Emissions testing in WA will cease after 2019.

"Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo" (thetomselleck) 07/08/2019 at 17:04 • Filed to: Hot take

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Surprisingly, I feel kind of bad. I never had a bad experience. The guys were always fast , professional, and polite. The actual testing took maybe 30 seconds.

The guy complimented my car. I asked him what was gonna happen to everyone come New Year’s. He shrugged.

“Just get laid off...”

To be honest, I was perfectly alright dropping 15 bucks every two years for a painless errand if it meant creating some jobs, regardless of my faith in the implementation and motives of the governing body.

Oh well. Time m arches on.

For Sweden > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 07/08/2019 at 17:07

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Time to import some cars

fintail > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 07/08/2019 at 17:12

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I never had an issue either, my W126 breezed through even though it had 180+ K miles on it the last time I had it in for testing. My next couple  cars were well-maintained and no risk, and my last few cars have been too new. Fintail, of course, is far too old and might break the testing machines.

I think low standards and the herd being thinned of old polluters even here makes it a superfluous endeavor

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 07/08/2019 at 17:13

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We stopped December 3 1, 2014.

Then I stopped caring about the holes in the trucks exhaust and also put a sport cat on the Fiesta.

Long story short, time to straight pipe the Lexus

Dogsatemypants > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 07/08/2019 at 17:14

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There is a proposal to start vehicle safety certification inspections in place of the emissions.

farscythe - makin da cawfee! > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 07/08/2019 at 17:15

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wait...everyones trying to go green (well supposedly) and you’re stopping emissions testing?

lone_liberal > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 07/08/2019 at 17:20

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I did my last one last month. I feel for anyone losing their job but at least it’s not a recession (yet). I do know some people who will be changing the addresses of their registration back to where they actually live instead of an area  that didn’t do testing where they have friends or family.

Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 07/08/2019 at 17:21

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damn you have to pay for emissions? here in illinois, or at least northeastern illinois emission checks are free, the rest of the state doesnt even use them though. its weirdly county specific

HammerheadFistpunch > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 07/08/2019 at 17:21

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every 2 years?  That sounds nice.

M.T. Blake > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 07/08/2019 at 17:25

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I wonder why...

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > M.T. Blake 07/08/2019 at 17:29

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Wasn't profitable enough...

RPM esq. > Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero 07/08/2019 at 17:33

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Like the good doctor, I live in Washington —it’s county-specific here too. It also isn’t required for the 2009 model year and up.

...I further note that the latter fact, which is common practice even in states that otherwise do emissions testing, helped facilitate   emissions-cheating schemes like Volkswagen’s.

M.T. Blake > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 07/08/2019 at 17:33

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Was e verything was state run? State employees doing emissions checks?

RPM esq. > farscythe - makin da cawfee! 07/08/2019 at 17:34

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They’ve never done them for anything 2009 and up anyway, and never done them outside certain populous areas. At some point as there are less and less older polluting vehicles on the road the extra miles driven and expense of maintaining test stations has a worse environmental footprint than just tolerating the relatively few older cars on the road.

RPM esq. > For Sweden 07/08/2019 at 17:35

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Anything you could import legally wouldn’t have been tested anyway— Washington doesn’t emissions test anything older than 25 years or newer than 2009.

For Sweden > RPM esq. 07/08/2019 at 17:43

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Time to Hellcat Swap then

farscythe - makin da cawfee! > RPM esq. 07/08/2019 at 17:46

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welp colour me baffled

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > M.T. Blake 07/08/2019 at 17:46

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I can’t seem to verify that, but all stations are called Applus and will all shut down at the end of this year. So whether they are directly employed by the state, their only purpose and source of revenue is the testing so it's about as close as you can get.

AestheticsInMotion > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 07/08/2019 at 17:49

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I’m still salty I c ouldn’t get the V70 put in my name without first passing e missions. They should have repealed that stupid rule, and kept the emissions test. 

Oh well. I wonder if this will affect the used market at all

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Dogsatemypants 07/08/2019 at 17:50

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That will not be popular.

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > farscythe - makin da cawfee! 07/08/2019 at 17:51

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It’s pretty common

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > AestheticsInMotion 07/08/2019 at 17:52

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Yeah I was cheesed about having to pay for an emissions test the same year that the previous owner had already gotten his. Total cash grab.

benn454 > Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero 07/08/2019 at 18:07

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It amused me when I moved back to southern Illinois from Louisiana that the so-called regressive state required yearly vehicle safety and emissions tests, while the progressive  bastion of Illinois does not.

Gerry197 > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 07/08/2019 at 18:10

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Sounds like they maybe replacing emissions with safety checks instead?

California emissions is every two years once a car is over 5 years old. Not really a big deal now that I live here, I honestly prefer that to annual safety checks which  they don’t do here at all.

