If you want a NSW rego car read this

[Zedn]

I posted a link the other day but got no response.

The RTA have released the details for the new VSCCS. Basically in a nut shell it requires all engineers in NSW to reapply for a license with different conditions.

The major issue with this new scheme relates to the insurance requirements for engineers. Basically the RTA is requiring engineers to hold Public liability and professional indemnity insurance during and for 7 years after participating in the scheme.

I dont know the exact cost, but i estimate that these insurances will be between $3-4k per year (i think our company pays around $3k for PI and have much lower risk). What this means for the engineer is that they will be paying $21-28k after they retire or stop being a signatory.

The engineers are in uproar about this and if it goes ahead, very few will sign up for the scheme. At this stage none. The ones that do will have an absolute monopoly on us.

This could quite possibly spell the end for ICVs in NSW. There are also other requirements for compliance plates and online certificates and photos but im not going into that because i dont see it as a show stopper.

If you are planning on registering a car in NSW or want to see more cars registered please put in a comment to the RTA using the form on the following link. Also keep in mind that if the RTA do this there is nothing to stop other states following. I have sent off an email to Ken Cleary at vsccs@rta.nsw.gov.au and i urge you all to do the same.

http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/registrati...mment_dl1.html

http://you-have-to-be-kidding.blogspot.com/

[albanycobra]

It's a good idea that Engineers carry insurance. They carry a lot of responsibility.



All that will happen is a few dodgy Engineers will give it away and the others will just put there price up. Kit cars are not a poor mans sport and really if it cost 1 grand or 3 grand for Engineering it would not change the industry much.

[Zedn]

Originally Posted by albanycobra

It's a good idea that Engineers carry insurance. They carry a lot of responsibility.



All that will happen is a few dodgy Engineers will give it away and the others will just put there price up. Kit cars are not a poor mans sport and really if it cost 1 grand or 3 grand for Engineering it would not change the industry much.

No i would agree if it was that amount. But we are talking $7-$10k before this has happened. Becuase of all the issues with the RTA last year, engineers stopped doing flat rates. They charge an hourly rate and thats what you pay.

Insurance is a business decision that should be up to them to make. This would depend on how many cars they certified, what type of cars etc.

This is not about dodgy engineers, none of them are signing up.

[sideshow]

I think it will Effect the cheaper conversions
When u sPend 5 grand or so on whole conversion
Then afew for engineer will stop the lower end stuff
When u spend 60 plus grand what's afew more
The problem here will then cause less need for engineers
Less engineers less automotive performance shops
So even less need for engineers
Hopefully in 10 years I won't have to worry bout cars
Cause the whole industry is going down hill slowly

The p plate laws hav already affected afew businesses

[750hp]

Originally Posted by sideshow

Hopefully in 10 years I won't have to worry bout cars
Cause the whole industry is going down hill slowly

I'm not so sure that it's all doom and gloom. Sure there are the concerns about the number of engineers that will step up to the plate.
Watch the truly committed manufacturers work with the remaining engineers to build cars along the lines of the Superformance "turn-key minus" cars, where every single piece of the car is built the same and the running gear just needs to be dropped in. I'd think people would pay a premium if they could place an order, nominate a paint and trim colour, subcontract out the engine installation, and the car is built to EXACTLY the specs that have been agreed to with engineers.
Certainty for the buyer, efficiency for the manufacturers, less risk for the engineer.

Even if it all goes totally pear shaped, what's the worst case if you don't have a Cobra at the time:
Buy an old RMC, DRB, G Force that's already approved to less stringent standards and upgrade it;
Buy a Sunbeam Tiger and do what you like with it; or
Buy any of the dozens of other readily available sports and performance cars available at the moment. Looking at the effortless performance of a few cars that are cheap and available at the moment, I think that the motoring industry is in excellent shape.

Getting away from sports cars, have a tinker with a late model Commodore and see how it goes. As you know, with very few mods it's easy to argue that the muscle car era is right now...

Having said that, I still like my old XY

[Modena]

Buy any of the dozens of other readily available sports and performance cars

there are other cars besides the Cobra?

