Maryland emissions - 87 328

Historic tags will get you exempt from inspections. Some here have received waivers becausae the testing station wouldn't put the low ground clearance car onto the rollers. Search function should pull up the threads.

 

Unfortunately, the days of exemptions are over since the dynos went away. I just recently took a customers DB-9 Aston through the VEIP and was not able to get the exemption. If the car is twenty years old, do yourself a favor and get the historic plates, there are some restrictions on use but it's well worth it. Oh yeah the insurance is a lot less as well!

 

Do you know if all of the stations have eliminated the dynos?

 

How will they be able to test anything other than idle sniffer on an '87? That's a pre OBD-II car and should have to "run the treadmill" if anything. I think you should try to find a station that doesn't have rollers. You'd probably have a better chance at getting a waiver that way now-a-days.

 

There is another way... Title the car in the name of a senior citizen.

As funny as it sounds, senior citizen owned vehicles are exempt from Maryland emissions testing.

BTW - the Competizione license plate frame completely hides the word "Historic" on Maryland plates, and the plates look exactly like the regular ones.

 

+1 on the cost of Insurance if insuring as a collector car (with restricted mileage designation, ie. 2500/yr, 5000/yr). That could cost around $200 or less per year. As for insuring with your regular car insurance company, having historic plates usually doesn't require that you limit your mileage.

 

Barb,

Historic plates are the way to go. In MD the only restriction (besides age, limited production or historic value) is that it is not your only/daily driven vehicle. (Of course tell that to the driver of the 1969 Chevy Pick-em Ups you see with them...) You can also get personalized versions so your 4RE 4ME could still be possible.

Curtis

 

Both the 328 and 355 never had to go through emissions here in MD.... The Tech said it isn't worth the risk if they break something and has given me waivers every time for the last 6 years... Had numerous Ferrari guys come down to the station near me and got the same results....

 

I took my 348 & 355 to Waldorf and got waivers for both. Both times they just looked in the parking lot and said nice car then handed me the waiver.

 

I got lucky a few years back..guy testing the exhaust stood a good 10' behind the car with the sniffer..." you know mister ..that's the cleanest Ferrari 328 exhaust we've ever tested". I thanked him many times over...

The last go around, I decided to get the historic tag for the cars and this way, I don't have to worry about it any longer..

 

Exactly----I parked it and went straight into the office--they looked outside and gave me a waiver, no questions asked....I don't think they even want the car in the facility in case something happens to it....

 

um... they can and will make you go through with the tail pipe test.... if it fails you will need to produce a receipt from a reputable repair facility stating it cost over $400.00 (I think thats what it was) to try and make it right. At that point they will give you a waiver... ask me how I know. Other than that the historic plates are the way to go. If your car is old enough.

 

+1

 

If you do take the tailpipe test remember this. When he tells you to take your foot off the gas do it very slowly. Almost any car will pass if you do this. When you close the butterfly on the intake it shuts the air off and makes a lot of emmisions from the unburnt fuel coming out the exhuast.

 

And where did you take yours the last time?

 

I think its 450 now(parts & labor). Any emmisions/ engine performance related repair qualifies. Even if you do it youself, although that will be parts only.

 

Before the test, hold the gas at about 2K RPM for 2-3 minutes (gets the cat nice and hot) and like KK said let off the gas easy. If you snap the throttle closed quickly the hydrocarbons go thru the roof. It will take about 10-15 seconds for the readings to stabilize. If the car is running right you have nothing to worry about

 

Last time?... Rockville.... time before that some podunk town in southern MD.

 

Tell them you are restoring the car's interior and you won’t be able to drive it. They should give you an extension (we did that with our 928 before it had historic tags) and by that time I would assume you would have your historic tags.