Armageddon - A ban on all modified cars

[Bubbles]

You'd better believe it, and something needs to be done about it.

Share this on any forum that you belong to. This will not only affect the enthusiasts, but will result in the possible closure of MOT stations, hundreds of UK businesses and will result in the loss of thousands of jobs.

Do take the time to read this.

http://www.the-ace.org.uk/armageddon/

[lel-95]

they have been talking about this for years, it'll never happen

[rcsammy]

it will never happen, think about it... thousands of cars made illegal overnight, businesses and jobs lost

ooh cant put GTI alloys on my 1.4...whos to know? remapped my car... they gonna dyno every car to check?

put LED bulbs in normal headlights?... it just wont happen, theres no where to draw a line

you cant stop people being creative and personalising their posessions

[.AJ.]

Nevermind, more money to spend on RC's

[Bubbles]

A reply from Nigel Farage

Dear Campaigner

Thank you for writing to Nigel Farage about the EU's latest move to tighten the screw on motorists in general, and the owners of historic and customised vehicles in particular, by means of further modifications to the MOT-test, which require (Art.3(9)) 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".

This will effectively put an end to car-customisation.

The Regulation appears to exempt "vehicles of historic interest", until we look at the definition of such vehicles, which states (Art.3(7)) that

"'vehicle of historic interest' means any vehicle which fulfils all the following

conditions :

- It was manufactured at least 30 years ago,

- It is maintained by use of replacement parts which reproduce the historic

components of the vehicle;

- It has not sustained any change in the technical characteristics of its main

components such as engine, brakes, steering or suspension and

- It has not been changed in its appearance;"

This will effectively ban historic cars from the roads.

Like its predecessor (Directive 2009/40/EC) the Regulation enforces the "Vehicle-Type Approval" requirements, issued by the United Nations Organisation.

The Regulation also delegates, to the EU-Commission, the ability "to adopt acts" and to exercise "implementing-powers", to modify the Regulation further, at the EU-Commission's own discretion (Art.18) and requires that test-results, from all EU-states, be collected centrally (Art. 14)

The general effect is to continue the construction of monolithic EU-control. UKIP will, of course, oppose this in every way possible.

Unfortunately, the opposition mounted by UKIP's 13 members at the EU's "parliament" is rarely supported by more than 60 of the other 740 members, and indeed, the "parliament" has rejected only two of the tens-of-thousands of proposals, which the EU-Commission has made this century.

The UK-government could refuse to implement this particular Regulation, because "vehicle-testing", surprisingly enough, is - as the Regulation puts it - "a sovereign matter"; but the chances of "our" pro-EU government doing that are, I would think, nil.

It seems most unlikely that this Regulation will not become law, whereupon the only way to repeal it will be to repeal the European Communities Act, which is the basis of all EU-authority in the UK. The repeal of this Act is UKIP's central aim.

Yours sincerely

Andrew S. Reed

Office of Nigel Farage, Brussels

www.ukip.org www.ukipmeps.org www.express.co.uk

[Evo_ermine]

Farage talks a fair bit of nonsense sometimes but on this occasion he's absolutely right. Good on him.

[lel-95]

my car is 30 years old, im safe then

[TraxxasMaxxUK]

Yes well they say the world will end on 21-12-2012 as well! Maybe this was what the Mayans was talking about! No more modded cars!

Edited August 25, 2012 by TraxxasMaxxUK

[danny boy]

Thais isn't Armageddon... Its Carmageddon Dont see how this is ever going to happen. What about elderly people with Suzuki wagons and such that have ramps and small winches in there boot, cant ban them. Theres to many little niggles to in the plan to go ahead with it. Surley?

[DreXeL]

my car is 30 years old, im safe then

Is it completely standard, and any new parts added reproductions of the parts that were on the vehicle at the time of manufacture? No? Then it too would become illegal under this legislation.

I honestly can't see it happening though.

[lel-95]

it is completely standard, the only parts that have been changed are the wheels and spotlight but i have the originals too

[cerbrus2]

Same as it will be in Switzerland then. You are not allowed to do any car maintenance your self at all there. Even Changing a side light bulb can land you an on the spot fine.

But as said. their is no way that they can police something this big. let alone the all ready mentioned financial and economical implications.

It wont happen, not in a million years.

[Gaz!]

it will happen, but i cant see it for the near future.

although to some extent, will get a load of sheds off the road....

[cerbrus2]

So if this rule passes that means that thw WRC wont be allowed in the UK. Due to the fact that the cars are road leagle modified cars.

[Jack R8]

I can't believe that they could enforce such a statement, I doubt it will come to anything, for example, my grandpa has a couple of classic cars which he has put 'new' mini lite wheels on which made them a lot safer than they were as the oldcwheels werent round anymore! The wheels are correct of when the cars were made so this new law would make it illegal to make old cars safer? Logic strikes again!

