Another one bites the dust!

[Steve]

Well, Munro is no longer on his own.

James (D1 Garage type) got a inspection notice from Regency after his car appeared in HPI magazine. Sad thing is, he decided to return the car to stockish and then sell it - it was a really nicely set up car.

Note to all, IF you get your car featured, remove the plates before they start snapping away - MattR, when is yours being featured?

I would be really interested if it is legal to do this perhaps its just safer to make sure your car never gets anywhere near a magazine.

Maybe HPI should do an article on Regency and the current defect regulations, how these buggers are a law unto themselves and have the ability to issue defects at seemingly their own will. Just what are the rules on this? I think it seems to be going on a bit too much. Fair enough if you decide to get in a bit of drift practice in the middle of the city - you would expect to go a row. What's next? Any car that has any aftermarket parts fitted will be duely summonsed for an inspection? At this rate that will probably be the next step - there has to be a civil libitarian out there somewhere who would know wether this sort of thing is reasonable or not?

/rant

Sorry, just had to get that out of my system + wanted to warn anyone planning on letting a car mag near their car:)

[EnricoPalazzo]

Man that is just ****ed. And i know what a pain in the ass regency is. It makes my blood boil when a nice car gets defected for too low etc etc, then when driving around, i see hundreds of taxis with their head lights out, mass amoounts of smoke coming out of boongas and other unroadworthy cars all that dont get the slightest looks from cops.

[MattR]

cheers Steve I need to contact Matin ASAP to make sure my plates arnt shown. What incentive is there to put your gar in a magazine these days?? I wonder if these people read street Commodores magazine and do the same thing or is it just us. :pissed:

[TIMMMAYYY]

Where's the incentive to do anything anymore?

U get bent over and ass f*cked for everything you do nower days.

" All in the name of safety " or some bullsh*t.

[Martin Donnon]

If this actually is the case, that they are using HPI as a reference point for issuing vehicle inspections - particularly in the case of James car - where other than some tint, and a cage, it has nothing really illegal about it, then I am going to take them to task. All photographs of James car were performed on a closed track, not on the street, and as you will see in the story he refuted ever being involved in street activity. Which to the best of my knowledge he isnt.

For a start there will be no more plates. Its a blanket thing. We will remove them with a screwdriver, simple as that. However they can also simply plug a name into a database with or without rego number, and pop, up it comes. Secondly, I want to find a copy of one of these letters, so I can use it as a reference to the 'enthusiasts' that work at the RTA who it would seem buy these magazines to read and issue letters via remote.

I will find out their names, their exact occupations, their phone numbers, how they go about their job, what car they drive, why they are specifically targetting imports - which they are - and what effect this has on road safety. I have a list of names of RTA employees that have actively, and quite proudly it would seem, been involved in harrassing what I like to consider to be my clients. If they persist in this activity, I will quite happily submit for publishing their photographs, phone numbers, rego numbers etc. Nothing illegal about that....just as there is nothing illegal about seemingly taking rego numbers out of my work.

Remember though, these guys have the ability to take down your plate on the way home from work and send you a notice in the mail the next day. Its not just magazine stuff you need to be wary of, but any sort of misbehaviour in front of the public. Unfortunately it would seem that the whole thing is only going to get worse for all of us.

[NitRaTe]

maybe we shouldnt drive modified cars anymore. i honestly think that's the only solution. its a lot more low profile driving a standard car anyway (and more comfortable too)

[Steve]

Yep, soon everyone will be driving bog stock australian delivered cars only - wont that just be an exciting world?

who will they pick on then? Seems they will have to do something to justify their pitiful existance.

It would be interesting to see what sort of ratio of old clunkers/ nice imports go to regency.

Martin, perhaps you could use aliases as well as removing plates? Pretty sad when you have to hide yourself away from the world becuase you improve your car though.

[NitRaTe]

Steve, sadly nothing much we can do is there.

they are the law enforcers, so we kow tow to them (sp?).

[9krpm]

What is the deal about boost gauge?

Why is this a defectable item?

I know it likely to move around during an accident but so are my testicles ha

[TIMMMAYYY]

I guess they'll just defect ur for your balls too and u'll have to remove them also!! hehe

[EnricoPalazzo]

Originally posted by Rob

I don't know what the answer is here, Martin I like what you are doing for scene, keep up the good work.

I guess until something does change the best way is to try and reduce your chances or being defected in the first place.. ie Take those BOV's off , cops will get u every time..seems to be the first thing they look for. Also try to make the inside of your car look as gadget free as possible (hide t/timer etc)... p.s. Boostd you are exempt , no way that interior is looking inconspicuous any time soon

I know this is a load of crap and it should not be the case that we have to go to these measure, but it just seems to be getting worse and probably will before it gets any better.

On the other hand throw a discrimination case against the offending Police Officer or DOT Rep, and then see if they really think it is worth it.

Rob the bad thing is, is that if you do get pulled over, if a cop suspects anything, they can issue a defect, and all they need to do is put the 3 letters "VIS" on the defect notice and your screwed. Then all the effort of hiding boost gauges etc, goes to waste, cos regency will screw u badly.

Its bs that it has come to this. I got defected for too low, but that meant i had to bring the car back to stock or else id get done again for my BOV exhaust etc etc.

So i dont think there is a real way to avoid gettin defected. Just try be careful. Things like hidden gauges are probably unnecessary.

[CheekyR32]

the new bugati has an 8 litre quad turbo engine with 1001 hp & is street legal!!!!!

whats wrong with having half that power in a skyline?

[Steve]

Cheeky, think some of them would say there is a problem with 1/4 the hp - as long as it isnt aust delivered, you got probs

Enrico, what does "VIS" mean?

Sad thing is, if the copper wants to, he can just defect a car because in his opinion it looks like it 'may' be illegal.

This send you a defect through the mail thing, its just going too far. I wonder what the criteria for one of these jobbies is? 'Um, thats a nice car!', 'yeah, too nice, lets send him a defect'

Its just down right un-Australian. Sorry for bitching again this just really gets under my skin - if only there was something you could do!

9krpm - you think its silly getting defected for boost guages - whatsisname had to remove a momo steering wheel - which complies to ADRs - go figure? They are just plain out of control.

[EnricoPalazzo]

Steve: VIS means Vehicle Inspection Station, which basically means full roadworhty inspection, ie they check EVERYTHING.

Hey mate did u go to the cruise? Sorry about my car...

[Steve]

No, didnt make it. I actually came down with a really bad cold - started feeling pretty ordinary thursday, so wouldnt have been able to make it even if your car was going.

what ended up being the problem?

[EnricoPalazzo]

Hahah ahh the problem

Well the Loom conncecting to the ECU wasnt making good contact with the ECU pins for some reason. Anywho I modified the loom plug and it all seems good now. Althou since i fixed that, the power steering belt came off (fixed now) and the idle went nuts, idling at 2krpm (fixed now at 800rpm) so im hopin for a nice run without any problems.

[hippy]

lol enrico .. u know i was going to suggest u check to see if the ecu is connected but i thought it was too stupid .. hehe

[Clint32]

SO the afm works fine then, i was sure mine still worked good so it must have been something else then, glad you got it sorted.

[EnricoPalazzo]

ecu has a bad solder joint. so no hip checkin the connection wouldnt of found it.

[hippy]

time for a power fc