Author Topic: AirCare ending! (Read 6469 times)

Cameron · « **on:** May 24, 2012, 10:27:43 PM »

Changes coming to Aircare program
http://www.cknw.com/Channels/Reg/NewsLocal/Story.aspx?ID=1709552

B.C. scraps AirCare after 20 years; To end after 2014 for light cars and trucks
http://www.vancouversun.com/news/scraps+AirCare+after+years/6674280/story.html

From November 2010. Even though Aircare did nothing for the environment, the contract was renewed, because AirCare generates lots of money.

AirCare Begone
http://blogs.vancouversun.com/2010/11/09/aircare-begone/

buddy boy · « **Reply #1 on:** May 24, 2012, 11:05:40 PM »

2 liters for everyone !!!!

silas · « **Reply #2 on:** May 24, 2012, 11:52:26 PM »

it might need some slight revisions and a minor facelift, and i'm probably in the minority here...but i think aircare is a good thing and should stick around.

BUSDADDY · « **Reply #3 on:** May 25, 2012, 07:16:18 AM »

Strangely I agree in a way, time will tell after it's gone no doubt, if the roads are once again infested with smoke belching beaters then cutting it off would be a fail. Having to test before licensing is a pain, especially with something that has been off the road, a random test or something based on miles driven would be more to my liking. It's certainly forced me to step up my game in the fine tuning science and general engine health department and made me a better mechanic over the last 20 years so I'll give it credit for that.

For the moment though I'm happy to see it go in it's current form.

Russ · « **Reply #4 on:** May 25, 2012, 07:34:32 AM »

about time, it's been a complete cash grab for years
the moment they started charging double the fee to test once (on the newer cars) has been a joke

steveo_32 · « **Reply #5 on:** May 25, 2012, 07:40:29 AM »

Ahhhhhhhh no more driving thru.........getting fail......complaining i get 30 mpg in my bus........drive right back in and wiggle the timing and throw the gun on and one turn on the carb.....and passing.........HHAHAHAHAHAHAH

Im soooooooooo going thru and after I pay, Im going to hand them a unemployment pamphlet and circle it, and hand it to them!
"here might be your problem"

Cameron · « **Reply #6 on:** May 25, 2012, 08:21:36 AM »

Quote from: silas on May 24, 2012, 11:52:26 PM

it might need some slight revisions and a minor facelift, and i'm probably in the minority here...but i think aircare is a good thing and should stick around.

Why is AirCare a good thing? Read the AirCare Begone article. It does nothing for the environment, it is a revenue generator.

buddy boy · « **Reply #7 on:** May 25, 2012, 08:35:05 AM »

i agree cam ,.. it's the big rig's that are the one's who need to be tested !!

Jodasa · « **Reply #8 on:** May 25, 2012, 10:53:53 AM »

While aircare has been a thorn in my side too over the years, I am all for protecting this beautiful planet for my children.
The biggest piss off for me is that the owner of the aircare contract is Translink! Cash Grab for sure!
Sorry ChrisE.

Chris E. · « **Reply #9 on:** May 25, 2012, 12:03:45 PM »

I'm not offended. As a matter of fact, I thought this was pretty funny.

Jord63 · « **Reply #10 on:** May 25, 2012, 12:36:53 PM »

I agree with Silas. Aircare is a good thing and at the last meeting we went to the numbers that they posted from the last independant study showing the reduction in polutants since Aircare start and what they projected with out Aircare are very substantial. Yes modern cars are much more efficent and do not fail as often but these cars are going to age and start polluting. Without Aircare there is no one to make people fix these vehicles and people will just drive around with check engine lights staring them in the face. No one will be fixing there emisions failures untill it turns into a drivability problem and most EVAP and Cat Efficency codes will not cause drivability. Not to mention the fact that we now have some of the best Automotive Techs in Canada which is mostly due to Aircare forcing everyone to learn and fully understand the modern computer controlled car.
I know its a pain in the ass for those of us who have older classic cars and having to take them through year after year but they were working on that with the modified plates. They just needed to move the year up from 1953 to around 1975 or something. Just my opinion.
I do agree that the cost was to high for the IM240 test. I think they should have rewarded people driving 1998 and newer vehicles by leaving the price at the $23 and then only going through once every two years.
I am will be sad to see it go. I feel it should stay and get revamped. I also beleive it should be province wide.

vwboop · « **Reply #11 on:** May 25, 2012, 05:32:16 PM »

That kind of money redirected could more effectively target projects to make our planet greener. I for one am very glad to see it go. They should set up a phone line to report obvious polluters (passenger and commercial vehicles) like they have for carpool lanes.

