clearing a few things up for me

[fonfe]

Hiya guys,

Am moving to Victoria end of this month and there’s a few things I’m not quite sure on and was hoping people could explain/confirm for me as being from the UK I haven’t got a clue on some processes/laws:


Roadworthy test - is this done every year or just when a vehicle is to be sold on to another person?

Rego -what on earth is this?

If I’m buying a car in Australia, is it just a case of I fill out the owner documentation send it off and that’s it I can drive the car? Or is there more to it than that?

Insurance - been told by someone it’s not a legal requirement to have it to be allowed to drive on Australian roads?

Road laws- do they differ from state to state?

Importing of a "kit car" - whats the deal with this?
Just i know that to import a car into Australia it must be in 100% standard form....what if the car is a mixture of several cars built into one such as a kit car? Does this give it a different status as far as being allowed in is concerned?
We have a thing called Q registration plates in the UK, if a car has more than 50% non original parts on it then it doesn’t count as being the car it was when it left the factory so gets put into a kit car category the same as a buy it in parts build it yourself from the ground up kit car or kit car hot rod. You have something similar?

anti-lag/nitrous/external wastegates & screamer pipes - road legal?

Stretch tyres - road legal?

Exhausts- must they pass the rear axle or are side exits road legal?

Roll cages -road legal or not? -been told by someone it is not legal to have one fitted to a road going car.

Engine conversions/modifications - again been told by someone that ANY alteration to a vehicle must be inspected by an approved engineer and then alterations made to vehicle documents.... this true?
How tight are the police on this?
It’s a similar sort of thing in the UK but very few people actually bother to go through the process as unless you’re in big accident that you caused no one is any wiser/cares what’s been done to your car so long as the engine isn’t about to fall onto the floor.

Are there any small laws I should be aware of such as side windows cannot be plexiglass, if abs or airbags are fitted it as standard it cannot legally be removed, all doors must open from the outside etc.

Thanks in advance sorry for so many questions!

[flappist]

1) Victoria, no
2) rego = road tax
3) sort of, provided you have a license but the paper work must be presented to the transport office
4) personal yes, property no (but you would be very brave not to)
5) yes but the core rules are similar
6-10) not a chance
11) probably if the new engine is not the same as the old one
12) millions of them, far too many to list here.

Basically if you cannot buy the car here originally you will be in a world of hurt bringing anything over by yourself and even if you can buy the same thing here I strongly recommend you talk to an importer.

[fonfe]

what do you mean by personal no propery yes?
and with the road worthy, how often is this done then?

looks like ive got a world of learning to do with whats allowed and whats not.....guess my street racing days are well and truely over

[JC]

Originally Posted by fonfe

what do you mean by personal no propery yes?
and with the road worthy, how often is this done then?

looks like ive got a world of learning to do with whats allowed and whats not.....guess my street racing days are well and truely over

CTP, or Compulsory Third Party, Insurance is mandatory - it covers damage you may do to people. Property damage, which is covered by third party or comprehensive insurance, is optional. At the end of the day, you are responsible for property damage, so having at least third party should be mandatory (if not by law, then at least in your own mind).

Street racing? In Victoria? You would have to be mad to try. You get booked for +3km over the posted limit in Vic; the smallest tolerance of any state.

[fonfe]

Originally Posted by JC

CTP, or Compulsory Third Party, Insurance is mandatory - it covers damage you may do to people. Property damage, which is covered by third party or comprehensive insurance, is optional. At the end of the day, you are responsible for property damage, so having at least third party should be mandatory (if not by law, then at least in your own mind).

Street racing? In Victoria? You would have to be mad to try. You get booked for +3km over the posted limit in Vic; the smallest tolerance of any state.

Cool, understand the insurance thing now thanks mate.

and thanks for the heads up about victoria....guess ill just have to keep it to the track!

