Meeting With Sapol

[Nene260RS]

thats something you can take up with Neil when he joins

[joeleo87]

sounds like you guys have come along way. If Neil does decide to join, it would be awesome to ask him a few questions

GW guys!

[PREISS]

Ive seen your vid madaz

[Stagstock]

Great result guys, although one thing i am concerned about.

Talk of having receipts etc for all the modifications done by workshops. Personally (and I know that lots of other people are in the same boat) I like to mod my car myself... paying workshops is all good and well but learning about your car while doing things is priceless. Now obviously I know that the biggest issue with this is that some people that choose to do their own mods do them in an unsafe manner. How will this affect those more responsible owners who do the right thing and do an above average job on their own car but have no documentation to prove?

I am personally very fussy and don't like other people touching my car unless its something beyond my abilities... as more than often I've had to come back due to something that hasn't been properly connected back (and been charged on top for their incompetence) or I've had to do more work on it afterwords because they failed to tell me i needed to get an alignment or something like that done.

I also have the same concern as I work for a workshop I'm certainly not going to pay the GST just to make up an invoice to show the cops. Either it's done correctly or not, a piece of paper saying that the cabletied clutch fan was done by a workshop shouldn't make it ok... An exaggeration I know... but you know what I'm implying. I'm assuming that if the cops are trained properly thats not something I will have to worry about anyway.

[SLAPS]

Hopefully ground has been made. I was under the impression the main concern hence reason for the meeting was hood popping even if everyone was well behaved.

Regardless the meeting has showed a level of maturity and leadership which is a good thing for SAU.

My query will be sorted out soon if Neil decides to take SAU up on the invitation.

Edited February 15, 2009 by TheRogue

[Matty 31]

im all for neil having an account too, will be good to clear the air. will even help me determine certain rulings about my 4wd as well as any future street car i have. but in agreeance with roo, i did many mods myself (intercooler, suspension etc) but someone always checked it out (ie alignments etc).

[Stagstock]

Lets keep the RCK filth off this forum

Fair call ruby. Point taken.

[SkyHi_33]

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.

This is a fair point and i agree 100% but after having 2 inspections done by regency and a visit to a few workshops in the process NO ONE spotted that my lower and upper control arms were damaged... I discovered this myself after replacing my own suspension. Have since parked the car while I gather funds for replacement parts.

This is sort of thing that I was trying to get at. I know its not an easy thing to get around but i think that there should be clear guidelines of what makes certain things safe/unsafe which can be identifiable by individual officers. What was mentioned is a damn good start but i don't want the privilege of working on my own thing get in the way of actually enjoying the benefits.

[SLAPS]

tx3_90.

Unfortunately your request is simply not possible.

One could replace brake pads and top up their brake fluid with auto trans fluid (father in law did this).

Yet another will replace brake pads and forget to fit the locking pin, another changes their brakes without problems.

It all comes down to the 'individual' doing the work. The point ruby was getting at is that if you have proof your car is worked on by professionals its less likely your car is unroad worthy in a dangerous sense.

Having 400hp+ under the right foot isn't going to make the car dangerous in its self. It may be perfectly road worthy in a sense of tyres, brakes etc

Its the driver that will make the car dangerous. Completely different ball game when your talking fitment of brakes, suspension etc.

Making sure the car is serviced and roadworthy is what I believe Ruby was getting it.

Edited February 15, 2009 by TheRogue

[Stagstock]

tx3_90.

Unfortunately your request is simply not possible.

One could replace brake pads and top up their brake fluid with auto trans fluid (father in law did this).

Yet another will replace brake pads and forget to fit the locking pin, another changes their brakes without problems.

It all comes down to the 'individual' doing the work. The point ruby was getting at is that if you have proof your car is worked on by professionals its less likely your car is unroad worthy.

Lets be honest here, who here has been defected because they fitted their own brakes???????

They're concerned about people fitting things that would be deemed unsafe regardless of who fitted them, atleast thats the way they SHOULD be looking at it.

[SLAPS]

Lets be honest here, who here has been defected because they fitted their own brakes???????

They're concerned about people fitting things that would be deemed unsafe regardless of who fitted them, atleast thats the way they SHOULD be looking at it.

lol that comment brought a smile to my face. Its not about being defected because you have fitted your own brakes its about a car being 'safe'.

I am generalising slightly don't take the word 'brakes' as exactly what i am talking of.

I am sure Neil has pulled of a heap of cars that have been modified, have their pads on the squeak wear indicators and bald tyres.

I edited my post as you replied..

Having 400hp+ under the right foot isn't going to make the car dangerous in its self. It may be perfectly road worthy in a sense of tyres, brakes etc

If thats the case its the driver that will make the car dangerous. Completely different ball game when your talking fitment of brakes, suspension etc.

Making sure the car is serviced and roadworthy etc what I believe Ruby was getting it. I don't believe a work shops would fit a set of Bendix Advance brake pads to a 400+hp skyline. Im sure plenty back yard mechanics have.

