Info on mods needed Options

[Sxrman]

Hey all I'm new to the site n I Owen a sx-r n i wanna increase the performance of my car anyone have any info on mods that will help me including compatible motors

[JoshuaM]

WARNING: This is my sensible and logical brain having a mini-rant about legality and consequences. Certainly no offence is intended to anybody on this thread, its just that I disagree with some of the logic posted. If you can't handle an opposing opinion look away now!


In reference to the comments about legality, sorry to be the downer but various tactics to avoid a defect notice is completely irrelevant. If you were pulled over with an engine swap that wasn't declared, what would happen? You'd get a slap on the wrist, a fine, and a defect notice making you either get it engineered or return it to stock.... frustrating and expensive yes, but not a big deal.

If you were to have an accident (Which statistically is likely given many of us are young males), your insurance would NOT be required to pay you out (check the fine print). Even if you were not at fault, you could be accused of being a contributory factor give your unroadworthy vehicle. So, your $2k-10k Celica gets written off... again that is very sad, probably more emotionally than financially, but again it isn't the end of the world - you can rebuild.

However, if you were to write off a new $80-100k premium BMW / Merc / Audi etc (Which is not hard given Australia's pricing at least) in the process, you would be ruined! With no insurance to cover you, you will be buying them a new car... which would mean years and years of huge debt - say goodbye to buying your own house or expensive car any time soon. This is of course assuming you don't go bankrupt after losing whatever assets you may have, and being unable to take out any form of lease or loan for the next 7 years.

If, heaven forbid, you were to seriously injure another person in this accident you would normally be covered by up to $20 million in legal liability insurance through CTP (This is an AUS thing).... Unless of course they were to hear that your car was illegal too in which case who knows... that would cripple yourself and the poor third party who you can't afford to pay their medical expenses that your insurance should cover.

The chance of this happening is quite small, however those consequences are very severe. If people weigh up the risks and still want to go ahead that's completely up to them, but I certainly wouldn't recommend it as a sensible option, especially to newbies. And, unless you are in a financial situation that would cover any of the above situations, in my opinion it is also grossly unfair to other potentially innocent road users who may also be ruined financially if there was to be an accident.

Technically, this logic goes to anything at all that we do to our cars... many of the tiny modifications such as clear side markers and JDM tail lights would technically come under the same provisions, but it is unlikely that they would be noticed, and you would have a good case to argue that they were too minor to be a contributory factor (Though I still go through the painful process of declaring them all to my insurer - even just for fire and theft which is already capped price).

Laws are very different with regards to all of this stuff in the states, so I don't know how much of my comments are relevant there, but they are certainly true for Australia.

So in summary my first plan if I start looking at a swap is going to be how I am going to get it approved and insured, but thats just me

[rentaspace]

WARNING: This is my sensible and logical brain having a mini-rant about legality and consequences. Certainly no offence is intended to anybody on this thread, its just that I disagree with some of the logic posted. If you can't handle an opposing opinion look away now!


In reference to the comments about legality, sorry to be the downer but various tactics to avoid a defect notice is completely irrelevant. If you were pulled over with an engine swap that wasn't declared, what would happen? You'd get a slap on the wrist, a fine, and a defect notice making you either get it engineered or return it to stock.... frustrating and expensive yes, but not a big deal.

If you were to have an accident (Which statistically is likely given many of us are young males), your insurance would NOT be required to pay you out (check the fine print). Even if you were not at fault, you could be accused of being a contributory factor give your unroadworthy vehicle. So, your $2k-10k Celica gets written off... again that is very sad, probably more emotionally than financially, but again it isn't the end of the world - you can rebuild.

However, if you were to write off a new $80-100k premium BMW / Merc / Audi etc (Which is not hard given Australia's pricing at least) in the process, you would be ruined! With no insurance to cover you, you will be buying them a new car... which would mean years and years of huge debt - say goodbye to buying your own house or expensive car any time soon. This is of course assuming you don't go bankrupt after losing whatever assets you may have, and being unable to take out any form of lease or loan for the next 7 years.

If, heaven forbid, you were to seriously injure another person in this accident you would normally be covered by up to $20 million in legal liability insurance through CTP (This is an AUS thing).... Unless of course they were to hear that your car was illegal too in which case who knows... that would cripple yourself and the poor third party who you can't afford to pay their medical expenses that your insurance should cover.

The chance of this happening is quite small, however those consequences are very severe. If people weigh up the risks and still want to go ahead that's completely up to them, but I certainly wouldn't recommend it as a sensible option, especially to newbies. And, unless you are in a financial situation that would cover any of the above situations, in my opinion it is also grossly unfair to other potentially innocent road users who may also be ruined financially if there was to be an accident.

Technically, this logic goes to anything at all that we do to our cars... many of the tiny modifications such as clear side markers and JDM tail lights would technically come under the same provisions, but it is unlikely that they would be noticed, and you would have a good case to argue that they were too minor to be a contributory factor (Though I still go through the painful process of declaring them all to my insurer - even just for fire and theft which is already capped price).

Laws are very different with regards to all of this stuff in the states, so I don't know how much of my comments are relevant there, but they are certainly true for Australia.

So in summary my first plan if I start looking at a swap is going to be how I am going to get it approved and insured, but thats just me

I was actually thinking this last night haha
*****REFER TO THE ABOVE WARNING ABOUT HANDLING OPPOSITION AND OFFENSE*****
I would start with contacting RMS and Police and see how you go about it in a legal sense, including the engineering and all that jazz and if it came back with huge expenses or illegal then I would start looking at just importing a JDM spec car with the engine wanted, and then complying it... I know that this second method is possible as many businesses around my area do it, and so too have a few of my friends...
I also agree with the 'don't just think of you; think of the other road users' if you aren't prepared to either:
1) Do the work PROPERLY and legally in the first place/ Import and comply a vehicle OR
2) Can live with the fact that you may kill someone/ruin your and other peoples lives
Then DO NOT attempt anything major such as an engine swap.
If you are prepared to accept number 2) then I suggest not driving on the road, as you need to have a good aptitude when on the road, and that is definetly not a good aptitude.
If you are prepared for the work and expenses of 1); then go for it... But, remember that this will be a long and possibly costly process...

And I also make my insurer know about every mod that has been done, Including stuff that you may seem irrelevant such as the skirts and crystal side markers. This is not only for my peace of mind, but also to legally protect me in the event that I cause an accident and no; that does not mean I am expecting to have an accident; I am just being sensible in a legal aspect.
Also, just to let you know; just because an Insurer allows you to do something (e.g. add side skirts), that does not make it legal. For instance:
My exhaust system is completely accepted by my insurer; BUT, if I was to get pulled over by the Police and they checked it would fail EPA and I would be defected for noise pollution.
Again none of this is meant to offend anyone it is just information for all. Ultimately, I say again it is up to the OP with what they wish to do. All anyone else can do is hope that they make a sensible and rational decision.
*Rant over for now xD*


This post has been edited by rentaspace: May 29, 2013 - 8:20 PM