RubyRS4

That Stag is ...

No. Using a turbo timer is defectable. Some people just want the one answer they want to hear. Regardless how many times its explained to them. Thanks for your input anyway Martin. Hooray ... the smartest thing I've read yet Joel. I have no problem doing this. Its your pride and joy. How hard is it to keep some paperwork in the glovebox? You talk like you don't have faith in a fairer system. This is not an all-or-nothing debate. Compromises on each side will be given. Take your chances how you see fit. But there is an opportunity now to generate a better import image. The short story is: show some professional conduct in the modifying of your car and the police will show professional conduct and fairness in the inspection of your car. Things were discussed at the meeting as we saw fit. Surprise inspections were discussed. If you wanted a bigger say in it, you should have made yourself available at the meeting. Cops have the right to inspect your car ... our concern we voiced was about the training of the police conducting those inspections, not when and where they are performed. If police are better trained and take a club's reputation into consideration, they'd be a bit more relaxed on cruises and be less inclined to pop bonnets. Neil indicated that cruises will be treated more as "monitoring" rather than "inspecting". Stop making your head spin by running circles around what we've been saying and misunderstanding it. Hood popping isn't going to be a regular thing, but there will be the odd occasion when it is required by the police. It is up to them to decide, whether due to an obviously unsafe car showing up at a cruise or simple suspicion. I don't write their job description. I'm not a cop and I'm not Jesus, so this isn't the word of God. Can we stay focused on the topic please! We've been given an inch, and some people want a mile. Lets take this movement in the right direction in small steps. Its not a discussion about your car and your car only, its about the SAU community as a whole.

And you're not an engineer so you're not qualified to make that call either (that certain mods are safe). I'm not qualified either, so any mod I do can be deemed unsafe. At the end of the day, the inspectors are better qualified to know what is safe, what is not, what meets ADRs, and what does not. There may be no rule against coilovers, but they have a job to do and if in their opinion the coilovers are not deemed "safe" they won't pass them. If you have an invoice showing a pro fitted them or even did the wheel alignment and performed a safety check (or, even better, an engineers certificate like Mid Life Crisis said) then they'd be more relaxed to consider passing it. It is not your God given right to modify your car. You can argue it anyway you want but in the end Standards are there to ensure the vehicle is safe. Minor mods will be allowed under certain conditions. Major mods not unless backed by an engineers certificate. Yes, there are grey areas in vehicle modification. This is what SAPOL are working on, to make things more fair and uniform. They're not going to take away the freedom to modify our cars, they know they can't stop us, but they are sure as hell going to set guidelines in place and standards to meet. Which is only fair. Too many hoons with Super Cheap specials out there need their cars off the road imo. People should not be treating this as a personal attack on their car. Keep an open mind that this progress towards long term benefits for all, not short term relief for individuals. I've got a meeting to attend to now, but I'll post up some more info later ... and hope it clears things up a tad more on how Regency works.

I hate the 'imports' that work at BPs and Hungry Jacks now They have the poorest customer service skills. Reported one of them last night to the duty manager. Purchased fuel at the BP, went to pay with plastic. This guy snatched my card from me, when I wanted to swipe it myself. Okay, I'll ignore that. Then he hands me the keypad thingy with his hand covering the display. I got to take the swipe machine from him and he snatches it back and glares at me as if I was going to steal it! He yells at me "don't touch it". I said to him I've got no idea what he wanted, because I couldn't see the display and he was non-talkative. He lets me see the display, I select credit and then OK. I sign the docket, but he doesn't give me my card back. I ask for the card and he gives me a dumb look. I repeat myself, this time pointing to my card and he snatches it up and slaps it on the counter in front of me. This is when I said "mate, I'm sick of your attitude. Get me your manager now." I relay the whole scenario to the duty manager and even added that everytime I'm served by this guy, he acts like he doesn't want to be here. He has poor, poor customer service skills and I refuse to be a customer to places that have "grumpy" employees. I explain that I'm a manager myself, and if my staff behaved like that they'd be given the arse. I'm calling him grumpy from now on if I see him there again.

This is more like it ...

Mate, you could get me blind drunk, shackle me to the dungeons, and I'd still put up a fight to get away from THAT!!!!!!!!

OMG ... I'm gunna be ...

