7 seater to 5 seater compliance required?

[Drewboyaus]

I've read a few times around the place people who have a 7 seat GQ or GU who have removed the rear seats then compliance it for 5.
Now, I've taken the rear seats and belts out of mine, should I be taking it to an engineer or Vicroads for the purposes of roadworthy compliance?
If there were airbags I could possibly understand the need for this but otherwise, seems ridiculous to me.
Any thoughts?


Tip tip tip......tap tap tap....

[Winnie]

I know my new GQ was a 7 seater, is down to 5 and passed a RWC no dramas.

[Maxhead]

I seem to recall something from a while back that if the rear seatbelts and seat bolt holes are there then its still a 7 seater...that was for ACT though

[Winnie]

For reference mine has the rear seat belts still in but no seats.

[healy]

For reference mine has the rear seat belts still in but no seats.

Well that's classified as a dodgy roady then mate it's not legal at all unless its been engineered saying that I removed mine out and sold them off

[BigRAWesty]

Why down size??
Resale would be better if a 7 seater imo. And there is no law against removing seats for draw systems or such.

Kallen Westbrook
Owner of
Westy's Accessories (http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/showthread.php?15134-Westy-s-Accessories.-A-small-back-yard-builder.)

[Punderhead]

In qld I had to get a mod plate for a roady. However I wouldn't worry because you can always throw the seAt back in if for some reason you now need 7 seats again. Dad runs around ith 6.seats in his gu no worries!!

Cheers!!!

[Lieney]

Mine is 7 seater. I have drawers etc in the back. Now only have 5. I never asked and don't care.
I've moved around a lot over the last 17 year career. QLD, ACT, NSW, SA and VIC.
I have found it depends on the transport office (or whatever they call it in that state) and who you speak to or get an email from.
Personally, if you remove seats I think it should make no difference. Unless the seats are part of a safety item(air bag, crumple zone, structure etc)
I would be sending an email to Vicroads asking for an opinion and that way you got it in writing when you get pulled over.
I had another branded (LC) SWB and that model came with various seating arrangements. It was a 3 seat in front rego in VIC, but I had a back seat also that folded up.
I had to prove it was safe, in compliance with OEM and engineered properly.
I had no info from yota, no proof of any changes, no engineering cert etc. I found heaps of pics of the same car in other countries with the various seating arrangements. After arguing with a bloke behind the counter for 10-15 minutes about engineering, mods etc and roadworthy I got him to have a look. He reluctantly came to see what I had done and then said he had no clue as to what I was on about or the structure etc etc.
So, I had the seating changed in VICroads by simply supplying plenty of pics and a good argument. Signed, certified and done.
Send an Email, more chance of backing yourself in worse case scenario

[Morton]

its a compliance issue in NSW, a joke I know but an issue nonetheless

[BigRAWesty]

i wouldn't worry. have 7 for road worthy if needed, but then rip them out and go nuts..
chances of a cop being that picky and knowledgeable is pushing it..
no offence to the boys in blue on here..

[Drewboyaus]

i wouldn't worry. have 7 for road worthy if needed, but then rip them out and go nuts..
chances of a cop being that picky and knowledgeable is pushing it..
no offence to the boys in blue on here..

I couldn't give a continental about the rozzas, it's insurance not paying out I'm concerned about......


Tip tip tip......tap tap tap....

[Clunk]

I couldn't give a continental about the rozzas, it's insurance not paying out I'm concerned about......


Tip tip tip......tap tap tap....

Give the rip off merchants a call and see what they have to say........
I'm pretty over here, that if you remove your docket seats, you're supposed to get compliance plates for it...... Very happy to be wrong though because it seems bloody ridiculous to me, Its not like they're structural........ Well maybe they are in the plastic fantastics lol

Don't stroke it, TAP it!!!!.....

[P4trol]

There will always be someone to take your money. Mine has a plate saying it is now a 5 seater, but I use all 7. Find those 'reasonable people' in the motor registries.

[Punderhead]

The insurance company will have to prove that not having the seat in caused the accident. Kinda hard to do

Cheers!

[NissanGQ4.2]

The insurance company will have to prove that not having the seat in caused the accident. Kinda hard to do

Cheers!

I don't think the insurance company would have 2 prove anything, if the law states that if the seating is removed it needs to be mod plated / certified whatever one ones 2 call it, then doesn't removing them make the car unroadworthy? I doubt insurance companies will pay out on an unroadworthy car even if it is a stupid rule.

[threedogs]

Think its mainly for the ppl that removed the 2nd row for touring purposes.
some boys in blue, Sth Aust I think questioned it and started handing out un-RWC.
thankfully I think common sense has prevailed. There was a big song and dance about this a few
years back now.

[rusty_nail]

my SWB has been through two inspections from two different mechs(for the last two years) with no seat in the back, atm it only seats 2 people and ive never had any problemsgetting it through

[threedogs]

Yet its not illegal to pack 9 ppl in a sedan as recent news reports showed.
I would have thought 1 person one seat beat, ,My cargo area seats are at the tip and I pushed
the belts back into rear pillar moulding, besides dog number 2 chewed the seatbelt in half, GGGrrrrrrr

[oncedisturbed]

Over he in WA it's 1 person to 1seat, can not cram more than seating capacity allow.

When I had the drawers put in my troll last year, I was advised that because I still had the extra seats and that they could be put back in as required, it was still a 7 seater. If I got rid of them completely then I had to re-register it as a 5 seater


Never underestimate the power of the Tap.

[MQ MAD]

In QLD ,you have to get a mod plate for any seating alteration,regardless if removing seats,goin from a 3 seater ute to a 2 seater,or generally altering the seating capacity from factory
Its stamped on the ID plate,and any legit RWC shop shouldnt pass unless the seating is to that plate
I need a mod plate or the rearward seat refitted years ago in my MQ wagon,and i knew the bloke doin the roady
I needed a mod plate converting a 3 seater ute to a 2 seater
Mate not few months ago in his GU wagon needed a mod plate for regoing his 7 seater wagon with the rear seat removed
Its all irrelevant if its a factory alteration or a 5 min removal,your altering the seating capacity