Talk Morgan Forums Community Vehicle Talk (non-Morgan) Classics to be banned

Thousands of Classic cars to be banned by new EU laws

THOUSANDS of classic cars could be come illegal under reforms being proposed by Brussels.

The shake-up of M.O.T systems would cripple the car repair industry and cost thousands of jobs, critics say.

The European Commission wants to exempt cars more than 30years old from M.O.T testing- but only if they have not had any change in technical characteristics of there main components 'such as engine, brakes, steering or suspenssion'.

The AA said that if the law were passed, a car fitted with anything from updated brakes to larger alloy wheels would not be driven on Britain's roads.

'We don't want this and were very much against it,' said Vanessa Guyll of the AA. 'most modifications don't affect a cars safety.
This would affect everything from changing a car's wheels to fitting a bodykit.

'No one enjoys taking there car for an M.O.T but our system is pretty good. The plan is ridiculous.'

The federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs said more than 28,000 people are employed in the the Classic car industry and estimated that it contributes £4.3 Billion to the economy.
It described the proposals as 'unworkable and completely unacceptable'.

The Department for Transport has alerted more than 200 orginisations and individuals about the proposals.
A spokesperson said 'there are still a number of areas' where the government itself does not understand the effects of the legislation.

i am having a quote day to day (METRO MAIL)

There is plenty of cheap real estate over here; you know, where classic cars will still be legal. But remember, no matter where you go, there will always be (an equivalent of) legislators waiting to make rules for you, regardless of how absurd they may be.

I read this online in the Torygraph yesterday, in essence our Government want to make a stand but didn't quite fully understand it all - now that seems to have a familiar ring about it.

As far as I could work out reading between the lines the EU in their infinite wisdom is about to ban any sensibly modified older cars. Which is another way of saying now you have improved it with good brakes and safer wheels we'll ban it in the interests of conformity. Totally Nuts.

Hi Chaps, I have just returned from germany. When I was there I read about this in one of their papers. The EU report cost 4.2 billion euros,yes 4.2 billion euros for a report. It went along the lines of this. As we know countrys inside the EU each have their own way of dealing with classic cars. The EU wants all the countrys to do the same thing but they don,t know what. Here as you all know classic cars need an MOT and we can swap engines etc all the time, make them larger or even smaller if we want. I know that in France you can,t change anything, If you do the car as to be inspected by their department of transport people. A visit to the French department of transport will lead to a fail if they don,t have any information in French surporting the change, so you can,t take the car out of its true spec at all.
Also in France some classic cars don,t need an MOT and you can get insurance from just a picture, also no motorbikes what ever age need an MOT. In germany even the towbar if fitted comes into the MOT, so you can see that trying to get all the countys to do the same thing is never going to happen. With luck the whole EU nightmare will come to an end sooner then later anyway. michael

For once, I though Pistonheads did a fair job of summarising the story and not spinning it too far from the truth: here is the link . (I should add that they did start with a very sensational 'all modified cars will be banned!' article and then added this one a few days later iirc) .

As Michael suggest above, getting agreement across the entire EU would be nearly impossible. What is annoying is that someone thought it was a good idea to spend 4.2 billion euros to create a report! (I'd have done it for them for 2.1 billion )

Funny something similar has been enforced in our industry since 2006. (Hydro Base) to replace Solvent.
The Spanish have taken to it like water to a Duck, "parden the pun" but the Italians and ourselves have not.

Nissan one of the worlds largest produces of Motor cars (Sunderland Plant) reverted back to Solvent base paints 2 years ago.

I myself have invested heavily in Hydro to no avail. We are now informed after Millions spent on Directive paper work and logic, that reduced Solvent based Products are now in the making.

One huge bottomless gravy train run by idiots who dont have a clue what they are doing .

Bottomless gravey train is so correct, on a german radio station it reported that even the dutch want out of the EU.Buy going back to classic cars, the likes of MGB,s etc there time is passing.
michael

Having spent a little while on Friday at Windsor, in the company of millions of pounds worth of classic cars, I cannot see this new piece of garbage from the unelected cretins in Brussels being made law.

I'm not a fan.

Can you tell?

I hate the EU with all my being. But lets be honest here. If there is no money in it for the government then its a dead duck. I think at the moment they just don,t want anything getting around the new green taxes. Look how the car industry is trying to get ever more MPG, lower emission's etc out of their products, Much of which like double flywheels cost the owner 1000,s of pounds when they give up, all to soon. My new smart car was killed after just 9000 miles due to the stop and go system breaking the fan belt and cooking the engine ( a common fault on new smarts) there are hundreds of rushed onto the market each year trying to meet silly targets set by the EU. The classic car market I just don,t thing is going to beat the EU. yes there will still be the likes of old MG,s Jags etc. But I think that maybe they will only be allowed on the road at certain times. I think and I may be wrong but some counties today only allow classic cars to have insurance for a set day and a set route each year.I know that in 2010 Italy had new laws put in place that allowed the police to check a cars emissions on the road side and a fine of 1000 euros given if it was to high, just how many cars would meet the emissions if only driven a few miles before stopped, If the EU allows silly laws like this what hope is there ???. I hope that I am wrong but money talks sorry to say. michael