SEMA Action Alert - CA

[zbugger]

...Apparently it's not illegal to drive with expired tags if you pay the fee and don't mind getting pulled over from time to time.

Actually, it is. I got pulled over three times, twice in the same day, and got three fix-it tickets. I had to get the car smogged and show the officer registration, proof of insurance, and proof of smog certification if I got pulled over again. Even then, I could have still gotten a ticket for driving an unregistered vehicle. As for the customer you mentioned, that doesn't happen as often as you think.

I seriously doubt they will go after pre '75. Frankly, it doesn't add up to much in the big swing of things clean air related.

They already have. They wanted to have everything 45 years old tested at one point. That meant you'd be smogging a 1958 Chevy when they first wanted to pass that. Jay Leno got involved and that one fell through.

Aren't they still trying to outlaw Carbon Dioxide in California? Brilliant.

Just to warn you, New York state is trying to follow closely in our footsteps...

[Ralph LoGrasso]

Just to warn you, New York state is trying to follow closely in our footsteps...

We already have this law?

In New York State, anything newer than 1977(?) has to be inspected for safety and emissions every single year. You guys have it made with the bi-annual inspections/smog that you've got currently.

[toxicz28]

We already have this law?

In New York State, anything newer than 1977(?) has to be inspected for safety and emissions every single year.

Ahh! You must move to the north young man! The closest thing to a smog check up here, for now, is '96 and newer gets plugged in to make sure there is no SES light. No sniffer, not at all.

[nancejd]

I wouldn't mind this kind of stuff so much if all the legislators and people that support this junk volunteered to have their cars crushed first.

[CraigMBA]

I wouldn't mind this kind of stuff so much if all the legislators and people that support this junk volunteered to have their cars crushed first.

For petes sake!

These cars are ALREADY GETTING TESTED.

The change in the law will require new cars to get tested LESS FREQUENTLY and older cars to get tested MORE FREQUENTLY.

[Damn True]

For petes sake!

These cars are ALREADY GETTING TESTED.

The change in the law will require new cars to get tested LESS FREQUENTLY and older cars to get tested MORE FREQUENTLY.

Which is exactly why the bill is so wrong-headed. There are far fewer "old" cars on the road to begin with. The majority of those "old" cars are driven by people who drive them because they elect to do so. Therefore they are more likely to take good care of them.

It's the 10 year old import that is barely running that is the real contributor. There are more of them, and people drive them because it's all they can afford. Therefore they are NOT well maintained and more likely to be in a poor state of tune.

[CraigMBA]

It's the 10 year old import that is barely running that is the real contributor. There are more of them, and people drive them because it's all they can afford. Therefore they are NOT well maintained and more likely to be in a poor state of tune.

Incidentally, that's exactly who they are targeting.

I called the transportation office this morning to get more informed on the subject. Their phone number is 916-651-4121. I asked them several questions about AB 616 – pointed, hard questions, was treated with professionalism and courtesy. Rather than take my word for it, I encourage you to do the same.

AB 616 is an air quality improvement bill that will mandate vehicles 15 years and older get inspected annually, and new vehicles less often. I asked if the exemption for pre 1976 vehicles would change. They remain exempt.

When I asked how this legislation came about, the lady at Transportation told me it had been suggested jointly by the Bureau of Automotive Repair and the Air Resources Board in an effort to lower vehicle emissions on the highest likely polluters.

I asked why they were targeting older cars. She told me that mobile source pollution was the biggest source of polution in the state of California, and they were trying to do what they could to make sure these older cars which are more likely to fail were in compliance. I baited her and said “I understand, get them into compliance or get them off the road” and she corrected me that their intention was simply to get into compliance.

The net effect of this is if you drive a 1992-1976 car or truck you can expect to take an extra trip to the local smog check. If you have a 1993-2007 car or truck you won’t be forced to go as often.

On a personal note, I make my living from the automotive business. My bread and butter is calling on technicians. I have twenty or so shops that do smog testing. I see first hand some of the crap that people bring in trying to get smogged and it just amazes me.

[Ralph LoGrasso]

Ahh! You must move to the north young man! The closest thing to a smog check up here, for now, is '96 and newer gets plugged in to make sure there is no SES light. No sniffer, not at all.

Since 2005 all OBDII ('96 +) vehicles receive the "plug-in" diagnostics to make certain there are no codes. There is no sniffer test. This is nice, beause with programs like HP Tuners, one can remove entire systems from their car (e.g. rear '02 sensors) and "pass" the OBDII test.

'95 and older (I think to '77) receive the old-school sniffer test, which they've had as far back as I can remember (although, that's not too far back, haha!)

I wish L.I. would adopt northern NY automotive legislature

[toxicz28]

Since 2005 all OBDII ('96 +) vehicles receive the "plug-in" diagnostics to make certain there are no codes. There is no sniffer test. This is nice, beause with programs like HP Tuners, one can remove entire systems from their car (e.g. rear '02 sensors) and "pass" the OBDII test.

'95 and older (I think to '77) receive the old-school sniffer test, which they've had as far back as I can remember (although, that's not too far back, haha!)

I wish L.I. would adopt northern NY automotive legislature

The reason you get the sniffer on the older cars, is the little "NYMA" on your registration. I'm sure, one day it will be state wide emissions testing. They've only been talking about it since the mid '90's.