Modified cars becoming illegal in 6 Weeks?????

[Neiltdi]

Have any of you heard about it ?
im part of the caddy forum and saw this.
http://www.vwcaddy.com/showthread.php?t=66675
also have a read of this.
http://www.the-ace.org.uk/armageddon/#more-901

[Nodz]

It won't be in 6 weeks as it would take time to implement etc.. They was doing something similar to bikes legislation last year iirc and nothing's come of it.

The trouble with this is if they went ahead with it they would kill a massive industry and shoot theirselves in the foot in VAT losses

[RedRobin]

^^^^
Neil, you have to be registered on vwcaddy to read your link. But it's all made very clear on the ACE link and looks extremely scary indeed! WTF is the world coming to!!?

I don't know details of the legislation but it's already illegal in some countries to 'modify' cars and the car manufacturers seem to be actively making it increasingly more difficult for tuners to remap ECU's - The later versions of the Golf .:R is a good example AFAIK.

What is particularly nasty is this sentence:

"We have unfortunately now been proved correct with a single item before the EC parliament that will prevent any modifying and will, currently, render already modified cars illegal."

^ I have added the bold type for emphasis. I support the principle that road vehicles should be safe and roadworthy but the MOT ensures that.

I blame the feckin' chavvy boy-racers for potentially spoiling it for everyone else. Many of us can't afford to have tracktoys and trailer them to trackdays for our enjoyment.

[MAT ED30]

I thought the police had mapped cars too so they will also need sorting oh and I know the scoobs and evo they run are rally modified and mapped

[Kalpsn2000]

This is extremely bad news for me as I have just recently started modding my first car

Will this mean you can't even change the alloys

I thought the police had mapped cars too so they will also need sorting oh and I know the scoobs and evo they run are rally modified and mapped

They will be excluded:

"Will anyone be exempt from being tested to original standard specification?
 
Once again within the ‘proposal’ This Regulation shall not apply to:
 •vehicles of historic interest
 •vehicles belonging to armed forces, fire services, civil protection, emergency or rescue services
 •vehicles used by agricultural, horticultural, forestry, farming or fishery undertakings with a maximum design speed not exceeding 40 km/h
 •specialised vehicles transporting circus and funfair equipment with a maximum design speed not exceeding 40 km/h and only operating on the territory of the Member State."

[gigolo456]

I have some 'window stickers', will i be affected?? 

[berg]

EU law is supreme and we have to bow to any Regulations which are made.

If it is a Directive though it is down to each member state to implement it which can take some time/not seem to happen at all.

For example, our Road Traffic Act does not fully comply with the 6th EU Motor Directive but we have not done anything yet to try and bring it in line...

[gigolo456]

This would be totally unenforcable IMHO, not only would it cripple our economy (even more) overnight, but would stretch an already stretched police force to an unprecedented level!! I certainly won't be losing any sleep over this!! 

[berg]

This would be totally unenforcable IMHO, not only would it cripple our economy (even more) overnight, but would stretch an already stretched police force to an unprecedented level!! I certainly won't be losing any sleep over this!! 

i would agree. however, it is something which we might want to be aware of before starting on a new project in a few years time!

[sub39h]

i'd be keen to hear from one of our resident tuners on this subject. if anyone would be abreast of serious developments it's going to be them

[h4rdy]

I wont stop got to catch me first.

It will just move to stealth mode.

[Andy]

what next--stopping motor bikes,boats,lawn mowers,it will never happen

[Neiltdi]

your all right , imagine if did happen everyone that does aftermarket parts will go bust , hundreds of thousands of jobs will be lost , im sure the goverment will be affected too.
Its only what i have seen none of us know if it will happen or not , but if it does we will all get a kick in the balls cause what will your aftermarket parts be worth that you have spent thousands on? scrap value

[daboy3000]

How will they know what is modified and what is not.  They can't train someone to know what every model of every car looks like, what wheels it came with etc.  Although if they do try and go ahead with it, then the modifying community will need to arrange a demonstration or road block etc.  Now that I would go to, imagine every modified car in the UK blocking the streets of London, now that's a car show!!!

[Neiltdi]

This is what  MOD  put on the caddy forum , what do you guys think?

Exactly, time for a referendum and get out of Europe altogether.

The whole engineering cottage industry that made this country great will be finish of in one great swoop.

My take on it based on what I have read will be that lowering, alloy wheels etc will be ok so long as the are "TUV" approved. So I dont think this will effect the majority of vechicles as all the current suspension companies are TUV anyway, along with alloy wheel manufacturers etc. BUT axle flips will be a complete no no

Also, no engine conversions, so bang go all you AAZ & 16vs etc.

My head wants to tell me that it will all work out ok, we would have to just play the government game. But my heart tells me we are being fcuked over once again our own government.

I dont know what is required for us to do just yet, but there is nothing to stop you all firing letters off to your local MEP, if nothing else it will fill all their in boxes, so will at least be aware of it!

Personally I think this needs a mass demonstration of modified cars driven into central London to gridlock the place whilst delivering a 100000 plus petitions to parliment