Qld Transport Minister Slams Imports

[' Max Power]

Seven News:

Powerful cars

This week, double demerit points will also be brought in for repeat offenders...

"These are people who have been detected twice in one year exceeding the speed limit by 20 kilometres per hour, so they're certainly a group that we have to target," he said.

Transport Minister Paul Lucas says too many high-powered cars are shipped into the country

"I am also concerned about increasing numbers of second-hand Japanese vehicles being imported into Australia - they've got to sell them out of Japan due to pollution rules," he said.

"You've seen them all hotted up, those Skylines, they're all over the place.

"Now they're legally imported, the Federal Government allow that. Young people in hotted up cars, particularly groups of them in cars, are a serious problem."

Hrmmmm...

I think this is a case of the 'hype' that is attached to the Skyline name coming to bite it on its arse again..

I would not call an R33/32 GTS-T a 'powerful' car considering a BF Falcon family car makes more power standard..

But, seeing as some Skylines are ***TURBO*** they are automatically classed as powerful and the main cause of the road toll. (What is it about the evil 'turbo' word that makes insurance companies/police/politicians kick up a fuss?) For example I remember when the FPV F6 Typhoon was released it was dubbed a 'dangerous supercar' because it had a 'huge' 270kw of power. Even though HSV sell 297kw V8's and FPV also have 290kw V8's!

Maybe someone should send Mr. Lucas an email alerting him to the fact that most Aussie family cars (not to mention the FPV/HSV range, of which the Typhoon has run a 12.9 stock at the drags) are more powerful than standard Skylines!

Edited April 12, 2006 by ' Max Power

[heslo]

It's quite sad how we as a group of enthusiasts are targeted. I understand that some Skyline owners drive like nuts, but that can also be said for Holden drivers and I can guarantee you that there are more in the Holden category than the Skyline.

It really pisses me off when I read something like this, coming from someone high up in power makes the general public listen and automatically beleive that we are all hoons and paint us with the same brush.

[driftdoctor]

the answer is simple

not everyone has 80 grand to spend on an f6 which by the way is the wourst built vehicle iv ever seen at this price(and befor you all go crazy i work on these vehicles every day so dont argue)

then you have a skyline its far more afordable and a better car over all

almost everone who can afford one will modify it in some way and this is called independant thinking

instead of going out and bying a commodore because your dad says their cool, your going out and bying a decent motor vehicle and changing it to suit you so your not the same as everyone else

what you have to remember is people like us are a minority and it is hard to represent a minority.

so when they need someone to blame for bad behavour or crashes on our roads, who do you blame,

the millions of people who step into a stock falcon ute and instantly tranform into a race car driver, or do you blame all the old people who all of a sudden suffer from memory loss, forget how drive and kill some poor motorcyclist because they couldnt find the brake pedal at that set of traffic lights.

noooo you dont blame any of them because that cost votes and makes people sad

you blame the least represented group of motorist

sorry if this seams harsh but i think its pretty acurate

if im wrong im happy to hear other oppions

[LBR33]

Im getting the feeling like we are being shunned and excluded from society........that is the sort of thing people commit suicide over

[Zardos]

I would like to bring up a few points that Transport Minister Paul Lucas failed to bring up when he was referring to "modified car(s)” as a serious problem, that those are the ones from Japan.

Firstly if I choose to upgrade my brakes in my car dose that mean that I am automatically going to drive even faster? No maybe I chose to change my brakes for something better because I want to be able to stop better.

Or How about suspension, I decide I want to lower my car and in the possess I got out and buy good aftermarket suspension which is legal.

I want a nice firm smooth ride and I don’t want my car sitting up high

Or I decided that its time I get new rubber, and when looking at buying some new rubber I look over at my car and think to my self, man those wheels I have are shit, so I get some bigger wheels and better rubber to suit.

You get the picture I am trying to paint here

These are some of the reasons why young and old ppl choose to modified there cars.

My point being is, I have modified my car, but if you look at it, in every single one of those examples has a safety aspect behind it.

Now the Government plays theses ads on TV telling us to wipe off 5, Ok if I did one or more of those “modifications” I should be able to stop a lot better shouldn’t I.

I think Transport Minister Paul Lucas has lost touch with society.

For him to come out and say that says it all.

If he is so concerned about increasing numbers of second-hand Japanese vehicles being imported into Australia maybe he should wakeup and realize that not everyone is able to afford a second hand second rate car built in Australia. And that a second-hand Japanese vehicle is a lot cheaper and better in so many factors.

Thats my 2 cents worth anyway,

By the way we all should get a mass e-mail going and send it to Paul Lucas

Maybe he might realise that there is a lot of ppl out there who are not all hoons.

