Difficulties at the Docks

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Psilosin

Psilosin

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BC, Canada
Just was reading about some interesting new developments in the world of JDM imports...

Looks like a number of recent arrivals to the Vancouver [New Westminster] Docks are having problems at the Federal level. Seems as though Customs/Transport Canada are currently holding up a number of vehicles under the issue that they are modified from original condition (ie aftermarket roll cages, intercoolers, even heard steering wheels) and that these modifications effectively reset the manufacure date to the date at which these modifications take place.

Lets hope this is just a screw up and not yet another new problem...I mean do JDM Landcruisers even exist without those aftermarket wooden steering wheels...and even if they did who would want one without!!! ;p

UPDATE, here's a quote from the Customs Broker:

"After persistent calls to Transport Canada, they finally called me back after I’d left last night and the message he left advised that vehicles with racing cages/straps/seats suggest that further modifications have been made and as a result, these vehicles are inadmissible unless we can prove the modifications were made more than 15 yrs ago. I tried to reach this gentleman again this morning, but ended up leaving another message. "

My friend who's 16 year old car is not being allowed in spoke with the person from Transport Canada and they said basically any modification, not just seats, cages, seat belts, such as intercoolers, turbos, steering wheels are considered modifying the vehicle, so the vehicle should have a new date of manufacture.
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Quote Source from GTRCanada.com - Anyone Else? Customs Trouble
 
Psilosin said:
Just was reading about some interesting new developments in the world of JDM imports...

Looks like a number of recent arrivals to the Vancouver [New Westminster] Docks are having problems at the Federal level. Seems as though Customs/Transport Canada are currently holding up a number of vehicles under the issue that they are modified from original condition (ie aftermarket roll cages, intercoolers, even heard steering wheels) and that these modifications effectively reset the manufacure date to the date at which these modifications take place.

Lets hope this is just a screw up and not yet another new problem...I mean do JDM Landcruisers even exist without those aftermarket wooden steering wheels...and even if they did who would want one without!!! ;p

Quote Source from GTRCanada.com - Anyone Else? Customs Trouble
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I'd imagine this mainly concerns heavily modded rice-rockets like the skyline GTR's. Many of these modded vehicles bear little resemblance to the original stock vehicle.
 
I have heard they are also holding them as there is some quiestion as to the year of manufacture. A importer I talked to said he was aked to provided a letter from Toyota to show the age of one of his vans.
 
I strongly expect that it's the guys in the 300+ hp Skylines killing themselves that are causing the issue here. It only takes a few given the limited number coming in for the % of problems to go astronomical. I don't know this for a fact but I know ICBC goes by %'s and given the relatively low numbers of Skylines vs. the accidents happening, it WILL attract their attention. They may in turn alert other authorities. Unfortunate but that is usually the way things go.
 
A number of people say thats why enforcement has increased but the question is...has there actually been any fatalities involving Skylines?? And if there have, is it actually out of proportion with fatalities involving the various other cars of racer favour when cross referenced by the young racer type demographic? I hear it rumoured all the time but have never seen proof...always just the 'friend of a friend's Dad's uncle Jim told me...' stories. It would be nice if stats like that were public domain.
 
I have an HDJ81 with the stock steering wheel, as does my buddy Dave. There are lots in BC with OEM steering wheels. As for the stats with Skylines, good luck getting them from ICBC. It's mostly rumour and innuendo. But where's there's smoke, there is usually some fire. As you said, I have no stats to back this supposition. But I see how they are being driven every day. People don't buy 300+ hp cars to sedately drive along at or near the speed limit.
 
Sorry, corollory to my previous statement. I'd say people don't go to the trouble of buying a high HP car from Japan with all the concomittant maintenance, insurance and purchase problems without some high speed intentions. And as I said, these speeds are NOT limited to the track. Some of them have seen too much Tokyo drift....
 
I don't have any stats either, but a few months ago when I took in my wife's Civic to the Langley ICBC Claim Center after she was t-boned by a Harley, there was a wrecked black Skyline in there. And I mean WRECKED, as in "wrapped around a telephone pole at high speed" wrecked...if the Darwin candidate survived it, he would have had some well-deserved physical souvineers from it...
 
Ouch! Having looked at a Skyline GTS-t a while back I can say I wouldn't want to crash one...felt as tiny (imho) as the Ford Festiva I used to have.

I have no dought that that Skylines (and Fairlady's etc) are being driven stupidly...I just don't agree with the groups like ICBC placing the blame on the vehicle rather than the driver but I guess thats how the stats are interpreted. I'm sure this same demographic wraps just as many LHD Supra's, Eagle Talons and other inexpensive high HP cars around telephone poles...not because the cars are mechanically unsafe, just because the drivers are not responsible. Give a 17yr old a new Dodge Viper and I'll bet the vehicle (and perhaps the driver) would be toast in a week.

As an example I was just the other day bringing my Toyota Celsior up from Vancouver and when I stopped at a gas station for a break I was swarmed by a number of teens who were excited about the car and then some started right in on trying to get me to have a race. At 30+ racing on public streets is the last thing I plan on doing, at 16+ its apparently the first thing they think of doing....

