this post was submitted on 04 Sep 2025
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Fuck Cars

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Jay Leno’s star power wasn’t enough to persuade a California legislative committee to pass a measure to allow owners of classic cars like him to be exempted from the state’s rigorous smog-check requirements.

The Assembly Appropriations Committee on Friday blocked Bakersfield Republican Sen. Shannon Grove’s Senate Bill 712 from advancing for a full vote. Leno had testified in support of the measure in Sacramento earlier this year.

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[–] TimeNaan@lemmy.world 41 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Classic cars are rare and they wouldn't really add any measurable pollution to the environment. Making them adhere to modern regulations makes no sense imo.

[–] judgyweevil@feddit.it 31 points 1 week ago (6 children)

If you have money for a rare classic car you have money for a smog-check. Let's not give exemptions to rich people again

[–] psx_crab@lemmy.zip 24 points 1 week ago (1 children)

It's likely gonna fail because old car design usually doesn't account for any of that. Carburetor, lack of catalytic converter, lack of exhaust gas recirculation system, so on and so forth, all those gonna add to the emission and if the strictness is of today standard, it's gonna fail.

Maybe give them a smog tax based on the emission would make much more sense.

[–] Madison420@lemmy.world 5 points 1 week ago

I'm just curious did anyone actually read the article.

They have to pass the emission standard for the year of production. It means as long as your vehicle is on relatively good repair you'll probably pass, you're not likely to pass if you've made modifications which is what they're upset about.

[–] TimeNaan@lemmy.world 21 points 1 week ago (1 children)

How is a car designed before any regulations supposed to pass a modern smog test?

[–] Sarmyth@lemmy.world 17 points 1 week ago

Or you just still own your old car because it runs. Its not a rich people thing just because the guy in the article is rich. When I stumble upon classic car shows, the vibe is "long term project cars" and not "affluent collectors".

My father in law maintains a Triumph Race car with the machine shop in his garage. It'll never legitimately pass smog, but its also driven once or twice a month and he's owned it for like 50+ years.

[–] neukenindekeuken@sh.itjust.works 10 points 1 week ago (1 children)

It's not about the cost of a smog test.

It's that classic cars will never pass a modern smog test. They are wildly inefficient, and those inefficiencies manifest in a bunch of wasted gas and bad exhaust.

I think they should probably get a smog tax, like someone else suggested somewhere.

[–] Madison420@lemmy.world 4 points 1 week ago

They don't have to pass a modern smog test.

[–] CallMeAnAI@lemmy.world 10 points 1 week ago

My classic Miata cost me $1900 and 150 hours of work. Fuck you 🤣

[–] Philote@lemmy.ml 6 points 1 week ago (2 children)

If you don’t have money for a new car and only have an old beater, let’s not punish them with added cost to exist in this fuck the poor country. It goes both ways.

[–] phutatorius@lemmy.zip 4 points 1 week ago

I've you're driving a 90-year-old car, it's not for economic reasons.

[–] Fredthefishlord@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Being poor isn't and shouldn't be a license to pollute.

[–] resipsaloquitur@lemmy.world 4 points 1 week ago

They’re already grandfathered-in in that they only have to pass the regulations when they went on sale.

They should count themselves lucky they don’t have to pass current regulations.