[MIVEC]

He's a politician.....'nuff said.

[Modena]

Importing cars is bad for Aussie economy its only a matter of time before they shut the whole thing down...

Having said that.... I rather my 96 model skyline than a new XR6T or SS, with money left over I can buy a "house."

[_8OO5TED_]

Whats Mr Lucas email?

[PHATR32]

He's a politician.....'nuff said.

and he's a jerk off.

i hate the c**t, and i hope he gets run over by a holden

[AzzurrA]

I might draft up a letter when im at work tonight to send to Mr Lucas, and anyone else that i can think of, such as Newspapers, the premier, police minister, etc etc (I finish at midnight, and its pretty quiet after about 8pm)

[djr81]

Understand that these people (?) get vast amounts of correspondence, much of it from half baked nutters. So if you want to get their attention a well argued, calm, reasoned letter is your best bet.

You may take time to correct him about the nonsensical claims about pollution and perhaps ask him to explain why his government has (like most of the state governments) decided to try and make political capital by vilifying car enthusiasts.

But be aware of the fact that as one person you have next to no chance of convincing these self absorbed clowns anything.

Edited April 13, 2006 by djr81

[' Max Power]

I think Transport Minister Paul Lucas has lost touch with society.

Since when were politicians ever in touch with society anyway?

Having said that.... I rather my 96 model skyline than a new XR6T or SS, with money left over I can buy a "house."

EXACTLY. I sold my XR6 Turbo because I was (and still am) saving for a house. So you can't really step down from an XR6T and just be happy driving a non performance car, especially when you are a car enthusiast! So a cheap alternative is a Skyline, that way I can have both, a nice sports car and a house!

[paulr33]

what ever you can do in an import you can do in an australian devliered car

other than look cool

[predator]

Importing cars is bad for Aussie economy its only a matter of time before they shut the whole thing down...

well its only a matter of time before the cost of petrol goes up enough that Ford and Holden go too.. Every year more and more of the components used in the car are imported or designed overseas anyhow.

Nissan went in the 80's.. Mitsubishi is already gone pretty much bar the announcement.

[jake32]

Importing cars is bad for Aussie economy its only a matter of time before they shut the whole thing down...

ive been hearing that for 11 years...it will never be shut down...its to late now..

and they are not "bad " for the economy ..for every job "lost" at holden will be replaced by the import workshop/car yard..that just opened up...the whole job loss thing is just crap ,you only have to visit new zealand..they seem to be doing pretty good without holden and ford "assembly" plants..economy is doing well without the second rate american crap holden and ford peddle..

and they drive better cars that are cheaper due to tariffs we pay to protect poor old fragile companys such as ford and general motors ...

sooner or later they will be the ones that will vanish from australia..... to china .. where they belong

[scathing]

But, seeing as some Skylines are ***TURBO*** they are automatically classed as powerful and the main cause of the road toll. (What is it about the evil 'turbo' word that makes insurance companies/police/politicians kick up a fuss

Hey, when NSW first put in their P platers laws they banned all turbos...including the Smart ForTwo and the low-boost Volvo S40T and Mercedes Benz C200K....cars that weigh 1.4 tons and have less power than a 1 ton RenaultSport Clio.

But with all the marketing hype these days (remember the late 80s / early 90's when all the whizz-bang stuff was "turbo") its instilled that mindset into the older generation. The quite powerful but very laggy oldschool turbo cars didn't do much for the technology's reputation either.

[LBR33]

Maybe you guys forgot...all import owners are street racing drug dealers who rob old ladys for fun so we need to be targeted

[Bliksem]

I bet no-one would be complaining if it was old American imports coming into the country.

Actually I have noticed alot more American pick-up's etc. Wouldn't their oversized V8's produce more polution than most of the Japanese imports?

[nemz]

nothing to do about pollution issues. its all about the image, as mentioned before all skyline/jap import turbo drivers are drug dealers with heaps of dirty money..

well most i know work solid jobs to feed the dirty habbit, stay at home except when working on there car or going for a friendly cruise with friends, dont drink or gamble..

seriously you get all the cops targeting skylines and supra's and all the nicer turbo imports... when these are some the the most well looked after cars in the world.. why because we are all fanatic about our cars, and you see bogans driving around in there old camira's which arnt road worthy and falling apart and they dont even give a second look!! WTF is up with that?

[racsov500]

and you see bogans driving around in there old camira's which arnt road worthy and falling apart and they dont even give a second look!! WTF is up with that?

Its because.. they're arrogant c**ts!