carcollector
Active Member
- Joined
- Aug 30, 2007
- Messages
- 211
- Reaction score
- 74
- Points
- 28
- Location
- Adelaide
- Members Ride
- WM Caprice, VZ SS Crewman, ZB Calais V,VE CalaisV
Yes, I realise it's a slightly unusual question, but I have my heart set on getting a WN series 2 Caprice for our next family car. It is only available in a 6.2 litre V8 which has a power to weight ratio of 168.5 kW/tonne, but P Platers in SA (and Vic, NSW & Qld) are limited to vehicles under 130 kW/tonne. My daughter is currently learning to drive, and will have P plates for 3 years after she passes her learner's. Exemptions can be given, but it's usually only for work related reasons, ie you need to drive a specific vehicle for work purposes. She will have her own car, but there will be times when she may need to or we may want her to drive the Caprice.
I was thinking that it may be an option to have the car detuned by around 20% - either semi permanently (ie until she is off her P plates), or by specific key (ie one key for my daughter which will put the car in detuned mode) and one key for my wife and I in normal tuned mode. If that is not too hard to do, then I'll apply for exemption on the basis that I will have the detuning done and verified so that the car as tuned when she drives it will meet the lower power to weight ratio requirements.
Yes, I could opt for a V6 Calais instead, but we currently have a WM Caprice as a family car. It is spacious, reliable and safe, so my preference by far would be another Caprice.
It is a little crazy that as a Learner Driver, she can legally drive our existing Caprice (it is only a V6, so she can still drive it on P plates as well), but she can also drive our V8 SS Crewman, our twin turbo 300ZX, or even our XU-1 Torana (but Dad says NO!) but as soon as she gets her P plates, she is not allowed to drive them.
Thanks all, I'd be interested in your thoughts or experience.
I was thinking that it may be an option to have the car detuned by around 20% - either semi permanently (ie until she is off her P plates), or by specific key (ie one key for my daughter which will put the car in detuned mode) and one key for my wife and I in normal tuned mode. If that is not too hard to do, then I'll apply for exemption on the basis that I will have the detuning done and verified so that the car as tuned when she drives it will meet the lower power to weight ratio requirements.
Yes, I could opt for a V6 Calais instead, but we currently have a WM Caprice as a family car. It is spacious, reliable and safe, so my preference by far would be another Caprice.
It is a little crazy that as a Learner Driver, she can legally drive our existing Caprice (it is only a V6, so she can still drive it on P plates as well), but she can also drive our V8 SS Crewman, our twin turbo 300ZX, or even our XU-1 Torana (but Dad says NO!) but as soon as she gets her P plates, she is not allowed to drive them.
Thanks all, I'd be interested in your thoughts or experience.