P plate legalities

[Ezra]

I’m thinking of buying an rs250 Megane and I think I have figured out a way to get around the p plate power to weight restrictions. The rs250 has a power to weight ratio of 132.1kw/t so am thinking that if I can prove the car has less than that through the method of hiding weights in the spare tire well and/or hoping that the power is less than the manufacturer specifications due to carbon build up and general use over the span of 150k kms. It says in the government website that one of the methods is proving that the power to weight is less than 130kw/t. One I get it to 129 or so I intend to get a moderately powered vehicle exemption and be on my way. I would appreciate any help or answers. 
Cheers, Ezra 

[ALLEZ]

LMAO This is hilarious.  You remind me of my 18 year old self and the posts I used to make. 

 

What about dyno'ing the car and then using the wheel horsepower number and submitting the dyno sheet as proof? 😎 You might get lucky and deal with a bureaucrat who isn't into cars. 

 

I suspect you will find many other people here who will remind you that you might be sacrificing your insurance though. 

 

Of course, the dyno sheet might show that the car has lost a pony or two so you legitimately have a car with a lower power to weight ratio. 

 

Or you could buy a clio. Just saying.

 

Anyway, good luck with this.  Excellent shithousery I approve.

 

Far out I hope people have a sense of humour.  Brace yourself champ. 🤣

[rob 240]

Ezra - love your work !! There's got to be a  way around these stupid rules.

Just Do It [ TM ] 

[Firey]

1 hour ago, Ezra said:

I’m thinking of buying an rs250 Megane and I think I have figured out a way to get around the p plate power to weight restrictions. The rs250 has a power to weight ratio of 132.1kw/t so am thinking that if I can prove the car has less than that through the method of hiding weights in the spare tire well and/or hoping that the power is less than the manufacturer specifications due to carbon build up and general use over the span of 150k kms. It says in the government website that one of the methods is proving that the power to weight is less than 130kw/t. One I get it to 129 or so I intend to get a moderately powered vehicle exemption and be on my way. I would appreciate any help or answers. 
Cheers, Ezra 

That is a hell of a first post to make on here.

I see you are local to me. Let me know if I can help.

[DPE]

Keep us posted. Don't spend your money too early. And as said earlier, a Clio won't  disappoint unless you need something larger.

Edited 4 May by DPE
Predictive text

[Caduceus]

So you’re going to get the power to weight documented somehow in advance?  Have it mod plated as a lemon performer?  

Because the only time it matters is when the cops pull you over and see it on the list of non-approved vehicles or you try and make an insurance claim.

You could always fit a WRC style restrictor plate in the intake.

Let us know how you go. This will be awesome.

[DPE]

15 hours ago, Caduceus said:

So you’re going to get the power to weight documented somehow in advance?  Have it mod plated as a lemon performer?  

Because the only time it matters is when the cops pull you over and see it on the list of non-approved vehicles or you try and make an insurance claim.

 

Yes, an entertaining thought Ezra but I suspect the above would be the case. Roadside police tend to be inflexible if you attract their attention. And insurance companies? 😒

[woot woot]

To be brutally honest about most hatchbacks, unless it's stoopit loud or something. Most people don't look twice at them. You will probably not even be seen or noticed by anyone unless doing something stoopit. 

Meganes look like Hyundai Veloster to most people that do not care about them. Most of the clios look like a run of the mill hatch also. 

Don't break the law and don't over estimate your ability to drive or control a car though. If you crash your insurance will be more than happy to tell you to f off.

[rob 240]

I met a green p plate punter wanted some assistance  - lost his hot commie on unseeable standing water on southern cross drive at night and a write off . 

insurer looked him up on FaceTube and saw all his drifting / skid vids / measured depth on rear tyres … slightly under regulation by a bees dick 

denied claim . Anything would’ve lost it on the water depth … 

Edited 5 May by rob 240

[Honest Gaza]

If you were my kid...and I have 3 (1 still on his P-Plates)...I would strongly discourage you from going down this path 🤔

[63x1092]

easy way to do this @Ezra

Buy a GT 220 which is P plate legal and has the F4R engine already in it, then just swap out the ecu and keys off a 250 or 265  and it'll go as fast as a RS but it wont handle or stop as a RS, and insurance or cops wouldn't know or could tell its been modified as you've used original Renault parts.