Its unfair for us to expect the police to believe you've done your mods safely and correctly if you're not qualified for the job. Producing invoicing for work completed or at least 'safety checked' by a pro is the fair and proper way to do things. There are alot of dodgy mods out there and they are unsafe, you know this. You can't ask for special treatment because you "know what you are doing". These have been famous last words. The police would like to see evidence of a qualified professional doing the job. I love working on my own car, but I also love ensuring everything is right and safe. I have no quarrels at all with having most or part of the work completed by a pro. It only commonsense guys. Before you go bombarding Neil with trivial questions, push your pride aside and try using a bit of commonsense first. Debatable indeed. GPS units have voice prompts and directions tho, so you don't have to take your eyes off the road. Temp gauges don't audibly tell you when you car is at normal operating temps. But you're now talking about driving distractions, not objects that can harm in the event of a crash. On that topic, GPS unit would indeed fall into a similar category as gauges (in the event of a crash). I'm no rocket scientist, but I do keep an open mind. Think about it and the answer can be quite obvious, even if you don't like the answer. I couldn't agree more with the taxi layout. Poorly trained, hardly any driving skill, and they have a huge distraction in their cabin. I was almost cleaned up by one this morning actually (about half hour ago). But this is an arguement for the taxi council and police. Its not our fight, and I'm sure Neil will tell you they have special permission/ADRs for such equipment, whereas we do not for gauges.

Lets keep the RCK filth off this forum This is just the kind of drivers Neil and his associates want to catch. We are welcome to do our own cruises, and more welcome to dob in any unwanted tag-alongs or hoons. It will look better for us if we cover our own arses, by taking steps to ensure they're identified as not being one of us and bringing SAPOL's attention to them. This will vary from cop to cop, and from cruise to cruise, or individual drivers. But do expect hood popping to occur on the 'odd' occasion if they're given cause to. The upside is, they want to treat us fairer. It boils down to buyer beware ... as mentioned above.

Unfortunately, its impossible for the police to distinguish between dodgy backyarders from those who know what they're doing. Its just easy to identify cars that have been to a reputable workshop. If you like to work on your own car, like I do, just be sure the end result is handled by a pro. Such as, I like to fit my own intercooler, but have a workshop fabricate the piping ... or fitting aftermarket suspension, but have a wheel aligner ensure its all safe. Its simple, regardless if you don't want others touching your car ... its either a qualified professional, or Regency. I know which pro I'd rather deal with. If you have the money to mod, you have the money to see a pro to ensure its safe. It would be good for the workshops also. I have a brake upgrade to do next to the Stagea, and I am not shy about getting a workshop to handle the job ... even if it is just for them to check the mounting and bleed the system to ensure its all okay. As far as the police are concerned, many mods are stuffed up (unsafe) from owner/drivers and very few workshops make dangerous errors.

Well, he use to drive a WRX ... maybe we can convert him Steve, as you keep enforcing, members can use the search function before asking repetitive questions. I'm sure Neil wouldn't be too fussed. I'm sure he's aware the initial contact with pose many questions! We'll see how it goes and keep positive.

Ah, wasn't aware of that. Have not seen that myself. That would be a good one to raise with Neil. Whilst not a performance product, they could present a safety issue if mounted incorrectly. I agree, GPS units could and should be treated the same manner as any other fixture (gauges) in a cabin. We'd be crazy not to utilise such a resource. If they're reducing the guesswork out of defects, we should return the favour and take the guesswork out of mods.

SAU try to conduct themselves a little better, I would like to believe. We've established a good report card with SAPOL out of this meeting and will endeavour to keep that relationship postive. I've attended/spotted some of the HT cruises and some of the hoon elements unfortunately ruined it for HT. SAU will endeavour to learn from lessons prior and come across as a better car club by establishing rules and enforcing them. We hope to lead by example, and show that relationships with the law is a two-way street. I understand how you see this as similar, however those GPS units are removable (via suction) and not fixed to the dash/pillar. They are of less risk in the event of a crash. However, I am aware, through another source (not sapol or neil) that they pose concern for restricting the driver's view and some standards could be on the way in to prevent GPS units becoming a risk. But for the time being, GPS units are not a policing matter ... unfortunately, boost gauges on the pillar are. I love the look of gauges on the pillar/dash, but I agree they can be dangerous ... I, myself, had a car crash many years ago that saw my torso thrown into the pillar. No gauges, but I dread to think how worse I could have been if there were. Cronic, as I mentioned above, my crash saw me thrown into the pillar. Not all crashes are front on. Hence, the concern about pillar mounted gauges.

