State Of Oregon Introduces Law To Prohibit Aftermarket Car Parts

At the request of Governor Theodore Kulongoski, the Oregon Speaker of the House has introduced legislation (H.B. 2186) to prohibit the sale and distribution of aftermarket motor vehicle parts if alternatives are available that “decrease greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicles.” The bill is primarily focused on aftermarket tires and would authorize the Environmental Quality Commission to implement enforcement regulations, likely based on a rolling resistance calculation. 

• H.B. 2186 could ban tires that may have improved performance, handling or appearance features, based solely on a rolling resistance rating.  In addition, this program could easily distract consumers from focusing on more important safety issues such as tire inflation and overloading of vehicles.
   
• H.B. 2186 would force consumers to purchase only original equipment manufacturer (OEM) tires because the program essentially exempts OEM-selected tires and unfairly implies that they are superior to aftermarket products.
   
• H.B. 2186 could prohibit aftermarket parts designed to either personalize or optimize specific vehicle performance attributes including handling, towing, suspension, fuel economy, etc.
   
• H.B. 2186 provides broad authority to government regulators and could limit a range of aftermarket parts currently available to consumers based on the subjective determination of government regulators.

t_sotello - 2/6/2009 4:29:50 PM

0 Boost

People in Oregon need to do a little more research and realize that there no such thing as an OEM tire. No manufacture makes there own tire.

chewy - 2/6/2009 4:35:07 PM

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in this case I think they are referring to the tires that the manufacturer specifies, but then again one model can come with different brands.

but this law is way too far reaching. there is a difference between putting 40 inch wheels like in the picture and swapping all seasons for summer/winter tires. That's quite a lot of performance/safety given up for a couple % savings.

1evlaudi - 2/6/2009 4:31:35 PM

-7 Boost

I absolutely agree in the case of oversize tires and rims. This is dangerous too, going oversize dangerously change the dynamics of the cat and render braking difficult and inefficient. They also of course dramatically worsen gas mileage. So yes, every States should have similar laws asap. As for the rest, I am not so enthusiastic.

downtoearth - 2/6/2009 6:00:56 PM

-3 Boost

What if I surprise you by saying Toyota Prius with its low resistance plasticky tires and rather poor grip, with the car itself encouraging defensive driving, proved to have lowest injury indicators in its class? Will you then google for the term "risk compensation", find a corresponding article on Wikipedia, read it and notice something?

downtoearth - 2/6/2009 7:34:11 PM

-4 Boost

I fully agree with you state is not to decide what tires someone's car should or shouldn't wear. And yes, obviously, Prius safety is at least partially based on driving style this car encourages, what I also emphasized. My only point was that while the entire idea in wrong in its roots, it may not lead to more deaths on roads. Reason? People, aware of lower grip of tires they may be forced to use, may adjust their driving patters accordingly, hence drive more carefully. Prius proves this helps saving lives. Moreover, look at the idea carefully - they DON'T ENFORCE low grip tires (standard grippy ones cars come with stay in place), they're only trying to ban particularly wide ones. Who are the target users of such stuff? A tiny fraction will be true enthusiasts drivers who obey the rules and, say, race in controlled conditions only. The huge rest is most likely the mixture of young idiots and cocks who (proportionally) account for highest number of road death annually. Standard tires may decrease their confidence and limit stupidity. Overall, while smelling like some sort of communism, this may not be that bad idea.

answer - 2/6/2009 4:47:41 PM

-4 Boost

I hope California puts out a law forbidding stupid exhaust systems on Civics, and banning the Maserati/Buick portholes being put on everything from Camrys to F150s.

