RobinJI Posted August 21, 2012 Report Share Posted August 21, 2012 Fans of modified cars, we have big problems: http://www.the-ace.org.uk/armageddon/ This is a big deal, and something needs doing. No idea what, but something does. This could basically mean the end of cheap home modifying in the UK, causing all cars to only be modified with approved parts, if at all. Really not good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pashley26 Posted August 21, 2012 Report Share Posted August 21, 2012 Surely it just means everything needs a type approval? Seems like a pretty unenforcable law to me. Just like cars needing cat's, there's always a way round. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duncy H Posted August 21, 2012 Report Share Posted August 21, 2012 (edited) Surely if that was to happen there would be upraor. I don't see how they'd get away with putting it in place. There's roughly 30,000,000 cars in Britain. Say one in thirty is modified enough to conflict with these laws. A million people would be very angry and it would cost them money to change their car back to normal after it has already cost them. Not to mention all the businesses it would crush. I can't see it happening anytime soon. Edited August 21, 2012 by Duncy H Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CurtisRider Posted August 21, 2012 Report Share Posted August 21, 2012 Well that buggers with my plans then fingers crossed that it doesn't happen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinJI Posted August 21, 2012 Report Share Posted August 21, 2012 (edited) This is the problem with the EU, it puts people who are too remote to the reality of situations they're governing in charge. It looks pretty close to going through, so what seems a better plan? Going "It'll never happen" or "I'll find a way around it", or maybe actually trying to spread the word and do something about it? If it does happen, shit will hit the fan. Regardless of finding ways around things, do you think companies are going to keep making parts if they're illegal to use and their customer base is slashed? I really do hope it doesn't go through, because it's a stupid proposal, and shouldn't manage to get enforced, but "it'll never happen" alone won't stop it. If we all do that then it'll go through and we'll all be scratching our heads as to why no one stopped it. Paul, yeah, it buggers my plans too, in a BIG way, as in my plans with all 3 of my cars, and more improtantly, my plans for my career, as well as to a large extent the usefulness of the degree I just spent £££££ and 3 years of my life studying for. Edited August 21, 2012 by RobinJI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Booth Posted August 21, 2012 Report Share Posted August 21, 2012 The few points you mentioned Robin make me think it'll be incredibly difficult for them to enforce/pass. Think of the size of the modified car scene, if that didnt exist think of the millions of pounds a year that wouldn't be put into the industry. Imagine the scale of job loss as JOM an fk didn't sell x amount of coilovers a year. As daft as it sounds it goes all the way down to the hundreds of car magazines that would fail due to the lack of advertising, lack of articles and only 'illegal' cars to feature. It'll be an incredibly sad day if it ever does come not force as I personally think the uk has a car scene to rival any, which'll become nothing. It's the same as the iva/sva swap they performed a few years ago swapping to the 8 point bullshit. I still know of and can find plenty of examples of cars passing mot's that really shouldn't have (take Nicks mini for example. Hell, even mine!), common sence an mot tester discretion comes into play when they bring this crap in. Most of the time it prevails too fortunately. Edit - they better not bring it in, otherwise the conversations I've had with plush automotive an the compressors/airtank I'm about to buy are worthless!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinJI Posted August 21, 2012 Report Share Posted August 21, 2012 (edited) The trouble is the big businesses won't be effected toooo much, as they're the ones selling the parts that will meat the relevant approvals. I'd imagine it would result in the implementation of a TUV style system, where you're fine as long as all your parts have the right numbers stamped on them, as most of the parts the big companies make already have some form of approval, or can easily be made to, they won't be as effected, if anything killing off their competition who can't afford the relevant testing for approval would give them an improved market segment. This wouldn't kill the industry as such, but it'd make car modifying more expensive and less interesting, and it'd make it much much harder for small companies to get anywhere. It'd basically kill off everything inbetween a few bolt of mods and full on ground up builds. So OK, 2 of my cars would technically be ok (Mini being IVA'd would give it the relevant aproval by the sound of it, and the Passat's all TUV approved bolt ons), but I'd still much rather this didn't happen. Common sense really does suggest it shouldn't/wont get through, but it's at a stage now where it needs to be opposed by a majority in British and European parliament for it NOT to go through. It's worryingly close to actually happening, it's not just in the pipeline, it's all but on top of us. Look at the rest of Europe, they mostly already have these systems, they've succeeded in implementing them, so lets not assume a country wouldn't when many already have. Remember the guys we need to vote against this are mostly suited middle ages/elderly men without a clue, and voting against it will make them unpopular with their piers by seeming like they're disregarding safety and environmental issues, while they wouldn't notice the economic damage personally. What do you think's more likely if we don't make our selves heard? That they'll piss off their piers/look unethical in order to save some people they have no connection with some money, or that they'll vote it though to keep the people in front of them happy and disregard the people they've no involvement with. This crap actually going through's really not as far fetched as it seems. We need to make our selves heard to them, so the people they'd be hurting by approving it are at the front on their minds! Edited August 21, 2012 by RobinJI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Booth Posted August 21, 2012 Report Share Posted August 21, 2012 Look at the rest of Europe, they mostly already have these systems, they've succeeded in implementing them, so lets not assume a country wouldn't when many already have. Hmm, I had thought about this, but then it sprung to my mind that 90% of these incredible euro vws an audis come out of Germany etc. Plus, if this is on the road I think there's hope for all of us... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinJI Posted August 21, 2012 Report Share Posted August 21, 2012 (edited) Yeah, a lot of stuff would still be do able, but a hell of a lot more stuff also wouldn't! The hoops those cars in Germany have to jump through is silly, and a large proportion of them aren't technically legal anyway. Like I said, it wouldn't kill the industry completely, but it'd strangle the hell out of it. Plus think about how good the Germans are at organisation of this sort of legal system, it's not a problem for them, where as we can barely manage to keep track of who currently owns a car, let alone a complex system of modification approval, it'd make modifying a nightmare even if it didn't make it impossible. It really isn't the time to be thinking about how it's ok because of x y and z reasons. It's not ok, it really isn't. If this can be stopped it needs to be, but if not then we need to hope that a system that still allows modification to be practical and achievable is what we end up with. A system like Germany's, but with a facility for the testing of kit cars and full custom builds (I don't think the Germans have that?) is probably the best that could come out of it. We just need to hope we don't end up like France, where even non-stock tyre sizes will fail an MOT and invalidate your insurance. Either way my business plans are screwed though. Besides anything else there's no point in me setting up until we have a final answer as to what's going to happen, then chances are, even the better scenarios will mean I'd need more capital than I have available to get it off the ground. I guess I'm now looking for a job Bollocks. Edited August 21, 2012 by RobinJI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Booth Posted August 21, 2012 Report Share Posted August 21, 2012 Oh no, you missunderstand me robin, I'm not against your points at all, I completely agree an understand where your coming from. It's definitely not a good time for the car scene if anything comes of this. My dads a self employed owner of an autofactors, all he supplies is panels, paints an materials. On the counter, probably 1in3/4 customers is buying materials for his 'drift car' or weekend toy. If this is passed that could result in my dad loosing a third or so of his passing trade as it'll be harder to own these cars an people will loose interest, not good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Booth Posted August 21, 2012 Report Share Posted August 21, 2012 http://www.mmoc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=46109&start=0 Just have a browse of that robin. Puts a slightly more relaxed tone on it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinJI Posted August 21, 2012 Report Share Posted August 21, 2012 (edited) Yeah sorry, I realised you're just trying to look on the bright side, it's just a bit of a worry for me, so I'd rather anyone else reading this got the idea, rather than being able to tell themselves it's all ok. Interesting read there, nice to have more info on it. Sounds pretty much what I expected, in that it's a system like the TUV, where approved modifications are fine, which means things like mine and your Passats would be absolutely fine, but stuff like yours and Nicks minis would be far from it. Edited August 21, 2012 by RobinJI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Booth Posted August 21, 2012 Report Share Posted August 21, 2012 No worries, looks like it'll hit bikers quite hard too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrDoom Posted August 21, 2012 Report Share Posted August 21, 2012 Sorry - I'm not all too clued up on this 'proposal' - What about workies with custom gear on vans? Roof racks, tow bars, nudge bars, winches, damnit, even down to the racking in the back, or headlight guards and stuff? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinJI Posted August 21, 2012 Report Share Posted August 21, 2012 I'm really not sure, which is exactly what's wrong with choosing bureaucracy over common sense. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Booth Posted August 21, 2012 Report Share Posted August 21, 2012 Providing its stamped up accordingly there shouldn't be a problem surely? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shamus Posted August 22, 2012 Report Share Posted August 22, 2012 costs of r&d would go through the roof if everything needed stamping up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Posted August 22, 2012 Report Share Posted August 22, 2012 Plus, if this is on the road I think there's hope for all of us... Sorry but WTF? Is he serious? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Booth Posted August 22, 2012 Report Share Posted August 22, 2012 I love the fact its an s-line. f**king idiot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stoozie Posted August 22, 2012 Report Share Posted August 22, 2012 Got some more recent pictures of my Navara over the weekend. Thinking of doing a few things to it, changing the wheels to black, and the front grill to black as well. Might completely de badge the rear, and found a new bumper instead of the ugly chrome step bumper. Going to take it to Longlife this weekend to see if they can build me a full stainless steel exhaust as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigjames Posted August 22, 2012 Report Share Posted August 22, 2012 Stu they're obviously paying you too much mate! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stoozie Posted August 22, 2012 Report Share Posted August 22, 2012 Stu they're obviously paying you too much mate! I can't complain about that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manuel Posted August 22, 2012 Report Share Posted August 22, 2012 the site on the last page was down due to traffic, so whats all the worry about, all I could get from the mmoc was that MOTs are going to switch to a slightly harsher test ? Ive missed the implications for modifications and modified parts. Oh and jardo - surely it would be cheaper to slap a turbo engine of some sort in the bimmer, than go hunting for another project car? Pretty sure my mate has a volvo turbo in his kit car mated to a bmw box of some sort. given that its rwd and has loads of room at the front, shouldnt it be relatively straight forward to do some sort of conversion ? strip it bung in a cage and go sideways everywhere ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomm Posted August 22, 2012 Report Share Posted August 22, 2012 They're never going to pass a law like that. Modifying / racing cars has got to be a billion pound industry in the UK, which would effectively be wiped out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
george_seamons Posted August 22, 2012 Report Share Posted August 22, 2012 The interior of that Avant is my favourite part: Fair play to the guy. There's rat, then there's THAT. Its so shit its almost awesome. There must be something wrong with the guy to do all that to an S-Line A4! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.