defects

[gadZOOKs]

Hey all, the other day, whilst drivin my sierra, i got pulled over........ when i asked the copper, he told me it was because of the fact i was drivin around with no doors. Now most of us know that as long as we still have mirrors on the car, no doors is ok, but the cop didnt. so while i was trying to explain to this bloke your allowed to do it, he decided to give my car the "once over". knockin me for no rear bar, no front bar, front numberplate not secure, and oil leaks.....
He then proceeded to tell me i was driving a dangerous vehicle, and not to drive it until it had past a blue slip.
now my problems are these:
1: i told him because of the lack of side intrusion protection, lower floor pans and the fact i had mirrors it was fine to drive with no doors.
2: the front bar was a folded piece of alloy plate that covered both chassis rails and was bolted onto the chassis
3: the front number plate was zip tied on which apparently isnt secure?
4: the apparent oil leak was an old leak from some other persons car, and even though we could see it had soaked into the tar for quite some time, it must have come from my vehicle because he said so.
5: I told him the only performance modification i had done to the car was a set of extractors...... which when i popped the bonnet after a little bit of looking he asked me "where are the extractors" so i pointed out the shiney exhaust manifold.......
6: If he had gotten me for the drop shackles, the lift or the tyres, i would have considered it a sensible thing....... but he didnt notice the BRIGHT BLUE DROPPERS, or the 31x10.5x15r tyres.
7: since this episode, I have called the RTA and recieved the go ahead for driving with out doors, as long as it has mirrors (we know that) BUT i asked him for a law date, or an act in which i can look for the details on the rules and regs, so i can print it out, when he said to me it would be in either "Australian Road Rules", or the "Road Transport Vehicle Registration Regulation 2007" which could be found on either the RTA website, or the Australian federal Government website. But he couldnt tell me where in either of these acts i would find it, or what exactly I would find. All he could tell me is that "the laws dont say you "cant" do it, therefore you "can" do it."

So if anyone has a similar experience, or anyone who knows about the acts or anyone has a piece of paper with where anyone can find the legislation on any of this chime in and let us know

[brendan_h]

5: I told him the only performance modification i had done to the car was a set of extractors...... which when i popped the bonnet after a little bit of looking he asked me "where are the extractors" so i pointed out the shiney exhaust manifold.......

ive got extractors on my zook and being a P plater legaly cant drive a car with performance modifications i think it sucks but i am shure the cops will think im down at the racer every friday night with my zook on 32s

[just cruizin']

So after all that did it cost you any money in way of a fine or inspection or are you just happy you got away with the tyres etc. Try looking at the ADR's for the ruling on the doors.

[noelb1]

hahahaha I got a red ticket for a axle seal leak that was only weaping , but he didn't pick 33x12.5x15 maxxis bighorns on 4" offset bronco alloy rims , 2" shackles nor the 150mm garden edge flares or the gaurd chop, roll cage.......etc . all he said was it was a dangerous oil leak and I shouldn't be driving the car on the road and had to get it towed ( well wait till they had finished the rbt then drove it home wen they left )

took it for the blue slip and the mech laughed at the red ticket asked if I told him to f*$# off when I got out of the car or something..

cost me $135 fine and $50 for the blueslip

[ZUKPOWER]

This is what the engineer told me Nov 08 - it is illegal to drive a sierra without doors as the original door hinges are not designed as quick disconnect like a jeep. ie. you have to unbolt them. it is however completely legal to drive with a piece of metal in a -< pattern that utilises both hinge mounts and the original door lock because the original doors had no side intrusion protection

[joeblow]

if it doesn't look neat its just ammo to be pulled over.

[r0ck_m0nkey]

The fact he may have missed more obvious things to yourself is irrelevant. All a defect notice basically is, is the police officer believes that the vehicle is not in roadworthy condition and not legal and the vehicle needs to be presented for inspection. What's written on the notice is completely irrelevant, as the things you have stated are wrong even though not on the notice need to be rectified for a blue slip regardless and that's the whole point.