B7FAN - 2/6/2009 4:55:25 PM

+3 Boost

Ok first off I understand you want to change aftermarket laws but is the next step changing a law on what you can wear on saturday I mean when will the chain reaction stop.....I mean come on....now I do DISAGREE on how some of these dudes and females are pimpin their rides. now I would put into effect a law that states if you buy rims that are 3 inches or more over stock you must purchase some sort of big brake kit or better stopping power. I HATE when I am at a stop light and a SUV pulls up next to me with a nice set of 22, 24, or now 26 inch wheels and they have the cute little 8 inch stock brake setup.....I think that is just ugly I cant stand that. Now I can say I have priced a BIG BRAKE KIT for certain cars and SUV's and the front and rear packages ranged from $4000-$9000 which is quite expensive for some brakes.....my thing is if you have the money to buy a $60,000-$80-000 SUV and buy these oversized wheels you dont have the money to purchase a brake kit.....thats just me expressing my opinion....THATS ALL FOLKS

truckman - 2/9/2009 2:54:56 AM

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Well said! I also think that SEMA will have something to say about this.

Kthorn - 2/6/2009 7:02:29 PM

-1 Boost

Another brilliant idea from a bunch of clowns. They'll pass the law, then some douchebag attorney who's never had an advanced driving course in his life will sue the state of Oregon after he powerslides his F430 into a guardrail because he was running it on "Oregon DOT Approved" tires. His "Jury Award" will be five times the annual budget of the office that oversees compliance of H.B. 2186, and the burden will be passed on to the tax payers. The answer folks is LESS Government, not more!

clsboy - 2/6/2009 7:52:25 PM

0 Boost

Typical Democratic Governor!!...

jeffy210 - 2/6/2009 10:26:34 PM

+2 Boost

Ah yes, from the state where you can't pump your own gas. (Seriously, what's up with that??)

Kthorn - 2/6/2009 10:48:39 PM

-1 Boost

Because the sun never shines there, govt officials are concerned people would douse themselves with fuel right from the pump and light themselves on fire. Or... Because most of them have grown up huffing paint, the simple act of pumping fuel exceeds the mental/physical capabilities of their citizens.

Chaos29 - 2/7/2009 4:01:05 PM

+1 Boost

Ok! he's a dumb as m**h**f***er! Not even worth debating.

Type707 - 2/7/2009 4:38:00 PM

+1 Boost

Oregon needs to get LAID. PERIOD. Sheesh...its turning into a Communism state. If ppl want to put big ass tires and rims on their bug, truck and whatever that has four wheels...leave them be.

Doukas - 2/7/2009 5:06:32 PM

+1 Boost

Does that also mean, Pep Boys/Kragen/Auto Zone...and all the Car/Audio/Wheel places should close up shop in Oregon????? That would mean loss of jobs...loss of tax revenue......Police can't write any more fix it tickets for cars....less money all around.

truckman - 2/9/2009 3:01:15 AM

+1 Boost

I have a 2007 civic and it comes with low rolling resistance tires and I now have winter tires and I didn't notice a difference at the pump at all! In the winter you get worse mileage but with my Michellin X-ice two I am getting better mileage than the summer? The 4x4 crowd will be going nuts! Everyone that wants to go off road will have to buy a Hummer! They are the only trucks that come with decent tires! Then the Gov. will ban them too! This is just a proposal for some politician to gain brownie points with the experimentalist, pathetic!

Jordanski - 2/9/2009 5:28:48 PM

+1 Boost

Are they gonna bailout these parts manufacturers once their runnin low on cash? Pointless law. What about people who make a living off of things like car racing/offroad etc.? =/ foolish move oregon

Agent63 - 2/9/2009 6:07:08 PM

+1 Boost

Yay, this means less annoying rice rockets on the streets when I make the trip down the Oregon coast and the grapevine to Cali. Seeing 15 Mitsubishi Eclipses all "sooped" up is annoying. 1) we aren't in Japan. 2) their too 90's 3) tacky.

veyron1001 - 2/9/2009 8:45:51 PM

+1 Boost

I would rather see Eclipses than 20 mustang gt driven by women using their cell phones in every outing.

pnsb24a - 2/12/2009 2:31:29 PM

+1 Boost

Oregon is going crazy with laws. They also are pushing a law that charges you gas tax by the milage you drive by putting a device in YOUR car. Piss on them