What do you drive…

[SignOfZeta]

That still blows my mind that some states actually require you to bring your vehicle in to be "inspected." That's just so..... foreign to me.

I'm firmly of the belief that this should be mandatory nation-wide. The safety thing is much more important that the emissions, IMO. There are tens of thousands of people driving total f*cking deathtraps on American roads right now.

What is totally batshit stupid is how much this varies from state to state. North Carolina has some rather tight stuff. A "spot of rust" isn't going to condemn anything but if the seat is falling through the floor, how well will the car fair in a crash? Not very well, I'd imagine. You have to pass a "tampering" inspection which basically says you can't have aftermarket ECUs, cat-less exhausts, etc. Then there is the emissions part. If your car is OBDII they just plug a computer into the DLC. If its pre-OBDII then there is a tail pipe test. If the car is more than 20 years old, but pre-OBDII then you don't have to pass the tailpipe test. This test is a whopping $35. If you can't afford $35 you really can't afford a car...especially in NC where you have to pay tax on cars you own. Not just when you buy it, but every year like a house or something. Crazy. They also make you get a license for your cat, and keep its shot up to date even if it never leaves the house.

Now California is completely f*cked. The state puts catalysts on lawnmowers, but doesn't care if you Civic still has the bumpers and seatbelts. Zero safety at all. Furthermore there is the bullshit where every other year you have to take your car to be inspected not by a real mechanic that actually knows WTF he is doing, but to one of these shitball "inspection only" places that don't do any work. The theory, I guess, is that this protects the driver from getting sold repairs he doesn't need and stuff, but in reality its just a big pain in the ass because if you fail the inspection you still have to find a real mechanic to do the work anyway. Furthermore, why are they even doing tailpipe tests on 5 year old cars? The OBDII cars either pass or fail their own internal emissions checks anyway. If the MIL isn't on, and all the monitors are ready, there is no way its going to fail the test. If the MIL is on, then its an automatic fail. Easy.

I'm told Colorado uses an abbreviated IM240 with an actual rolling road. I'm not sure about this though.

States rights is a bunch of shit...

[Turbo D]

yes, us Californians are completely f*cked! The gas is more expensive in California because it is a special blend. The gas is also lower octane than what you other states get.

[MrFulci]

In addition to sucking all the fun out of driving, they also suck all the power, speed, and fuel out of a car.

Now, this is coming from me, a person who likes BMW M3s, Miatas, GTIs, etc. If your favorite car is a Rolls Royce, then obviously anything but an auto is stupid. However if your favorite car is a Rolls Royce than I don't see why you don't just stay at home on the couch...there isn't much difference.

Stick shift is a lot of fun, it does cause one to be absorbed. One gains a lot more control over what is goign on with the road. I miss owning a stick shift car, and my next vehicle will surely be one.

A Rolls Royce and a Couch.... i like that.   Zeta, you are a bit negative on the idea! Imagine driving your couch, it's good fun. The couch at home also cannot go from point A to point B too easily. The boats/tanks are a lot of fun to drive, if you are driving an automatic, luxury is a good place to be. Bench seats all around!

[Turbo D]

I miss owning a stick shift car, and my next vehicle will surely be one.

Me too! I learned to drive in a stick shift truck. I drove it around for a year or two till my pops sold it.

A Rolls Royce and a Couch.... i like that.   Zeta, you are a bit negative on the idea! Imagine driving your couch, it's good fun.

There is some dude in the UK who converted his couch into a fully functional automobile! I think somebody posted the video in the youtube thread a while back.

[guyjin]

That still blows my mind that some states actually require you to bring your vehicle in to be "inspected." That's just so..... foreign to me.

I'm firmly of the belief that this should be mandatory nation-wide. The safety thing is much more important that the emissions, IMO. There are tens of thousands of people driving total f*cking deathtraps on American roads right now.

As long as the deathtrap is only for the deathtrap's passengers, I support this. I am in fully in favor of vehicle assisted suicide. (Iowa is one of the few states that doesn't require motorcycle or moped riders to wear helmets.)

[SignOfZeta]

[quote author]

As long as the deathtrap is only for the deathtrap's passengers, I support this. I am in fully in favor of vehicle assisted suicide. (Iowa is one of the few states that doesn't require motorcycle or moped riders to wear helmets.)
[/quote]

Well...you're just a social Darwinist dick then, and rather short sited since accidents caused by faulty vehicles often kill more than just the drivers.

[guyjin]

Well...you're just a social Darwinist dick then,

Actually, no; I'm a big fan of safety regulations, the 40 hour work week, single payer healthcare, etc; But I also think consenting adults should be able to do what they want so long as it doesn't harm others. In other words, every vehicle should have seat belts, but you shouldn't have to wear them.

and yeah, accidents involving idiots usually tend to harm non-idiots. it's not a perfect world.

