MK6 GTI on probationary licence in Victoria.

[Pauly]

Hey guys,

This is something that didnt even cross my mind until today.

Now the laws in Victoria were changed recently (with the push of VWA from what I have read), and now it states the following:

From 6 July 2009, drivers issued with a probationary licence on or after 1 July 2007 may drive some lower performance turbocharged or supercharged vehicles. The definition of a lower performance turbocharged or supercharged vehicle is a vehicle with 6 cylinders or less that is;

- turbocharged or supercharged with a power to weight ratio of less than 100kW per tonne;

- turbocharged or supercharged with a power to weight ratio between 100kW and 125kW per tonne and that is considered to be a family type vehicle (4 seats or more) rather than a sports type vehicle. A family type vehicle is a sedan, station wagon or hatch normally used to carry families/passengers with 4 or more seats and are equipped with child restraint anchorages. A family type vehicle does not include a sports car (two door coupe).

Now for the facts I suppose:

MK6 GTI:

- 155KW
- 1380KG

= 112KW Per Tonne

So it fits in with the rules stated by Vic Roads:

- It is between 100kw - 125kw per tonne
- It is considered to be a family type vechile (hatch) (has 4 or more seats)
- It should have child anchor points? (can someone with a GTI please confirm this?)
- It is not a 2 door coupe/sports car.

Cars in the same catagory here:

- Holden Commodore Omega/Berlina = 113KW Per Tonne
- Ford Falcon = 114KW Per Tonne
- BMW 125i = 112KW Per Tonne

The Toyota Aurion surprisingly is actually NOT allowed to be driven by P Platers! as it has a power to weight ratio of: 127KW per tonne.

and the list can keep on going on and on and on.

So my question is, will Vic Roads allow me to drive the car?

For those needing to send the form in:

Lower perfomance turbo or super charged vehicles : VicRoads

What is also quite funny is that the power to weight ratio calculator I used is from Vic Roads!!!!

Vicroads

and when I put the GTI's power and weight it comes up stating the following:

"Your vehicle is not classed as a high powered vehicle."

Please post your thoughts on this

Thanks

[nau]

"Your vehicle is not classed as a high powered vehicle."

well if its not classified as one - problem is solved for u : )
its one slow car just to get from A->B

[MkVIGTI]

The GTI is below the threshold for power to weight. However, I believe you'll need to apply for an exemption with Vicroads to be able to drive the car. On the exemption form, there's a line that says the car must be a four door, non-sport type of vehicle. The GTI, however, is the sports model within the range so I dunno how Vicroads is gonna react to that...

[diop]

Cars in the same catagory here:

- Holden Commodore Omega/Berlina = 113KW Per Tonne
- Ford Falcon = 114KW Per Tonne
- BMW 125i = 112KW Per Tonne

The Toyota Aurion surprisingly is actually NOT allowed to be driven by P Platers! as it has a power to weight ratio of: 127KW per tonne.

and the list can keep on going on and on and on.

Are any of these vehicles turbocharged or supercharged?

[azn_007]

i am in the same situation, i went to the rta to apply for a exemption for my MK6 GTI under the presumption that it has a similar engine to the jetta 147TSI which p-platers can apply an exemption for in NSW, but i was turned down on the basis of it being the 'performance model' of the golf, lucky for me i am off my Ps in 10 days but i still cant drive the car and its just sitting in my driveway such a shame.

[Pauly]

Are any of these vehicles turbocharged or supercharged?

None of them are, but why should that matter?

If they are going to ban cars on power to weight ratio then the GTI is pretty much on par with a base model commodore and falcon.

And you see alot more P platers hooning around in those compared to a GTI...

[G-rig]

Well when do you get off your P's?

Didn't you know about this rule when you ordered the GTI?

[Corey_R]

He knew - but he went ahead and bought it anyway

[cme2c]

Are any of these vehicles turbocharged or supercharged?

None of them are, but why should that matter?

If they are going to ban cars on power to weight ratio then the GTI is pretty much on par with a base model commodore and falcon.

And you see alot more P platers hooning around in those compared to a GTI...

The ban is on supercharged or turbocharged cars only, or those with eight or more cylinders. It's ludicrous. That's why you see P Platers with Civic Type Rs, 147 kW non turbocharged. They could also get a Clio RS200 where, Shock! Horror! it's possible to turn the stability control off.

Or an R32.

[Maverick]

This is something that didnt even cross my mind until today.

you've posted about it before in one of your many threads!

Hey guys,

I am currently on my P's in Victoria and the law states that P plates cannot drive the GTI. Fair enough, not going to argue there.

However, I want to have my GTI here when I get off my P's which is in the 2nd last week of October this year.

Looks like you'll be walking until the end of October. You knew the rules and you knew you were unable to drive the GTI until that date but you still went ahead with the purchase.

[Golf Houso]

you've posted about it before in one of your many threads!



Looks like you'll be walking until the end of October. You knew the rules and you knew you were unable to drive the GTI until that date but you still went ahead with the purchase.

I agree entirely, you unfortunately just have to make a compromise until then.

[DracZ]

I agree entirely, you unfortunately just have to make a compromise until then.

What exactly is unfortunate about the situation? If you can go ahead and spend 40k+ on a car, and not even bother doing minimal research on whether its even legal for you to drive it, then you deserve whatever comes your way.

[Maverick]

What exactly is unfortunate about the situation? If you can go ahead and spend 40k+ on a car, and not even bother doing minimal research on whether its even legal for you to drive it, then you deserve whatever comes your way.

He definitely knew it was illegal to drive it back before he ordered and it's still illegal to drive it now. Hopefully they won't give him an exemption and reward his <couldn't think of anything remotely nice to put in here>.

Maybe someone with Golf 1.6 could swap with him for six months?

[Golf Houso]

He definitely knew it was illegal to drive it back before he ordered and it's still illegal to drive it now. Hopefully they won't give him an exemption and reward his <couldn't think of anything remotely nice to put in here>.

Maybe someone with Golf 1.6 could swap with him for six months?

He can have my VR6 for 6 months, doubt it'll be any slower either...

[The_Hawk]

Lets assume for a moment that we all agree with not letting P platers get behind the wheel of high powered cars. In order to do that the most simple way we draw a line in the sand and say nothing with 8 cylinders or more or anything with a supercharger/turbo charger. Yes it doesn't hold true for all cars which is why they made the small exemptions for cars with small engines using a turbo for efficiency.

YES, there is NA cars that make more power than cars on the banned list, but it was never going to be a perfect system, which is why they allow for exceptions for special cases (of which there is apparently very very few been issued).

Yes it's unfortunate your vehicle of choice is on that list, but at least it's in the *maybe* pile. Although form what I understand the exceptions are more for people with a real need like V8's on a farm or a family with a only a Golf GTI for example, not for someone who went out and bought a GTI just because they wanted one. Long story short, if you don't have a family to transport in the car or it's your parents only car therefore your only option I don't know how lenient they will be.