Modified Cars?! Read Here!

[Mr Jones]

I spotted this on another forum and thought I'll bring this up in case anyone missed it:

http://www.the-ace.o...eddon/#more-901

A quick summary to that article:

"We have unfortunately now been proved correct with a single item before the EC parliament that will prevent any modifying and will, currently, render already modified cars illegal."

Basically, any modification to a car = illegal. Would be stupidly hard to enforce but will likely lead to an offence if caught, if the proposal gets through. Consultation is over as far as I understand.

Who is this going to affect?

Within the ‘proposal’ it states that: -

This Regulation shall apply to vehicles with a design speed exceeding 25 km/h of the following categories, as referred to in Directive 2002/24/EC, Directive 2007/46/EC and Directive 2003/37/EC:

• motor vehicles having at least four wheels, used for the carriage of passengers
  and with not more than eight seats in addition to the driver’s seat – vehicle category M1,
  
• motor vehicles used for the carriage of passengers and with more than eight seats, excluding the driver’s seat – vehicle category M2 and M3,
  
• motor vehicles having at least four wheels, normally used for the road carriage of goods and with a maximum permissible mass not exceeding 3 500 kg – vehicle category N1,
  
• motor vehicles used for the carriage of goods and having a maximum permissible mass exceeding 3500kg – vehicle categories N2 and N3,
  
• trailers and semi-trailers with a maximum permissible mass not exceeding 3500 kg – vehicle categories O1 and O2
  
• trailers and semi-trailers with a maximum permissible mass exceeding 3500kg – vehicle categories O3 and O4
  
• two or three-wheel vehicles – vehicle categories L1e, L2e, L3e, L4e, L5e, L6e and L7e
  
• wheeled tractors with a maximum design speed exceeding 40 km/h – vehicle category T5.
  

Will anyone be exempt from being tested to original standard specification?

Once again within the ‘proposal’ This Regulation shall not apply to:

• vehicles of historic interest
  
• vehicles belonging to armed forces, fire services, civil protection, emergency or rescue services
  
• vehicles used by agricultural, horticultural, forestry, farming or fishery undertakings with a maximum design speed not exceeding 40 km/h
  
• specialised vehicles transporting circus and funfair equipment with a maximum design speed not exceeding 40 km/h and only operating on the territory of the Member State.
  

It also sounds like they're rolling it into part of MOT Test...

[johnan]

I woudn't mess about with the IQ as it is just about right straight out of the box, but my MG has very little on it that was on it when it was made so they had better sort this out as many individuals and after market companies will be badly affected.

I would like to think the "alarmist" press are making a big deal of this and in reality nothing much will change.

Fingers crossed!

John

[Cyker]

Well it depends; To my insurance people for instance, adding a spoiler or changing the rims would count as a modification, even if they were factory-fit options on the car - If it didn't come with it, they count it as a modification.

[Guest]

I wonder if this has a protest page on the Gov's web site? So we can get over 100,000 signatures of people not happy. That should be everyone who owns a car IMO.