Hi All

I have been hearing and reading somewhere that there is a plan being discussed or thought about where at some time in the future, maybe nearer than we think, that any car that goes for its MOT will have to be ''bog standard'' as it came out of the factory, or NO MOT, and so NO insurance etc etc. So offroad only and being trailerd to such places or events.
This then if put into law, could or would mean the demise of ALL modified vehicles, and added to that the closure of all the firms that make the parts for such modifications, with huge job losses as well.

I put this forward in the sincere hope that someone out there who knows far more than me about this will give me the correct interpretation of this.........rumour.

To modify or not to modify...that is the question!!!!! (With apologies to the Bard)

Ah well! On with the work

Best to all out there.

Elderlygent.

　

 

It would cost the government too much to inspect every single car out there. Why keep it standard when modifying improves a car. UK government have a serious power control issues. Fuck em I say!

 

This keeps rattling around. The truth is it would cost too much to implement, more to enforce and a loss of money generated through the sales of aftermarket bits. It's a lose, lose, lose for the government financialy which they just won't do. How could they backwards enforce it on cars that have already been modified? I think there are changes coming with the modified car scene but if it gets excessively low cambered up, stretched tyred rubbish off the roads it's better for everybody

 

I'm sure mr mot man will strip and rebuild an engine to check the rods, pistons, cams etc. after all that then get his laptop out and work out if it has been mapped. It's just not enforceable IMO.

 

Nope, it's business as usual. That website with all the "facts" on was just plain wrong, and was just scaremongering. Naturally the rest of the media picked it us and treated it as if it was gospel.

They can't and won't ban modifications.

 

How will it? Considering the cars it will affect all get checked every year anyway...

 

I have written to my euro MP's about this I have got back a very "standard" response!!! I have asked to meet one of them to talk about this. I am not hopeful, a counter argument is of you want the quickest and more powerful cars go buy an off the shelf one...... This will force people to do this. How ever what about things like Caterham's, Lotus 7's or custom tricycles?

It is my opinion that the worst that could be done is forcing some sort of "q reg" equivalence! Even this however will be difficult. There is the SVT type test and that seems fine, but a bit extreme for lightly modified vehicles. I think the only way forwards is to be more involved with the people who want to change the law so we can influence and educate them so any future legislation is "more" sensible.

Most of the politicians have NO idea about engineering in general let alone what a rose joint, engine map, distributor-less ignition or gas flowed cylinder heads are! These are all normal upgrades to do, let alone something a bit exiting like NOS.

As they don't understand they are frightened, therefore inclined to ban them! The other problem is not only within the car "scene" but in society in general is about speed and risk.

95% of road users do it, from the mom on the school run rushing get there little one(s) in on time, to the executive late for an important meeting, to us having fun on the open road.

Faster cars do allow for more serous abuse but better suspension and better brakes make for better stopping distances! Besides it is not the car, it is the driver!

One of my vehicles is a 50cc pap limited to 30! I have yet to keep up with the traffic flow let alone overtake any other motor vehicle even in 20 zone's except if its jammed up with traffic. They literally brush past me in there hurry to get "there".

“Risk aversion” is the new buzz phrase and current western society is terrified of risk, there are examples of this everywhere, but it is risk that allows us to make progress as a society and on the individual basis when successfully negotiated it is part of what makes you feel “very alive” we all have to lean to deal with it and asses it better not eliminate it.

 

Does it mean i will have to slip the examiner more than i do now.

 

Hahahaha just a bit

 

if you keep embarrassing those very expensive Ferrari / Porsche / Aston martin etc drivers we are doomed I tell you..................................

 

Rod i always wondered why Mark walked bow legged.

I say who cares if they ban mods, just buy a factory fast car as stated, many around and built specifically for the bhp, not like the average tuned car pumping far more horses with no other mods, i know, i have done it and looking back very foolish.

 

Yes they will all become illegal and worthless and everyone will lose thousands of pounds having worthless cars, passionford will close down and we'll all die a horrible painful death having no sense of purpose...... The true story will then adapted by Pixar and turned into an animated 3D childrens movie narrated by Morgan Freeman and Jim Carey.

THE END

 

Amen brahhh!!!

 

This week at Vmax a Ford GT 720 Mirage could not better my Topspeed down Brunters so that leaves me having to find a Ł1 million for a Veyron .

 

Eventually we will end up with some sort of TUV style system I reckon, but not soon and when we do it will be brought in for new cars not old ones.

There is NO way that you can expect every MOT tester in the country to know the exact specification of every car made for the last 100+ years.

