Previous car was reported to The Texas Commission on Enviromental Quality - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

chasinthesun · #1 03-02-2009, 09:04 AM

The letter states a time and date of were my old 190d was spotted emitting smoke as it left a stop light by the new owner.I traded this car 3 months ago for a 300cd and it had little to no emissions issues ,Im guessing the new owner doesnt change the oil or is using used trannie fluid for fuel.If its witnessed by an officer the citation is up to $350. Just a fair warning to those with known open titled cars ,after the sale you need to have the new owners make the trip to the DMV and put the car in their name.This is not the only time Ive been sent a letter like this,the state of California has me down for a parking violation in San Bernadino.

Mike D · #2 03-02-2009, 09:16 AM

Most state DMV's have an online service to register the sale or title transfer of your car. I have that puppy submitted as soon as the check clears or the cash is in my hands.

I almost got burned once along those lines. Guy bought a car and got a major speeding ticket in it that weekend. He bailed and ran away.The cops impounded the car and tried to bill me. Lucky for me the purchaser paid by check and I had the cancelled check to show the court.

JimmyL · #3 03-02-2009, 09:18 AM

I got pulled over in The Flash several years ago by the local federalies and of course I was smoking like I was on fire. Pouring smoke as that beloved car used to do {God rest it's soul}.
They just looked to make sure my inspection and registration were current but since it was a diesel they said there would be no citation.
Is this a new development legally??

#4 03-02-2009, 09:29 AM

Take the citation to court and make them drop it. Unless its a county specific thing, Diesels are supposed to be smoke report exempt in Texas and CA.

Even still, why is the new owner reporting it to you? Does he expect you to pay it? Its his car and his responsibility once you signed the title over.

chasinthesun · #5 03-02-2009, 09:42 AM

The offense has been witnessed by another driver,they called it in ,then the TCEQ sends you this nice warning letter .A TIME of 10 seconds of smoke and youve broken the law.it does state if I no longer own the car to contact the Tx vehicles and title.

babymog · #6 03-02-2009, 10:02 AM

Probably some envoronazi who just hated diesels.

At very least, when you buy or sell a car you should have a bill of sale signed by both and stating conditions (as-is where-is no warranties for seller, clear title no leins or encumbrances for buyer) with date. Required by law in some states. Dollar amount and paid in full are also useful.

#7 03-02-2009, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by babymog

you should have a bill of sale

What ever you do, don't pay for one. Last night I went through a dozen websites wanting $4-20 for a basic bill of sale form until I found what I needed for free on my state's .gov website.

TheDon · #8 03-02-2009, 10:22 AM

Someone yelled at me when I rommped on it at the parking lot at work. The SDL likes to lay down some nice smoke. I had to educate the idiot, who just so happened to be driving a hybrid tahoe or w/e the lame excuse of a hybrid it was. the idiot still didn't get it and kept being "smug".. so I let some smoke by his feet and let him drive his gay car

first300D · #9 03-02-2009, 10:39 AM

But just tell them its your "replusser beam" . Our Diesels sense an aggressive driver behind us at a light and it automatically deploys and discourages them from getting any closer or even passing thereby making the world safer for all of us

Wonder why that individual doesn't report the loud stereo's or thos 26 inch rims ? There use to be laws about unsafe crap on the road but not any more I guess. If its cool or hip its allowed these days, Oh and lets not forget its hip and cool to be green these days (someone might be watching).

pawoSD · #10 03-02-2009, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheDon

Someone yelled at me when I rommped on it at the parking lot at work. The SDL likes to lay down some nice smoke. I had to educate the idiot, who just so happened to be driving a hybrid tahoe or w/e the lame excuse of a hybrid it was. the idiot still didn't get it and kept being "smug".. so I let some smoke by his feet and let him drive his gay car

Most people that are dumb enough to buy a hybrid SUV aren't going to have a high enough IQ to understand why their purchase was so dumb. Just seems to be the way it is.

People in MI seem to be more tolerant....my car doesn't make much smoke but it can if I mash the pedal on take off.....my only issue has been with the "Excessive Noise" of my straight pipe. I keep the documentation stating the max sound levels allowed by local ordinance in my car.....which are well above what my car produces...especially at 25mph.... (90db at FIFTY feet away is the max).....moron cops....I am now ready to educate them if they pull me over again.

*Edit*: I just looked up the local rich-people-area ordinances and they have REPEALED the laws about noise of a "vehicle in use"...their ONLY noise laws apply to the SALE of vehicles. Awesome! I re-printed my anti-cop materials and now I'm well-prepared to educate them that their "opinion" on my exhaust noise is not a concern of mine.

They can't enforce something that doesn't exist!

In MI you have to title a car within 15 days of buying it.....

Lexxani · #11 03-02-2009, 11:07 AM

quick story about a little diesel smoke being nice....

I was at a bar one time with a former buddy and a as we were leaving he attempted to pick up some girls from the passengers side of my truck... Well I was tired and a little buzzed and wanted to go home. Well he tried to get the girls to jump in with us and they were not down with my old truck (it had a few cosmetic flaws to say the least) and were being all B.S. about it. I said to him lets get outta here, I was done for the nite, but he persisted. I shifted the tranny into N and layed on the throttle and covered these dumb paris hilton-esque girls with a thick naaaassstyy cloud of diesel soot and proceded to drive off.... boy did I ever have a s.h.i.t eating grin on my face... I win!

in all actuality, its best to report the sale of all cars to your states DMV, you never need the new owners negligence to come back and bite you. Straightening things out with the government can be quite a headache, I know, I work for them.

first300D · #12 03-02-2009, 12:13 PM

TO FUNNY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

wgilmore · #13 03-02-2009, 12:50 PM

The law in Texas says - paraphrase- ( the smoke must dissipate with 10 seconds ) - otherwise by the book you could get a hefty bill from any peace officer of court of competent jurisdiction.
The reality is a complaint is very unlikely to be pursued once you advise that the auto is a diesel. There is no emission exemption for diesels, it is understood though that they emit smoke.
The problem that may be coming for larger cities in Texas could be emission standards that do not exempt diesel autos in the 15-25 year old range from more stringent regulation .

JonL · #14 03-02-2009, 01:09 PM

It's such a nice group of kind, considerate people here.

I love my diesel. I also dislike seeing or breathing in excessive diesel smoke - my own or someone else's. Why on earth would someone think it is OK to subject others to this? Just trying to perpetuate the myth that diesels are dirty?

pawoSD · #15 03-02-2009, 01:14 PM

I agree on trying to keep car emissions clean. I just don't like it when cops in rich areas pull you over and say "your car is too loud, go get it repaired". I don't need "car-repair advice" from a cop. (In my case it was a rude female cop....she gave me the sense that she knew nothing about how a car works....her only suggestion was to "go to a shop".) I told her that the exhaust system had been installed at a shop, and was well below the max noise ordinance of the area (which it is). She gave a deer in the headlights stare and said "you can go."

I had been only going 25mph....so there was little to no noise at all. A straight pipe is far from "loud" when the engine is at 1100rpm.

I don't mind noise, as long as its not accompanied by streams of black smoke.

I see the occasional "tuned" diesel pickup around here with huge stacks....blasting out black smoke....so dumb. What a waste of fuel.