California Smog Check Sucks!
The CA Smog inspection is a total racket here in California, especially Los Angeles County.
If you own an older car, the bi-yearly smog inspection can be a nightmare! Say you have a car that is 10 years old or older that runs great, spews NO smoke, etc. However for some reason they always find something wrong when you go for the gut wrenching smog check test.
- Most problems are:
Timing is off, gas pressure leak, bad catalytic converter, visually something is wrong, or anything really. Every year the state implements more silly tests as to make sure you fail the smog check.
But hey, the car runs fine, right? Well… in my experience there is always something stupid that has to be “fixed”. Meanwhile diesel cars and trucks are exempt?! Correct me if I’m wrong but don’t they spew out black polluting smoke all the time?! But no, its YOUR car that seemingly runs great that is the cause of all this smog in Los Angeles, right?
The smog repairs are always expensive, even if you qualify for state assistance, the “certified” crooked mechanics will find a way to exhaust all the state funds and still squeeze a few bucks out of you at the same time (our tax dollars at work, folks). Even after all that it seems your car runs worse now, even though you have dropped a “kings ransom” on it to finally be CA Smog compliant!
I got to be honest, most mechanics in Los Angeles suck! They do not know what they are doing, don’t care, and just want to rip you off cause they are a “struggling business”. Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of good mechanics out there, but hard to find. Avoid the big chains (big crooks!) or any place that is empty (meaning no repeat business). There are honest shops out there, however a lot I have had the experience with do real sloppy work, c’mon!
Seems everything involves sloppy work here in LA, ever walked into a new apartment lately? Sloppy work all over the place!!
As you can tell I fall victim to this every 2 years, or if your car is a “gross polluter” its every year. It just so happens I brought my car into one shop in Sherman Oaks where it failed the smog inspection, they did some work and ran the test again only to be a “gross polluter” now! Eventually it got fixed, but the CA DMV tagged my car as a “gross polluter” for that one test, so I get a “must smog check” every year on my registration renewal notice.
I can fight this right? Ha! Have you ever tried to fight a parking ticket here in Los Angeles, it’s like dealing with the Mob! The whole thing is disorganized on purpose just to get money out of you. Parking tickets in LA are a whole other story… Even my friend who is an attorney said “you can’t beat them”.
Hey California, if you want to clean up the smog, get rid of all your diesel city vehicles and go hybrid and also make everyone else with a diesel car go for a nice CA smog inspection. Oh I know, the state of California is broke, right? (in a 3 part harmony) …Bullshit!!!
So you ask, “how can I avoid this”? Save yourself a LOT of headache and just buy a new car or one a few years old still under factory warranty. Even a cheaper new car will save you a lot of grief! Living in Los Angeles you have enough crap to deal with, so try and avoid the California smog inspection… 
Random Posts
A random “Smog Check” inspection & repair “secret shopper” audit, ethanol cap and elimination of dual fuel CAFE credit can cut California car impact over 50% in 2010. (Prevent Over 2000 tons per day of sulfur, HC, NOx, CO & CO2.) Improved performance of AB32 at reduced cost. (support H.R. 1207)
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/energy/program.html
For years the Tom and Tom, Sierra Research report, funded with tax dollars, has been used to develop public policy and withheld from public view.
California spends tax to promote fraud against small business behind closed doors.
49% Smog Check fraud?
August 26, 2009 Letter to Governor Schwarzenegger and Legislative Leadership
http://www.imreview.ca.gov/correspondence/governor_49percent_report_8.25.09.pdf
Clean Air Performance Professionals
Friday, January 29, 2010
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
State Capitol Building
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: 916-445-2841
Fax: 916-558-3160 ( new number )
C/o Lisa
RE: Sierra Research Report SR 2007-04-01
Dear Mr. Governor
California Air Resources Board (CARB) and The Department of Consumer Affairs/ Bureau of Automotive Repair DCA/BAR have contracted with Sierra Research for a Report of Smog Check performance.
Sierra has informed me the report was final in March 2009 and released to CARB.
CARB, BAR, IMRC, and the California Legislature are using the Report for public policy but refusing to release the publicly funded Report.
Mr. Governor, I’m confused, can you refer me to someone who might help?
Cc to interested parties
From: Charlie Peters
Clean Air Performance Professionals
cappcharlie@earthlink.net
(510) 537-1796 – fax: (510) 537-9675
CAPP contact: Charlie Peters (510) 537-1796 cappcharlie@earthlink.net
Money available to clean air and improve smog program
Charlie Peters, The Daily Review / MY WORD, August 14, 2002
The smog check issue has been under continuous legislative debate since 1993. AB 2637 by Dennis Cardoza is an opportunity to improve program performance and public support.
We at the Clean Air Performance Professionals propose “reasonably available control measures” to improve California Smog Check performance. Consider a Consumer Assistance Program (CAP) quality audit (secret shopper) to improve smog check performance.
We propose using the CAP cars and funds to provide random quality audit of smog check providers. Audits that result in the car’s not being in compliance should be handled similarly to the former Consumer Repair and Education Workforce program. The Bureau of Automotive Repair program did not fine the licensees nor did it involve coercion. But when the question of “what would you like to do?” was asked, the shop took care of business and usually elected to fix the car.
The average smog check failure repair is about $ 150.00 statewide. The motorist pays about the same at the average repair station and the CAP station The average CAP repair is about $350.00. Many cars are not brought into compliance.
To level the smog check failure repair playing field so more cars meet standards after repair, the whole smog check market should be subject to a CAP (secret shopper) random audit.
Around 1985, BAR started a “missing part” audit. In 1991 that program was stopped,
The difference was a 300 percent change in result in finding the missing part.
When BAR ran fewer than on audit per station per year, the result was a change in behavior that started at more than an 80 percent rate, but moved to less than 20 percent rate of noncompliance.
The difference was a 300 percent change in result in finding the missing part. If the CAP audit was addressing the issue of repair compliance rather than just finding a missing part, the results may be the same or a 300 percent improvement in compliance.
With the missing part program, a follow-up audit with increasing demands lift the stations no options but to find the missing part or be removed from the game.
There are huge inconsistencies from smog check station to station and with BAR representatives. For BAR to decide a car is not in compliance, rules of smog check must be clarified. Money is available for the CAP program. It can be used for contracted scrap and repairs, or some of the funds can be used to evaluate and support improved
Performance of licensed small business. The cars and funds are the same, but the results may be credit for 2,000 tons per day in pollution prevention credit in the State Implementation Plan, rather than our current credit of fewer than 100 tons per day.
The governor and state Legislature would get the credit for improved performance. Performance improvements would be accomplished at a cost of less than $500.00 per ton. And program illusions would be reduced in 1 year.
Charlie Peters is president of Clean Air Performance Professionals. 510.537.1796
(retyped from original)
What percentage of clean piped cars would pass a Smog Check?
What percentage of cars not clean piped would pass a Smog Check?
What percentage of cars that fail a Smog Check and receive a pass after repairs would pass another Smog Check?
What percentage of cars that fail a Smog Check are repaired by auto repair dealers for pay are not Smog Check licensed?
Does DCA/BAR Chief Sherry Mehl audit Smog Checks to see if the fault of a failed car is repaired?
What percentage of tampered Smog Checks are repaired using CAP funds?
What percentage of cars repaired at CAP stations are repaired using CAP funds that do not fail a Smog Check?
Improving California’s Smog Check System
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLaBbcmZemA&feature=player_embedded#!