Project Cars 3 Game Pass
Natalí Stibb
Vehicle owners in Japan have three options when it comes to the shaken inspection. The first and cheapest is to simply get rid of your car. Some people would rather not deal with the headaches of returning their cars to shaken-legal status or making any necessary repairs, so simply offload them to someone else.
Masa also recommended we go to a pre-shaken center before getting the car fully inspected. Here they do the majority of the shaken test, and perform quick fixes where needed. It costs a little extra to get the work done, but this is almost a must if you have a modified car.
Here, a long prong was shoved through the silencer and the exhaust emission level tested. The inspector could only laugh as it passed with flying colors. Next up, the brakes, headlights and speedometer were tested on various rigs, and once again, the paper was stamped and I was told to move on.
By now I was feeling a bit cocky. The last stage is where you pull over a pit area, and some inspectors bang on random things to see if anything falls apart. Seriously, they have a special tool for this. This is also where they check to see if you have changed any parts out.
Christmas also came a bit early, as Masa also gifted me with his leftover stash of high quality FRP and carbon fiber. His only request was that I use it all at some point, so stay tuned to see the next composite update in the near future.
+1
I have to do this every year aswell. BUT... They're not that meticulous here. As long as the car doesn't scrape the edge of the pit, has good bushings, suspension, no leaks, brakes, and the exhaust doesn't go over XX dB, emissions are ok and everything works, you're good to go.
No welded rollcages allowed nonetheless.
And... Every facility, and every technician is a mistery of it's own. I've passed this tests with cars I was certain I was going to fail, and the other way around...
Thanks for the great story.
Reminds me of my country of which cars with overly dark (read illegal) tint windows are swapped with standard windows to pass the car inspection. Car asessories shops would gladly swap these windows for a reasonable fee.
After passing the inspection, swap back in the dark tint window.
Hopefully, the car won't be encountering another roadblock to check illegal car window tint.
ok ok, so I have to put my 2 cents in. I'm an avid reader of speedhunters. However how can you call japan as much as I love the culture, a safe haven for tuners when something as nit-picky as 2mm for wheel gap is a pass or fail scenario. Dude I don't even have to have fenders or doors for that matter to drive down the road. reading this makes me sick I cannot fathom having to spend that amount of money to drive my honda down the street. Let alone anything else. This is ridiculous I dont even have to pass emissions due to the county I live in. I would have to leave the car scene completely if this were a thing here.
What makes it so bad is honestly the taxes. It does suck that we have to play these games, but I never worry about police checks, or police hiding in bushes like I did in the States. There are speed cameras but they are market well in advance as the purpose is to slow you down and not earn revenue. Hell even my standard phone GPS lets me know about the cameras lol. Plus all the parts, driving roads, circuits, etc etc. Sometimes you gotta pay to play
If you ever make it out to SE Texas, I'll take you to a discrete early morning meet where you'll be in awe of the machinery and speeds. Occasionally, we'll also make the trek to Houston and mix it up with the city folk.
Some of the Houston stuff can be seen on on YouTube channels like Street Car Video. Check it out,
I envy Florida for how much the law seems to look the other way over there (I'm talking particularly in the way of "illegal" imports), but it sounds like that state has the greatest collection of straight roads in the country.
Ice Age that is a false statement. I have been bumped a few times for 10 over on the highway which ended up being a $200 ticket each time. Sad part is, I was going with traffic. Mainly because there were hardly any speed limit signs to go by.
They sure do care how fast you go, it is still their revenue. Especially if you do not have Florida plates.
+1 for Kano-San! His prices are incredibly reasonable - especially as you said for an on the fly fix. I noticed that a lot of base people bring him food haha. I usually get them coffee and lend them a hand as I am normally just hovering around with the camera lol.
We have exactly the same system in Switzerland (and the same ways to deal with modifications): after 5 years for a new car, then 3 years, and then every 2 years. That's the reason why, like in Japan, most cars on the road are in a very good shape. When it comes to modifications, nearly everything can get homologated, considering that you're ready to pay for it (sometimes big money).