[Turbo Tonka]

haha you got raped bede.now im gonna have to paint my zuk so i dont get pulled over thinking its you

it sucks,hopefully you get it all sorted out soon.No doors on a hard top just looks wrong tho,soft top atleast sorta blends in

BUY A JEEP

[noelb1]

The fact he may have missed more obvious things to yourself is irrelevant. All a defect notice basically is, is the police officer believes that the vehicle is not in roadworthy condition and not legal and the vehicle needs to be presented for inspection. What's written on the notice is completely irrelevant, as the things you have stated are wrong even though not on the notice need to be rectified for a blue slip regardless and that's the whole point.

this is the case only if you get marked for a full inspection, not just a half inspection IE the problem the copper picked is rectified.

[waandy]

"where are the extractors"

[r0ck_m0nkey]

this is the case only if you get marked for a full inspection, not just a half inspection IE the problem the copper picked is rectified.

Which cops do that? I've never seen the part inspection box crossed either on my own defect notices or friends.

Even my last one was so minor that a yellow sticker wasn't issued and it still had the full inspection box crossed.

[just cruizin']

The fact he may have missed more obvious things to yourself is irrelevant. All a defect notice basically is, is the police officer believes that the vehicle is not in roadworthy condition and not legal and the vehicle needs to be presented for inspection. What's written on the notice is completely irrelevant, as the things you have stated are wrong even though not on the notice need to be rectified for a blue slip regardless and that's the whole point.

this is the case only if you get marked for a full inspection, not just a half inspection IE the problem the copper picked is rectified.

And you think the inspector isn't going to notice drop or extended shackles and 31" tyres, yeah right.

[noelb1]

The fact he may have missed more obvious things to yourself is irrelevant. All a defect notice basically is, is the police officer believes that the vehicle is not in roadworthy condition and not legal and the vehicle needs to be presented for inspection. What's written on the notice is completely irrelevant, as the things you have stated are wrong even though not on the notice need to be rectified for a blue slip regardless and that's the whole point.

this is the case only if you get marked for a full inspection, not just a half inspection IE the problem the copper picked is rectified.

And you think the inspector isn't going to notice drop or extended shackles and 31" tyres, yeah right.

stock tyres are in the shed and they didn't say anything about the shackles , and yes I have seen the part inspection box ticked.

[jonno_racing]

The fact he may have missed more obvious things to yourself is irrelevant. All a defect notice basically is, is the police officer believes that the vehicle is not in roadworthy condition and not legal and the vehicle needs to be presented for inspection. What's written on the notice is completely irrelevant, as the things you have stated are wrong even though not on the notice need to be rectified for a blue slip regardless and that's the whole point.

this is the case only if you get marked for a full inspection, not just a half inspection IE the problem the copper picked is rectified.

And you think the inspector isn't going to notice drop or extended shackles and 31" tyres, yeah right.

depends..

tires maby... drop shackles.. maby...

if they look factory ish and blend in they may not notice..

i recently had the rego CANCELED on my zook, so fixing up a Heep of things and doing a engine conversion, i spoke to the people doing the inspection and said "it has 2inch bl and 2inch coils, 31's tube bar etc is this a issue for you??" he said.. "hmmm i don't think so, sounds legal to me"

so don't assume inspectors know anything! remember they spend most of there time looking at cars!!!

[gadZOOKs]

Just cruizin, all I was saying was that, for the stuff he did get me for, wasnt "overly" relevent, I mean the tyres n shackles are well......... a bit more obvious, and the fact is MOST, not all but MOST cops dont know bugger all and the RTA either
A: cant be bothered printing, or emailing, or signing, or giving exact co-ordinates in which ever law we can find the useful stuff
B: dont really know what they are on about
C: too scared to put their name on said piece of paper.
matt eat me hahaha ill get it done......... I hope
all in all, its a $215 fine, blue slip, and now, the fuzz may keep an eye on me.
rock monkey, yes the fact he missed the things i consider more obvious is irrelevant. the FACT is he did miss them, AND he didnt know where extractors are on a car........ WTF. chuckleheads! and yes, i know that because of the blue slip, and major inspection required box being ticked, i have to get it back as close to standard as possible for it to be passed. and now, i guess, i should go put some more standard"ness" back into it

