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.
“Bunk! Honda perfected the ICE while Toyota fags put out all efforts and money into Prius.”
LOL! We had two Highlanders a now a 2014 Lexus. Zero problems!
“Guess what/ 70% of his Prius miles are on the highway. IOW ICE on a 95 HP motor..... lol another hybrid fake out!”
I was on the interstate left lane with a group of cars going 95. I see a Prius coming up in my rear view mirror doing over 100.
“Don’t know anything about diesel emissions equipment, but on gas engines a tremendous amount of that stuff robs power, breaks quickly, is largely irrelevant, and in many cases, the failure modes cause more pollution.”
Which systems? How much power?
I have full emissions. 750 hp and 28 mpg on cruise control.
“No I get that, but once he said, screw it I am not going to sell it.. I’m going to just keep it as an off road, how the hell can they force him to crush it? That’s where I get lost in this.”
They are not forcing him to crush it. They are requesting restore his car to meet legal standards. No mention of any charges his existing violations.
I can’t cite the law on your issue and how they apply it but he had already violated federal and state laws. They knew he was flaunting the law for some time. He probably wanted to dump his car before the new inspection due date.
The first was an informal letter putting him on notice. Apparently several contacts happened over the next few weeks. NJ said he refused to comply.
We don’t know what he said to them. We only have his word.
This guy told the media:
—————BS!-————
“I don’t have these parts because I bought the truck that way,” he told me. “I didn’t know anything about this;
The reduction in power was in the 70s and 80s, not so much anymore. Even in the 90’s power levels had recovered, mainly due to the aforementioned computer driven fuel injection.
Catalytic converters drove lead-free gasoline, more conservative camshafts were used, and compression was dropped. Also, carburetors were similarly detuned.
Currently EGR systems are supposed to be inactive at wide open throttle, but they definitely impact part-throttle power. This requires all-or-nothing driving where you always have to floor it to get decent power, then you get too much. And many of these fail in an open state killing power all the time. Because they only affect part-throttle power (when working correctly) their detrimental effect is not measured or accounted for.
A properly functioning catalytic converter isn’t much of a problem, but when they fail they not only rob power, but can take out an engine.
I admit I am no lawyer here… but once purchased it’s his vehicle.
Reauiring standards to be licensed I understand… but telling him he can’t operate it and must crush it when not using it as a registrred vehicle on privat lend and must crush it?
This has all sorts of constitutional issues I would think… far as I can tell this guy hasn’t even been formally charged with a crime let alone convicted but are taking his truck without compensation?
I fully get you can’t do this and be street legal but to say you have to forfeit your vehicle and can’t use it at all?!? In any capacity?!? Not following this
Roll Coal ......
What this really shows is the government bureaucrats don’t care about you and me, they want that DIESEL destroyed..............
Seabold in an interview claimed that his instructions were given to him on his cell phone. The noise of his Ram Diesel engine prevented him from hearing what was being said.
Well, I hardly think Jersey would bother to try intrastate extadition for that. And in my experience if you just don’t pay fines, the state writes them off after a few years and that’s the end of it. So he should probably just boogie out of there and not look back.
“So he should probably just boogie out of there and not look back.”
LOL! Keyboard warrior strikes again!
I modified a Duramax for towing a few years ago. With all the exhaust system and stock turbo in place, I got 12 MPG empty, 6 MPG towing a load. After I got done modifying the engine, I got as much as 35 MPG empty and 17-18 MPG towing. I did little to the fuel map and focused on air with a turbo that flowed twice the air.
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