Re: OT, Is there any sanity in....
 

Lon <lon.stowell@comcast.net> wrote in
news:i4SdnUypKv8VlEPZnZ2dnUVZ_vSdnZ2d@comcast.com:

> XS11E proclaimed:
>> Somehow I can't believe the emission testing system is really
>> helping to clear the air but I'm sure it's a cash cow for the
>> company doing the testing.
>
> The folks who make the equipment appear to be doing well. Not
> entirely sure the stations themselves are. Know a couple who have
> decided to stop testing due to the ridiculous way the testing can
> drive up their costs without re-imbursement.

In California you allow shops to test, here the state contracts to a
company who builds, equips and runs all the stations. They get most if
not all of the fee and are not allowed to repair or recommend. It
seems to be pretty darn profitable but they don't care if you pass or
fail, they don't do the repairs and the retest is free so failing does
nothing for them. In California it's profitable for the shop to find a
failure or make one up...

I'm surprised the public allows independent shops to test in California
but there doesn't seem to be much protesting. Here, we had independent
shops do safety inspections years back. After thousands of complaints,
undercover investigations by the local newspaper, etc. the program was
dropped and you can bet independent shops were never even considered
when the emission program was started!

Re: OT, Is there any sanity in....
 

Retests are not free in Kalifornia:
http://www.----------.com/smog.htm
God Bless America, Bill O|||||||O
mailto:--------------------

XS11E wrote:
>
> In California you allow shops to test, here the state contracts to a
> company who builds, equips and runs all the stations. They get most if
> not all of the fee and are not allowed to repair or recommend. It
> seems to be pretty darn profitable but they don't care if you pass or
> fail, they don't do the repairs and the retest is free so failing does
> nothing for them. In California it's profitable for the shop to find a
> failure or make one up...
>
> I'm surprised the public allows independent shops to test in California
> but there doesn't seem to be much protesting. Here, we had independent
> shops do safety inspections years back. After thousands of complaints,
> undercover investigations by the local newspaper, etc. the program was
> dropped and you can bet independent shops were never even considered
> when the emission program was started!

Re: OT, Is there any sanity in....
 

Retests are not free in Kalifornia:
http://www.----------.com/smog.htm
God Bless America, Bill O|||||||O
mailto:--------------------

XS11E wrote:
>
> In California you allow shops to test, here the state contracts to a
> company who builds, equips and runs all the stations. They get most if
> not all of the fee and are not allowed to repair or recommend. It
> seems to be pretty darn profitable but they don't care if you pass or
> fail, they don't do the repairs and the retest is free so failing does
> nothing for them. In California it's profitable for the shop to find a
> failure or make one up...
>
> I'm surprised the public allows independent shops to test in California
> but there doesn't seem to be much protesting. Here, we had independent
> shops do safety inspections years back. After thousands of complaints,
> undercover investigations by the local newspaper, etc. the program was
> dropped and you can bet independent shops were never even considered
> when the emission program was started!

Re: OT, Is there any sanity in....
 

Retests are not free in Kalifornia:
http://www.----------.com/smog.htm
God Bless America, Bill O|||||||O
mailto:--------------------

XS11E wrote:
>
> In California you allow shops to test, here the state contracts to a
> company who builds, equips and runs all the stations. They get most if
> not all of the fee and are not allowed to repair or recommend. It
> seems to be pretty darn profitable but they don't care if you pass or
> fail, they don't do the repairs and the retest is free so failing does
> nothing for them. In California it's profitable for the shop to find a
> failure or make one up...
>
> I'm surprised the public allows independent shops to test in California
> but there doesn't seem to be much protesting. Here, we had independent
> shops do safety inspections years back. After thousands of complaints,
> undercover investigations by the local newspaper, etc. the program was
> dropped and you can bet independent shops were never even considered
> when the emission program was started!

Re: OT, Is there any sanity in....
 

Retests are not free in Kalifornia:
http://www.----------.com/smog.htm
God Bless America, Bill O|||||||O
mailto:--------------------

XS11E wrote:
>
> In California you allow shops to test, here the state contracts to a
> company who builds, equips and runs all the stations. They get most if
> not all of the fee and are not allowed to repair or recommend. It
> seems to be pretty darn profitable but they don't care if you pass or
> fail, they don't do the repairs and the retest is free so failing does
> nothing for them. In California it's profitable for the shop to find a
> failure or make one up...
>
> I'm surprised the public allows independent shops to test in California
> but there doesn't seem to be much protesting. Here, we had independent
> shops do safety inspections years back. After thousands of complaints,
> undercover investigations by the local newspaper, etc. the program was
> dropped and you can bet independent shops were never even considered
> when the emission program was started!

Re: OT, Is there any sanity in....
 