If you went the whole hog and changed the suspension, brakes, gearbox, wider stance, front guards so on and put a whole RS front end on it even though they are original parts that suit that make and model, people may notice 

 

[Dave200]

You are opening yourself up to a world of butthurt trying to circumvent P plater laws. Any reason for an insurer to deny claim will use it regardless of whether it is slightly below the power to weight ratio. 

All too often I read stories where insurance and even third party loss/damage was voided and not covered and the owner is not only up for the loss of their vehicle but susceptible to private claims damages.

[hamstrung]

All good points above. My 2c: buy a Clio instead. P-plate friendly. Plus:

• Lower speeds while inexperienced are a good idea. We all think we're better than we are when we're young (unless you have been carting and racing your whole life, in which case ignore this!)
• You'll learn better car control. It's easier to get away with poor driving technique in a turbo (e.g. balancing clutch, wrong gear for speed). Having a high-revving N/A engine will make your skills sharper, IMO
• High-revving N/As are dead. They're not making them anymore. We will all miss them soon enough - especially the sound

 

[Ezra]

Thanks everyone for the advice.

I will probably just buy a clio and get it looking like the rs 16 prototype 🤙

By the way insurance isn’t an issue for me as I don’t have insurance due to it being too expensive. I crashed my outback into a light pole while sliding around like nobody’s business and was ran into in a car park in my beemer so insurance companies aren’t to keen on me to say the least haha.

Thanks again for all the advice! I’ll keep everyone up to date if I get the clio. I was also looking at the megane r26 and rs175 models too. 

[rob 240]

Looking forward to pics . Is Clio is good 👍 

[slick]

23 hours ago, Ezra said:

Thanks everyone for the advice.

I will probably just buy a clio and get it looking like the rs 16 prototype 🤙

By the way insurance isn’t an issue for me as I don’t have insurance due to it being too expensive. I crashed my outback into a light pole while sliding around like nobody’s business and was ran into in a car park in my beemer so insurance companies aren’t to keen on me to say the least haha.

Thanks again for all the advice! I’ll keep everyone up to date if I get the clio. I was also looking at the megane r26 and rs175 models too. 

Sounds like you need some advanced driving lessons - especially to protect a Clio, should you buy one ...

[Sansari]

I never understood why a megane is banned for P plates, but a golf R or GTI isnt. I see so many of them with p plates and fully pimped out that could do 0-100 in 4 secs. I think I’ve seen even a45 AMGs with P plates on before. Also a Clio 4 rs 200 is p plate legal but the 220 version isn’t, I’m pretty sure a tune can increase horsepower on the 200 to match the 220. Is the gov not aware of tuning? 
 

I had the same problem as you OP that’s why I bought the Clio first, the Megane is faster which I love but the Clio was still fun to drive you could really push it, smaller car. Megane is big and too much power for a new driver. 

[Dave200]

I think tuning cars is prohibited for P platers to get around the power to weight ratio

FYI Golf R, A45 are on the banned list in the eastern states. 

[hamstrung]

Yeah I wouldn’t take what you see around as being within the rules. I’ve seen plenty of P platers driving V8 Holdens and Fords, doesn’t make it legal (or insured).

[Sansari]

13 hours ago, Dave200 said:

I think tuning cars is prohibited for P platers to get around the power to weight ratio

FYI Golf R, A45 are on the banned list in the eastern states. 

I spoke to a friend who owned a Golf R while on p plates he was telling me the laws had changed and the R was permitted on P plates (the ones with sunroof lol) , I still see many golf Rs on p plates. Today I saw a c63 amg with green p plates, does australia have a hooning problem for the gov to implement such prohibition on powerful cars for new drivers cause I’m not aware of other countries with such a rule. 

