Modified cars 'could put lives at risk'

[VroomVroom]

Lives are being put at risk by young motorists who modify their cars to boost performance, says the AA.
The motoring organisation wants tighter controls for things like nitrous oxide kits which are used to massively increase an engine's power.
AA Chairman Edmund King says it's young motorists who are most at risk and he wants to see new rules about how much people can modify their cars.
Five hundred young people die in car crashes across the UK every year.
Nitrous oxide is just one of the things motorists are using to soup-up their cars and make them go faster.
It's usually known as laughing gas and used to make fillings less painful at the dentist. But in a car it has a very different effect.
Twenty-five-year-old car-owner Dale Vodden wants his wheels to say something about him and has so far spent about £16,000 on it.
He's had a nitrous oxide kit added to his Toyota MR2 which boosts the engine from 158 to nearly 300 brake horsepower.
He isn't worried and says the car can take it: "The suspension is modified, it sits nicer, it handles nicer. It's up to spec basically."

Trevor Langfield has been fitting legal nitrous oxide systems for more than 30 years.
He says he vets each individual customer and only fits more powerful systems when a driver has proved it can be used safely.
He said: "What you're doing is just putting more oxygen and more fuel into the engine and that burns to make more power."
However the AA is worried about inexperienced drivers behind the wheels of such powerful cars.
King added: "We believe that many hundreds of lives are put at risk by these modified cars.
"Some 20% of new drivers have a crash in their first year of driving.
"If you then put them in a modified car that's harder to control, that's faster, that has an extra 200 brake horsepower, then accidents are much more likely to happen."
The AA says it would like new rules on modifications, including nitrous oxide, but there are no current plans to change the law.

BBC - Newsbeat - Technology - Modified cars 'could put lives at risk'

What do you think about this?

 

[Mr Robert]

This is not surprising at all. Everyone knows that kids at the wheel means trouble and if they are driving modified cars they are even worse.

 

[VroomVroom]

I agree, personally I can't stand modified cars

 

[Gullwing]

Radio 1 has been talking about this today. One of the guys they interview says he has nitrous. "Having nitrous gives you confidence, it makes it so you don't have to race".
I have a SL55 AMG and that is enough, I don't need to drive it.
Yes I have a supermodel girl friend and that is enough for me so don't need sex.
RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRIGHT.

Riced out cars should be crushed.

 

[Giannis]

In my opinion, engine modifications should be strictly monitored in each car. Here in Greece, Nitrous oxides are banned and each car has to pass an inspection done mostly by the state every 2-3 years. So if you have done many modifications to your car, it won't pass the tests, so you get a big find if the cops stop you.

But there is the other side of it. Modifying the engine of your car is fine, as long as you improve the brakes, the handling and the stracture of your car, so that it can take all the extra power. Those Saxo's with 300+ horses are death traps!

As for the cosmetic modifications, they are up to each ones taste and do not affect the car. So we can't do anything about it, even though we all hate it

 

[VroomVroom]

Radio 1 has been talking about this today. One of the guys they interview says he has nitrous. "Having nitrous gives you confidence, it makes it so you don't have to race".
I have a SL55 AMG and that is enough, I don't need to drive it.
Yes I have a supermodel girl friend and that is enough for me so don't need sex.
RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRIGHT.

Riced out cars should be crushed.

Ahh so you listen to Radio 1 as well?

And that comment that random person who text in p!ssed me off

Well if it gives you confidence not to race..why install it?

 

[mayham85]

In my opinion, engine modifications should be strictly monitored in each car. Here in Greece, Nitrous oxides are banned and each car has to pass an inspection done mostly by the state every 2-3 years. So if you have done many modifications to your car, it won't pass the tests, so you get a big find if the cops stop you.

But there is the other side of it. Modifying the engine of your car is fine, as long as you improve the brakes, the handling and the stracture of your car, so that it can take all the extra power. Those Saxo's with 300+ horses are death traps!

As for the cosmetic modifications, they are up to each ones taste and do not affect the car. So we can't do anything about it, even though we all hate it

i agree too.
in turkey inspection is done by TÜV like germany but softer

in the last 15 years so many peaple died here because of this modifications and the government had to bring an order. it has problems but in time it will be as it has to be.

for example one of my friend had an accident 2 weeks ago with his modified honda civic VTİ he lost his control because of speed turn 6 rounds his friend died he survived only by chance.

for saxo 106 gti honda civic (etc) we have a saying here: flying cuffin.

 

[NarutoRamen]

Well, I used to do this and I must say that this article is F__king stupid. The modified cars of today are no different than back in the days of hot rods and muscle. The other thing is that no matter what, people (teenagers especially) will find a way to be stupid. I didn't have nitrous in my car when I used to race and I still ended up doing triple digit speeds perfectly fine.

Authorities can do whatever they want, nothing short of NOT letting people drive will change anything IMO. I hate when people bitch about stuff like this. A real life example; a 16 year old kid with an M3 with 300+ hp as a first car is not dangerous, yet a 18yo with a custom modified car, SR20DET engine-swap, tuned suspension with SCCA track experience is dangerous? That's just bull. I'm not rich enough (and most of my friends aren't either) to buy a new M3, RS4 or C63 with 400+ hp, but my friends sure as hell know how to work on a car. They know how to build engines, do engine swaps, have diagnostic software on their laptops and some actually worked for shops so they could work on their cars. They were able turn basic 240SX into a power monster. Does that mean they're not safe? F__k no. Those cars had roll cages, recaros and fire extinguishers, they were safe enough to be race cars.

When you have never done it and don't understand the culture, please shut your mouth. Of course, there are always bad apples, but the majority of us shouldn't be judged based on the sample of few.

Here in Greece, Nitrous oxides are banned and each car has to pass an inspection done mostly by the state every 2-3 years. So if you have done many modifications to your car, it won't pass the tests, so you get a big find if the cops stop you.

Nitrous is banned in california too, and if the cop pulls you over and thinks your car has nitrous, they can legally check your car. But the thing is many people find a way around this. Just like everything in life, if you look at something hard enough you'll find a flaw. In this case it was a loophole in the law and I'm sure it hasn't been closed yet. Like I said, I never had nitrous in my car so I had no need to do it, but some of my old friends explained it to me a long time ago. I'm sure you can find that loophole in most tuner forums when the subject of nitrous comes up.

 

[Gullwing]

Ahh so you listen to Radio 1 as well?

Yes. Satellite radio is nice. Satellite radio is set to east coast time so when I drive in the morning I listen to Jo or Edith, in the afternoon it is Scott. I have never listend to Chris. Coxy on the weekend is great when she goes off on a tangent and I have no idea what she is saying.