Smog Checks and Used Cars
In the economy we are in, rather than purchasing a new vehicle, a lot of families are going to choose to buy a used car.
With that in mind, there are going to be a lot of financial considerations that go into place when buying a used car.
When I say financial considerations, I am not just talking about the sales price.
When you represent a family and were really looking for ways to save money, you obviously don’t want to buy a used vehicle that has extra repair expenses that you weren’t prepared for. Especially if those extra expenses were not in your budget.
So one of the important things you need to be aware of is smog checks. The last thing you want to have to do is make expensive repairs for a failed smog test. I have seen too many used cars in my San Diego auto repair business have this happen.
So when buying that used car here are some things to consider.
Under a law passed in 2005, if your car is 1976 or older you don’t ever need a smog check. But if it is newer than that your vehicle will be tested based on the state emission law. You can find out about your state by calling the Bureau
of Automotive repair at (800) 952-5210.
If you live in California and are buying a used car you may need a San Diego smog check. If it is being sold or registerd in California for the first time, you will need a smog check.
Otherwise, if the car is in it’s 5th or 7th year, a smog test done biennially will be needed.
If you bought the vehicle in another state but live in California, you will need to find out if the car can pass a smog check.California generally is going to be much stricter.
With that being the case, keep that on your mind when making a purchase of a new vehicle.
Costs for a smog test San Diego generally run between $30 to $80.But as stated above, that is not the biggest expense.The biggest cost will be if costly repairs are needed.
So when making the purchase of the used car, make an effort to find out if the car was able to pass a recent smog test.
You don’t want any surprise expenses popping up when your goal was to save money by buying a used car.
Follow these tips when looking into that used car and you will save yourself a lot of money.