Hansk · « **Reply #12 on:** May 25, 2012, 11:44:32 PM »

Why is AirCare a good thing? Read the AirCare Begone article. It does nothing for the environment, it is a revenue generator.
[/quote]

It does help the environment. At the very least my personal environment . As an auto tech I often see cars whos oweners could not care less what a piece of junk they drive or how it runs or whats coming out the tail pipe (if there even is one). So bad that I don't want to be within 20 feet of the thing with out a gas mask. Thier only motivation for doing anything to it at all or finaly scraping it ....aircare. Thankyou aircare

ray · « **Reply #13 on:** May 26, 2012, 04:46:23 PM »

Hated it from the start . Only good thing it provided was good jobs . Feel sorry for the workers that will be out of work . We all need the dough these days .

Chris · « **Reply #14 on:** May 26, 2012, 05:47:59 PM »

Heavy truck Aircare program did exist, was axed due to costs. They had a tips line for people to report obvious polluters, axed.

The usefulness of Aircare is long gone, it still was beneficial. Don't kid yourself into thinking it was a total waste. But as in any government controlled program you must take advantage of ways to grab cash from the public.

I for one am glad it was here and am now looking forward to it being gone. I think however a vehicle safety program including emissions testing for older vehicles that are daily drivers is something that needs to be considered. After driving a lot in the US I hope we don't end up seeing some of the shitboxes that are allowed to drive down there, around here.

Chris E. · « **Reply #15 on:** May 26, 2012, 09:06:57 PM »

Quote from: VWChris on May 26, 2012, 05:47:59 PM

After driving a lot in the US I hope we don't end up seeing some of the shitboxes that are allowed to drive down there, around here.

Like this one?

beetlemandan · « **Reply #16 on:** May 27, 2012, 08:40:07 AM »

i got mixed feelings about it being gone. but i doubt folks will trade in thier prius or civic for an 76crown vic with an oil belching 460. 1.50/liter fuel generally maked people get rid of thier shitboxes.

silas · « **Reply #17 on:** May 27, 2012, 02:14:14 PM »

Quote from: Cameron on May 25, 2012, 08:21:36 AM

Quote from: silas on May 24, 2012, 11:52:26 PM
it might need some slight revisions and a minor facelift, and i'm probably in the minority here...but i think aircare is a good thing and should stick around.

Why is AirCare a good thing? Read the AirCare Begone article. It does nothing for the environment, it is a revenue generator.

yup...i read the articles, and i might have missed it so if you can point it out for me that would be great...but where in any of those articles does it say that "it does nothing for the environment"?

jord and hans said it well and i agree with their points. i've seen and have worked on vehicles (new and old) with emissions related problems. it's just like when you're riding your bike and you pull up behind the smoking tailpipe...no fun! i also feel that aircare is an "aid to keep people honest" about the condition of their vehicles. without a mandatory emissions inspection, i think the majority of people will drive around with emissions related problems and not give a damn, because as long as their car gets them from a to b and back again, they're happy.

also...to the folks that keep mentioning the cash grab/revenue generator aspect of all this...why are you not raising a bigger stink about the new proposals of making aircare mandatory for the heavy duty, diesel, marine and even construction (the on site generators) segments of the industry? sure they're heavy polluters too, and should all be tested, but i imagine that once that starts happening those industries will become irate with the new costs of maintaining and updating their equipment to be aircare compliant and they will be looking to recoup their losses somehow, most likely by raising their prices for their goods and/or services, which will end up effecting the consumer (all of us) even worse than it is now. just my $.02.

70's Looker · « **Reply #18 on:** May 27, 2012, 04:38:41 PM »

well now that the people have "won" their fight against aircare, im sure they will miss the revenue it brings in, i guess the next step will be a full vehical inspection, i bet with the older cars a small sniffer box wont seem like such a pain in the ass or wallet, when you own a car with a rust hole or a small tear in your seat seams the list will go on i betcha

but till then so long aircare we may just miss you

Jord63 · « **Reply #19 on:** May 27, 2012, 04:57:48 PM »

From what I understand, they are working towards a mandatory annual inspection as we write this. It has been a subject of discusion for a long time in the Automotive Industry. Now that Aircare is on its way out, dont be surprised to see these buildings turn into inspection facilitys. We will all be missing Aircare when we have to raise up our cars once a year for the MVI to meet headlight height requirements, like 70slooker said, cars will fail due to minor body rust, a lot easier to set your timing back and adjust your carb than patch and repaint your ride.