Right ... been working on my house extension and Stagea (turbo fix) today ... got time now to give feedback ... Just to clarify on a few things ... We went into this meeting not asking for immunity or favours from the police. They have a job to do and we respect that. Likewise the police respect that hoons have damaged the image of import drivers. We went into this meeting to open up some recognition that import owners are also enthusiasts, and not just hoons. It was agreed that there was a need for more education on the relationship between car enthusiasts and SAPOL. The police genuinely want to work with us, not against us. You can chose to believe that or not ... your choice. But it is a give and take relationship. They want to be easy with us, as long as we be more responsible for our cars and driving manner. Their biggest concern is safety ... not making our lives hell. As an example, I informed Neil that most owners will modify their cars regardless ... but its how the cars are modded that separates the hoons from the enthusiasts. Neil says they really have no problems with minor mods as long as they are not Super Cheap rubbish you are putting on your car. For example, I told Neil that when I adjust my ride height, I get it wheel aligned every time, and carry that invoice in my car. And I sure as hell don't do it by chopping springs, or fitting suspension not designed for my car. Neil advises that they'd like to see minor mods being done safely. Carrying my little folder of workshop invoices is an indication that I take my mods seriously and safely. Another example is that they have no problem with pod filters ultimately as long as they are 'fixed' by a bracket and not loose with the AFM. These are examples of such minor mods. Major mods include surge tanks and swirl pots etc (fuel being within the main chassis of the car), cars so low they cannot clear speed humps (100mm rule), non-engineered turbo upgrades ... you know how it goes guys. Make a big mod to your car and you risk being busted. Have enough documentation (workshop invoice/engineers certificate) to prove its not a Super Cheap or Ebay special and you'll look more responsible and you'll be treated fairly. It was agreed minor mods could be dealt with as a caution on the spot (which you will be expected to remedy if advised) or by minor inspection at a local cop shop. Major defects will continue to attract a Regency inspection. Now don't get your hopes up on the minor defect issue, as Nene said, cops are being trained to deal with defects more accurately and fairly, but this will take time. The wheels are turning but there is no instant fix. As mentioned by Nene, the police are aware of the inconsistencies with defect standards and are circulating notices and standards within the dept to eliminate the guesswork out of defects and bring in a fairer system. This works for and against us. If you're legit and honest with safe mods, you'll be treated fairly ... but they're getting better trained and know what to look for, so bullshitting them or hiding blatantly dangerous mods will not win you any favours. As far as SAU's rep goes ... Neil has expressed his pleasure that we sat down to meet with him. This shows that we want to be taken seriously and most of us (but not all) are genuine enthusiasts. He showed disappointment that SAU cruises had died down as they were some of the better organised and conducted cruises, and they rarely ever heard any complaints. They are aware of the handful of members that ruin it for us all, and do not class SAU as a whole as trouble makers. Neil has been advised that SAU has two new mods and standards with regards to posting comments have been raised. We're cleaning up this one horse town. As mentioned earlier, Neil has been invited to join up as an SAU member to be asked responsible questions about modifications, defects and cruises. His word will not be the be all end all and won't be your free ticket out of a defect tho; he will hopefully be offering advice based on the best and honest info you give him. If you have,say, a FMIC conversion and need to query if its legal, he may just point out (don't quote me on this) use the existing piping from the SMIC to the FMIC if possible, or if a return pipe needs to come from the driver's side of the engine bay, then have a workshop do your plumbing ... just to show the minor mod was done safely. If you mod is more than minor, he may recommend an engineer's certificate. If its a major mod, then he will advise if an eng cert is suitable, or if the mod won't be considered legal at all (major defect). The choice then is up to you ... but at least this way there is no doubts about where you stand and ignorance will not benefit you. It won't be a defect shopping list for him, but neither will it be a get out of jail free card for you. This whole meeting and process is about give and take, and compromising. Still beats the shit out of driving around like an outlaw in fear of police. I believe this also helps support a more favourable relationship between the various workshops and SAPOL. The police would be far more comfortable knowing a workshop has assisted in the modifications and is less likely to be deemed unsafe. Wouldn't we all like to see our money going to workshops more than on Regency inspections?

Aw that sucks. When was this? I live in the area. I got a front bar and lip you guys can have if that helps. Fits S2 Stagea. No reo bar sorry ... hope thats not mangled.

And I'd recommend members read the details posted before they shoot their mouths off. Sled will be watching

Was Grant Denyer driving the trucks?

A fresh thread will be posted prob tomorrow. We will explain all bases covered at the meeting then.

I bet the monster trucks were awesome Meeting with SAPOL reps went well yesterday. For those seeking immunity for illegal mods, you'll be disappointed. For those members seeking a fairer defect system and less "guess work" from the police, you'll be happy. This meeting has taken a step in the right direction, an understanding on both sides has been established, and I'll leave it to Nene to put the details together.

Let me double check that I have them. Not asking anything for them. If I have it, its yours. I'll be home most of tomorrow (sunday).

Bugger. Black Stag is off the road with turbo issues. Silver Stag is ready to go, but I've got a wedding next weekend, and I'll be at Phillip Island the weekend after that for Supers. Maybe in 3 weeks I can? But don't cater for me. Do what you can do.

Last night spotted Pete with Sled. Actually ... spotted many SAU members at Vilis. Pete, your bike still gets the attention. Had a new bunch of guys ride with us last night. Pure cockheads and riding like idiots ... they got the message clear we didn't want them riding with us. Spotted Ben (theminuz) at Everlast today. Nice 32 there mate Will soon be spotting Ben (Grim) and Nene at my place soon.

For Tracy, I got her tickets to Stomp 09 at the Festival Theatre. Tonight we're going out on the Brutale to dinner at a nice place. Then tomorrow morning she's getting a tattoo!

I've got a nice lip that would fit nicely on that front bar of yours