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Old 07-26-2010, 01:58 PM   #13 (permalink)
Laurentiu
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Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Limassol , CY
Posts: 288

Opel Corsa B - '96 Opel Corsa 1.2 8V
90 day: 47.27 mpg (US)

VW Bora 1.6 16V - '02 Volkswagen Bora/Jetta
90 day: 35.84 mpg (US)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by euromodder View Post
Europe sure does have a general regulation on cars, which then gets translated into national laws.

At least in Belgium, just about all the mods you lads can do stateside are forbidden.

Except for a list changes that one is allowed to make, it is basicly forbidden to mod a car without the consent of its manufacturer - and they won't let you.

With the exception of stripping off logos, keyholes, chromestrips and the like , all these allowed changes are merely optical tuning, with none of them having any relevance regarding fuel economy.

Getting rid of exterior mirrors : forbidden.
Streamlined underbelly trays : forbidden.
Changing gear ratios : forbidden.
Engine (de)tuning : forbidden.

Changing parts for non e- or E-approved parts, requires a (costly) validating procedure.
Well, maybe recently they've started to do more about it. Because I've been to quite a few countries, Spain, UK, Germany, I'm in Cyprus now and I'm Romanian born so all those countries I've mentioned and been to within the last 3-5 years I've seen plenty of tuned up cars and I'm not talking about missing logos...I'm talking fully-fledged rockets on the road, from things like engine swaps/engine tuning/race cars etc. The main concern in England to give an example is not the fact that they won't allow you to do those modifications but when you try to get insured, you'll pay thru your nose and ears !! Maybe Belgium is more strict...I mean Bruxelles is right in your back-yard...so I guess legislation starts there and slowly creeps into all the nooks and crannies of the EU "territories".

If you come to Cyprus anytime soon, you will find yourself teleported back in time. Eu legislation travels veeery slowly to arrive here..
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