SEMA Wins Protection for Collector Cars and Parts

Article from SEMA’s weekly Enews:

SEMA persuaded Congress to place a 25-year limit on trade-in cars and expand recycling opportunities under ‘cash for clunkers’ legislation. Under the controversial bill, consumers will receive a voucher to help buy a new car in exchange for scrapping a less fuel-efficient vehicle. SEMA was able to mitigate the program’s effects by convincing lawmakers to include a requirement that the trade-in vehicle be a model year 1984 or newer vehicle. The provision helps safeguard older vehicles that may possess ‘historic or aesthetic value’ and are irreplaceable to hobbyists as a source of restoration parts.

The measure also allows all parts to be recycled except the engine. Lawmakers were convinced to permit the drive train to be recycled if the transmission, drive shaft or rear end are sold as separate parts. The vehicle scrappage legislation was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives by a 298-119 vote. President Obama has backed the plan and passage in the Senate is expected in the near future.

Proponents claim that the so-called “Consumer Assistance to Recycle and Save Act (CARS)” may spur an estimated 625,000 vehicle sales. The program will last for one year.

“SEMA has consistently supported efforts to spur new car sales, but is disappointed that Congress ignored evidence that vehicle scrappage programs will not achieve claimed environmental benefits,” said SEMA President and CEO Chris Kersting. “However, we are pleased that lawmakers agreed to spare from the crusher older cars and parts that help drive the restoration aftermarket and the passions of many in the automotive hobbyist community.”

Under the program, consumers who agree to scrap a trade-in car that gets 18 miles per gallon or less (15 mpg or less for heavy pick-ups and vans) will receive a voucher to buy a qualifying new car. The voucher will range from $3,500 to $4,500 based on the new car’s fuel efficiency. The program primarily targets SUVs and pickups since most passenger cars manufactured during the last 25 years get more than the 18 mpg combined city/highway requirement. Vehicle mpg ratings are listed at www.fueleconomy.gov.

The $4 billion program will begin when it is signed into law by the president. The car buyer will receive a $3,500 voucher if they buy a new passenger car that was rated at 4 mpg higher than the older vehicle, or a new pickup truck/SUV that was at least 2 mpg higher than the old truck. They will receive a $4,500 voucher if the passenger car was at least 10 mpg higher and the truck/SUV was at least 5 mpg higher.

“SEMA continues to support initiatives that encourage the installation of specialty equipment to reduce emissions and increase fuel economy,” said Kersting. “Looking to the future, SEMA will work with Congress to pursue more efficient and business-friendly environmental approaches.”

Fact Sheet

Consumer Assistance to Recycle and Save Act (CARS)

Consumers may trade in their older vehicles and receive vouchers worth up to $4,500 toward the purchase or qualified lease of a new, more fuel-efficient car or truck. The mpg values are EPA combined city/highway fuel economy as posted on the window sticker. MPG ratings are listed at www.fueleconomy.gov.

Trade-in vehicles must:

• Be in drivable condition
• Be continuously insured and registered to the same owner for at least one year
• Have a combined city/highway fuel economy value of 18 mpg or less
• Have been manufactured in model year 1984 or later
• Work trucks must be model year 2001 or earlier regardless of mpg

New vehicles:

• Must have a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of less than $45,000.

• Passenger Cars: The trade-in vehicle must get 18 mpg or less. New passenger cars with mileage of at least 22 mpg are eligible for vouchers. If the mileage of the new car is at least 4 mpg higher than the old vehicle, the voucher will be worth $3,500. If the mileage of the new car is at least 10 mpg higher than the old vehicle, the voucher will be worth $4,500.

• Small Trucks and SUVs: The old vehicle must get 18 mpg or less. New small trucks or SUVs (weighing up to 6,000 pounds) with mileage of at least 18 mpg are eligible for vouchers. If the mileage of the new truck or SUV is at least 2 mpg higher than the old vehicle, the voucher will be worth $3,500. If the mileage of the new truck or SUV is at least 5 mpg higher than the old vehicle, the voucher will be worth $4,500.

• Large Light-Duty Trucks: The old vehicle must get 18 mpg or less. New large trucks (pickups and vans weighing between 6,000 and 8,500 pounds) with mileage of at least 15 mpg are eligible for vouchers. If the mileage of the new truck is at least 1 mpg higher than the old truck, the voucher will be worth $3,500. If the mileage of the new truck is at least 2 mpg higher than the old truck, the voucher will be worth $4,500.

