Anyone knows a blue slip place that may not give you a strict assessment when checking over your car knowing it it is just of an older type????

Basically, I have a Mini which is modified with a Swift GTI engine. It had rego on it until 2009 I ran it out (mainly due to having no time to drive it cus of work and other things).

Everything was unchanged since I owned this car while it still has rego on it.


For a strict blue slip station, I am worried they would pick on (1) in the list below because my tyre sticks out 1/3 (or less) of an inch and the wheels are 13inch with bigger brakes. The engineering cert says smaller wheels and smaller brakes.

Thanks heaps


Checklist
1) Tyres and Mags (Check for Tread and right sized mags)
2) Air Filter (not an aftermarket)
3) Exhaust (occassionally check emission levels - dB levels - I think max 4)can be 90dB)
5) Lights and Indicators (all are working and in order - this includes hazard lights)
6 )Other Electrical Items (this includes things like wipers and horns)
7) Seats and Belts (check if seats are properly fitted and seatbelts are not frayed)
8 ) Engine and Chassis numbers (make sure they are correct numbers)
Curb Weight of Vehicle (I think an EXA is like 1100 and something kgs stock)

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1964 Morris Mini 850 - G13b gti powered - classic yet practical
1968 Morris Minimatic - 1100cc - classic & breakable
Sun Certified Java Programmer v5 310-055

Wouldn't bother asking the question publicly mate....no one is going to publicly advertise places that break the law...??

Glad someone finally said it...

Well....You could do what I have done in the past...Do the rounds until you find someone.
Just hope they don't issue a black slip? Like one guy did to me once.
The car was quite ok except he wanted me to fit new tyres. In my opinion
only two needed replacing so issued this form that made me go back to him to get it passed.
He had started a new tyre service at the back of his servo.
So off I went to another tyre service and I got the tyres....It made him pretty angry and I had a laugh.

Yes they can do the same thing here. You get issued with a "required repairs" notice and that inspector has to sign off once the repairs have been completed. You do have the choice of self repairing or having another repairer do those repairs though.

It was at one time, a way of an inspection station to solicit work either by fraud or by coercion but the laws relaxed after a series of complaints.

However, the Roads and Marine Service (the old RTA ad governing body) do random inspections on vehicles recently inspected for either a blue slip or a pink slip as a means of a quality control measure.

Very few inspectors are really willing to either pass a car that is "dodgey" or blatantly rort the system. The fines and subsequence loss of income are just too great.

Mike

LESS strict == BREAKING the law?


Thx for others, received a few PMs, which is quite helpful

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1964 Morris Mini 850 - G13b gti powered - classic yet practical
1968 Morris Minimatic - 1100cc - classic & breakable
Sun Certified Java Programmer v5 310-055

In terms of that single example of 'less strict', then yes. If the mechanic blue slips your modified car using an engineers certificate that doesn't engineer the modified components...then yeah....he is breaking the law. That engineers report is going to be tied with that car, and with details not matching it's worth zip & if those components lead you to have an accident....you are screwed.

EDIT - I can also understand the desire to get your car on the road asap. But, if the first mechanic I went to hadn't have been so thorough, my car would probably have driven off the road by now. The one good thing that I came away with after failing is that I found all the issues I needed to address. After the second inspection I was extremely confident I was going to be getting back into a car that was 10x safer than what it had been. Engineers certificate is legit, insurance covers the car properly and if the RTA happened to to a surprise follow up check, then I wouldn't have a worry.

/\ /\ /\ well said

Having bought a car with what turned out to be a dodgy blue slip I also agree with this. If they are overlooking the stuff you think is questionable, they can be missing stuff you don't know about too that could bite you in the ar$e in the future

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Basil - 1978 Leyland Mini, Brooklands Green, bit of a bitsa, and a park brick in the boot.

I am no expert in blue slip. All my intention is to get my car on the road safe BUT easy AND NOT breaking the law.

In my view, there could be pools of things that the assesser can pick on and be fussy with just to make your life hard. This was my main concern. I am sure you know what I mean here but if not I apologise I have not articulated well previously.

Someone previously told me having a bigger wheel and sticking out a little MAY not pass the rego.

Having interpreted as a MAY, my assumption is that this is something which falls into this pool. Also, I have seen quite a number of Minis which has 13" wheels and the wheels also sticks out a little, so will think this is an OK thing, although I cannot see how a bigger brake and a bigger wheel can do anyone unsafe, it can just be safer.

But as have been informed now this is something which has to be exactly met, then to all extend yes, even I don't know why.

I doubt if this is regarded as just important as having no mirrors or faulty lights, the assesser will skip it. So there is no way I can break any laws anyway.



As a side question, do you need seat belts at the back as some minis do and some not, it doesn't say on the Eng cert.

Anyway, I will be going to the closest one to my home as it is of easy reach, but I don't know how they are like.



EDIT - Also, I didn't mod my car to be like this, it was like this when I bought it

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1964 Morris Mini 850 - G13b gti powered - classic yet practical
1968 Morris Minimatic - 1100cc - classic & breakable
Sun Certified Java Programmer v5 310-055

Wider wheels, more bump steer if the geometry isn't correct for them. Loss of control at high speed, accident, death. It's that easy.

The inspectors job isn't to make your life hard, it's to make sure the public, who fall under his duty of care, are safe from dangerous modifications.

It's really not up to you to decide what's dangerous, that a non biased engineers job, and their insurance level is sky high.

What do you think will happen to the parties in the wrong (the inspector that looks away, the engineer who falsely signs off, or you who carries out modifications after the blue slip has been issues) ?

Financial hardship and possibly jail. Don't question it, act within the law, and the inspectors report.

If safety was a persons concern....You wouldn't be driving a Mini.

I beleive finding the golden mean between the two extremes is the best.

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1964 Morris Mini 850 - G13b gti powered - classic yet practical
1968 Morris Minimatic - 1100cc - classic & breakable
Sun Certified Java Programmer v5 310-055

His job is the same as an OH&S inspectors job is...keep himself in a job.
It's been shown any number of times that vehicle accidents are rarely
caused by mechanical failure. Yes it happens, but there are other
things that should be of greater concern.

Probably because 99% of mechanics out there do the right thing........