[flash22]

this has been around since the 80s in one form or another just like raising the age of learing to drive

mot wise thay as of jan this year there supposed to look for ecu modification but there no way these can be checked

on new cars theres noise limits as per type approval since around 08

only way to introduce any sort of new rulings is for new cars and vans

[Bubbles]

Same as it will be in Switzerland then. You are not allowed to do any car maintenance your self at all there. Even Changing a side light bulb can land you an on the spot fine.

But as said. their is no way that they can police something this big. let alone the all ready mentioned financial and economical implications.

It wont happen, not in a million years.

You are allowed to do anything you want to your car in switzerland. however, you must take it for an expertise test (MOT equivalent) after doing so, as in switzerland a yearly check is not mandatory. it is usally every two or every 3 years. Modifications are also declared on the registration document of the car, and any such modifications must also undergo an expertise.

correct though, policing all of this is absolutely impossible, and people will always find a way around it!

[adolf hamster]

sorry, what? a car, regardless of its use on the road, remains YOUR posession, in the same way as your legs are, its like telling someone they cant walk down the street with shoes on because 'its a modification to the original manufacture of your feet'.

mate of mine had a discovery 2.5tdi, he got it ecu chipped for more torque, power and as a side effect he also got an extra 5mpg out of it and less emissions. goverment tryin to tell us that is a bad thing?

[Si Coe]

Not saying it won't happen cos this like this do. but it won't work and would soon be squashed.

Why? Well it appears to prevent things like manufacturer safety recalls!

Take the original Audi TT. Early models showed some rather serious handling issues as speed and were recalled to have a spoiler and stability system added. Now under this legislation that makes them 'modified cars' as those features were not how it was originally made!

One thing to remember is that the letter and the practice of the law aren't always the same - especially where technology is concerned. Officially you have to let the DVLA know if you change the colour of your car for example. Now for most people changing the colour involves an expensive, complex process so this is not that big a deal. But owners of Smart cars can change panels in about 30 mins, and the whole idea is that you can swap them over. So changing your Smarts colour does not involve the DVLA and doesn't effect the insurance! The letter of the law still stands, but the application has to bend to reality.

WRC cars wouldn't be affected as they are actually built as WRC cars, but group N would be banned as they are showroom models altered.

Of course the police drive cars that are modified by their own workshops......

[MINKIN2]

Is it completely standard, and any new parts added reproductions of the parts that were on the vehicle at the time of manufacture? No? Then it too would become illegal under this legislation.

I honestly can't see it happening though.

I'm with you on this... Also a common modification to older cars are such things as Disc Brake conversions and shock absorber upgrades. Not necessarily to upgrade the car but often to make the vehicle safer for todays roads and to make reliable for day-to-day use.

Then you have the groups like the Americana scene who like their hot-rods to others such as Bikers and their Choppers & Cafe Racers. Often the original parts are no longer in production so rather than rest their vehicles to the scrap heap, they modify them and give them a lease of life.

When you think of the amount of money that could be potentially lost through road tax (where applicable) and insurance, they will not push this through.

[b19jas]

I cant see this EVER happening. Firstly it currently applies to vehicles 30yrs old or older.( Unless I am reading it wrong ) Manufacturers by law have to be able to supply OE parts for at least 10 years after manufacturing has ceased of that model. What about the other 20 years? Maybe you buckled a very rare alloy wheel and are unable to obtain another genuine wheel due to lack of production....You might well scrap it?? Bollox.!! In that case just about EVERY vehicle 30 years old might as well be binned. Leaded fuel was about back then and unless you buy an additive for the fuel you will be needing hardened valve seats to accept unleaded...OOPS A MODIFICATION. !!. I havent heard such shyte since my mrs said she would cut the grass ! It would take years and years to implement and as an MOT tester myself I can tell you that there would be no physical way we would be authorized to judge wether something could be OE or not. After all it will be illegal to have HID headlamps in your car without headamp washers or wipers or self levelling adjusters fitted.. This only applies a Kv rating over a specified amount....We have no way of measuring light output and we are not going to be issued or required to own a measurement device. Thus it cannot fail the MOT. Can you honestly see PC plod who has just been told his job is on the line due to government cut backs giving a toss about wether some guys car has the original sealed beam headlamps fitted to his Austin Healy ...NO !.

Rant over

Edited August 26, 2012 by Strada xt

[Si Coe]

That said, there is a very strong movement to force owners of older cars to move to newer ones - both for the environment benefits of newer cleaner engines and also the protection of jobs in the car industry.

Anything that makes it harder to keep older cars going could be seen as a good thing in those circles.

[b19jas]

Tax them on emissions then. It get up my nose that I pay 300 per year tax on a catalyst equipped focus whem the bloke in his 70s pay less than half that for his polluting Austin metro.

[TiM!]

http://www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyId=26260

[DreXeL]

Tax them on emissions then. It get up my nose that I pay 300 per year tax on a catalyst equipped focus whem the bloke in his 70s pay less than half that for his polluting Austin metro.

He probably does a lot less miles than you though, thus has less emissions over the year.

The only real fair road tax would be if it was abolished and put on the pumps, then the more miles you do and fuel you use, the more tax you pay. Simples.