• Work Trucks: Consumers can trade in a pre-2002 work truck (defined as a pickup or cargo van weighing from 8,500–10,000 pounds) and receive a voucher worth $3,500 for a new work truck in the same or smaller weight class. Only 7.5% of the total funds can be used for vouchers for the purchase or lease of a work truck.

Congress Moves Forward with Vehicle Scrappage Program

This is from an article in the SEMA eNews letter:

“By a 50-4 vote, the House Energy Committee approved federal legislation to provide a government voucher to consumers who buy a new car in exchange for scrapping a less fuel-efficient vehicle. Similar legislation is expected to be considered in the U.S. Senate in early June when lawmakers return from the Memorial Day recess. SEMA is urging lawmakers to include a provision to require that scrapped vehicles be less than 25 years old as a means of protecting vehicles that are valued by hobbyists or may be a source of recyclable parts for use on restoration projects.

Under the legislation, a scrapped vehicle must get less that 18 mpg (15 mpg for heavy pickups and vans). The car buyer would receive a $3,500 voucher if they bought a new passenger car that was at least 4 mpg higher than the older vehicle or a new pickup truck/SUV that was at least 2 mpg higher than the old truck. They would receive a $4,500 if the passenger car was at least 10 mpg higher and the truck/SUV was at least 5 mpg higher. The program would mandate that the engine block and drivetrain be destroyed. The program would last up to one year, authorize $4 billion in spending and potentially scrap one million older cars and trucks.

“SEMA is working with lawmakers to mitigate some of the legislation’s unintended consequences and its potential damage to the automotive aftermarket,” said Chris Kersting, SEMA’s president and CEO. “These common-sense proposals will ensure that the government is not spending $3,500 or $4,500 on a vehicle that may only be worth a few hundred dollars but may have potential value to vehicle collectors and to promote the benefits of parts recycling.”

A vehicle that is 25 years old or older is rarely driven and does not contribute to the nation’s dependence on foreign oil. A 25-year exclusion would also guarantee that older cars that have an historic or aesthetic value are not inadvertently crushed.

SEMA’s recommendations are intended to reduce the damage a vehicle scrappage program would impose on thousands of independent repair shops, auto restorers and recyclers, customizers and their customers across the country. SEMA will continue to promote alternative incentive programs that will help clean the environment, provide for vehicle and parts recycling, and preserve collector cars for future generations. For additional information, contact Stuart Gosswein.”

 Classic Automotive Restoration Specialists is an active member of SEMA/SAN but would like to do more. We would like to reach out to car club members and classic vehicle owners to stress the importance of staying involved to keep our hobby alive. The most compelling argument against the scrappage of vehicles 25 years or older is in bold font above.  In order to keep this arguement relevant we will be offering tips for maintaining your vehicle. Many of these tips are “do-it-yourself”. It is important to keep your car running at peak efficiency. If your club has a newsletter we would be happy to provide you with a copy of these articles as we release them, you can send an email here to request a copy.

North Carolina Street Rod and Replica Vehicle Bill to be Considered in Senate Committee on Tuesday, Apr. 28, 2009

 

 

