Smog Tests and Used Cars
In this economic times instead of buying a new car, most families are going to opt to buy used cars.
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 your budget did not have those extra expenses in it.
So one of the big things you want to be aware of is smog checks.The last thing you will ever want to do is having to make expensive repairs because of a failed smog check. I have seen too many used cars in my San Diego auto repair business have this happen.
So when you are making the purchase of that used car, some things to consider are here.
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 search about your state by contacting 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 the purchase or registration is in California for the very first time, you are going to need a smog test.
Otherwise, if the car is in it’s 5th or 7th year, a smog test done biennially will be needed.
If you purchase the vehicle in another state and live in California, you are going to have to find out if your car can pass the test. Generally California is 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 pieces of advice when making a purchase of a used vehicle and a lot of money will be saved.
