Smog Issue

Alan_Hepburn wrote:

ol Bombero-JC wrote:

You can now go six (6) years w/o a smog test for new cars.
Owner still pays the fee - just *NO* test required.
(Slick deal ....for the *State*, huh?)
Wonderful - especially for the small business folks that invested thousands of bucks in testing equipment - (dynos aren't cheap) and were assured that cars would need a test every 2 years.

CA sold 'em down that River too!.:(


~

All new cars are exempt from testing for the first 5 years, then they get tested every 2 years - it's been that way seemingly forever. You pay a registration fee every year - that's completely separate from any smog test fees. You only pay a smog test fee when you get a smog test.

My BIL that owns a smog test facility would be ROTFL at that.
The 5 year (which gets you 6) has *NOT* been that way "seemingly forever"..:S

My 1994 Buick (when new): - *choose* to pay an additional "fee" and you got an extra TWO years (max).

That evolved into the "first 5 years" you cite (which makes it 6).
It's included in the price you pay for the vehicle.
(CA still gets their bucks - it simply became "guaranteed" - and the test facility owners got the shaft!)

The Smog test *fee* is what the state gets for the test certificate.
Same everywhere.
The shop doing the test charges to perform the test - that's the difference in the various prices you see advertised.

And - of course...annual *REGISTRATION* fee has nothing to do with the smog test fee..:S
If a smog is required - you don't get tags.....unless you pass -or- your vehicle is exempt from testing -or- is garaged out of the test req'd areas.

CA will be happy to take your registration fee (but not issue tags) while you do necessary repairs to pass a req'd smog test.

~