getting yet another smog check.
For those that don't about this, in California, we have to have our cars tested every 2 years for smog levels.
It used to be (Smog 1) just a hose up the ol' tail pipe, smog measured at idle and at high rpm, a print out, about $25, and then finally after paying another $8 or $9 bucks for a smog "certificate" to mail in along with the registration fee, that was it.
Now (Smog 2) it costs anywhere from $60-$600 for the test (depending on if the state doesn't like your car) plus the "certificate"-- fortunately, they like my car! I understand you have to drive half way across the state for a special test if they don't! (They only used to have 2 of these testing sites in the state. I don't know if that is still true.)
If your car is completely stock, and if your car fails, you have to get it fixed (maximum of $500 worth of repairs every time). If your car isn't stock, there is no limit on the repair costs.
Except now it is done all electronically, so there is no paper certificate, and they still charge you $8 for one! Now the test takes about 45 min. per car, and they have to put your car up on a dynamometer!
Everyone in my family has had to do this for each vehicle, every 2 years, and guess what? No one has ever failed. That's 9 cars, tested every 2 years, for the last 15 years or so, and it has accomplished what? Other than wasted a lot of time and money.--let's see, about 7 checks per vehicle times 9 = 63 times. 63 checks times $40 = $2520 dollars and about 31 days wasted getting those smog checks that have accomplished nothing.
I read that technology already exists, and was turned down by our liberal legislature, that can check cars while they are driving on the freeway. Doing this, you could eliminate all this hassle, wasted time and wasted cash. You could even give a brand new Cadillac to anyone who's car got caught exceeding the set smog levels, and it would cost the tax payers of the state 1/10 what they are paying now.
And now that you passed your smog test yet again, they add insult to injury! If you use the internet to pay for your registration fee (the highest rate in the country), they charge you a $4 convenience fee! Is that outrageous or what? No extra fee if you pay by mail. Does that make sense to anyone? They want you to use the internet, and it is easier for both you and the state, so they charge extra?
Thank you big government!,
Rodney
