Legislation Goes Up Against Muscle Cars

As the deadline for gas friendly vehicles looms in the future, many states are taking the opportunity to pass legislation against muscle cars such as the Ford Mustang. It is bad enough that the V8 engine may be virtually outlawed thanks to new regulations, but states are also working to discourage drivers from keeping their existing muscle cars on the road.

Several states are considering passing high tax surcharges on vehicles that do not meet the upcoming standards for pollution levels. Even if you have an efficient V8, you may still end up getting penalized for it. Some states are planning a $2500 tax that will be in addition to any extra taxes passed at the Federal level. This could mean disaster for many muscle car owners who simply cannot afford to swallow that high of a penalty.

Hawaii recently announced that they are working on legislation that will feature a progressive sliding fee schedule that will be directly related to the size of a car’s engine. The more power you have under your hood, the more you can expect to pay the state if you want to keep driving it. Not only would fees be payable when you purchase the car, but they would also be due when you relicense it each year. This could quickly add up for many car owners.

The planned increases will be in addition to the federally mandated fees that are due upon registration. If your engine is greater than 200 cu CM, you can expect to get hit with this fee if you live in Hawaii.

New York residents will also have something to complain about. Currently, the state legislation is working on a bill that would enforce a special surcharge on vehicles at the time of their purchase. The larger the engine, the more you will have to pay in order to purchase the vehicle of your choice. It is possible that vehicle owners would be required to fork over up to $2500 in additional fees under this program.

The state plans to use the funds that will be collected under the new program to help fund special discounts that will be given to those who decide to purchase “green” cars instead. This could be the final kicker for many who just can’t afford that extra surcharge tacked on to the purchase price of a vehicle.

Last but not least, is Washington State, where they are considering taxing by emissions. They plan to set up two different progressive fee scales for drivers of muscle cars, based on the size of their engines as well as the amount of emissions that the cars produce. Once again, the extra fees would be due when the car is purchased and then again when the license is renewed.

Experts estimate that this could mean an additional $600 in fees at the time of purchase and then another $600 per year every time the car is renewed. Smaller engines might even be taxed under this new plan. It is not clear if any of these states plan to make a distinction for truck engines.