 

It's the internet, that's exactly what we should think, and then get all carried away, speculate and worry about it. Regs will probably change bit by bit, for example, taxi's here have to get effectively 3 MOT's/year, in the form of 2x hackney tests and one MOT, so thats basically a test every 4 months. Sticky situation though as it's is always convieved that the motorist is always getting hit, so how do you increase the cost of maintaining a car to tighter regulations without being vastly unpopular.

Won't happen IMO, just some idiotic idea that has got too much press and keeps getting banded about on internet forums.

 

as dan says wont happen anytime soon and as chip says its not practical for older cars let alone banning it for new cars. all i can see is them adding a bit to the MoT saying that if modified componants are found for post 20xx cars then you may be required to prove type approval compliance. all that would happen is that modified componant manufacturers would submit one example of each product for testing and with every item sold issue a compliance certificate along with the instruction booklet. You then just show it to the MoT man.

or the product will have a "E" mark or sticker on the item itself to show compliance.



Still cant see it happening for at least the next 10 years.

Anyway there is no need for additional legislation at present. Mot inspectors have the power to refuse an MoT for anything that looks dangerous as it is. That should stop the gay "scene" and "stance" idiots with silly camber and excessively stretched tyres.

The regulations currently in force allow MoT inspectors to refuse an mot for incorrectly registered vehicles or anything that might fall under that legislation such as "radically altered vehicles", reshelled/rebuilt vehicles etc etc

the current rules just need to be more rigidly enforced.

many moderately modified vehicles could quite easily fall under the "radically altered vehicle" rules when you apply the "points system" for original componants.

Now a lightly modified car, even with uprated suspension, brakes and an engine swap would still be fine but you could quite easily end up needing an IVA on anything moderately modified.

eg lets take a escort cossie with modifications to make it a reasonable fast road/track day car.

rear axle swapped for 6 degree one or an MK wrc cradle,

coilovers

front axle changed with compression strut kit, adjustable TCA's etc.

engine rebuilt with new/seasoned 200 block to 450bhp spec.

oppliger or similar gear kit.

Such a car on the above points system would only score 7 points and need an IVA test.

You could try and argue that the box uses the original casing, the rear beam is based on an original beam etc etc etc but they could rightly ask for proof and could in theory be arsey about it even though those componants are not marked with a VIN and hence not easily age provable.

So even on such a cossie example there is scope to need an IVA.

another example, a cossie conversion. common place is to use a sierra floor and a shell from a focus/mk3 escort or whatever. Weld the 2 together and under the RAV/rebuilt definitions it becomes a "cut an shut" and is an automatic q plate.

Even a cossie conversion using the original shell with a fabricated tunnel falls foul of the points system. The points would be based on the original focus etc used. so new axles, new suspension, new engine, new steering etc in most cases. again should be IVA tested.

Only way round it is if the vehicle was modified before full integration of the SVA test and the exemptions expired. Before then you could have got away with just a inspection by a VOSA man and a SABTVR vin.

So that puts ALL cossie conversions using a second hand chassis on a Q plate.

Only way round it is to use a sierra cossie or similar as a donor vehicle and use a brand new (albeit modified) chassis to build the car up under the kit car rules and score enough points to gain an age related registration. In doing so you are issued a new VIN and are creating a new vehicle identity rather than rehashing an older car identity.

The cars would NOT be a ford technically. Eg you get AG to do you a cossie convertion on a new shell and in effect you are buying a "kit" from them and it should be called an "AG focus" or similar as you cant call it a "ford focus".

Manufacturers have been doing it for years for motorsport kit cars albeit the "kit" is supplied by ford so you can use the ford name. Examples include escort F2 kit cars, puma JWRC kit cars, IMTEC cossie pumas etc.

The key is you need a new chassis from someone/somewhere and a donor car to supply the necessary points for an age related id.

Of course you can make your own chassis in theory, eg AG motorsports mk2 focus was built as a custom spaceframe chassis and can be registered as is. The fact he used all new parts means he could have got a brand new registration had he IVA'd it.

 

Sorry Warren but that example is a very bad one and would not get 7 points, it would easily achieve the required 8.

The shell is 5, rack is 2, rear axle is 1 (rear axle isn't a 6 deg beam its the diff as I read it), transmission is 1 (a gear kit if new would not loose any points). I have been through this process many times and am speaking from experience

 

As Chip says, it will be for new cars, not retrospective.

 

I'm sure it will... I can imagine them trying to make me convert my Firenza back to standard

 

It would only be for new cars surely, after all, what would they do about older cars where you cannot get the original parts anymore, and have to use different/upraded parts.

 

I am worried they will force us to take them off the roads as there aren't very many of them so they will only lose a few votes! Most politicians are like sheep - "easily lead" and will do anything for votes