Emissions? Were they kidding?

[Nick C.]

I took my x in to get emissions tested today. I know they do a OBD II scan here in Maryland so I was wondering what they would find and a little nervous I wouldn't pass. I pull into the station they take my $14 dollars check to see if my gas cap is tight, get in my x do a fast start and print me out my page telling me I passed. Why don't they just put up a sign "Pay $14 and you'll pass".

 

[MyExpWork]

Dude, thats nothing. I pay about 50.00 bucks in CA and it takes about an hour.

Brian

 

[Robert]

They should have plugged a scanner into your OBD-II port. Here in Arizona, we just started doing that on OBD-II vehicles. They figure that the computers are accurate and sensative enough that if their is an emmissions related problem the computer will show it. If you have a CEL, you will fail. It made what used to be a 90 minute wait in line ordeal into a 10 minute, drive up, get scanned, give money process.

 

[rvitek]

Yea, but why the hell do we have to give money now? I think my vehicle taxes are high enough in IL, why extra money for this?

 

[Robert]

Where else are the funds gonna come from to pay for the emmissions building and all of the employees? We have some of the highest vehicle license taxes in the U.S. next to California, but that money is asigned for other things like road impovements and such.

 

[dogfriend]

You would be really pissed if you were in CA. You have to get tested at least every other year, and like MyExpWork says the average cost is $50 plus an additional $8 for the "state certificate" (they transmit results directly to the DMV so there isn't any actual certificate anymore).

What would really chap your hide is the special allowance for vehicles that are less than 3 years old: You don't have to get the test until the 3rd year, but they collect the fee ($8) in the second (and again in the 3rd) year anyway. But it isn't a tax

 

[DeagleDave]

hurray for FL! no emissions testing in my part of Florida anyways.

 

[Mike]

that sucks.. here in NY it takes about 20 min with a dyno test.. and i think its $35

 

[DocVijay]

Originally posted by DeagleDave
hurray for FL! no emissions testing in my part of Florida anyways.

Not any more anyway. They used to test cars. I had to get mine checked every year when I lived in Florida. I just found out from my mother that they don't do it any more.

We had a Mercedes with a 5.6L V8 that would never pass emissions. Our mechanic would detune it and then get it passed, and then "fix" it back to make full power.

 

[DocVijay]

Oh, and here in Texas, we have annual inspections. They do the gas cap check, and some other stuff, including a test drive to check stuff out. Then they plug the thing into the tail pipe to check emissions. Then you pay $25 and get the sticker if you pass. My X is actually amazingly clean, especially considering how many "illegal" mods I have.

 

[KEbert]

Originally posted by MyExpWork
Dude, thats nothing. I pay about 50.00 bucks in CA and it takes about an hour.

Brian

And the sad thing about California is that we have all these emissions restrictions, which I'm all for actually, but we still have the dirtiest air.

 

[dogfriend]

Originally posted by KEbert
And the sad thing about California is that we have all these emissions restrictions, which I'm all for actually, but we still have the dirtiest air.

Because we have more cars than everyone else. One eighth of the population of the US lives in California.

Also, you have more pollution in Auburn because all of the smog from the valley blows up there. Sorry. At least I maintain my vehicle so that I'm not putting out any more than necessary.

 

[DeagleDave]

Originally posted by dogfriend
Because we have more cars than everyone else. One eighth of the population of the US lives in California.

correction you have 1/8 of the "legal" population of the US., we in florida seem to attract all the freakin illegal immigrants which really sucks. i wonder what our real population number would read if they counted all those that swam, ran, flew, rowed and snuck in. FL however is lucky all our dirty air blows out to sea,

 

[dogfriend]

I'm not sure whether that figure counts our "illegal immigrant" population or not. I don't think that they actually know how many there are.

One proposed solution to this is to grant citizenship to everyone who is already here -- poof, no more illegal immigrant problem.....

 

[KEbert]

I didn't realize you are so close. Cool, more Nor Cal people! I'm aware of the massive population of California, and the ahh "not counted" population as well. Another thing that is screwed about California is that emissions standards are not equal statewide. San Fransico is less stringent because they don't have a smog problem, it all blows up to me. But Sacramento is controlled because there is a problem. Oh well, I don't mean to rant here.

 

[dogfriend]

Is Auburn considered to be a Smog Check 2 area (dyno testing) or just the tailpipe test? We are Smog Check 2, but the Explorer just gets the tailpipe test because of the Auto 4wd. My parents live near Placerville and I'm pretty sure that they just have the tailpipe test there.

 

[Hartman]

They don't do emissions testing in Indiana anymore because the farmers trucks never passed and it caused major problems. (true story)

 

[KEbert]

The last time I had it done it was on a dyno. So yes, it's 2. Or at least it was when I had it done.

Hartman - That is a sad story. There is no excuse to allow blatent air pollution.

 

[dogfriend]

One thing about California's Smog Law that is @ss backwards is that if you have a vehicle that is 30 old or more, no smog check is required at all.

What this means is that a lot of the older, more polluting cars are out on the road and have no emission devices at all. I think that the theory is that age will eliminate these cars eventually, but in most areas in California, rust is not a problem so you can keep a vehicle running virtually forever as long as you can still get parts for it.

This is great if you have an older car, but isn't the best policy if youre serious about reducing smog.

 

[DocVijay]

Same in Texas, but here the cut-off is 24 years. After that, no emissions. Good thing too, because none of them would pass!