

 

BTW - For our EU members, I'm sure I speak for us all when I say we are not against you guys personally, far from it you guys rock! It's the f*cked up European government that's the problem.