Hi everyone,

Hoping someone can enlighten me on the general traffic policing system in Switzerland. I've been here 4 days with my UK car and I've been stopped twice and asked for paper work for the spoiler and alloy wheels???? I thought my german was down that day and they actually wanted paperword regarding my insurance ect.. but I have been told to go "directly" to the Strassenverkehrsamt and ask what I need to change so I can drive it on swiss roads!!! I tried looking on their website but there are no guidlines to suggest what you can and can't have on your car...

I have had the car over 3 years in the UK and haven't had any trouble with the spoiler or wheels or any other modifications. Is there somthing special you need on your car over here???? I'm still on english plates if that makes any difference.

...And does somthing really bad happen if you get caught speeding just everyone is very good and sticks to the limit....

I feel this is yet another case where we need the full story and not be drip fed the facts.

What are the details of the car? Can you post a picture? Why were you stopped by the police? Are you a tourist or are you registered here?

It is a Swiss requirement that non-standard wheels on Swiss-registered cars have some sort of certificate which is issued on their purchase. Spoilers? Who has a car with a spoiler?

You have to convert your car within a year of arriving to Swiss plates. While you are on UK plates, they cannot do much as long as the car is UK road legal. Is the car standard, ie has it been modified, since it left the showroom, or have you added bits. This may be an issue if modified when you switch to Swiss plates, but when you switch to Swiss plates, they will have to approve the modification. If standard it shouldn't pose any issue.

If it is a mod then you will have to get acceptance from the Strassenverkehrsamt, however you have probably a lot more other issues here, if you have just arrived. You can sort the car out in 6 months or so, after you have settled in.

Please drive sensibly and keep within the speed limits, fines are very harsh. I got caught on the motorway 25mph (41KPH) over the limit, 3 months ban and GBP 2000 fine. See thread on Speeding.

I have just moved here for a 6 month contract so I'm a tourist untill I find a permanent address... I'll try and get a picture on here later today but you'll have put up with a description for now.

Its an Audi RS4 (google images may help). Its an 05 Reg and has a few extras added on. When I brought it new it had a perthetic little spoiler on it so I had one custom made from carbon fibre. The alloys are 19 inch mesh black. I have seen other cars with non-standard alloys on and they seem to get around without being stopped.

I'm hoping I won't be here long enough to have to change to swiss plates. So do I need to change everything even though I'm on UK plates?????? And if it makes any difference, both my insurance and the DVLA registration certificate state both modifications on the car to be road legal.... in the UK anyway...

Many thanks to anyone who can help!!!

Show these to the Strassenverkehrsamt and have your vehicle documents in the car when you drive.

Many thanks for the reply...
I did show these to the police who seemed rather unimpressed with UK documents for a UK car with UK insurance... One officer then told me if I didn't change it I would be arrested... I will definatly take these to the Strassenverkehrsamt on Monday... Untill then its public transport for the weekend...

I still don't understand why you were stopped twice in 4 days.

I drove here on about 20 occasions with a number of different UK-registered cars in the years before moving here. Since I have driven here for over 19 years on Swiss plated cars and have never been stopped by the police - ever...

Exactly.

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The reason why I was stopped was because I have a non-standard spoiler on my car.... That was when I was told, unless I change it, I will not be able to drive it in Switzerland????

It sounds like the spoiler is bring unusual attention to your car. I have had many visitors in UK cars over the last 18 years and none have ever been stopped by the Police.

The purpose of a spoiler is to have some effect on the roadholding of a car and a manufacturer obviously carries out tests to establish its effect. You have had one made but who designed it ? Where they qualified to do this and, if not, how do you know that it’s not having an adverse effect and is potentially unsafe ? Any modification that has an effect should only be carried out by someone qualified.

You state that the registration and insurance documents state the the modification has been accepted as legal. I was not aware that a UK insurance certificate had any provision to show such information or have you got some type of endorsement on the policy itself ? Similarly what exactly is written on the registration document that would show this spoiler has been accepted as being legal ?

How big is it ?

Firstly the spoiler was designed by a qualified designer (in aerodynamics) and then sent on to the manufacturer to be built and fitted to the car. If I'm going to buy a brand new audi, I'm not going to mess it up with a £10 plastic stick glued to the boot...

When you start an insurance policy then you are required to state any modifications made to the car... from bodykits to nitrous systems. Otherwise if you make a claim and then they find out the car looks and drives different to a standard version they won't pay out. And on the V5C registration document you have to list all changes in the car since it has left the showroom. My insurance is quite happy to have these modifications and the DVLA have not questioned anything.

The spoiler itself is around 3 feet high...

I'm not looking for childish comments, I would just like to know whether anyone thinks I need to change this even though I'm on UK plates or if I can leave it untill I need to switch over to swiss insurance and number plates...

Many thanks...

Can I ask what your stall speed is?

It's like getting blood out of stone every time someone posts that they are being persecuted by the Swiss authorities. If you had started out saying 'my Audi RS4 has a 3-foot spoiler on the back' - I presume it's on the back - then it would be as clear as crystal why you are getting stopped.

Please post a picture. Can you see out of the back? Do you have fluffy dice too?

Now, I'm getting really curious. C'mon, show us a pic of that car.

I don't know what the legal situation is here, but you've already experienced the nasty side-effects of your spoiler. Even if it's legal, do you really want the get hassled by the police every second day?
Just for comparison: I've been stopped by the police about 4 or 5 times in 20 years of driving.

3 foot spoiler? Will I need a magnifying glass to see yer cock?

Even if you changed to Swiss plates I think that it’s likely you’d still have a problem. A right hand drive car (presumably) with a 3ft spoiler is bound to make the police curious as to whether it’s legal and the only way they could find out is to stop you.

Is there another way to share pictures on this forum??? I have set the picture as my avatar for now but its not very clear.....

In the reply window click on the sign of the paper clip.

Serious bit of my post: Nearing 10 years ago there was some British car deemed illegal for spoilers in canton ZH, something along the lines of the Cosworth Ford Sierra, or maybe the Merc equivalent. I'd advise you to ask about the law there.

Childish comment warning...

How can anyone spoil the beautiful lines of an RS4 by putting a 3 foot spoiler on it?

At the very least, the style police should be onto you like a ton of bricks.

And just for laughs, please tell us what you paid in the UK for your car. Inquiring minds wish to know how much you were ripped off for

Who cares about the car - let's hear it for the purpose-built winglet that should cost about half as much...