quote:

Originally posted by heavyd:
Maybe partly because some will take emission control parts off, like catalytic converters.

I know many cars (even older ones) will still easily pass the smog test without a catalytic converter. They might only fail if the tester looks and sees it missing.

quote:

Originally posted by chongosuerte:
you get to pay an extra $12 or so every year if you have tint.

I have to ask... what's the reasoning behind that?

quote:

will still easily pass the smog test without a catalytic converter.

Here the test is just a plug in to your OBDII to read codes. No codes you pass. If you just reset the system it can tell and they will make you bring it back after driving so many miles.

Funny thing though have an older Acura TL where the OBDII plug is behind a plastic cover on the dash below the radio. They never plug into it. The tester always calls over a supervisor that types something into the computer and I get a you passed.

I think they are afraid to let their employees remove a part of the dash for fear of breaking something.

Indiana did away with emission tests about 10 years ago. Pretty good state, lifetime carry permits, picture voter id, signatures and paper ballots that leave a trail.

Mississippi has never had emissions testing. We did have so called safety inspections. Not much was inspected for a five dollar fee. They finally eliminated that. I will say there are a lot of cars with no bumper and one headlight. Not many tickets are written for that. When I lived in Illinois and Wisconsin those cars were pulled over in a heartbeat. Mississippi tends to have few regulations.

quote:

Originally posted by Phantom229:
We (Washington State) stopped last year I believe.

Which is fucking amazing if you ask me. The only thing green about the whole thing was the money The Man was making. The state, especially this one, giving up a revenue stream? Bonkers.

Never had it tested. It is not required at all in MO.

17 counties in Texas require emissions testing via OBDII check. My last car was a 96 Nissan 240sx, pre computer so I had to take it to someone with a dyno.

The worst part about Texas is the corresponding safety check. I get not wanting unsafe vehicles out there, but it's the ticky tack shit they would point out that was a PITA. I got dinged once for some power steering fluid residue on the hose by the reservoir, I had done a flush and must've spilled just a little. It obviously wasn't leaking but that was enough to fail inspection, so I literally had to go home, clean it off, and return for a free re-test. The 240 also failed for a broken parking light that got crushed when some jackwagon backed into it, which was just a running light next to the headlight. It's not even on the list of items that are required to be checked. Had to find one on ebay or something and finagle it in there. Dumb.

In some states, certain counties are tested as part of a consent decree with the EPA when that county’s air quality is bad for a certain number of days per year. Even if the state wanted to ditch the testing, they can’t without inviting a federal fine. In Utah we have cold inversions that cause smog. We would have them if there were no vehicles on the road. We will never see the end of testing, IMO.

quote:

Originally posted by vthoky:

quote:

Originally posted by chongosuerte:
you get to pay an extra $12 or so every year if you have tint.

I have to ask... what's the reasoning behind that?

I expect it’s to offset the cost of the tiny meter the inspection station (private businesses registered with the state) has to buy. They actually check the level, 35% being the limit.

And it gets them an extra twelve bucks. I think they get to keep it.

Talk about a scam.

They used to have the Air Team (maybe they still do) in Illinois. They got those "techs" straight from the halfway house. Fucking morons were more concerned with finding a radio station than "testing."

If you failed, they would give you a list of "approved" repair facilities.

VA, at least northern VA, even inspects diesels, at least for 100,000 miles. Here in NC we do a safety only on your brand new F250. The biggest crock was the undercover inspectors who went around to new car dealers trying to trap the techs doing inspections. What a bunch of assholes.

quote:

Originally posted by comet24:

quote:

will still easily pass the smog test without a catalytic converter.

Here the test is just a plug in to your OBDII to read codes. No codes you pass. If you just reset the system it can tell and they will make you bring it back after driving so many miles.

Funny thing though have an older Acura TL where the OBDII plug is behind a plastic cover on the dash below the radio. They never plug into it. The tester always calls over a supervisor that types something into the computer and I get a you passed.

I think they are afraid to let their employees remove a part of the dash for fear of breaking something.

On an older Porsche 911 that's pre-OBD2, they use the sniffer up the tail pipe.
Sometimes the car may be in "test mode" so a test pipe (straight pipe) is installed instead of the Cat. It passes the sniffer smog test with flying colors. I think it's all about the $29 the state wants. The results don't actually matter.

In Az. only Pima and Maracopa Co. have to go through emissions testing every year. The newer cars test via OBDll port, and the older ones hit the dyno for a cruse and idle sniff test. The state just last year added an additional $32 to each car for some sort of BS. The '72(I think) and older cars do not test.

quote:

Originally posted by chongosuerte:

quote:

Originally posted by vthoky:

quote:

Originally posted by chongosuerte:
you get to pay an extra $12 or so every year if you have tint.

I have to ask... what's the reasoning behind that?

I expect it’s to offset the cost of the tiny meter the inspection station (private businesses registered with the state) has to buy. They actually check the level, 35% being the limit.

And it gets them an extra twelve bucks. I think they get to keep it.

Ehhh... I kinda can see that. Sort of.
But the stubborn guy in me asks, "I buy a car and tint the windows, once. Then I've got to pay the state for that tint every year? It's not like it changes, wears, fades, or causes damage to other things."

Twelve bucks isn't a hill to die on, though. I s'pose I'd grouch about it for a day (probably inspection day) and go on about life.

It is a tax on driving, nothing more.