"L.W.(Bill) ------ III" <----------@cox.net> wrote in
news:44DE72A8.B8E60478@cox.net:
>
> XS11E wrote:
>>
>> In California you allow shops to test, here the state contracts
>> to a company who builds, equips and runs all the stations. They
>> get most if not all of the fee and are not allowed to repair or
>> recommend. It seems to be pretty darn profitable but they don't
>> care if you pass or fail, they don't do the repairs and the
>> retest is free so failing does nothing for them. In California
>> it's profitable for the shop to find a failure or make one up...

Top posting corrected:

> Retests are not free in Kalifornia:
> http://www.----------.com/smog.htm

I know that, that's why it pays for the station to fail you.

Re: OT, Is there any sanity in....
 

"L.W.(Bill) ------ III" <----------@cox.net> wrote in
news:44DE72A8.B8E60478@cox.net:
>
> XS11E wrote:
>>
>> In California you allow shops to test, here the state contracts
>> to a company who builds, equips and runs all the stations. They
>> get most if not all of the fee and are not allowed to repair or
>> recommend. It seems to be pretty darn profitable but they don't
>> care if you pass or fail, they don't do the repairs and the
>> retest is free so failing does nothing for them. In California
>> it's profitable for the shop to find a failure or make one up...

Top posting corrected:

> Retests are not free in Kalifornia:
> http://www.----------.com/smog.htm

I know that, that's why it pays for the station to fail you.

Re: OT, Is there any sanity in....
 

"L.W.(Bill) ------ III" <----------@cox.net> wrote in
news:44DE72A8.B8E60478@cox.net:
>
> XS11E wrote:
>>
>> In California you allow shops to test, here the state contracts
>> to a company who builds, equips and runs all the stations. They
>> get most if not all of the fee and are not allowed to repair or
>> recommend. It seems to be pretty darn profitable but they don't
>> care if you pass or fail, they don't do the repairs and the
>> retest is free so failing does nothing for them. In California
>> it's profitable for the shop to find a failure or make one up...

Top posting corrected:

> Retests are not free in Kalifornia:
> http://www.----------.com/smog.htm

I know that, that's why it pays for the station to fail you.

Re: OT, Is there any sanity in....
 

"L.W.(Bill) ------ III" <----------@cox.net> wrote in
news:44DE72A8.B8E60478@cox.net:
>
> XS11E wrote:
>>
>> In California you allow shops to test, here the state contracts
>> to a company who builds, equips and runs all the stations. They
>> get most if not all of the fee and are not allowed to repair or
>> recommend. It seems to be pretty darn profitable but they don't
>> care if you pass or fail, they don't do the repairs and the
>> retest is free so failing does nothing for them. In California
>> it's profitable for the shop to find a failure or make one up...

Top posting corrected:

> Retests are not free in Kalifornia:
> http://www.----------.com/smog.htm

I know that, that's why it pays for the station to fail you.

Re: OT, Is there any sanity in....
 

Minnesota had a testing program with stations run by independent
contractors. Small fee was added to your car tabs, test was mandatory
but "free" (already paid for). Later on, the state did an analysis of
the number of cars that passed and failed based on the age and the model
year. As the FI cars with O2 sensors and better computers took over, the
number of failures started getting smaller and smaller. Program was shut
down a few years back since the cost benefit didn't justify the expenses.

Keep in mind that Minnesota is the land of 10,000 salt truck so older
cars tend to just rust in the wind. We almost never see an orignal body
CJ (last model was 20 years ago) that is not just a total rust bucket.

XS11E wrote:
> ...government programs?
>
> I took my Jeep in for it's annual emission test and it failed because
> the gas cap wouldn't hold pressure. I got a new cap at Auto Zone
> (closest place) for $6.00 and went back for a retest.
>
> It passed, all they did was put the cap on the tester and I was done
> but.....
>
> 1. The State of Arizona says if the cap fails a full retest MUST be
> done because the leaky cap can upset other emission components. That's
> not true and it's nice to know the emissions folks apparently realize
> that so they didn't spend the time, money and man hours retesting me,
> but......
>
> 2. How much gasoline vapor could the cap have leaked into the
> atmosphere? The leak was very tiny, I blew into the cap and couldn't
> detect any leakage the first try, then I tried really hard and did find
> a small amount but I was applying more pressure than was likely to ever
> build up in the tank and......
>
> 3. How much emissions went into the air from my Jeep idling during the
> 15 minute wait, running during the test, driving home, driving to Auto
> Zone, driving to the emissions place, waiting 30 minutes in line and
> idling for 10 minutes while they decided not to do the full test and
> then driving home again to say nothing of all the times the gas cap was
> removed and replaced?
>
> Somehow I can't believe the emission testing system is really helping
> to clear the air but I'm sure it's a cash cow for the company doing the
> testing.
>
>
>