Edited 9 May by Sansari

[Dave200]

9 hours ago, Sansari said:

spoke to a friend who owned a Golf R while on p plates he was telling me the laws had changed and the R was permitted on P plates

Its always best to follow actual guidelines rather than relying on friends who dont know what they are talking about…

all Golf R’s are banned in NSW - https://roadsafety.transport.nsw.gov.au/stayingsafe/drivers/youngdrivers/vehicle-restrictions.html

the only Golf R that is P plate legal in VIC is the mk6 which is basically an AWD Golf GTI with a bit more power, certainly not as potent as the mk7+ Golf R

Edited 9 May by Dave200

[lachlan8]

Just read this post and I am fully in support of this OP. Good luck and keen to hear how this goes! 

[lachlan8]

On 05/05/2023 at 12:54 PM, 63x1092 said:

easy way to do this @Ezra

Buy a GT 220 which is P plate legal and has the F4R engine already in it, then just swap out the ecu and keys off a 250 or 265  and it'll go as fast as a RS but it wont handle or stop as a RS, and insurance or cops wouldn't know or could tell its been modified as you've used original Renault parts.

If you went the whole hog and changed the suspension, brakes, gearbox, wider stance, front guards so on and put a whole RS front end on it even though they are original parts that suit that make and model, people may notice 

 

Great solution. Plus you can carry bikes, surfboards, whatever it is you kids are carting about these days.

[S2K]

On 06/05/2023 at 1:42 PM, Ezra said:

Thanks everyone for the advice.

I will probably just buy a clio and get it looking like the rs 16 prototype 🤙

By the way insurance isn’t an issue for me as I don’t have insurance due to it being too expensive. I crashed my outback into a light pole while sliding around like nobody’s business and was ran into in a car park in my beemer so insurance companies aren’t to keen on me to say the least haha.

Thanks again for all the advice! I’ll keep everyone up to date if I get the clio. I was also looking at the megane r26 and rs175 models too. 

You'll get a 3rd party / property policy won't you though?  There's no way I'd drive without that as it can otherwise ruin a good part of your life if you smacked into a pricey car and/or building.  

[Honest Gaza]

3 hours ago, S2K said:

You'll get a 3rd party / property policy won't you though?  There's no way I'd drive without that as it can otherwise ruin a good part of your life if you smacked into a pricey car and/or building.  

I wished that this was compulsory as a minimum.

[Ezra]

Yeah guys I have compulsory third party you can’t register a car without getting it.

[Firey]

1 hour ago, Ezra said:

Yeah guys I have compulsory third party you can’t register a car without getting it.

Compulsory third party which is part of the registration cost only covers other persons in the case of an accident. 
It doesn’t cover the cost of damage to any property, be it vehicle, house, fence, etc. 

If you only have the compulsory third party as part of the rego, then you are leaving yourself wide open in case you hit something. You will be liable for all damages to other property, which could be tens of thousands of dollars. 

[Caduceus]

Or hundreds of thousands.

[Firey]

Correct 

[Marsch]

Wants to turn a C4RS into an R.S.16 where the bodykit plus spoiler alone cost way over 5.000,- AUD but doesn't has the money for proper insurance. 🤦‍♂️

[Honest Gaza]

16 hours ago, Ezra said:

Yeah guys I have compulsory third party you can’t register a car without getting it.

As others have said, what about damage you may cause to other cars and property ? 

There is the financial aspect where you may leave yourself in debt for many years to come....and there is the moral aspect whereby if you don't have the money, you are expecting the other party to cover their own losses (through their own insurance or whatever).  Either scenario is going to cost someone something.

[hamstrung]

Let’s give OP the benefit of the doubt and assume he didn’t know that before.

@Ezra, highly recommend at least getting a third party property damage policy, maybe also with fire and theft. Would be a few hundred bucks, and covers you from the unthinkable.

[Ezra]

I don’t know about insurance to be honest. It always scares the daylights out of me when I think of having a run in with some Mercedes driving twat and having to pay for their fancy car.

[Dave200]

Its quite simple really, insure your car and yourself from the worst. Not sure what is hard about that…

Edited 12 May by Dave200

[hamstrung]

2 hours ago, Ezra said:

I don’t know about insurance to be honest. It always scares the daylights out of me when I think of having a run in with some Mercedes driving twat and having to pay for their fancy car.

Yes that’s what insurance is for. Otherwise the Mercedes driving t—t as you say will sue you personally for the cost, which is waaaaaay worse 

[JDB]

Easy fix - move to the west - no such restrictions here in WA