Thread: Smog and the DMV

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This one could be used on Late Night (with Letterman before he retired)
Top 10 reason's not to live in California
#1 the DMV........(imagine all othere lines including politics, actors, Big Government.....and 5 lines devoted to the Deparment of Motor vehicles)
Noticed a check engine light pop on in the Tacoma before my registration came in the mail...this is a smog year. Got out the code reader and yup catalyst issue. So I replace the up and down stream o2 sensors, cleared the code and drove it about 200 miles before it tripped the same code again. Talked with mechanic friend, and he said yup, with new o2 sensors it's the catalytic converter. So I talked with my muffler shop friend and asked if I bought a converter would he weld it on. He said sure, but it would be better to buy the converter from him, because he warrantee's them for 5 years. Knowing what Napa auto sold them for I asked him how much? He replied $170.00 for converter and 100.00 for install. The toyota dealer quoted me around $1000.00 dollars. So I did the quick math, new converter from Napa for me to buy $220.00 plus tax(kelly was giving me $50.00 dollars off for the same Napa part number / brand part! So after that was done, I drove it another week and got it smogged for 60 bucks. Here's the kicker....
I noticed thru this whole process the tag expired Aug 2017, but never got a renewal in the mail. Now I had received the non op for my 48, the reg for my 89 Harley and the reg for the MR2, in the last several months, so I call the DMV and find I'm now being charged a 50 dollar late fee in addition to the $110.00 fee for reg. I explain that I moved over a year ago and had so many problems with them messing up address changes from their online site, that I had talked with a DMV guy via phone and made sure all my vehicles and my driver's licence had been updated to my new address and last July I got my truck reg mailed here. He says the truck is still registered to my old home address prior to my divorce two years ago. I swear they just can't seem to get their crap together!
All said and done a 1998 Toyota tacoma 4x4 with 195k on it cost $590.00 to pass smog and get registered. Crazyness!
Anyway I think as long as everything behaves and if taxes don't kill me, I will finally be able to save and budget for the 48 truck after many years of watching it collect dust!

Forgot to add while Kelly welded on the new muffler, the toyota dealer dropped off a vehicle for him to smog....yup that's right they don't do the work Kelly does it for what he charged me, and then they triple the cost to the customer!

It's all about the Benjamins, I don't understand you people that put up with that garbage.

Good thread Steve.
I gotta take the coupe for it's annual inspection Monday. And I just heard that the state has now put cameras in the inspections bay so they can watch the techs perform an inspection and make sure it's done right! I can't imagine it as all the inspection stations are just neighborhood garages / gas stations and they are being required to have a camera supervising them?? I don't know if it's true but I'll find out Monday.

The coupe is exempt from emissions but they still need to do the safety check. ( lights / wipers / ball joints / tires) but usually I drive it in and he slaps the sticker on it, we went to high school together and used to hang out with each other.

ours is pretty simple here unless you live in the big cities where they use the sniffers . lights , brakes, tires and wipers. had one telling me i had to replace the windshield because of a crack . told him fine just show me in the book aint there . we did go to one sticker for reg and inspection .

So far in Iowa we don't have any checks. I suppose it's just a matter of time.

Originally Posted by 53 Chevy5

So far in Iowa we don't have any checks. I suppose it's just a matter of time.

Let's hope not. It's just one more tax, and we have plenty of them now.

Originally Posted by 53 Chevy5

So far in Iowa we don't have any checks. I suppose it's just a matter of time.

If they'd quit bringing more libs to this state it'll be even farther out.

Originally Posted by 40FordDeluxe

If they'd quit bringing more libs to this state it'll be even farther out.

Amen to that!

Fortunately in AZ testing is only required if you live in the Tucson and Phoenix Areas.....kind of. They determine if you "live" in those areas by the zip code on your registration and drivers license. The registration tab on the license plate serves as the emissions sticker (AZ will revoke the plate if you miss an emissions inspection). They can tell at a glance if the vehicle is required by to have emissions testing or not by the color of the Tab.


The kicker is if you commute to the Phoenix or Tucson areas for purposes such as work or school you are also required to go thru the testing. Several years ago a friend of mine who lives in an area that wasn't required to have the test took a job in Tucson. Within 3 months a cop stopped by the store he worked at and let him know he had noticed the car in front of the store every day and figured he worked there. Because he was commuting to Tucson he was required to start having the vehicle emission tested.

Thank god I live where I do, of the 6 cars I currently have registered and insured 4 would never pass the visual portion of the inspection. None of the daily drivers would get a sticker because all of them have engines that were never offered in that particular make and model. The only 2 that would be legal..... based on an age exemption (which only affects cars that were built in 1967 or before) are the 57 Plymouth and the 37 Dodge.



.

Ya know.............life in podunky Central Texas ain't too bad.
California used to be pretty good...........................50+ years ago..........

I'm feeling your pain...lol..when I lived in Kansas I bought the renewal tags for my sweeties malibu..about fell over when the dmv lady said "that will be $430.00!!!" I replied I only wanted to purchase tags for her car, not everyone in line!...moved to illinois and to tag my pickup was $195 plus 3 hours of my time!.. I guess there's no inspection here..thankfully! Sure miss Delawares cheap tag at $40 per year !

my pop was a trucker and use to carry an extra 40 dollars when he hauled to cal. he said the min he hit az he got a smoke ticket and then another one when he entered cal. they see tex tag you were toast .
not very crowded where i live if you dont count cattle .

These are reasons I have this thing for a daily driver. It's a 1992, legal in every state except California ( unless you have a $10,000 emissions modification ).. It's emissions exempt, gets 39 MPG yet is 4x4 and has a carburetor and 8 electrical circuits... The 1996 F-150 behind it barely passed emissions check due to an AIR pump CEL. Also has a comparable size bed to the F-150 and a moderate payload considering

And if anyone is wondering what it is. It's a Suzuki Carry. Japanese domestic market truck that I bought straight from an importer fresh off the boat. 3cyl 660cc. It is one of their KEI class vehicles. 52" wide, and about 10' in total and weighs in at 1,562 lbs.. And yes, it keeps up with traffic

my boots wouldn't fit in that