Check emissions standards when buying vehicle out of state
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For the second time in two months, Richard and Bobbie Ervin have packed their bags and hit the road. Only this time it's a trip they don't want to make.
After an extensive search they finally located the gas engine 2011 F250 they wanted, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. They traded in their van, put down cash, and financed the balance. The total cost came to nearly $40,000. Imagine their shock when they got home in Kenmore and tried to get Washington state license plates.
"It just caught me off guard," said Richard.
"They had a form that you need to sign saying that it is certified California Emission Standards," Bobbie explained.
That's when the couple discovered a white sticker under the hood which reads, "Not for sale in states with California Emissions".
As of 2009, with few exceptions, vehicles sold for use in Washington must meet California's tough emission standards. A lot of people don't know that.
"When they said we couldn't get it licensed, I said 'Oh, no, now what?' I thought maybe we'd have to eat this thing," Richard said.
Lucky for the couple, the dealer, Carmax, agreed to take back the truck and refund the money. According to a spokeswoman at Carmax corporate headquarters in West Virginia, the couple will get a full refund and the deal will be unwound when the truck is returned.
"It has all the whistles and bells," Richard said. "I hate to give it up. It's a very good truck."
With that, the couple started the engine and pulled out of their driveway to begin the nearly 800 mile trip to return their dream machine to the nearest Carmax location in Sacramento. If they can't find a replacement truck they like in Sacramento- they'll have to pay to get back home.
Washington is one of more than a dozen states to adopt California's emission standards. Our law holds the buyer responsible for checking the emissions certification. Dealers and sellers are not required to know or disclose. The licensing agency in Bothell, where the couple learned of their dilemma, says another couple recently had to return their car to Colorado, because it was not certified to meet our state's emissions law. The state says if the out of state dealer will not unwind the deal and refund the buyer's money- the other option is for the buyer to sell the vehicle to someone who'll be using it in a state that does not require the California emissions certification.
More information:
Wash. Admin Code chapter 173-423 (Dept. of Ecology)
Now they need to take out a loan to pay for the gas to drive that guzzler back to New Mexico.
Earth Muffins are out of control Time to abolish: 1. Department of Ecology. 2. Department of Energy. 3. Environmental Protection Agency. 4. Department of Emissions. Take back the country from the treehugging agenda that's got the economy and it's citizens hogtied.Â
Everyone here can thank good old Gary Locke for ramming this one down our throats on his way out the door. Another fine piece of crap in a long line of useless democratic governors. These regulations are crap in the first place since the government should let the market and consumer choose what kind of mileage they want. It's also a big reason why our vehicles have become so complicated, expensive, and unreliable compared to the past. At the very least the states should not be able to disqualify something that meets federal standards. If they don't think federal standards are restrictive enough then they should work those issues out at the federal level. Obviously a lot of consumers didn't realize this law existed and therefore leaves them open to potential scams. This would be a good one to wipe off the law books with a voter initiative.
More government BS. I find it interesting that they slipped this emissions requirement in under the radar. Its too bad they have to compound emissions equipment due to the base emissions choking the motor, and the needed systems to counteract the choked down engine. Its a vicious cycle. Open a motor up and let it breath.
SkaBob, I agree with you totally.
More government getting into our daily lives with useless regulations. It will just lead people to registering cars at a relatives out of state and shorting Washington car tab taxes Or when someone is looking into moving themselves or their business to Washington they will pass, picking a easier state to move into so they dont have to sell off all their vehicles.