Here is a little more about the current SMOG laws in CA:
This is from one of my collegues at work.
>For the past month (actually for the past 8 years), I've
been going thru the nightmare called the 'smog inspection'. I
can't say if this will help anyone else, but I thought I would
pass my personal experience along as a warning.
[Preamble verbage to explain polluting car]
Anyway, the car passed three inspections without any major work.
Then, two years ago when the car came up for the bienniel inspection,
the car failed the inspection, but since a rebuilt caburetor cost about
$600, not counting labor, I got an exemption (though not without
paying ~$200 in smog repairs, not counting the costs of the tests).
The BAR told me I had to wait for registration renewal before I could
take the car in for testing. At that point, if the cost exceeded
$175, which is determined by make of car, year, and county, I could
obtain an exemption. If the car was judged a 'gross polluter', the
exemption limit would not apply. The car would have to be fixed no
matter what the cost. They would not tell me how I could determine
if my car was a gross polluter.
Well, anyway I had the car tested (BTW, GTP doesn't work for all
cars), and it came up a 'gross polluter', and after working on this
for about a month, spending a great deal more money that I wanted,
and taking time off from work, I just found out this label stays with
my car, and I'm subject to an annual smog inspection for the next
three years, at a referee station. If I'd known this before, I would
have junked the car. Anyway, I have to wait another month for my
appointment at the referee station, and by that time the registration
will have expired, and just like two years ago, I'll probably get
stopped several times, and given traffic citations.
- note, the 'gross polluter' limits are not that high and in some
cases their machines may be calibrated wrong. i.e. the limits
are set too low. Call the BAR and ask them what the limits are.
If necessary, lie to them and tell them you already had the car
tested.
- Make sure if you buy a used car, it is not listed as a
'gross polluter'.
<
...so there it is. It looks like an investment in a Gunson emissions
meter may be wise. At least for clubs. The AQMD is getting out of
control...
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*Philippe Tusler - Mission Viejo, CA | "MILOU" '57 MGA Roadster *
*A-Mail: <TUSLER@MP050> | "TINTIN" '66 MG/MGB-GT *
*InterNet: TUSLER@MP050.MV.unisys.com | "N/A" '88 ISUZU Trooper*
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