Those under 20 should be limited to driving 80's Tercels...streets would be so much safer. :)
 
Agreed 100%. Cars are as safe as the driver. Unfortunately, the majority of high speed and or fatal accidents involve young male drivers, most under 30 years old. It's just a fact of life. It amazes me that a kid can pass his motorcycle test and go and buy a 600cc bike that is basically a track racing bike. In many European countries they have strict limits on what you can buy and ride until you have experience and training to go with what you've purchased. I'm not sure if it would do much good but sometimes I wonder if cars shouldn't be the same. There was a time when the Mustang GT was the car of choice for the young guys with a death wish, but I think most of them have been wrecked in crashes by now.
 
Am I the only one who sees the difference between "manufacturing" a car and "modifying" one?

man·u·fac·ture (mny-fkchr) Pronunciation Key
v. man·u·fac·tured, man·u·fac·tur·ing, man·u·fac·tures
v. tr.

To make or process (a raw material) into a finished product, especially by means of a large-scale industrial operation.
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mod-i-fy  /ˈmɒdəˌfaɪ/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[mod-uh-fahy] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation verb, -fied, -fy‧ing.

–verb (used with object) 1. to change somewhat the form or qualities of; alter partially; amend: to modify a contract.
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So how do modifications effectively "change" the date of manufacture of the vehicle? Magic? The only stipulation that I can think of is that vehicles newer than 15 years cannot be modified to conform to the MVA act...but clearly engine modifications such as intercoolers have nothing to do with this. And if passes local emissions laws, why would they have grounds to bar it from entry?
 
dae of manufacture is the date of the serial number on the frame. modifications have no effect on the date of manufature. who ever is holding up these units at the dock should loose his job but then most ricer boys don't have the money or the patience to fight what is right.

as for the ricer boys wanting to race, this hasn't changed ever. when i was growing up we had 600 hp hemis racing on the gravel roads and back paved roads. soem of these cars ran well over that hp guestimate. some survived, some died, some grew up and some of us never did. the only way to curb that addiction is by HEAVY fines, high insurance rates and refusal of insuring modified cars. the idea of keeping these cars out of the hands of the kids just isn't going to happen. daddy will be convinced to buy one and junior will be racing it behind daddy's back every chance he can. not evey kid will race but, same as wheeling, you will have a small percentage that ruin it for everyone...

there will be deaths, dismemberment, innocent people killed, this is the way life is. hear a acreaming engine? pull to the side and let the cars by, better to to let the smart ass punks by than be involved in the eventual crash.
you will go home, they might not.
 
i just wanted to comment on the posts that are bashing 16 and 17 year old drivers, well im one of them. im also a cruiser head and contrary to what you guys apperently think street racing and pulling stupid s*** isnt whats on my mind when im driving nor is it on any of my friends minds. actually the one friend i do have that has racing on his mind is on a sprint car team and he knows to keep it on the track. the whole point of this rant is that well to you people who stereotype young people as bad and stupid drivers well...i dont have much use for you and i wont go into telling you exactly what i think of your opinions about the youth of today...just remember you were young once too.
 
I've read too many references to 'dumb ass punk' 'stupid punk kid' 'smart ass punk' and my favorite 'dumb stupid ass punk'...

I get it already - you have a problem with punks - what does this stereo-type have to do with Land Cruiser Owners??
 
as my Grandmother used to say "if the hat fits, wear it".
if you are a punk ass kid then take offense (or learn from the advice given), if you are not a punk ass kid then why are you taking offense?

i was a punk ass kid, now i am a punk ass old man and i talk from experience, listen and learn or learn the hard way the same way i did...

life is a cruel teacher.
 
yotawheeler said:
i just wanted to comment on the posts that are bashing 16 and 17 year old drivers, well im one of them. im also a cruiser head and contrary to what you guys apperently think street racing and pulling stupid s*** isnt whats on my mind when im driving nor is it on any of my friends minds. actually the one friend i do have that has racing on his mind is on a sprint car team and he knows to keep it on the track. the whole point of this rant is that well to you people who stereotype young people as bad and stupid drivers well...i dont have much use for you and i wont go into telling you exactly what i think of your opinions about the youth of today...just remember you were young once too.
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I don't recall anyone mentioning you or your friends specifically. As for the generalization...well most wreckless drivers are younger males with huge egos and no idea about consequences.
 
i know you didnt reference my friends specificly, i was using them as examples, all of us are into trucks, cars and all that kind of stuff. it just annoys me when i see or hear guys in their 30's or 40's talk about how all the problems on the roads are because of young drivers. granted there are alot of stupid people with big ego's who do stupid sh*t but when people just say 'kids' you put me in a group with the morons who had their parents buy their cars and then crash them. my last post was a rant and re-reading it it was stupid, the point i was trying to make is that there are responsible kids who have similar attitudes about vehicles as the more experienced drivers such as yourselves when it comes to driving and vehicles in general...i hope this post makes a bit more sense.

and crushers when life is your teacher how many of those lessons do you forget? some mistakes people have to make for themselves
 
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