Posted by Northern Calif Dave on Friday, September 24, 2004 at 7:23PM :
In Reply to: Re: whats the problem ??? posted by OTM Mike Stone in Idaho USA on Friday, September 24, 2004 at 7:04PM :
I agree, but as you well know, most 30+ year old engines are not in perfect shape. We have a 79CJ5 that we keep on the ranch and its always an expensive proprosition to get it to pass smog every two years. Being a ranch vehicle, in that two years, we put maybe 200 miles on it.
Honestly, I think its a bandaid to push the real problem further out. 30 year old cars are a very small percentage of the total number of cars in California. The bulk majority are from 1990 to present. Although the older cars pollute more than a recent car, there are so few of them they constitute a small percentage to the overall pollution levels. The real focus should be to improve all new cars produced, improve fuel quality, and concentrate on higher emission standards for recent cars.
In other words, the legislation enacted is largely a smoke screen, no pun intended, to appease environmentalists, but it doesnt really do much for the improvement of the overall environment. I personally would rather see my tax dollars used to improve the roads, and our schools, rather than ineffective smog controls.