Potentially good news for X owners in California

Calif is considering moving the SMOG testing exemption from the current rule of '76 and older vehicles, to pre '83 vehicles. That would open up a lot of X1/9's from smog requirements.

https://www.sema.org/sema-enews/201...mail&utm_content=197503&utm_campaign=eNews3.5
We just stopped emission testing here!!! We also didn’t have to do emissions on anything older than 1987(I think).Makes playing a little easier! The ministry will still nail you on the road if your 2012 Acura has a “fart can” muffler and smells of raw fuel!! You guys have émissions on EVERTHING, right? Even old 1930’s cars?
 
You guys don’t have to have a safety inspection when you buy a used car?
we got nothing required. at all. bring the title to the DMV and proof of insurance and you are on the road. if it doesnt meat legal requirements (i.e. headlights, tail lights etc) then it is up to police to ticket you

Odie
 
we got nothing required. at all. bring the title to the DMV and proof of insurance and you are on the road. if it doesnt meat legal requirements (i.e. headlights, tail lights etc) then it is up to police to ticket you

Odie
We can get a temp plate to get it home as long as we have insurance and the car was already plated, but it’s only good for ten days, and, you can only do it twice. Also, anything over 25 years requires an appraisal for tax purposes! Just a money grab ‘cuz the appraiser will put down any amount you want. Had my X for 12 years before I plated it. Appraiser shows up and says” what amount do you want on the form?” Easiest $50 he ever made!!
 
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Emission testing here is a joke; in the Portland Metro area, anything 1975 and newer are tailpipe tested at state-run emissions stations every 2 years, required for registration. The joke part is that if I lived 10 miles from here, no testing would be required, being outside the "urban growth boundary". I still haven't found how they keep the air separate out there.
 
I live in a county where there is no testing at all. I hear the whole state is heading that way but I haven't confirmed that yet.
 
You guys have émissions on EVERTHING, right? Even old 1930’s cars?
Actually no. As others have stated it varies widely from state to stare, county to county, etc. (same for safety inspections). In most areas there are emissions exemptions for older vehicles, limited use vehicles, etc. But even more to the point....

There was another related article last week (I did not save it so don't have a link) about the decline of emissions testing in America. Several states have completely stopped it already. Many others are reducing the requirements or phasing it out. And still more are changing the testing procedure to a much more simplified system. Basically since cars went to the OBD2 system, emissions testing has become almost unnecessary. And the number of vehicles without OBD2 (eg. older cars) has become small enough that their impact isn't significant. Furthermore, the pollution requirements for manufacturers of new cars has become so strict that the total emission output of passenger vehicles has become almost insignificant (relatively). Essentially the cost of the testing programs isn't worth the net change in environmental pollution. So as time goes on there will be less and less emissions testing requirements across America.

California's proposed change in requirements (above) is a small reflection of this reduced pollution/smog testing effort by governments, at both federal and state levels.
 
Yup no inspections whatsoever in Michigan.

Also if you get a historic plate your registration lasts for 10 years.
 
There are special purpose (SP) plates here for 'significant' older cars that don't expire- I have them for my Biturbo- but you're only supposed to drive them to car events or for maintenance (I carry a multimeter at all times). For antique plates the car must be more than halfway from today to 1900- which puts the cutoff at 1959 this year; I don't think the DMV really has much of a grip on reality here, just revenue, to keep cars on the 2 year cycle (a price that just jumped 50%).
 
It's funny how different states come up with various rules for this stuff. The state I'm currently in has 3 distinct categories for older cars. All three have the exact same requirements, exemptions, registration process, fees, regulations, etc. But they have slightly different wording for their descriptions. However you can choose any of them when you opt for the classic registration, just tell them which one you want yours to be called. Makes absolutely no difference in any way, just a label. Why? :rolleyes:

In many cases the 'vintage' (or whatever you call it) registration with smog exemption is based on a "limited use" of the vehicle. For example there may be wording that restricts the annual mileage to no more than 5000. However in reality it isn't verified or checked in any way. For that matter, how many old cars have odometers that even work? Again, why? o_O
 
Being a car guy and living my whole life in California I'm a bit skeptical that AB 210 will pass but I have my fingers crossed. I wish it went as far as '88 or the year 2000! Then I wouldn't have to spend gobs of cash to get my '88 Vanagon and modified Audi TT to pass every 2 years. The TT never fails because of pollution readings, far from it but because it will throw a code which is always expensive to find the culprit to. I think there are 7 codes (if that's what they are called) to pass and it used to be you only had to pass 5 of them then it went to 6 and now 7 of 7. Every 2 years they made it harder and harder to pass, I even had the TT exempted for 2 years because my mods are hidden from the naked eye but you can only do that once. The price we pay for great weather and beautiful landscapes I guess...
 
Hmm maybe someone should make a black box to give their puter a false good reading?

Kinda like the car maker who made their car's know when they were being tested and run differently to pass emissions.
 
Big brother is watching you... Now, you get insurance rebates if you accept an apps that will give the insurer a feedback on our driving habit. Then, the next year, you will get a quote based on your bad or good driving. Then, maybe some insurance company will sell the results, government will be all over it and before we knew we could get tickets for speeding determined by a GPS...
 
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