[Iggypoppin']

Come live in Adelaide. Here we have no roadworthy certificates(lots of cheap thrash cars float around due to this), and the government isn't as Nazi on speed as Vic(they are still out to get you for doing 65 in a 60 and therefore killing babies).
When you ask about insurance, in Adelaide when you register a car(pay for it to legally drive on the road) included in this is a Compulsory Third Party insurance which covers you if you hit and injure or kill someone. However you would be wise to get insurance to cover damage to someone elses car should you have an at fault accident. Do this if you have a car that is maybe 1-4k tops value. After 5k start considering comprehensive insurance. This covers you for damage done to your own car, theft, etc etc.
Here in Aus you can consider your street racing days over. There are drag strips in most major cities, except Adelaide which is up in the air at the moment. Otherwise you have WSID in Sydney, Calder somewhere else, heathcote in Vic, and there's one in Perth I forget the name of...Perth motorplex?? Not sure. I think most of these places have a weekly drag meet, plus there are ford forum drag nationals held at heathcote yearly. I strongly suggest getting over to this event, it is lots of fun.
Enjoy your time here in Australia, mate!

[MattsDisturbed]

In response to the importing of kit cars, it really depends on what kind of car it is you want to bring in. In Victoria as far as I'm aware, there is potential (Although no guarantees) for you to register a kit car if you use the unmodified chassis of an existing car.
For example the old man was going to make a C Type Jaguar replica using a Mark V chassis registering it as a "Mark V special". But there ended up being to much red tape as one requirement that we could fullfil was that a portion of the roofline of the registered model had to also be used.

The other posibility is that you could register it with a car club registration. A lot of hot rodders do that, and it allows the car to rack up a certain amount of hours on public roads per year, usually any appropriate amount for a weekend car.


By the way please correct me if I'm wrong with any of these details guys, this is just off the top of my head remembering.

Oh and Victoria Police are Nazis when it comes to speeding, make sure your daily driver has cruise control. Come cross the border to NSW for a quick buzz out on the back roads!

[Neale]

This is the website for the Victorian Governments department in charge of the roads & vehicles.

http://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/Home/

I would suggest asking them any questions as the rules always seam to be changing. So they can give you the correct answers & you will need to talk to them when you need to register your vehicle/s & get a driving licence

Hope this helps..

[fonfe]

Originally Posted by Neale

This is the website for the Victorian Governments department in charge of the roads & vehicles.

http://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/Home/

I would suggest asking them any questions as the rules always seam to be changing. So they can give you the correct answers & you will need to talk to them when you need to register your vehicle/s & get a driving licence

Hope this helps..

thanks very much for the help guys, the car I wanted to bring in I may be able to blag as being a kit car as chassis is unmodified but a 50% of the body is along with the engine being from an older car so fingers crossed it may just happen. But am going to wait till I arrive at the end of this month and then speak to the officials once imp actually physically in myself.
Am going up north tomorrow to leave car in my sisters garage so itl be safe there and if I can’t import it my nephews are going to love me big time for giving it to them!

[Whoosha]

You should be rite with your car providing it meets certain state rules weather it's cost efective to bring it over will be the thing, a mate just had his 34 replica Ford tourer registed in Victoria is had a GM motor , Torana rear end . Starion steering box sitting on a 74 Hilux chassis, Rego lable now says it"s a 74 Hi Lux

[Falcman0o7]

Tassie laws are soft compared to you guys!

have fun in aus mate! Great country! Have you ever had a BBQ? Awesome! Jeremy Clarkson hasn't. LOL!

[350125GO]

IIRC Side Pipes are legal if you car came out with them, or the exhaust still exits behind the furthest back passenger window. I imagine VIC would be similar.

[Cheech]

See if you'll get past this hurdle first:

http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/roa...les/index.aspx

Then worry about state registration/licensing laws.

[fonfe]

whoa thats some restrictions!
dont understand why its ok for a heavily modifed motor to come in if its pre 1989 and no newer! thats no fair :(
life isnt fair though i guess so ill just have to have a good chat with an importer when i arrive