[just cruizin']

Here in Qld we have to take our vehicles to the Dept of Transport to get approval for body lifts, I rocked up in my Sierra and the guys walks around it, points to my flares and says "Just swapped your tyres over hey", while underneath sees the new grease on the shackles and cleanish shackles and I hear "took the big shackles off too". Those guys know what they're looking at, don't be confused about that, go in with the right attitude, be their mate and you're fine. Go in and be a pain in the arse and you'll walk home.

[brendan_h]

in nsw where do you get a blue slip just incase i get defected for somthing silly? will any machanic shop do them?
and also can cops defect you for mods thats have been engineered?

[zookimal]

can cops defect you for mods thats have been engineered?

Had a mate get defected for a factory fitted roll cage. Now carries the paperwork in the car.

[atari4x4]

if it doesn't look neat its just ammo to be pulled over.

i'm with joe on this one if it looks like cop bait, your asking for trouble.

[Moph]

...one of the guys walks around it, points to my flares and says "Just swapped your tyres over hey", while underneath sees the new grease on the shackles and cleanish shackles and I hear "took the big shackles off too". Those guys know what they're looking at, don't be confused about that, go in with the right attitude, be their mate and you're fine. Go in and be a pain in the arse and you'll walk home.

Yup, some do know what they're looking at. I know an inspector at Regency SA who is a car nut, was a lead service technician for Subaru for a number of years, and has more finished project cars in his garage than most people would own in their life.

Just agree that you have just swapped all the other kit out and explain that you swap to an 'offroad' setup when on a friend's farm. No probs

Had a cop query my 235/75R15's one Sunday about a year ago heading home from wheeling. Just explained that I'd been offroad that day, was heading home and would swap back to stockies for daily driving. Copper nodded, told me to drive carefully and make sure I changed the tyres, and wished me a good day

Some are barstools, but most are just doing their job. Treat them with respect and they're often pretty reasonable.

[Zook_Fan]

with regards to the hinges being the wrong type would it help if you used these:
http://www.lowrangeoffroad.com/images/s ... hinges.jpg

from here: http://www.lowrangeoffroad.com/samexterior.htm

[gadZOOKs]

moph and just cruizin, exactly, u act like a smart arse, n you get your arse handed to you. i know a few mechanics that do blue slips and they are car fanatics, they picked the job because they loved the idea of playin with cars for a living, and have made themselves more knowledgable about different types and styles of vehicles (4x4, street, race they know it). then i know a couple who just do it for a paycheck. and arent as knowledgable in any certain type, or style of car. and with cops, i can remember when i had my hilux, which was 8 1/2 inch over standard with lift (body, suspension) and tyres, it had no front bar for about 3 monthes lights ziptied on everywhere, 4 spots on the roof........ and an 18 inch hotdog with no other muffler or baffle for effect. now i only got pulled over a few times but never defected. 1 copper pulled me over because of the excessive (understatement) noise and when talking i convinced him that the exhaust was perfectly legal, as was the noise level the bloke had no idea and i was full of bulldust. then another time, a copper got me because of the same reason, and he noticed the lift, the lights, no front bar, my hunting knives on the floor he just said to put any type of bar on the front so that it doesnt "look" so high, put some plugs in my light wires just before they go thru the bung in the cab so if i get pulled over i can disconnect them and tell the officer they are for offroad only, put my knives under the seat, or behind it because they are considered dangerous and think about changing the exhaust cause guess what, it draws attention. he didnt fine me, he wasnt a smart arse, he just gave me the heads up on a few things, rbt'd me and laughed and left, although the exhaust comment was more of a warning than a suggestion.
theres good ones, and bad ones, its just the luck of the draw

[RockHopper]

in nsw where do you get a blue slip just incase i get defected for somthing silly? will any machanic shop do them?
and also can cops defect you for mods thats have been engineered?