Edited February 15, 2009 by TheRogue

[Stagstock]

lol that comment brought a smile to my face. Its not about being defected because you have fitted your own brakes its about a car being 'safe'.

I am generalising slightly don't take the word brakes as exactly what i am talking of.

I am sure Neil has pulled of a heap of cars that have been modified, have their pads on the squeak wear indicators and bald tyres.

I edited my post as you replied..

Having 400hp+ under the right foot isn't going to make the car dangerous in its self. It may be perfectly road worthy in a sense of tyres, brakes etc

Its the driver that will make the car dangerous. Completely different ball game when your talking fitment of brakes, suspension etc.

Making sure the car is serviced and roadworthy etc what I believe Ruby was getting it.

I wasn't referring directly to your post either. More the fact that if a mod is dangerous, it's dangerous. It shouldn't make it a defect if you installed it yourself, or safe if it was fitted by an engineer. If its safe it's safe, regardless and Visa Versa... anyway.. I'm getting off topic so I'll shut up before I'm shut up lol

Edited February 15, 2009 by Stagstock

[SLAPS]

lol well yeah I could be way off track.

Its how I understood Ruby's post.

Show receipts of maintenance and mods (leave those high flow receipts out) and it shows a level of seriousness when it comes to ensuring your car is safe and roadworthy. Most fit highflows when they fix their turbo. Ensuring the rest of the car is up to spec at least shows your not neglecting the rest of the car.

IMO.. Let me know Ruby if this is what you were referring to?

Edited February 15, 2009 by TheRogue

[SkyHi_33]

I wasn't referring directly to your post either. More the fact that if a mod is dangerous, it's dangerous. It shouldn't make it a defect if you installed it yourself, or safe it was fitted by an engineer. If its safe it's safe, regardless and Visa Versa... anyway.. I'm getting off topic so I'll shut up before I'm shut up lol

that's what i was trying to get at... anyways it is getting a bit off topic now. probably best to leave this off until neil is around and get his opinion on it.

[SLAPS]

If in doubt give Vehicle Standards a buzz. 'Generally' they are fairly good.

[D_Stirls]

lol well yeah I could be way off track.

Its how I understood Ruby's post.

Show receipts of maintenance and mods (leave those high flow receipts out) and it shows a level of seriousness when it comes to ensuring your car is safe and roadworthy. Most fit highflows when they fix their turbo. Ensuring the rest of the car is up to spec at least shows your not neglecting the rest of the car.

IMO.. Let me know Ruby if this is what you were referring to?

I challenge ANY workshop in Adelaide to do as good a quality work as what I have done on my car, and for the record I have no certificate saying I can do what I do. I have however grow up around the Dirt circuit racing scene and have built a number of purpose built dirt circuit open wheelers from scratch. Any the aftermarket parts have been made on a CNC machine centre and are a lot more accurate and better quality that anything seen in the automotive stores these days.

ive seen plenty of gps units that are perm mounted on the a piller so there should be no difference between them and a gauge imho i have no probs with suction type i have one myself . i cant wait for niell to join up as i have a few questions i would like to ask him myself just so im clear in my own mind about a couple of things .

This is a bit suss. How can something that is permanently mounted (aka affixed to a piece of the bodywork/frame) be any safer than something mounted with a suction cap? In the event of a crash, anything not mounted correctly turns into a missile... This is the sorta stuff we need clarified.

well if we are going to be defected for gauges I want to see every taxi in the state defected for there "job computers" that are fixed to various places on the dash "endangering" the general public, but if I had gauges in these same places I would be defected.

So the meeting basically just confirmed what we already knew, I can't see anything in what has been written that is new to me as a member of the motor enthusiast scene. All that I can see is that if was pulled over now I can be told that "oh your a member of SAU? then you have already been warned about these things" say hi to the inspectors for me.

Edited February 15, 2009 by D_Stirls

[Madaz]

Ive seen your vid madaz

so tell me how is that the same since they rip up public roads and my vid in private property

[Dori-Dori]

ben, nene, roo, well done

i mite actually feel safe bout taking my car out now more then i intend

be a bonus if he joins up, i got three questions waiting to ask

but also just on the a pillar gauge mounting, i got told from regency if they are double sided then it is debatable, due to the fact that it will fall off if any amount of pressure is put on it. as i know on other parts of the dash that is the only way you can get away with having them there, but like i said it is debatable

but once again

congrats

[R334door(s2)]

this is a really good outcome well done to all and sapol for listening and giving there thoughts.

Edited February 15, 2009 by R334door(s2)

[Poida81]

id like to say good job on all this and i encourage Neil to join.

It sure would be handy to know beforehand how a mod is illegal and specifically why it is illegal. It would save time and money not having to do things twice because it wasn't done properly the first time.

A few years ago i went into regency to ask what i can do to legally modify a car (Mazda at the time) and was told i couldn't do anything it was all illegal. Leaving me thinking that it didn't really matter so i bought the mod because the original part needed replacing anyway not knowing whether it was legal or not.

so i thank you for starting this up so people can know what side of the law they are on.