"BoulderZ" (BoulderZ)
06/26/2014 at 15:50 Filed to: None
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"BoulderZ" (BoulderZ)
06/26/2014 at 15:50 Filed to: None | 0
| 15 |
While successfully readying for, and passing, tech inspection for my Z yesterday, I got a postcard from our County Clerk. It was the registration renewal reminder for my truck. Better yet, it had a nice, highlighted notice on it: "Emissions Test Not Required". Hooray! It's always nice to get some good news.
I know complaining about emissions testing, registration, the DMV, and so on is the common deal, but I can't say I have anything to complain about. For reference, I'm in Colorado. We have online registration, and our emissions tests are usually easy drive-by sites linked to the registration. Qualifying vehicles (which is most of them) that have renewals coming up get logged if they pass, and the renewal is set not to require a visit to a testing facility. Exceptions are diesels, over 10,000 lbs., pre-1982, and others you might expect. And our standards are pretty easy: basically, if it's tuned correctly (not too rich or lean) you'll pass.
All I have to do is sit on the couch with a laptop, pay the bill like any other, and the new registration and stickers show up in the mail. By having most cars/owners eligible for automated and online processing, the in-person facilities are freed up for the more difficult situations, making it better for everyone all the way around.
Bonus: I don't have to explain to the techs about my EFI/turbo conversion on an 80s pickup.
Here's hoping it's as easy in your locale!
mcseanerson
> BoulderZ
06/26/2014 at 15:52 |
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No emissions period here in my part of Ohio.
thebigbossyboss
> BoulderZ
06/26/2014 at 15:55 |
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Nope. Check engine light is on. Won't turn off. Is an automatic fail. I should add, certain Benz's just fail here automatically.
A small number of a certain series of Mercedes-Benz's 2006 C Class and CLK-Class models are not able to communicate with the new testing equipment," Jordan said. "Our Drive Clean office is aware of this and is investigating the situation to determine a cause and solution.
http://www.torontosun.com/2013/07/27/dri
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thebigbossyboss
> thebigbossyboss
06/26/2014 at 15:56 |
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Oh yeah our renews went up like 10%. Joys of joys.
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BoulderZ
> mcseanerson
06/26/2014 at 16:00 |
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No brown cloud in Ohio, either. We were infamous for ours. I'm always amused when someone complains about tailpipe-based emissions testing. It's just not hard to tune a car, and if it's tuned correctly, it passes. Of course, some places also have underhood/equipment checks, which can fail a car even if it passes the tailpipe test, which is kind of dumb. We don't really have that, though, here.
Interestingly, while the auto emissions program worked well in reducing air quality problems here, we're now finding the big remaining contributors much more difficult, like power generation, extraction activities, and believe it or not, emissions from eastern Asia.
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BoulderZ
> thebigbossyboss
06/26/2014 at 16:06 |
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I wish my renewal would go up. It's only $75, and really ought to be more like $100.
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thebigbossyboss
> BoulderZ
06/26/2014 at 16:07 |
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why do wish to pay more taxes? I do not understand.
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BoulderZ
> thebigbossyboss
06/26/2014 at 16:08 |
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So... why's the CEL on?
Hope they get the comms issues sorted. Ours is easy: pre-OBD, just don't use it, sniffer only.
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thebigbossyboss
> BoulderZ
06/26/2014 at 16:10 |
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Exhaust Evap Leak. Have to sand the lip around the gas cap more I guess.
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BoulderZ
> thebigbossyboss
06/26/2014 at 16:18 |
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Basically, I'm not paying close to the value or utility I receive. Here, our roads and transportation could use more repair/upgrading and simply aren't funded to an adequate level. I don't want to overpay, but paying too little isn't any better. Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. might have been sort of on the right track for that, if oversimplifying a bit: "I like to pay taxes. With them, I buy civilization."
Of course, judging from your Toronto Sun link, I'm guessing you're in Canada? I wouldn't pretend to be even adequately informed on your situation. I have to imagine maintaining a road system in Canada is quite a different set of challenges.
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BoulderZ
> thebigbossyboss
06/26/2014 at 16:20 |
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Sounds like it might at least be an easy fix. Have you ever had to blow out the lines on the evap/charcoal can system (assuming you have one)? I was surprised how much crap was in mine on both the truck and the Z.
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thebigbossyboss
> BoulderZ
06/26/2014 at 16:26 |
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Might be. Could be anything though. I replaced the gas cap, it didn't help. Still learning. Luckily we got two more months until renewal is due.
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BoulderZ
> thebigbossyboss
06/26/2014 at 16:31 |
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Glad you caught it in advance. Repairs in and of themselves aren't bad, though sometimes inconvenient, but repairs with time pressure are awful.
Textured Soy Protein
> BoulderZ
06/26/2014 at 16:50 |
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In my particular corner of Wisconsin, there's no emissions testing whatsoever.
There's actually only 7 counties in the state (basically Milwaukee and its surrounding suburbs) that have emissions testing. But even in those places, pretty much any pre-'96 vehicle is exempt.
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BoulderZ
> Textured Soy Protein
06/26/2014 at 16:57 |
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I was surprised to hear there were any programs in WI, as your air quality is usually quite good. Compared to us, or, say the LA basin, which had smog problems before there was even a city there. I suppose around a decent size city like Milwaukee, though, it's a different case. I searched a little bit to see if I could find a map of the US, color code by presence/type of emissions testing, but didn't find anything terribly useful.
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Textured Soy Protein
> BoulderZ
06/26/2014 at 17:21 |
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Not quite what you were looking for but actually today Gizmodo posted a general air quality map that shows air quality improving over time.
Milwaukee is in the southeast corner of the state, you can kinda see it's in a a zone of air quality that's worse than the rest of WI, and that zone continues down towards Chicago.