here's the first post!!!!

ok this may be a little long but it's sorta funny how even they don't REALLY know.....

i live in PA and e mailed PennDOT about exempt and they told me that if i drove less than 5k miles in one year that i am exempt. so then i asked what exempt was... (what i still needed on my car and what not) they told me to contact Drive Clean PA so i did.......and this is what i got back from them starting with my E-mail to them..........


I have a 1984 Firebird Trans Am and contacted PennDOT about emissions exempt. From what i found out, I am exempt. They told me to contect you to find out what was involed with emissions exempt. I need to know what device have to still be on my car, or if everything still needs to be on my car but don't have to work since i won't be getting a tailpipe test anymore. Trying to find out what i need, I've come up with (what may not be true) that I can remove all device but the catalytic converter (federal law, not local, is that true??) i just need to know if I have the correct info.

I'm assuming you are in a county with a separate emissions inspection.First, it is illegal according to state and federal law to remove or disable ANY pollution control equipment that is supposed to be on the car. That said, if you are exempt from emissions inspection (because your vehicle is a classic, for example, or because it travels less than 5000 miles per year), you will not be subject to a visual inspection for tampering. If your vehicle is registered as classic (or antique, collectible, etc.), you don't have to do anything -- your vehicle is just excluded from the program. If you qualify for an exemption because the vehicle traveled less than 5000 miles in the past year, you do have to visit an emissions station but just to verify mileage. You will get an exemption sticker. Expect to pay a processing fee.

I think I'm a little more confused than i was b4. So I'm not allowed to remove any device at all, but because I'm exempt (due to less than 5k miles a year) so nobody will be checking if it's there or works...is that correct?? I never planed on removing my cat, but some of the other clutter under the hood that I'm sure by now doesn't work, i would of like to remove. i just want to make sure what i can do if and when i rebuild my engine.

Your first statement is correct so far as the formal inspection goes. If you are exempt, no one will look at your car. Theoretically, if stopped by the state police, you could be liable for this violation -- but... The rule is that your car should have whatever pollution control equipment it was originally equipped with (or better).

I'm sorry if I'm being a little repetitive but I'd rather be safe than sorry....I'm emissions exempt so the state inspection won't be effected if i take all emission devices off, but if I'm stopped by state trooper (is it only state or local too??) i can get a ticket for not having the devices on. or is it their discretion (like window tint)? also would you happen to know the fines if stopped by a state trooper???

No, I don't know the fines and I frankly don't know if anyone has ever been issued a ticket for such a thing. All I'm familiar with is a statement in law that says no one shall tamper with their vehicles. So, let your conscience be your guide.

and that's how our emails went. sry it was so long but i'm sure a few of u would like to read this. when i showed a friend of mine their first reply, he could help but LHAO

 

You might as well have asked, "How much can I break the law and not get caught?"

Their answers are completely consistent with information that I've seen provided on these boards, and from other similar state/local agencies.

FWIW, I was renewing the tags on another vehicle last week and asked when a car qualifies for "collector" plates in Colorado. The answer was, when registering when the car is 25 "model years" old - for my '82 Camaro, when the '07 models are out (in this case, the fall of '06). And, with 5 year "collector" plates, you don't have to have every-other-year emissions testing performed. I didn't ask about emissions - it was offered.

Despite that answer, the federal laws still apply. For me, and for you.

 

i just think that whole thing was sorta funny....but from all that, emissions is like window tint in Pittsburgh. it won't fail inspection but u can get pulled over for it.

 

Basically, after them explaining to you several times, you have not been able to gather that anything you remove under the hood other than to replace it with another working same part, that has to do with the emissions system, *can* pretty much get you a hefty fine, the likelyhood of a police officer checking for anything is little to none, and the state inspection just says they wont make you pop the hood every year so they can make sure themselves.

 

Interesting (at least to me) corollary: A while back, a member related the problems he had "importing" a 3rd gen he had purchased that was originally delivered in Canada - and therefore didn't meet US emissions standards. In the end he was able to get it home and registered because the import law allows vehicles over 20 years old to be brought into the US and to be exempt from US emissions requirements.

Now, that begs the question: If it's okay for cars over 20 years to be imported and not meet the emissions requirements, why do any cars over 20 years old have to meet the emissions requirements? How many model year '85-older cars do you see on the roads these days?

 

YA, what the hell. i was gona just get a classic plate but then was told that u still have to drive it less than 5k a year (i knew that) but that the point of a clasic plate was to keep that car as stock and from the factory as possible. and that fines for messing with a clssic plate were alot worse than just a normall car...idunno

well the way i took it was that they were saying yes and no so they couldn't get in trouble or somethin, i wanted a for sure "YES u can take it off for inspection." or "NO u can't take anything off" so that i would have all info saying i could do it or not if they try messing with me later with inspections. i can say " look, i have PennDOT saying i can" u know what i mean??? just trying to protect myself

 

In Colorado, vehicles 25 years old and older are eligible for "collector" plates - no mileage restrictions, good for 5 years (but you have to pay 5 years-worth of registration fees up-front), and no emissions testing/inspection required as long as the plates aren't allowed to expire.

Still doesn't exempt you from the Federal laws.

 

man if only our cars came without cats and all this stuff then it wouldn't be a problem...that's y i'm gona get an old 2nd gen TA later in life i don't have to worry about it cuz it didn't come with it.

 

There's no emmisions checking here in Montana. You can also buy permanent licence plates (never have to renew). The cost for permanent tags is the same price as it would be for 3 years of renewable.