Yeah, that's a good point there Chris ... I think the frustration that I (and probably Alex) are getting at is something like this: both import kids and the "classic" boys are car enthusiasts, but one group has the political clout and is in the cops' old boy network, while the other is forced to the sidelines. It's not so much about American cars versus whatever other cars, rather a question of demographics and sort of a simmering anger at being discriminated against ...

Wow, imagine that, me actually standing with the r!cers.... chuckle.

 

Now THAT I will agree with. Before my WRX I owned a Buick Grand National and a Buick T-Type. On more than one location I ran on the street with no exhaust beyond my Downpipe. Not once, when driving by police did I even get a second look. I never got followed in that car, despite it being SUNSTANTIALLY faster than my wrx. I will totally agree that import cars are pulled over for noise violations and the like in dispraportionate numbers.

-Chris

 

So you are cool with the government requiring you to add 10 more cats to your car, making it slower than a 60hp prius?

 

I just said American cars, becuase they are by far the majority. I also do not care about some old *** european car that put out more pollutants than 10 catless STi's running 118 octane gas combined.

The way I see it, is that there is an "allowed" amount of pollution all cars can produce. Since old cars get a freebie pass, it means that they take most of that allowable pollution production. That means that for "normal" cars the regulations are MORE THAN STRICT.

I do care for environment a great deal. The funny thing is, that with proper engine management and good catalytic converer a 500hp WRX can pass SMOG. A 1976 Chevy Bombaro cannot.

They need to set sniffer regulations per engine size and type perhaps. And, drop silly EGR's, fuel fumes recirc and other macro polluting things. Once again, I am sure that a crank case breather on a some silly muscle car produces more bad stuff than an entire parking lot of WRX's and EVO's with intakes and cat-backs. But, who gets pulled over and fined?

And, don't even get me started on Harleys. YUCK!

 

i think if it isnt a sportscar the smog should be extremely strict because there is NO reason for it to have high emissions.

this would do one of two things, make it so our environment lasts longer, OR it would make everyone drive sportscars, which would be sweet

 

its all really complicated....

especially when you have to deal with everything from a ferrari to a prius. they are all on the same road and all so extremely different.

Diesel vehicles dont have to pass smog i have been told. This makes me angry. very very angry

 

If that makes you angry, you probably don't want to know that SUVs have very very loose emissions laws...

-Chris

 

Also, imported vehicles have tighter emissions laws than the US-made vehicles.

 

Ahhhhhhhhhhh!

 

What was that someone said about banning SUVs...
Arent many cities around the world starting to.

And the damn barley bastards are even more positive they own the road than mustang owners.

I do feel for some of the old school Datsun riders I know. But most of them could pass any test as well given many of them are managed and boosted on late model motors. But some of them run carbs though they may welcome a boosted setup.

There is the $$$ factor we haven't considered. I bet this will put a lot of people off the road who can't even afford a new car? Forget these upgrades.

I think this is about selling cars. Looks like a favor to detroit to me.

 

no they don't

 

You guys do understand that they are not going to "re-allocate" pollution credits from old american iron to imports, right? You are right about old muscle cars being gross pollution machines, but many of them were not designed or built with smog control in mind, and to force them to retro fit it would be impossible or too expensive.

Some of you dont care about older cars, and that is fine, but there are many cars that would become smog exempt in the coming years, the list includes: datsuns (240, 260, 510s), porsches (1976 turbo), corollas, rx-3s (I think importing a car over X years old may not have to meet smog requirements), and some cool british cars.

 

Exactly....

my 1965 MG, with it's 39 year old engine, no emissions and twin SU Carbs could never, ever, pass smog.

The reason there is an exemption for older cars is because they make up less than 1% of cars on the road, plus, they're usually not driven that often. My MG **maybe** gets driven 3,000 miles a year.

If we had a smog exemption for all "performance" or "enthusiast" cars, everyone would try to get their car classified as such. Then we'd have a majority of the cars in CA as gross polluters, which would negate the whole concept of smog laws in the first place.

 

2. Exhaust noise. On the motorcycle note. I think they should be allowed a certain amount of flexibility. It is really hard to see bikes. Like the sticker says...."load pipes save lives" On top of that it's a bit rediculous to expect a bike with no cats and like less than 4 feet of exhaust piping to meet the same standards as cars with 2/3 cats and 5 times the exhaust piping.


Yeah, but it's also rediculous that i have to listen to my dumbf**k neighbor rev up his bike at 5 AM. A reasonable amount of noise is fine, but there should be limits. And that goes for those stupid 2stroke scooters, too.

 

I seem to remember that being exactly what I said. "certain amount" and saying that there should be some limits.


I hate having to listen to this. I used to have this neighbor and he would have to let his truck warm up before he left. Big old freakin 400 in that thing it was loud as hell. right in front of my window. Now I live in milpitas and I have to listen to fart can civics putter around looking for parking at 1am.

so...in short...we are in agreement..haaa. kidna.