Chris · « **Reply #20 on:** May 27, 2012, 05:00:25 PM »

Don't worry when the liberals are re-elected they will retract the plan to end Aircare, re-instate the HST, increase the carbon tax on fuel by 8%, increase bus fares, remove the turnstiles at skytrain stations and give themselves a hefty raise and increase there pensions to compensate accordingly for all the stress that the troubled economy has caused them. Oh ya and don't forget they will close more schools and hospitals. Just in case they hadn't pissed us off enough already.

So ya good riddance Aircare!

buddy boy · « **Reply #21 on:** May 27, 2012, 05:03:00 PM »

ok,.....2.3 liters for everyone !!!!!!!

Cameron · « **Reply #22 on:** May 30, 2012, 08:22:10 AM »

Bump!

I've added a little poll. It seems a few ASF members are all for keeping AirCare. They say AirCare forces neglectful owners to maintain their cars.
Maybe AirCare should be province wide, and endless. It could be a good "make work project" for a future provincial government.
But as vehicles become more computerized, and more reliable, should the province continue to run an inspection system that will find fewer and fewer vehicles failing?

Chris · « **Reply #23 on:** May 30, 2012, 08:32:27 AM »

what about the option to continue as it has been operated?

Heavy trucks are not the biggest polluters, your average lawnmower puts out deadly emissions equivalent to 50 new cars......

Cameron · « **Reply #24 on:** May 30, 2012, 08:46:52 AM »

Quote from: VWChris on May 30, 2012, 08:32:27 AM

what about the option to continue as it has been operated?

Heavy trucks are not the biggest polluters, your average lawnmower puts out deadly emissions equivalent to 50 new cars......

Continue as it has been operated is what I meant.

There has been a suggestion that AirCare cover ALL fuel burning engines in the province, much like CARB in California. That would probably create a lot of jobs.

GMB · « **Reply #25 on:** May 30, 2012, 10:58:06 AM »

Before air care we used to just drill out the idle jet of a 34 pict to correct a work throttle bushing!

I agree with Hans.....If you do not have some sort of inspection or requirement then people as a whole will definately neglect their cars in favor of a big screen TV or W.H.Y.

As well It has definately made ne a better technician as it does force you to look at the issues and correct them! Not many on this forum would believe you can build a 2.3 liter engine and have it pass air care every year with minimal adjustment.

Gary.

Jodasa · « **Reply #26 on:** May 30, 2012, 12:39:21 PM »

I agree there have been some benefits as stated throughout this thread. And of course the gov will make us jump through some other hoop once aircare is gone; whether it is an annual inspection etc. there is no argument there.
Even the techs know people are making adjustments to get through testing, and then readjusting or retuning their cars once out of the aircare bays. Or we use aircare engines to pass the test, or exhausts with CAT's welded in... Again only used to pass testing. Oh why not register the car on the island at some relatives address. Now you don’t need aircare. Register your car as a zone Z, or up the GVW. There are so many ways around it, you don’t really NEED to fix your car.
So as far as I can tell, aircare in it’s current state is broken. If they would have fixed it, great, keep it going... But as far as I'm concerned, if it was to continue as is, in its present condition... It's a money grab and the numbers they throw around to the public, are bogus and inaccurate.

And what about the guy that does not know enough about how to "de-tune" or make the required adjustments to get through the system?
He takes his car to numerous "aircare certified mechanics" who will not work on old VWs for example, because of the possibility that the car will fail and make their shiny 90% pass/fail rating fall.
So the beetle owner takes his car to a "non-aircare certified mechanic" who runs up a $1000-$2000 bill and says, "There is something wrong with the carbs, oh i mean the distributor, oh I mean it needs new rings."
It happens, and it happens a lot.
Even speaking to the person in charge of repair facilities at aircare… knows this is a major problem. If you contact him, he will track down someone that will agree to look at your car, a certified shop. But that certified shop that will look at your VW is not in the lower mainland. He also can not make a certified mechanic or shop, look at your car. It is completely at the shops discretion. That too is bogus and the program is broken.
Regardless, as stated, somehow everyone will get royally f%#% up the A$$ by the government, as per usual. More than likely, someone will find ways around it and break the system again.
So what ever… Is your car on the road yet? No? Then get to it.

Russ · « **Reply #27 on:** May 30, 2012, 02:24:06 PM »

lets have a poll on how many big engines are registered out of the lower mainland

Chris · « **Reply #28 on:** May 30, 2012, 03:29:00 PM »

Quote from: Russ on May 30, 2012, 02:24:06 PM

lets have a poll on how many big engines are registered out of the lower mainland

Who would ever do such a thing?!

buddy boy · « **Reply #29 on:** May 30, 2012, 04:03:26 PM »

did anyone ever see the show about the guy who invented the big cardon scrubber ??.. it was interesting.

Author Topic: AirCare ending! (Read 6469 times)

Jodasa

Jodasa