Not any mechanics, but there are quite a few mechanics that do issue blue slips. You're sure to find more than one in your area. As for being defected for an engineered car, they should'nt be able to, but I know of somebody that got defected with an engineers report. The car was a supercharged T-bucket Ford show car, and even though the car was fully engineered, he got done for the front tyres being too skinny and the car was too loud even though he was parked on the side of the road eating an ice cream. When he presented the papers to the police officer, the police officer told him that he wasn't intersted in what was on the papers.
Teaches him for cruising around Bondi beach.

[mnemonix]

Yes you can be defected in a car thats engineered, but a lot of the time it comes down to attitude.

The engineers report for my zook is 6 pages long, from a reputable signatory. The RTA has copies of the report on file and it's linked to my rego. It covers anything that you could point a finger at.
It's the best way to avoid the hassles associated with defects, especially if the car see's a lot of road time.

My daily driver is, dare I say it - a Hyundai excel. with all the ricey crap typically associated with these things. Big wheels, lowered suspension, turbo conversion etc.
It has all the legal modifications engineered. The wheels can't be added to the certificate as they're outside the spec's allowed in the ADRs.
However I've been pulled over more than once, even taken over the pits with the car. And each time the cops have had the attitude of "You've tried to do the right thing, it's a tidy package and safer than stock" and I've escaped without a defect.

In my younger days though, in the same car when my attitude was a little more "confrontational" I've recieved defects for such trivial things as "empty washer bottle", "dirty engine bay", "oil leaking from fuel rail".
So a lot of it comes down to attitude, and demonstrating that you're at least attempting to play ball and follow the rules.

If you want to play the game "who's going to be the biggest asshole" against a highway officer who's inspecting your car, you'll always draw the short straw.

[gadZOOKs]

hey kids...... well looks like its going to gather rust and dust in the backyard for a while........ the bloke doing the blue slip said, well no oil leaks..... front bar is ok..... rear bar is hmmmmm ok, tyres, flares shackles ummmmmmm ok no sun visors, no back seat, no rear wheel carrier hmmmmmmmmmmmm ok tears in seats no door skins no carpet hmmmmm ok, half the electrical wires hangin around n some stuff not working(window defog/ windscreen washer)...... hmmmm ok...... but all of it together...... nah sorry mate, fix all that and come back......
on the up side he didnt give me a written list of everything and didnt process the blue slip application so i can either try and fix it by the due date..... or feralize it........ decisions decisions decisions

[PJ.zook]

Doesnt sound like too much work to get it legal, you may as well do it.

As for driving around with no doors, as others have said, it may be legal, but it attracts attention to any other not so legal mods, for an unengineered 4x4 you want as little attention as possible.

[Turbo Tonka]

come on bede that list aint too bad,none of it really costs money anyways. i have a spare wheel carrier but i think the wide track ones are different cos of the step in the rear door????im pretty sure myself or a few other zuk nuts in town here have a rear seat available for the day too(BUT...the engineer told me that if the seats are out and seatbelts out too its fine and that you dont have to do anything on papers but if you added from 2 seats 2 for you have to make it legal etc??)seats arent really a prob,put covers on?washer bottle could be just blocked lines or a simple wire so neck up ya parrot or sell it to me real cheap

[roblrc]

Most of the stuff listed is only tidy up or properly finishing it off, should be done anyway. Can't understand why a wheel carrier is needed no legal requirement to carry a spare only if you do it must be roadworthy and properly secured, leave it at home on the day of inspection.

[tassietoyuki]

In Tasmania you must carry a spare tyre and it also must have the same minimum tread depth requirement as per the road regulations. I have seen people defected for unroadworthy spare tyres. (thats what can happen if you be a pr$ck to the transport inspectors)

[Jacked]

in melb if a spare is fitted it must be rwc.

if you pull the spare out its only roadworthy if you pull the jack and wheel brace out aswell.