[stevenjchang]

my car needs an inspection and i'm dreading it

first question, does anyone live in dutches county or ulster country and have a mechanic i can trust not to rip me off.

this is the first time i'll be getting this car inspected, i bought it from a dealer on ebay

its a 94 accord, 120,000 miles. everything is fine... for the most part. i did get the muffler and the whole pipe replaced, but i went to a really cheap place, so, i was pissed but they ended up putting on a really cheap piece of crap metal pipe that they bent themselves (which i knew), but it doesnt fit at all and they chopped off the original metal bracket that held the muffler pipe (which i didnt know). but its not lose or anything. i have a trusted mechanic (friend of a friend of a friend) in a different county... i usually go there with my previous cars, but i'm afraid my car won't pass emissions this time with the cheap muffler.

hence the problem, i usually goto another country (westchester) because i trust them, but this inspection has to be done in dutchess (if i do it in dutchess i dont have to take the emissions - but the rest of the tests will be done by a shop i dont know) or do it in westchester and have to take an additional emissions tests which i might fail (and once i am given emission and fail, i have to pass it, i cant go up to dutchess and ignore it) i'm 80% sure my car will pass an honest inspection without emissions, different internet forums have different opinion on what's the likelyhood that shops are honest.

thoughts anyone? recommendations anyone? any nation-wide chains with good reputation perhaps?

 

[nealric]

The muffler shouldn't affect emissions unless you replaced the catalytic converter too.

Muffler just affects sound output. As long as your emissions stuff is functioning OK, you could pass emissions with no muffler.

 

[crapback]

Your car doesn't need to pass an exhaust emissions test. Check out the info here. NYS DMV - Vehicle Safety, Inspection, Repairs and Dealers As long at your catalytic convertor and egr and pcv valves are intact you should be fine. If your car was a 1996 or newer they could do a sniff test on it.

 

[JSTpt1022]

Is your check engine light on? No? Then relax.

 

[stevenjchang]

do you think if i take it to a jiffy lube or valvoline they're it would be a good idea since they dont do repairs anyways, they dont have too much of a reason to try anything... except on really small things like a lube job or an airfilter plus wipers (which is what i'm hoping for), i actually prob do need an airfilter and blades

Quote:

Originally Posted by crapback /img/forum/go_quote.gif Your car doesn't need to pass an exhaust emissions test. Check out the info here. NYS DMV - Vehicle Safety, Inspection, Repairs and Dealers As long at your catalytic convertor and egr and pcv valves are intact you should be fine. If your car was a 1996 or newer they could do a sniff test on it.

actually if i do it in westchester while registered in dutchess, i do have to take an emissions

it's happened before with two of my previous cars (older than '96)
and i called a different shop this morning and was told the same thing, i would have to take an emissions in westchester

 

[flashnolan]

I tried posting this twice already but there was maintenance.

There is a place I go to in Dutchess county off of rt. 84 on 52 towards Beacon called Guy's Sunocco. They are small and are part of the gas station. If you pass by the huge police station on the right you have gone too far. It is right after the 84 dinner on the left. They were recommended to me by a friend, and I have gone a few times and had no issues.

 

[crapback]

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevenjchang /img/forum/go_quote.gif do you think if i take it to a jiffy lube or valvoline they're it would be a good idea since they dont do repairs anyways, they dont have too much of a reason to try anything... except on really small things like a lube job or an airfilter plus wipers (which is what i'm hoping for), i actually prob do need an airfilter and blades actually if i do it in westchester while registered in dutchess, i do have to take an emissions it's happened before with two of my previous cars (older than '96) and i called a different shop this morning and was told the same thing, i would have to take an emissions in westchester

If a shop tells you that you need to pass an emissions test with that car and it's registered in an upstate county, avoid that shop period. The state regulations are on the NY site for everyone to see and if a shop doesn't even know the regs for their county I wouldn't trust them to tune up a spoon.

 

[stevenjchang]

Quote:

Originally Posted by crapback /img/forum/go_quote.gif If a shop tells you that you need to pass an emissions test with that car and it's registered in an upstate county, avoid that shop period. The state regulations are on the NY site for everyone to see and if a shop doesn't even know the regs for their county I wouldn't trust them to tune up a spoon.

actually, i thought the same thing as you did, but i was dead wrong, and so are you, apparently.

i went there are argued for 10 minutes, until they explained that I, like almost everyone i know, are MISREADING the dmv site. the ONLY cars that are exempt from an emissions test are cars less than 2 years old or over 25 years old. Any model AFTER 1996 will have to take the OBDII (onboard diagnostic) test, where emission scores are recorded on the car's computer chip. anything before 96 will need to have the car run and the emissions out of the tailpipe measured. the confusing exists because we didnt know there is a difference between OBDII emissions test and regular high/low emissions test.

so yeah, obviously you didn't really know what you were talking about when you said that the shop didnt know what they were talking about. plus, i know the shop personally so i know they weren't f'ing w me.


********
What emissions inspection is required if a gas-powered vehicle is not required to have the OBDII test and is not exempt from emissions inspection?

If a vehicle is a 1995 or older model gas-powered vehicle that is not exempt from emissions inspection the vehicle receives:

* A high-enhanced emissions inspection if the vehicle is registered in the NYCMA, or
* A low-enhanced emissions inspection if the vehicle is registered in the Upstate Area.


What motor vehicles are exempt from emissions inspection for gas-powered vehicles?

These motor vehicles are exempt from emissions inspection for gas-powered vehicles:

* Vehicles that are less than two model years old, or more than 25 model years old.
* Diesel-powered vehicles 8500 lbs. or less and Diesel-powered vehicles 8501 lbs. and more registered in the NYCMA area that are required to have the emissions inspection for diesel-powered vehicles.
* Electric-powered vehicles.
* Motorcycles.
* Vehicles that are registered as farm equipment or that have historical plates.
* Homemade vehicles or custom vehicles that are registered in the Upstate Area.

 

[crapback]

I didn't read the site wrong. Your car does not have to have the exhaust emissions tested as long as it's not registered in one of the 9 metro area counties. The onboard diagnostics test is to check that all the stock emissions equipment is there and functioning correctly, not to check the emission output levels of the engine. Cars don't record the emissions output. The only exhaust sensing equipment they have is the O2 sensor, which is there to help regulate the air/fuel mixture.

 

[Uncle Erik]

Do you have friends or family living in a different state? If so, ask if you can register it in their state. You might be able to skip the testing and possibly pay a lower registration fee, as well.

If you get pulled over, the answer is simple. Tell the officer that the car is in tye other state more than 50% of the time. That's the rule and you almost never get an argument.

 

[JSTpt1022]

I drive a 95' Civic. It has been registered in Orange County NY since 2002 when I bought it. It has never been subjected to an emissions test and it never will be. It regularly passes inspection with flying colors at whatever shop I can get into on a Saturday with no appointment. I don't know what some of you are talking about.