Some of my cars may not pass if that was the case :)

Chuckles > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 07/08/2019 at 18:13

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I didn't realize that the folks that did your emissions testing only did emissions testing. Here in PA we have annual safety inspections and emissions testing, but it's just done by your usual mechanic. If PA stopped emissions testing, I don't think he'd mind because he's busy enough with work that actually pays decently. 

M.T. Blake > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 07/08/2019 at 18:20

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Weird. Seems to work for the most part here in Cali... I wonder why they didn’t adopt our system? If they want to keep the air clean you’d have to have a smog check... or down right outlaw older vehicles...

Boxer_4 > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 07/08/2019 at 18:29

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PA is looking at some possible emissions testing changes soon, if some new laws pass ; new cars would be exempt for 8 years, and everyone else would move to every two years. A few counties would be removed ( I’m not one of them, unfortunately ), and OBD1 vehicles would be moved to a visual inspection and gas cap test.

I’m all for it. It’s a ~$40 test in PA, and in my opinion, a waste for the most part .

BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 07/08/2019 at 18:51

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It’s so strange to me how every state is vastly different. In PA, emissions inspections are done by regular mechanics who do it in conjunction with a equipment safety inspection. The emissions test is OBD2 only and is a stupid money grab; they should limit it to cars 20 years old older (which, of course, are the ones exempt). Obviously anything made in the last two decades not throwing a CEL will pass. 

His Stigness > RPM esq. 07/08/2019 at 18:52

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No state's emissions testing is sophisticated enough to catch any sort of cheating that VW initiated. In fact, CARB never actually figured out how they cheated, nor did anyone else. VW had to admit they did it and how otherwise they weren't going to be able to sell 2016 MY cars in the state. 

BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind > Chuckles 07/08/2019 at 18:53

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Yeah, same. My mechanic gets annoyed (not really) when all you want is an inspection because it’s so much effort for so little profit. 

wafflesnfalafel > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 07/08/2019 at 19:10

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really?  Interesting, hadn’t heard that.  Time to straight pipe everything.

MM54 > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 07/08/2019 at 19:18

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Send some of those lobby ists over to the county I live in, one of very few in Ohio which does emissions checks on anything under 25 years old. Let’s get ri d of that, we’re already ditching front plates next year so I’d be pleased.

Dogsatemypants > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 07/08/2019 at 20:27

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The proposal as i understand, is to have a once every 2 years inspection, costing around $ 55.

RPM esq. > His Stigness 07/08/2019 at 20:54

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The first sentence is true and is exactly my point : the type of testing that ultimately caught VW is not really all that sophisticated , but because none of the states do i t, VW (and others) could cheat without fear of being caught by state emissions regulators, who all rely on federal and CARB certification . To be clear, I’m not saying every state should adopt on-road emissions testing for either certification or compliance purposes , just stating a fact about the regulatory environment. CARB, however, probably should adopt on-road testing for certification purposes i f it wants to be the nation’s emissions watchdog (and probably has by now).

The third sentence is completely false: VW withdrew its entire 2016 MY diesel line in California and everywhere else in the U.S. and n obody plausibly threatened to withhold certification of their gasoline models. W hile they admitted that they cheated they have never expressly admitted how they did it . However, this brings me back to the second sentence, which is inaccurate as written ( but may not be worded quite how you meant) . W e now know more or less exactly how they did it, thanks in part to CARB’s analysis and testing after the cheating initially came to light—but if what you meant is that neither CARB nor any other state regulator were the ones who initially caught them, that’s true (for the reasons described above) .  

DipodomysDeserti > benn454 07/08/2019 at 21:01

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Yeah, southern Illinois. A bastion of progressive thought...

DipodomysDeserti > His Stigness 07/08/2019 at 21:09

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Figuring out how they cheated is an entirely separate matter than figuring out if they were cheating. Researchers at WVU figured out they were cheating fairly easily, using not too sophisticated of devices. It wouldn’t have taken software experts too long to figure out how they did it.

They knew they were busted, were probably trying to avoid prison sentences for some people, and decided to save everyone the hassle.

DipodomysDeserti > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 07/08/2019 at 21:11

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Not having a porous exhaust is more of a safety measure than an environmental one. The human body does not handle CO well.

Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero > benn454 07/08/2019 at 21:12

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Southern Illinois is basically Kentucky. If it weren't for the Chicago metropolitan area the entire state would be a red state

subexpression > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 07/08/2019 at 21:39

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I used to have local emissions tests , OBDII for newer and tailpipe for older. Somebody eventually admitted that it hadn’t improved air quality but they were trying to bring in enough fees to pay for the test facilities they had built. Once that was done they dropped it and added an OBDII check to the safety inspection , which made it easier and slightly less of a scam.

