Age of vehicles.

[JockoT]

If you build a vehicle, here in the UK, you must get Vehicle Approval before it can be used on the road, which is a thorough check to confirm in meets with The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986. This is way more stringent than an MOT test, which is probably why home-built vehicles are as common as unicorn droppings, here in the UK.

[JockoT]

Originally Posted by freebeard

My first car was only eleven years old, and cost $100.

My best bargain was a car for £12. Actually I swapped a record player and £7 for it, but I had cheated the guy by asking £5 for the record player!
All it needed was the engine and gearbox reconnected (new clutch had just been fitted at cost of £12) and it ran well for years.

[Isaac Zackary]

My first car was a 1951 Plymouth Cranbrook. That was in the year 2000.
I now own a 1972 VW Super Beetle, a 1985 VW Golf diesel and a 2013 Nissan Leaf.

[MetroMPG]

^ That's an interesting current fleet.

[gumby79]

Safety inspections statistically do not work (the states w/o do not have more component failure related accidents , than states with inspections ) The state of Utah is abolishing there safety inspections this year based on this fact. From family experience they kind of work . A weeping(not leaking yet but its a mater of time tell it duse) p/s hose was a fail. Yet a headlight pointed at the ground 5' in front of the rig passed 5 inspections , and yes headlight aim is a part of the test .
Jocko t thats funny.
Question whats the oil temp? Answer the water is warm.. the question is desined to deturman if the engen is warmed up adequate for testing or if the water is all that is warm. Tester fail. I seem to see a higher volume of smokey exhaust from cars in smog test location than non-test. I don't know if its a higher percentage or just the volume is higher as a result of higher pop density.

[Isaac Zackary]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

^ That's an interesting current fleet.

I'm hoping to do this or that in the future:

[redpoint5]

My (family) first 3 cars driven in highschool were:

1969 VW Beetle 4 speed
1980 Volvo 240 4-speed w/overdrive switch
1985 Dodge Ram van automatic

First vehicle I purchased was a 1996 Subaru Legacy 5-speed

Then:

2001 CBR600 F4i
1998.5 Dodge Ram 2500 Cummins automatic
2006 Acura TSX 6-speed
2002 Jeep Liberty Sport 4x4 3.7L
2012 Prius plug-in
2013 Dodge Grand Caravan - Company car

Next will probably be a used Leaf for personal, and possibly a Chevy Bolt for company car.

[MetroMPG]

Safety inspections statistically do not work

Talk about counter-intuitive.

[Isaac Zackary]

Originally Posted by gumby79

I seem to see a higher volume of smokey exhaust from cars in smog test location than non-test. I don't know if its a higher percentage or just the volume is higher as a result of higher pop density.

There aren't any emissions inspections here where I live. I did take my diesel and adjust the max injection back until WOT smoke was virtually eliminated. On the other hand sawing off the catalytic converter to "improve the vehicle" is a common practice. Of course who am I to talk. Not one of my vehicles has a catalytic converter!

[redpoint5]

Originally Posted by Isaac Zackary

There aren't any emissions inspections here where I live. I did take my diesel and adjust the max injection back until WOT smoke was virtually eliminated. On the other hand sawing off the catalytic converter to "improve the vehicle" is a common practice. Of course who am I to talk. Not one of my vehicles has a catalytic converter!

Well CO isn't exactly a smog prone state. Health problems due to emissions are mostly local to where they are produced, and relatively quickly precipitates out of the air.

As long as air quality is under certain thresholds for various pollutants, there is no need for inspections and enforcement of smog reducing equipment.

There are certain cars that should be cited on the spot, regardless of emission requirements. When a vehicle disappears into a trail of its own smoke and blinds everyone following behind, that should be cause for immediate citation.