Drive Clean gets a tune up

[chicot60]

By Antonella Artuso ,Queen's Park Bureau Chief

TORONTO - A remodelled Drive Clean program hits the road on Sept. 1.

Vehicles will not have to undergo Drive Clean testing if they are less than seven years old.

Passenger cars, vans and SUVs will also be exempted if they are being transferred between family members or are purchased by the person leasing them.

A vehicle will no longer need to undergo the pollution testing for registration renewal if it passed a test in the previous year or if it has an historic plate.

“Exempting these vehicles will save many Ontario drivers time and money while posing no risk to the environment or the air we breathe,” Environment Minister John Wilkinson said in a statement.

Tory MPP Frank Klees said the program no longer serves a useful purpose.

“When it was initially implemented, it was intended to be a temporary measure until technology caught up to emission standards and we’ve been there for a number of years,” Klees said. “So quite frankly, we’re of the opinion that this program should be scrapped altogether rather than continuing to keep government’s hands in people’s pockets.”

Jonathan Rose, a spokesperson for Wilkinson, said seven out of every 100 vehicles that go through a Drive Clean test each year fail.

Almost every car and truck that flunks — 99%, in fact — are seven years of age or older, Rose said.

Rose said the program will now focus on the heaviest polluters.

“Maintaining the program will prevent 72 million pounds of smog-causing emissions from getting into the air we breathe,” Rose said in an e-mail.

Klees said he constantly hears complaints from Ontarians about the program, including reports of inconsistent results.

“I just really think that the programs met its needs and its time to move on,” he said.
The Drive Clean test costs a maximum of $35, but car owners can be required to spend up to $450 on repairs if the vehicle flunks.



http://www.torontosun.com/2011/04/25/drive-clean-gets-a-tune-up

[satchick]

It's about time... Newer vehicles are built to conform to very tight emissions standards, and when properly maintained will put out very low emissions compared to cars from even a decade ago. You can't totally scrap the program because there's still alot of junk on the roads (Add a visual safety check to the driveclean program to deal with this) and you will always have people that choose to defeat the emissions control systems or just neglect basic maintenance that will cause the car to perform poorly and pollute more.

[rickw]

I am a little bit confused about something. I am a collector of classic vehicles. I have an 83 Dodge convertible, an 84 Fiero, and a 79 Hurst Olds which are presently exempt from the E-Test. Does this mean that if I don't buy historic vehicle plates at outrageously inflated prices for each of them, they will now have to undergo these tests in order to renew the current plates? Previously any vehicle made before 1988 has been exempt...

[justeric1agn]

I am a little bit confused about something. I am a collector of classic vehicles. I have an 83 Dodge convertible, an 84 Fiero, and a 79 Hurst Olds which are presently exempt from the E-Test. Does this mean that if I don't buy historic vehicle plates at outrageously inflated prices for each of them, they will now have to undergo these tests in order to renew the current plates? Previously any vehicle made before 1988 has been exempt... i hope car built without them are exempt. i work on classic cars. i'm not sure the 41 Packard or the v12 flathead Lincoln would run if we plugged up exhaust with pollution control crap.even the 79 trans am we just fixed we had to put on headers and redo exhaust with duals.

[ft@t@lk™]

just another tax grab - that's all it is and the gov knows it
them repealing this program is like me trying to quit smoking - it won't happen for a while
tax is too addictive for their coffers

[rickw]

Damn...It would be a crime to turn these vehicles into "Trailer Queens". Classics are meant to be driven, and be shown off on cruise nights down at your local Tim Hortons..:(

[chicot60]

According to the Toronto Star:

Changes sparing thousands of drivers from getting Drive Clean emissions tests on vehicles less than seven years old will not take effect until Sept. 1.

Environment Minister John Wilkinson announced the date Monday, a few weeks after the plans to ease off on Drive Clean tests were first revealed.

Vehicles five years and older must now be tested as part of their registration renewal, but the government said pollution controls have improved, so the age limit can be pushed back to seven years on cars, light trucks and buses.

Vehicles with official “historic” licence plates for classic vehicles, such as Model T’s, will be exempted, Wilkinson said Monday.

Opposition parties at Queen’s Park have said the change appears to be electioneering by the government because it comes in the lead-up to the campaign for the Oct. 6 provincial election in which Premier Dalton McGuinty’s Liberals — now struggling in the polls — are seeking a third term.

Wilkinson said the timing has nothing to do with the election and more to do with advances in emission control technology to the point where vehicles seven years old are routinely passing, making it unnecessary to test newer ones.

“Exempting these vehicles will save many Ontario drivers time and money while posing no risk to the environment or the air we breathe,” he said.

“This allows the program to continue to focus on vehicles most likely to pollute.”

The changes also nix tests for vehicles being transferred between family members, vehicles coming off lease and being purchased by the person who was leasing the vehicle, as well as any vehicle having its registration renewed after passing a test in the previous year.

[rickw]

Check out the price of these so called "historic" plates, but be prepared for a shock. They are very expensive, and have restrictions as to where and when the vehicle can be driven..Then there are Insurance differences to be considered as well....

[rickw]

Another thing to be concidered here is that there are no emission specifications for these older vehicles to compare the results of the test to.. Are they just going to willy-nilly make some figures up using today's standards?? That would be an absolute crock of crap...

[satchick]

Check out the price of these so called "historic" plates, but be prepared for a shock. They are very expensive, and have restrictions as to where and when the vehicle can be driven..Then there are Insurance differences to be considered as well....

Not to mention that the vehicle can't be significantly modified either... I googled this real quick and didn't find anything about this, maybe a call to the ministry might be able to get some answers regarding the classic car situation. That being said, it's always been law that if a car came with emissions or safety equipment from the factory you aren't supposed to remove or disable them.

[rickw]

Thanks for trying satchick..These vehicles are totally factory stock, so that should not present a problem. They weren't made with any emission control devices..Thanks again...:thumbsup:

[satchick]

I figured if classics were required to be tested it would be all over the car forums by now.... Have to wait and see, or try to call someone at the ministry.

[bushogg1967]

The only problem i have with the e-test is been on pention and my suv dont pass , and i always maintain my car s,do they think i have the money to make it pass and i drive north to huntsville and my cousins car dont need e-test period that what chew my butts and i totally think they need to scrap the program period :noidea: