Reply #3: Here's the deal...I prefer mechanics [View All]

[Xithras]

The smog machines themselves are pretty foolproof, so the emissions test itself won't be any different between the two.

Personally, I prefer to take it to mechanics, and here's why: Most mechanics will "pre-test" your car for a small fee (some even do it free) to let you know if it will pass before charging you (make sure you ask about this up front, and don't be shy about taking your business to someone else if they say no to the request...they may just be busy, and will probably bend when they realize that it will cost them a sale). Why is this important? Because all of the California smog test machines are hooked up to a big computer in Sacramento, and if your car fails its test too badly the first time around the machine will immediately dial up the main PC at the DMV, flag your VIN as a gross polluter, and you will be forced to smog your car EVERY YEAR even if you fix the problem that caused the failure in the first place. There is no way for the mechanic to abort this notification, and it would be illegal for him to try. Once your car is labeled a gross polluter, you cannot legally have that designation removed. The resale value of your car will drop through the floor, you will ONLY be allowed to test at Test-Only stations from that point on, and you will have to do it every single year, rather than the standard "every two".

Test-only shops don't pretest. Mechanics will do it because they HOPE your car will fail so they can charge you to fix it, but that incentive doesn't exist for the test-only shops. They plug your car in, test it, and you're stuck with the results.

Test-Only shops also tend to be far stricter on things like the condition of the fuel-cap gasket or the vacuum hoses under the hood (FYI, my old minivan passed the emissions test a few years back, but I failed my smog check because the rubber gasket on my gas cap had a tiny crack on it...that was at a Test-Only station), while mechanics tend to be more lenient about normal wear that doesn't affect the devices operation.

Finally, if you do fail, most reputable mechanics will retest free or for a discount if you let them do the repair work. If you go to a Test-Only station and fail, you are going to have to take your car to a mechanic anyway, and then bring it back to the Test-Only station to pay full price for a SECOND test (I have never seen a Test-Only station offer free or discounted retests).

All in all, I think mechanics are the better route. Just make sure to ask around for a reputable one first...ask your friends or coworkers where they take theirs.