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North Carolina Street Rod and Replica Vehicle Bill to be Considered in Senate Committee on Tuesday, Apr. 28, 2009 A version of SEMA model legislation to create a vehicle registration classification for street rods, replicas and custom vehicles will be heard by the North Carolina Senate Commerce Committee.  The committee will consider a substitute to S.B. 820 (Click here to review substitute).  The substitute is a product of negotiations between SEMA and the hobbyist network in North Carolina.  We believe that the substitute version of S.B. 820, if passed, will retain the key components of the SEMA-model language while relieving vehicle owners of unfair title branding and inspection concerns.  SEMA also believes that the substitute bill adequately addresses the concerns expressed in recent weeks by all parties, while offering the benefits other states have experienced from these new registration and titling classifications.  We Urge You to Call All Members of the North Carolina Senate Commerce Committee (Contact Information Below) Immediately to Request Their Support for the Substitute to S.B. 820  S.B. 820 provides specific registration and titling classes for street rods, custom vehicles and replicas.  Street rods are of a pre-1949 vintage; customs are of the post-1949 era. S.B. 820 allows for the use of non-original materials and creates a titling and registration criterion that assigns replica vehicles the same model year designation as the production vehicle intended to be replicated. S.B. 820 requires that the title of a replica vehicle must clearly indicate that the vehicle is a replica and not an original. S.B. 820 only holds street rods, customs and replicas to the equipment standards specified by law during the model year listed on the title of the vehicle. S.B. 820 provides an avenue by which the state can accurately and fairly title and register these specialty vehicles. S.B. 820 recognizes the immeasurable amount of time, money and attention automotive enthusiasts invest in their hobby cars.  Street rods, customs and replicas are the same crowd pleasers that participate in exhibitions and as parade vehicles, and whose owners regularly contribute to charities and civic events.  This legislation represents an opportunity to acknowledge this family hobby and to protect it for future generations.  DON’T DELAY!  Please call members of the Senate Commerce Committee immediately to urge support for the substitute to S.B. 820  North Carolina Senate Commerce Committee Senator R.C. Soles – Chairman Phone: 919/733-5963 Senator Floyd McKissick – Vice Chairman Phone: 919/733-4599 Senator David Hoyle – Vice Chairman Phone: 919/733-5734 Senator Tony Rand – Vice Chairman Phone: 919/733-9892 Senator Tom Apodaca Phone: 919/733-5745 Senator Phil Berger Phone: 919/733-5708 Senator Doug Berger Phone: 919/715-8363 Senator Harris Blake Phone: 919/733-4809 Senator Julia Boseman Phone: 919/715-2525 Senator Peter Brunstetter Phone: 919/733-7850 Senator Debbie Clary Phone: 919/715-3038 Senator Katie Dorsett Phone: 919/715-3042 Senator Tony Foriest Phone: 919/301-1446 Senator James Forrester Phone: 919/715-3050 Senator Linda Garrou Phone: 919/733-5620 Senator W. Edward Goodall Phone: 919/733-7659 Senator Steve Goss Phone: 919/733-5742 Senator Malcolm Graham Phone: 919/733-5650 Senator Neal Hunt Phone: 919/733-5850 Senator Jim Jacumin Phone: 919/715-7823 Senator Clark Jenkins Phone: 919/715-3040 Senator Martin Nesbitt Phone: 919/715-3001 Senator William Purcell Phone: 919/733-5953 Senator Bob Rucho Phone: 919/733-5655 Senator Larry Shaw Phone: 919/733-9349 Senator Josh Stein Phone: 919/715-6400 Senator Richard Stevens Phone: 919/733-5653 Senator Don Vaughan Phone: 919/733-5856

North Carolina Introduces Bill to Implement Vehicle Scrappage Program

 

 

 

 

 

 

North Carolina Introduces Bill to Implement Vehicle Scrappage Program

While hobbyists and related businesses have worked diligently to defeat proposals in Washington, DC to create a national cash for clunkers
program, a bill (H.B. 1207) has been introduced in the North Carolina State Legislature that would implement a state vehicle scrappage program for
passenger vehicles that are at least 14-years old.  Participants would receive around $1,000-$1,500 to scrap their car and purchase a current
year vehicle under 10,000 pounds, or one from the previous three model years.  The participant’s family income must be less than 300% of
the current federal poverty level.  ALL trade-in vehicles could be destroyed, regardless of their historical value or collector interest. 
If this effort is successful, hobbyists could be denied the availability of vintage cars and parts for restoration projects.

We Urge You to Contact Members of the North Carolina House Environment and Natural Resources Committee (List Below) Immediately to Request
Their Opposition to H.B. 1207

• H.B. 1207 ignores the fact that, given the low value of the voucher, a lower-income consumer who owns just one qualifying scrappage car is not in
  a financial position to buy a new or late model vehicle.
• H.B. 1207 ignores the fact that the program favors a consumer who owns three or four cars, including a vehicle older than 14 years which sits in
  the driveway, rarely driven, if at all.  Destroying this car will not clean the air as is claimed by the bill.
• H.B. 1207 is unfair to vehicle owners, many of whom depend on the low-cost transportation that older cars provide and on parts available from
  older cars in order to maintain their own vehicles.  
• H.B. 1207 ignores the fact that all scrappage programs hold the potential for enthusiasts to lose a valuable source of rare parts for vehicle
  restoration projects.  
• H.B. 1207 ignores the fact that most environmental organizations reject scrappage programs because they do more environmental harm than good by
  artificially accelerating the car life cycle (producing, dismantling, recycling, etc.).  
• H.B. 1207 ignores the fact that older cars are rarely driven, generally well-maintained and not a good or cost-effective source of emissions
  reductions.     
• H.B. 1207 ignores the fact that scrappage programs are difficult to police and subject to fraud.

Please contact members of the North Carolina House Environment and Natural Resources Committee by phone or e-mail to urge their opposition
to H.B. 1207. 

Please e-mail a copy of your letter to Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.  Thank you for your assistance.

