Celica Forums General Discussion General Pimp My Ride shop fined by government

Today in the news it was reported that West Coast Customs (WCC) was fined $16,000 by the Beareau of Automotive Repair (BAR) and the National Transportation Commision (NTC) for taking the airbags out of the dash and out of the steering wheel of many late model vehicles, and replacing them with TV monitors. They were charged because it is ILLEGAL to remove factory saftey devices from vehicles equipped with them. WCC is largely known for such customizations but became nationally known because of there large part in the hit Mtv show Pimp My Ride. Officials did not release any information related to the show.

sucks for them

should have known that was coming.

oh well...it's not going to stop them i'm sure...maybe just from the tv shows.

i will eventually take my passenger side airbag out

$16,000=1 new rim for a Enzo which they have done before so im sure that they have paid it already

I so wish they would leave people alone. My friend has side airbags. When he hit a curb, they popped. He HAD to get em fixed, or woulda been in voilation. It happened to him twice actually. $1700 each time. Progressive isn't happy with him.

/\/\/\/\/\/\ nope. They never go for the individual I should know mine popped about 4 years ago and I have yet to fix them.

yea, they're not hurting. i've been following west coast customs since shaq started sending his cars there..very nice shop and they do great work. that pimp my ride crap is nothing.

that sucks for PMR

^^ i really wish they would take that show off the air anyway.

most of the things they do in that shop are unique but lack essence or style. that show plays off on the great work they do..but who actually wants half that stuff??

i think that show actually gives west coast customs a more negative opinion of they're shop. you should see the cars that come out of there that don't appear on that kids show

is it recommended by LAW to have airbags in your car? I mean, last time I checked, they were just sales FEATURES. When was the last time that you read about BY LAW, you now had to replace the factory stock steering wheels in your 60's model mustang, with air bags...

does this sound awkward?

no if your Vin plate has the SRS sign on it you are supposed to have airbags in your car. That doesn't mean that you can't take them out it means that if you take them out you can't resell the car without putting them back in. You see as of 95-96 when OBD 1 came into play that was one of the major things that is needed in your car. If a body shop takes them out they are required by law to put them back in because they are not allowed to give you back an unsafe car, therefore what they are doing is illegal.

how about putting an airbag around the tv so you can still watch porn while driving, but if you get in a crash you wont hit ur "head" to hard

thats so ghey. but yeah $16k is nothing to these guys. I seen a show where they bought a brand new 4 runner for a guy AND "pimped" it out. that alone was way more then $16k

just sucks the government has to be an ass like that. was prolly some old guy whose kid or relative couldnt get on the show so this is their "revenge"

Yea, it's not required by law, but if it had it, you can't remove it. Like OLD cars built before seatbelts, you can drive those without wearing a seatbelt.

yea man, brand new 4runners are like, $35,000-$40,000 cars. LMAO

i swear.. fucking government has nothing else better to do.. but oh well.

pepboys & autozone sell replacement steering wheels... WITHOUT airbags

I guess the only difference between that and what PMR was doing was that there had been a disclaimer on the replacement steering wheels that stated "FOR OFF-ROAD USE ONLY"...

You would think that there had to be a contract signed by the vehicle owner that says, "i wave my all my rights of this vehicle and the modifications done to it - I will not challenge or demand that certain items be changed after receipt of vehicle - i accept these changes 'AS-IS', and without any such garentee"...etc

Basically - the vehicle owner waiving all PMR's responsibility to deliver a 100% street-legal vehicle.

And who is to say, that the vehicle given to PMR before modification was 100% street legal before PMR had ever touched it.

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It is quite possible that although there was such contract writing - one of the previous PMR participants had been involved in an accident that scientifically shown, could have been much less damaging if there had been factory airbags still intact.

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Another thing to note - do you think that PMR legally installed the video screens so that UNLESS the ebrake was activated, the video screens in view of the driver did not function?

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Sorry for my long post... just be happy that I'm done now

I'm happy they got fined. I think it is stupid to replace an airbag with a tv monitor. I know a girl that died because her boyfriend had replaced the passenger side airbag with a tv monitor. Airbags are in your car for a reason.

16 large would be chump change for them. I'm sure they'll keep on putting monitors in the steeringwheels. Think of it as a Bling tax.

im sorry, but i cant stand that show...they definitely dont lack originality, but how hard is it to do anything with infinite money? I would like to see some real creativitey, less just buying stuff, then installing it for them

The show sucks ass and who ever puts a screen in the steering wheel is a fucking moron.

Its just flat out dangerous. I Mean I guess it cool for SHOW but when you're driving without air-bags.. than thats just stupid.. I'd rather live...

There are many other ways to mount a TV in the car too... Visors... Flip-screen. Flip-Down Screen. Indash.. I mean why risk somones life for an air-bag...

Maybe our morals are just screwed up these days... Who knows

They should be fined A LOT MORE for their poor-ass taste.

What about before passenger side air bags came out? It's a safety feature that you pay extra for. If you don't want it, then you shouldn't have to have it. If someone would pay for it, I'd gladly remove BOTH my airbags for TVs. That's what seatbelts are for. Airbags are an extra, optional safety feature. Just like side airbags, and curtain side airbags.

ditto.

although i did like their volkswagen van they did...they actually did something functional, stylish, and original all in one (although the "chill" schoolbus popout and the surfboard carrier went overboard )

hahahah you guys remember this chick from pimp my ride, well im sure xzibit pimped her

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sorry but she's a butter face.

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