The LTO just opened a can of worms. After a crackdown on modified 4x4s (and the resulting backlash on social media), they’ve doubled down and said that they’re doing this in the interest of safety. And while they can cling on legal basis for their actions, they also know jack shit about cars and that’s going to cost you.

Almost everyone knows that cars nowadays come with various rim sizes / designs that differ across variants. For instance, it’s common practice to see entry-level models sporting smaller and simpler wheel sizes while mid- and top-grade models would have bigger and spiffier looking ones. Less common, but increasingly becoming popular among the different car brands, is the offering of special edition models that offer aesthetic modifications which includes, you guessed it, rims. Some, like European brands allow you to even customize your desired wheel size and pattern at the point assembly and before you take delivery too.

Illustrating this point, here’s a small sampling of various wheels and rims which look aftermarket but are fitted factory stock to each of these vehicles.





Car enthusiasts will probably know this by heart, but will LTO enforcers know? Will they know that a “TRD” is for a Toyota or “STI” for a Subaru or “MUGEN” to a Honda? Will they know that the new Ranger Raptor is supposed to have those 33-inch wheel and tire package as standard? Will they know that the MX-5 Club would have wheels that say “BBS” instead of Mazda straight off the assembly line? Judging from how some Korean car owners slap on “Ralliart” or “NISMO” badges on their cars, this casts a doubt.

To avoid the possible inconvenience, some car owners have begun paying the required P 30.00 for “change rim size” at their local LTO office. It’s a small price to pay for sure, but it’s the principle that’s at stake here. This move simply raises more questions now. If this is about road safety, did the LTO office actually check the rims and tires if they’re appropriate for the vehicle and in good working condition? Are they counterfeits which don’t pass international safety standards?

Almost everyone is quick to judge that the LTO’s doing this “because it’s near Christmas” or “because it’s almost election season.” Whether that’s true or not, the main problem here is that the LTO’s all gung-ho about implementing rules and regulations which aren’t properly communicated to the public; heck even their own people can’t articulate them well. All this leads to confusion and as everyone knows, confusion brings rise to corruption.