[quote=FlyerInHi]The whole point of the smog program is to get old cars off the road so we can breathe better.
Go with the spirit of be law. Unless you’re poor, why insist on keeping an old polluting car?[/quote] Because the CA BAR (in this case, Bureau of Automotive Repair) has been overreaching for the last 10+ years in its efforts to get what they consider to be “older vehicles” (um, 16 years is a 1999-2000 vehicle and still fairly young) off the road (or registered as non-ops). It’s to the point where the stupid (STAR directed) excessive rigamarole (over and above smog checks) that these vehicles are put thru is nothing but a profit center for “Test and Repair Stations” statewide. Its’ likely that only 5-15% of these vehicles are actually “gross polluters” and the vehicles that are either originated from MX (or another state which doesn’t have biennial smog checks), are in excess of 35 years old or have never been maintained in any way, shape or form. In short, it’s a scam.
Joe and Suzy 6pack need to be able to get to work and back. This group is HUGE in CA and the $4K to $8K vehicle suits them just fine! They can’t run out and buy a late model vehicle because the monthly payments on it would essentially prevent them from feeding their families.
