California OVS Program--help save a 280Z...

[daddz]

Apparently the Sate of California has instituted this program to help "clean the air" by buying back old cars and scrapping them in order to keep receiving Federal dollars. If you peruse this list notice some of the older Toyotas which like Nissan will indicate which model the car was by the VIN#. Someone help save the 280Z on this list:

AT ADAMS STEEL 3200 E. FRONTERA ST. ANAHEIM 8:00 a.m. to NOON ON

11/20/2004

YR MAKE MODEL LIC. PLATE # VIN #

73 VOLKS COUPE 3BVN979 1332561862

77 CHEVY IMPALA 649SLI 1L47L7C144314

75 DODGE VAN 4BWT720 B35BFSX099659

73 DODGE SEDAN 504VAE WH41G3G159922

71 INTERNATIONAL P/U 5HFA777 113108H323258

72 INTERNATIONAL P/U 86315L B13208H315064

73 MERCEDES SEDAN 77HGA 11511012305906

70 VOLKS WAGON 3XKV974 2202021725

72 CHEVY VAN 5G31896 CGE252U141073

72 DODGE VAN 18387T B11AE2U578057

75 DATSUN COUPE 1BEY485 HLS30212109

73 OLDSMOBILE COUPE 223JDC 3B17D3L114255

76 DODGE VAN 3KAZ894 B21BE6X114529

76 FORD VAN 3W86691 E14HHC90926

69 VOLKS COUPE LBSRB 119864523

81 OLDSMOBILE OMEGA 1BDK961 1G3AB3755BW119003

74 VOLKS SEDAN 685LKX 1342529938

72 VOLKS BUS 5HPV772 2222203278

65 CHEVY P/U 4L62794 C1545Z136819

72 DODGE WAGON 3DOB573 B22AE2U529922

69 MERCURY MONTEGO 5HIY590 8H11J545775

73 VOLKS SEDAN 260KAO 1332811936

62 CHEVY COUPE 4KJJ847 20967W304742

73 PLYMOUTH SEDAN 5JYR864 VL29C3B579704

The website link is here:

http://www.aqmd.gov/trans/reg16.html

[Bambikiller240]

The state buys them from owners for $500 IF they passed their last Smog Check (even if that was 2 years ago). Wonder how bad of shape it is in?

[sblake01]

That 280Z, from my research, has had a hell of a time passing smog over its lifetime. How would you go about saving it and would it be worth the cost?

[daddz]

Carl,

Why would they actively go looking for old cars other than to simply get them off the road?

Stephen,

I wouldn't necessarily want to save it but, maybe someone in Ca. would like to take it on. It seems a shame that the government is actively pursuing the purchase of the older cars in order to scrap them. I noticed that some of the license plate numbers might also be the old "blue" plate issued once upon a time. Not too long ago I remember seeing a "KHL..." prefix on the list (this was before the 810 coupe came along). How did you find out that it has had trouble passing the smog check? Is there a way to search by VIN#? The reason I ask is that I used to own HLS30469662 (06/78)and once upon a time it was tagged in Ca. (San Diego) before I foolishly bought it off of ebay.

Has anyone ever been to one these auctions?

BTW, Here is a link of Rule 1610:

http://www.aqmd.gov/rules/reg/reg16/r1610.pdf

It assumes that there is such a large population of old vehicles that need to be scrapped in order to cleanse the environment.

[texasz]

How would you go about saving it and would it be worth the cost?

Buy it and take it to another state that is not as strict.

[Gav240z]

I think this idea is Ludacris I saw an annoucement on Hybridz a while ago about a Bill being passed. I think it was Arnie's idea see how it bites you in the butt . just playing with you guys but seriously older cars shouldn't make up as much as the population and therefore only contribute a small amount of green house gas. They should be targeting other areas that's for sure.

[sblake01]

How did you find out that it has had trouble passing the smog check? Is there a way to search by VIN#?

If it's a California car, you can run it through the California DMV Smog test history. http://www.smogcheck.ca.gov/VEHTESTS/PUBTSTQRY.ASPX

[Bambikiller240]

Carl,

Why would they actively go looking for old cars other than to simply get them off the road?

Bob:

My belief from the 2 letters I've gotten from the CA DMV (re 2 different vehicles) is that they do assume that if the vehicle is old, then it may be a "gross polluter" and should be removed from the roads. Both letters had a sentence appologizing if your vehicle was a classic, antique, or otherwise valuable.

[CNIXZGO]

purchased my car (seen here to the left) I stupidly had it tested a few months later and it was labeled a gross polluter. The Smog guy wanted me to sell it back to the state for $1,000, at least thats what i thought i heard. I said "Are you bleeping crazy???" i finally put about 500 bucks (new cat, afm etc) into it and it passed. I couldnt believe he would even look at this Z and say that with a straight face.

[Bambikiller240]

The California State program limits payment to a maximum of $500 for a vehicle being purchased to be taken off the road. Maybe a local AQRB (Air Quality Resouce Board) matches the state program or something? It doesn't happen in Nor Cal, but who knows what goes on in So Cal.....

They (CA STATE) have another program where if the car fails the Smog Check, you pay the first $100 to a State Certified Repair Center, and the state will pay up to the next $500 towards getting it repaired to the point it will pass the Smog Check.

But you can't be in both programs. In order for the car owner to receive $500 to take the car off the road, it must have passed it's last Smog Check.

[sblake01]

I do recall, back in the 80s, they had a program here in California that paid higher prices. I believe that it was up to $750 back then.