[Necromancer]

That still blows my mind that some states actually require you to bring your vehicle in to be "inspected." That's just so..... foreign to me.

I'm all for inspections, since I want to exercise a M107 every time I see some douche with a busted taillight, sheet vinyl covered window, jacked up redneckmobile, etc.  That said, I don't think that inspections do that much good as far as emissions go.  Those who modify their cars for performance reasons are used to reflashing their ECUs and swapping exhaust, as they do it for warranty work anyway.  I wonder if anyone's ever done a study of emissions compliance and/or accident rates and their severity in inspected states versus those without. 

As long as the deathtrap is only for the deathtrap's passengers, I support this. I am in fully in favor of vehicle assisted suicide. (Iowa is one of the few states that doesn't require motorcycle or moped riders to wear helmets.)

If you limit that to safety equipment and non-minor passengers, then I agree.  If you're including things that affect the ability to control a vehicle or include kids in the car, then it's vehicle assisted murder-suicide, which I can't condone (except on bank holidays).

[turbokon]

Here are mines.

[Sparky]

The Delorean certainly is total crap performance-wise, but the thing certainly has character. 

ya that is the best way to describe that car as having character, i guy was selling one close to where i live and the thing always caught my eye but not sure if i really like the looks of it when the doors are up it looks wwwwway better, and with the doors up it reminds me of car in the old 80's cartoon M.A.S.K 

Yup. All provinces in Canada require a yearly inspection. 

Ceti me friend the only inspection here in Ontario is the the 2 year emission testing and thats it… seriously… Never had a yearly inspection on the car (mind you i do keep up with my repairs with all the driving i do) does this inspection work like the emissions testing, where you get a notice in the mail and have to have it done when you renew you plate sticker? Watch me get a notice now since i mentioned it. !!!

EDIT: Love the little stang turboken

[termis]

Yeah, there ain't much of an inspection in Alberta either unless I'm mistaken... (But I don't know the details -- I had been driving on a Cali plate for the 1 1/2 years I've been up here , but my wife didn't seem to need much to re-register her vehicle -- No emissions, no safety, nada!)  AFAIK, the only time it needs inspections are when you're trying to register vehicles that was registered out of province, or trying to re-register vehicles that were damaged & tagged with a salvage title.

Japan on the other hand... Holy f*ck man, those bi-annual inspections cost around ~$1500 after everything (no joke).  It used to be even worse for cars 10+ years, as they had to go through the inspections every year, but they did away with that recently.  It's not uncommon for older car's values be strictly based on the time remaining until the next inspection.

It's nice in a way because not many cars are lemons out there because of the stringent testing, but it certainly hurts the pocketbook when the time comes. 

[ceti alpha]

Yup. All provinces in Canada require a yearly inspection. 

Ceti me friend the only inspection here in Ontario is the the 2 year emission testing and thats it… seriously… Never had a yearly inspection on the car (mind you i do keep up with my repairs with all the driving i do) does this inspection work like the emissions testing, where you get a notice in the mail and have to have it done when you renew you plate sticker? Watch me get a notice now since i mentioned it. !!!

EDIT: Love the little stang turboken

Really? Shit. lol. That's crazy. I thought it was just the crazy Quebecois who were not into inspections here in Canada. Maybe it's just the crazy Scotians that are into inspections here. lol Actually, in Quebec, it might only be once every two years where your car gets inspected.

Rust is a big problem here though, with the salt air and all the salt on the roads in the winter. Cars wear down much quicker here if you don't rust check and keep on top of things.

But that's interesting that Ontario doesn't have yearly inspections. Here in Scotia we don't have emission testing for cars. Though smog is not a problem at all here.

[Necromancer]

Nice foal, turbokon.  Is that your daily driver? 

[nat]

I bet the gas mileage on that thing is killer.

[mn12bird]

I Drive a 98 Escort ZX2 (Coupe) 5 speed.  I bought it for $1,800 last year and haven't touched it since (repairs) 



The car is kinda small and uncomfortable for me as I'm like 6'2" and 260 pounds!  I needed a car and it was cheap so I bought it.

Otherwise I like Thunderbirds and I have owned 4 of them.  Thats where my username comes from.  The first car I ever bought and the first forum I ever joined was a T-Bird one and I've been using this name ever since!  They are really comfortable for me. MN12 is the chassis code for the 1989-1997 IRS Thunderbird/Cougar and also the basis for the 1993-1998 Lincoln Mark VIII. 

BTW in the province of Ontario, Canada where I live you have to have the car "E-Tested" for emissions every 2 years and you have to have the car safety inspected every time you change ownership.  I still can't believe some States don't require the safety (checks over suspension, breaks, e-brake, horn, lights and the general shape of the body ie no holes in the floor) when you go over to Michigan or something you really do see death traps on the road as someone called them.