When people push to end the inspections car dealers and garage chains rise up in protest because obviously the roads will run red with the blood of all the people killed by the smoky rolling deathtraps that will surely fill our streets if we stop paying for inspections and giving them the chance to tell us our bright white air filters require replac ement .

benn454 > DipodomysDeserti 07/08/2019 at 22:56

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 I live in a blue county which STILL doesn't require inspections. ¯\_()_/¯ 

benn454 > Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero 07/08/2019 at 23:00

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  My county is a blue county. No inspection. 

His Stigness > DipodomysDeserti 07/09/2019 at 00:42

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No they didn’t figure out they cheated, they just found discrepancies and then sent those figures to CARB who did their own testing and because they’re a government agency they started asking questions.

His Stigness > RPM esq. 07/09/2019 at 00:47

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CARB should definitely be doing on-road testing and considering what this state charges residents and businesses they should have the budget to do that. Well, they may need to cut some insane salaries and pensions for their employees, but then they’ll just make what everyone else makes.

As it’s been a few years now I do not remember where I read the information that I just shared. I know it was a credible source, but perhaps it was worded just as you said: CARB may not have explicitly threatened to withhold 2016 MY gas certification, but they most likely convinced them the ruse was up and they should just confess, which they did.

And didn’t we find out how they cheated through indictments?     

RPM esq. > His Stigness 07/09/2019 at 03:52

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This a significant oversimplification that ignores some  major players including the EPA but is generally accurate.

RPM esq. > His Stigness 07/09/2019 at 03:57

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Suffice it to say that I know what I’m talking about here.

DipodomysDeserti > His Stigness 07/09/2019 at 04:19

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No, the researchers themselves say they knew from the data that VW was cheating. They just couldn’t say that that out loud (probably for fear of being sued by those nazis in Wolfsburg). So they published their data in various journals showing VW was cheating. The International Council on Clean Transportation is who alerted CARB and the EPA to the findings, not WVU.

CARB didn’t give a shit about asking questions until they were presented with research that showed VW was full of shit . The whole study was commissioned by the ICCT because it was obvious to anyone who actually cared that VW was BSing  their emissions claims. CARB, the EPA, or anyone else could have easily caught VW themselves if they actually gave a shit.

https://www.npr.org/2015/09/24/443053672/how-a-little-lab-in-west-virginia-caught-volkswagens-big-cheat

DipodomysDeserti > RPM esq. 07/09/2019 at 04:22

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It’s not accurate at all. The WVU researchers themselves have said in interviews they knew VW was cheating based on their research.

https://www.npr.org/2015/09/24/443053672/how-a-little-lab-in-west-virginia-caught-volkswagens-big-cheat

DipodomysDeserti > benn454 07/09/2019 at 04:36

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Well, I guess we all know which county ol’ Benny boy lives in.

Air quality standards are usually handled by the state, not county. And whether they require emissions testing generally has to do with population size, not political affiliation.

I live in Arizona, which is mostly a “red state”. Only two cities which require emissions testing are Tucson and Phoenix (biggest population centers in the state). These are also the “ bluest” regions of the state. Testing is required because of how many cars their are, not because dems or repubs give a shit about clean air.

benn454 > DipodomysDeserti 07/09/2019 at 09:24

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 Illinois is the 6th most populous state. Louisiana is the 25th.

Schaef_Camaero Z/28 > Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero 07/09/2019 at 10:14

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It’s free i n the St. Louis metro area as well. They don’t use the tailpipe sniffer anymore, just the plug in OBD2 check on ‘96+ vehicles every other year.

DipodomysDeserti > benn454 07/09/2019 at 11:51

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And Cook County, where about half the population of Illinois lives, has emissions testing.

RPM esq. > DipodomysDeserti 07/09/2019 at 12:22

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I know. But insofar as they didn’t say so even in their report—just said that the numbers were suspicious and somebody should look into them —he’s sort of right. I actually deleted a longer response that looked more like yours (deplaning the ICCT, EPA, etc.)  and just called it an oversimplification.

benn454 > DipodomysDeserti 07/09/2019 at 13:58

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 Closer to 65%, last time I checked. Which means they could get it passed statewide if they wanted. 

DipodomysDeserti > benn454 07/09/2019 at 14:13

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I guess they’re fiscal conservatives, then.

CaptDale - is secretly British > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 07/09/2019 at 15:26

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Damn $15?! It is $60 at my special price and like $80+ for regular people here in CA. 

benn454 > DipodomysDeserti 07/09/2019 at 15:38

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Don’t know, don’t care.

I was never making a conservative vs liberal argument. I was expressing amusement that rednecks were so forward thinking. 

DipodomysDeserti > benn454 07/09/2019 at 16:18

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Huh, you mentioned “blue” and “red” a few times. Didn’t realize you were referring to the color of people’s necks.

benn454 > DipodomysDeserti 07/09/2019 at 16:34

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 In response to Samsonite's comment