We were advised to have the vehicles up to operating temperature prior to the test. This was accomplished by a couple of miles on the interstate and then off to Bill's Auto Repair in Caldwell. The test took less than 10 minutes per car and $10 each for the test service. Both vehicles passed and we were back home by 8:30 AM.
Here are some tips:
1. Make sure the vehicle is up to operating temperature.
2. Your check engine light is not on
3. Your gas cap is of the proper type for your vehicle
4. All the factory emissions equipment is in place on the vehicle.
On newer cars with on board diagnostics they don't even probe the tail pipe. A connector will be hooked up to the vehicle computer port and everything is in the automatic mode after that. Older cars get a probe up the exhaust pipe.
Testing stations get $3.00 the rest goes to DEQ and others. At Bill's they indicated nearly all vehicles pass the test. Those that don't will have to be repaired and retested.
The worst part of the testing was just having to take the vehicles to the testing station. We are none the worse for wear and $20 poorer for the experience. We have to wonder how long testing station operators will put up with getting $3.00 for all the bother they have to endure. Most of the money goes to others on this deal.
Air pollution is caused by too many cars on the road. Raise the price of gas to double or more what it is today and see how many cars with one peroson are going down the road.
ReplyDeleteEvery car on the road pollutes this testing program is a joke on all of us.
Better to be proactive than not. We need real leadership on this issue -action, not rhetoric.
ReplyDeleteI would be curious to know just how many vehicles do not pass and why they fail.
ReplyDeleteThe air in general seems to be pretty good around here except during the winter when we have inversions and the spring/summer when we have "controlled burns" and the fire season.
I hope the fire season is not something that precipitated all this testing of vehicles.
$10 every two years isn't a huge issue but the testers only get $3 and I wonder how long they can keep this up as they have to be losing money on every test they perform.
Good Point Paul.
ReplyDeleteThe problem I see with the testing is that you took your cars to your mechanic. Luckily for Bill they passed. If they hadn't you would have to take your car to Bill's competition because he can't fix a car he's tested. Bill gets $3.00 and his competitor gets $100.00 or better.
ReplyDeleteUnless of course Bill would have done the repairs before testing if he had reason to belive that your car would fail. Then he can repair and test and ensure that you pass! Then he gets the $3 and the +$100 dollars.
ReplyDeleteTo clarify, the car had the battery replaced by my daughter while on a trip to the Oregon coast. The smog testing was done in Boise and not by Bill's Service. The trip to the mechanic was at a boise garage.
ReplyDeletePaul
You have quickly thought up such matchless answer?
ReplyDelete