Posted on 09/14/2022 1:13:17 PM PDT by Trump.Deplorable
A diesel truck owner's battle with the state of New Jersey is leading to the scrapyard. Mike Sebold initially received a letter from the state's Department of Environmental Protection after listing his modified 2008 Ram 2500 on Facebook Marketplace. Officials took issue with the pickup's deleted emissions equipment and, in turn, told Sebold his truck must be returned to stock or taken off the road. But after he decided to turn in his plates and keep it for off-road use, Sebold claims they've forced him to make an appointment with the crusher.
Updated at 1:30 p.m. ET on 09/14/2022: Sebold forwarded screenshots of his email correspondence with the NJ DEP after this article was published. One states that he cannot transfer the truck’s title in any way without returning it to stock. This includes giving it away.
In the other, a department representative explicitly says, “You stated during our conversation that you are unwilling to make repairs to your vehicle. The only other option you have to come into compliance with the NOV and avoid occurring monetary penalties in this matter is to have the truck destroyed at a scrap yard. As I stated in our phone conversation this is not my preferred option as the Department is more interested in having your truck be emissions complaint [sic] than see it destroyed, but nevertheless it’s your property to handle as you see fit.”
The saga started in late July when the New Jersey DEP officially opened correspondence with Sebold. He quickly replied and after a few days of back and forth, he decided against returning the Ram to stock. According to him, it would've cost more than $10,000 to do so, which was more than he felt comfortable spending—especially with the 60-day timeframe the DEP gave him. Sebold says he then de-registered the truck and ran it at a sled pull in Warren County, which convinced him to use it strictly for competition.
It appears that still wasn't enough to satisfy the DEP. Sebold tells me they gave him a deadline of September 25 to add emissions components like the diesel particulate filter back to the truck or have it destroyed. After exhausting seemingly every option to save his pickup without spending thousands on repairs, he elected to comply. At the time of publishing, the truck is set to be crushed Friday, September 16.
A New Jersey DEP agent involved with Sebold's case forwarded me to the department's public information officer. When I asked about the ongoing saga, they replied, "Mr. Sebold has informed the Department that he intends to bring his truck to a scrap yard on Sept. 16 and have it destroyed, although the Department has explained to Mr. Sebold on multiple occasions that the Department would extend the 60-day deadline cited in compliance requirements to give him time to make the necessary repairs to the truck and return it to full New Jersey emissions compliance. These repairs would include returning the vehicle to its original certified emission configuration."
When I asked if Sebold was being forced to crush his Ram despite removing it from the road, the DEP said, "Mr. Sebold has made the decision to scrap his truck, despite DEP offering him other options." But that brings us to the question at the core here—even if the DEP offered to extend the September 25 deadline, is it a choice to destroy a truck when the other option is to spend money you can't spare or don't have to bring it into compliance?
Sebold tells me he's never been visited by a DEP representative in person, only that he believes them to have photos and videos of his truck. This was a key detail for many who claimed government overreach when the state initially contacted Sebold, but New Jersey law is clear about its stance on selling deleted trucks. Simply put, it isn't allowed, and they apparently don't have to see it in person if the seller admits to such modifications in the vehicle's listing.
It won't be over until the truck is crushed or the New Jersey DEP changes its mind and allows Sebold to keep it in one piece. Either way, this won't be the last time we see deleted truck owners duking it out with state governments.
NJDEP spends time on facebook market place looking for deleted trucks.....
What a waste of tax payer dollars
Diesel KnOcK!..........................
How would NJ have any jurisdiction should he choose to sell it to someone in a free state (that permits off-road use in current condition)?
I am not really sure, I am sure he could fire sale it to someone with a trailer in another state, the state couldn’t do much about it
But he would have to do it quickly or face something like a 15K a day fine
Diesel vehicles are considered commercial and follow a strict guideline in the state
Put it on a trailer, take it out of state, sell. 3 easy steps.
Rent a storage unit and park the truck for however long it takes to get State residency and register it in that State with another State’s tags. problem solved.
Stinking communist bastards continue to run roughshod over the servile & indolent Aamerican sheeple...
There are no limits to tyranny...
There is no end in sight!
“
Diesel vehicles are considered commercial and follow a strict guideline in the state”
I’ve seen the Roadkill guys swap diesel for gas and vice versa so its possible.
Don’t know how expensive it would be but if it were me, at this point I’d do it just for spite regardless of cost......the LAST thing I’d do is crush it......EFF that noise.
Challenge:
Every FReeper who still has an FB account (you know who you are) make a fake listing for a modified vehicle listed in NJ.
That ought to keep ‘em busy.
And if FB bans you, ACES!!!
What state isn’t going to inspect the emissions equipment to license it there? That’s a non-starter.
Why would he remove the emissions equipment in the first place?
He should probably remove the engine and sell the rest of it as parts.
This is all wrong, but they probably claim current jurisdiction and short of the $10k repair, will start to assess fines against him as there is no other legal way in their view to reolve this unless he destroys it. Even of he tows it to another state along with himself and all of his possessions, they will still go after him for all of the overdue fines and hound him for the rest of his life. Be a shame if due to publicity of this, the truck gets stolen and is never seen in NJ again.
His state may not be able to do anything about it, but if the truck crosses state lines the EPA will get involved. The deleted exhaust system is a huge red flag any more.
First mistake was even hinting that he modified the Ram expecially in a stoopid state like NJ. Second mistake was screwing with the interweb. He broke the STFU rule for anything important.
Idiot. He should have sold it as is with no mention of “modifications”. Except in private between seller and buyer.
Question from a non-diesel dude. The EHR is not operating under heavy load so what what advantage is there to removing it?
“Why would he remove the emissions equipment in the first place?”
Other than to get twice the power at half the fuel consumption, yea what is this guy thinking?
Tuner, straight pipes. Probably black smoke. Hate to be behind him at the stop light!
Why was the emissions equipment deleted?
Did he do that himself or was it stolen?
If he did it himself, did he sell it (for platinum recovery) or did he keep the parts or did he trash them?
It really sounds like the NJ government agency has tried to work with this guy.
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