[sideshow]

late model commodores are easy to mod and get power out of them
and because they r late model they are ok by the rta
even with their semi loud exhausts and stuff
the late model stuff is going ok most people can afford a late model ford or holden
the stuff that is over 15 or 20 years old is what they r all trying to get rid off

some of the jap import stuff and conversions has slowed down
it doesnt help that the hoons drive alot fo jap stuff and are always in the media for bad things so the cops are always trying to get rid of those cars

the big car manufacturers would rather u buy their cars than waste money on an icv or something over maybe 10 years old so they push this idea to the rta and since the rta make money from these bug manufacturers they are best of friends

luckily the crate motors have helped lately and they r running low in australia
so now most people buy em from usa

the jap import scene is struggling cause the days of the good old jap performance motors are not as good in th elate model cars
might only be afew motros worth purchasing in the newer cars

the newer motors being made in the jap cars are dull n boring these days
and more go for small throw away cars there are no real interesting motors in japan these days that in 5 or 8 years time might become good conversion motors

thank god the usa has alot of crate motors and looks like they will always be available

[sambo]

Sideshow, don't forget the Euro hot fours. My VW mechanic has the new Golf R with nearly 300kW/500Nm (modified) all wheel drive, he's fitting a roll cage and doing Targa Tasmania this year. It's a lot lighter than a Commodore/Falcon and grips like nothing else. It's a pretty quick car for 60k.

[sideshow]

yes thats true
pity i bloody hate euro cars
some are so poorly designed when u look at it from a mechanics point of view who has to work on them

hehehe

give me a toyota any day

[Merv and Sharon]

I guess we are witnessing generational change. These "kit" cars are built and registered as new cars and as such the regulatons will increase accordingly. Eventually they may become impossible or make Cobras a limited visual copy of the original. We see this process already. In time I suspect that older Cobras with upgrades will become as popular a choice as building a new one. The clock is ticking for builders and manufacturers of Cobra replicas.

[sideshow]

the sad thing is these cars are built to hi detail and engineering
and u look at alot fo the cars that come thru my shop and i think to myself
why why why do they spend money on them and how the hell will they pass
purely due to alot fo things being so dodgey
yesterday i had to go for road test in car with rear brake pipe n matser blocked off
and no seat belts
owner was driving and luckily it was in a back street back off nowhere

[Rob. Smith]

Originally Posted by sideshow

the sad thing is these cars are built to hi detail and engineering
and u look at alot fo the cars that come thru my shop and i think to myself
why why why do they spend money on them and how the hell will they pass
purely due to alot fo things being so dodgey
yesterday i had to go for road test in car with rear brake pipe n matser blocked off
and no seat belts
owner was driving and luckily it was in a back street back off nowhere

That's why the RTA is getting tough. there are too many "street machines" out there that obviously have been extensively modified after being approved as roadworthy.

[stuartt]

Guy’s is it really such a impost on our engineers to ask them to guarantee their work, there not on their own there are plenty of other industries this already applies to. I personally wouldn’t be using an engineer that doesn’t carry insurance. The other way to look at it is how many ICV’s are still as engineered 12 months on from registration, the chances of any claim being upheld against an engineer is pretty slim.
Stuart

[sideshow]

i doubt most street machines would be fully engineered if any type of engineering certificte at all
if the car has been registered and still has rego well what the rta dotn know then doesnt matter
maybe we should adopt the theory of the egyptians and all mass gongregate at the rta head office for 18 days
then maybe the boss of the rta will stand down and instead of pen pushers making decisions they can employ experienced car enthusiasts with actual knowledge of the industry

friend of mine works in a big snack company and last year he came up with a promotion
with afew comapnies and gave away a sports ute and they always did stuff with v8 supercars now there is an extra new guy in marketing and he has canned anythign to do with motorsport i guess they have not seen the crowds that actually goto these events
i remember afew decades ago at calder park drags the crown was over 50000 people for a single day drag event and a decade ago i went to the indy car festival and i have not ever had so much fun
i guess its proff of the times we live in and are heading towards
maybe we can move to a place with more relaxed road rules heheheeh

[Tenrocca]

There is a similar insurance called builders warrantee insurance I think - similar thing, has to cover the house for 7 years. It has been described as "joke" insurance. For every $100 paid in premiums apparantly only a few dollars is paid out on claims. Wonder if this is or will be similar.

Cheers