North Carolina House Environment and Natural Resources Committee

(Click here to e-mail all Committee members)

Representative Lucy Allen – Chair
Phone: 919/733-5860
Email: Lucy.Allen@ncleg.net

Representative Mitch Gillespie
Phone: 919/733-5862
Email: Mitchg@ncleg.net

Representative Pricey Harrison
Phone: 919/733-5771
Email: Pricey.Harrison@ncleg.net

Representative Carolyn Justice
Phone: 919/715-9664
Email: Carolyn.Justice@ncleg.net

Representative Cullie Tarleton
Phone: 919/733-7727
Email: Cullie.Tarleton@ncleg.net

Representative Alice Underhill
Phone: 919/733-5853
Email: Alice.Underhill@ncleg.net

Representative Kelly Alexander
Phone: 919/733-5778
Email: Kelly.Alexander@ncleg.net

Representative Curtis Blackwood
Phone: 919/733-2406
Email: Curtis.Blackwood@ncleg.net

Representative Elmer Floyd
Phone: 919/733-5959
Email: Elmer.Floyd@ncleg.net

Representative Pryor Gibson
Phone: 919/715-3007
Email: Pryor.Gibson@ncleg.net

Representative R. Phillip Haire
Phone: 919/715-3005
Email: Phillip.Haire@ncleg.net

Representative Verla Insko
Phone: 919/733-7208
Email: Verla.Insko@ncleg.net

Representative Ric Killian
Phone: 919/733-5886
Email: Ric.Killian@ncleg.net

Representative Paul Luebke
Phone: 919/733-7663
Email: Paul.Luebke@ncleg.net

Representative Grier Martin
Phone: 919/733-5758
Email: Grier.Martin@ncleg.net

Representative Daniel McComas
Phone: 919/733-5786
Email: Danny.McComas@ncleg.net

Representative Pat McElraft
Phone: 919/733-6275
Email: Pat.McElraft@ncleg.net

Representative Bill Owens
Phone: 919/733-0010
Email: Bill.Owens@ncleg.net

Representative Ruth Samuelson
Phone: 919/715-3009
Email: Ruth.Samuelson@ncleg.net

Representative Bonner Stiller
Phone: 919/301-1450
Email: Bonner.Stiller@ncleg.net

Representative Russell Tucker
Phone: 919/715-3021
Email: Russell.Tucker@ncleg.net

Representative Roger West
Phone: 919/733-5859
Email: Roger.West@ncleg.net

Representative Larry Womble
Phone: 919/733-5777
Email: Larry.Womble@ncleg.net
 

Terms under which this service is provided to you: sema.org/disclaimer SEMA’s mailing address: 1575 S. Valley Vista Dr., Diamond Bar, CA 91765 Copyright 2007. Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA)

SEMA Legislative Alert: Update on North Carolina Street Rod and Replica Vehicle Bill

Update on North Carolina Street Rod and Replica Vehicle Bill 

As many of you are aware, a version of SEMA model legislation (S.B. 476) that would create a vehicle registration classification for street rods,
replicas and modified vehicles was introduced in the North Carolina State Legislature.  The SEMA model has been enacted into law, with an
overwhelmingly positive response, in approximately 20 states around the country.

SEMA has been working with North Carolina legislators and
regulators for the past two years in an attempt to mitigate the stringent reforms that were put in place by state regulators pursuant to the DMV
scandal relative to titling procedures.  We are aware that there is also an effort underway to promote separate legislation (S.B. 820, H.B. 861)
that proponents believe will retain the key components of the SEMA-model language while relieving vehicle owners of unfair title branding and
inspection concerns.

It is critically important to SEMA that our membership and hobbyist network remain unified behind a single legislative
effort.  It is equally important that the bill adequately addresses the concerns of all parties, while offering the benefits other states have
experienced from these new registration and titling classifications.  To that end, we are working with the North Carolina Legislature and
hobbyists in an effort to achieve these goals.  We remain committed to working alongside the hobbyist network in North Carolina to ultimately
supporting the best legislation possible.

Unfortunately, in this process, there have been several misrepresentations made about the involvement
of the SEMA membership.  Jim Barber of Classic Automotive Restoration (Belews Creek, NC) has generously given up his time over the years as a
consultant on behalf of several efforts initiated by SEMA’s Washington, D.C. office.  He had no hand in drafting the SEMA model bill or the
bills that have emerged from the North Carolina Legislature.  He joins SEMA in working to support legislation that will benefit all affected
parties.

We will be in touch shortly with updated information.  If you have any questions, please send those to Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org