Most governments are greedy, assumptive and overbearing with regard to things automotive, but the one in Japan takes words like "arrogant," "haughty" and "imperious" to unique depths.
Reading this article, I couldn't help but think "who the hell do these people think they are?"
I've often wondered if every government in the world - city, provincial, national, whatever - secretly has an accountant on staff who's only job is to figure out how onerous said government can make its taxes, regulations and fines without provoking a general noncompliance.
The shaken is a textbook example of the collusion so common between the Japanese government and their industry, where the State gets to impose an obnoxious regulation on the population and extract money, and the car companies get to profit from an essentially captive customer base that'll buy new cars just to avoid the hassle.
I'll bet they didn't even buy your car dinner before they did this to it, either.
The number of people commenting that shaken is wrongful and money grabbing by the government forget that driving and car ownership is a privilege, not a right.
That said, I can guarantee that I would be first in line to defend that privilege from being taken away, but things like inspections at regular intervals keep it safer for everyone. Do you really want to be take your car out that you've spent thousands of dollars on and countless hours invested into making it yours to be beside a vehicle that has had zero thought put into the regular maintenance let alone anything major fixed properly that could swerve into your car because their bald tires and shot suspension can't keep the car in their lane?
Those are the car that the inspections are after, not to generate money from people like us who love modifying cars. Yes they have stringent requirements that make it a pain to get the car in shape for it, but its not a monthly ordeal that keeps us from enjoying our car the rest of the time.
That aside, I enjoy seeing updates on the various Speedhunter's project cars.
"The number of people commenting that shaken is wrongful and money grabbing by the government forget that driving and car ownership is a privilege, not a right."
Incorrect. Having a license to drive and being able to drive is the only privilege. Car ownership is not a privilege seems how you are able to own them as personal property.
"Do you really want to be take your car out that you've spent thousands of dollars on and countless hours invested into making it yours to be beside a vehicle that has had zero thought put into the regular maintenance let alone anything major fixed properly that could swerve into your car because their bald tires and shot suspension can't keep the car in their lane?"
Keep in mind that "IF" is the largest word in the English language.
He didn't use the word, "if." I, however, have had an oncoming car's wheel eject itself from its knuckle and roll across the road in front of me. I'm all for safety tests, but charging for them when they're mandatory is where it's wrong. With how many bs "surcharges" the government taxes people with on anything we do federal-, state-, and city-related, surely there's a big enough pot there to pay these inspectors from.
In Germany, the exam costs only 100Euros every 2 years and can easily be done in your local workshop. Sometimes, when you choose the right workshop, the examiner is suddenly half blind.
BUT the police can stop you at any time and shut down your car if you do not have the necessary papers for the installed tuning parts (which, of course, does not exist in Germany for a R33 GTR) then you can find your car faster on the Tow Truck than you can see. Then come expert reports, everything back to series, new acceptance and approval.
That's all for a car that in Germany was never officially sold the absolute horror.
Hi Ron. Seems crazy to me the lengths the authorities go to, to make sure that cars are safe. I mean we have our MOT here in England annually, but I doubt (unless something is inherently dangerous) any tester would fail a car just for a aftermarket modification like the arms you highlighted. Nice article though, good to see how these things are done in different countries! Thanks, Tom
Hey Tom
Yah.. a lot of it could be traced back to the bad taste left from the bosos during the 70-80's (?). It is pretty silly but as long as it's easy to get around then I'll play the game to keep driving in Japan ^^ still is hella annoying tho v.v.
Glad you got it through! Now get those mods back on!
I could never respond to your reply about how I got the splitter glossy (Mk1 Golf).
I repeatedly added layers of resin and then used wet&dry to flatten it, maybe 3 times. Then I worked through abrasive to finishing polish using a DA sander. To finish it off I applied a couple of layers of wax.
Haha as soon as I get back into the country they are going back on ^^
Ah! Thank you! That is actually what I'm going to try this time around. Again, as soon as I get back in the country lol. Cheers!