Emissions Test

[LexLuthor]

Hi, I am trying to sell a 2000 smart and I have a potential buyer, however, he is asking me to get the emissions tested on the car. Since I bought the car, and it has a vin number, and is DOT certified, shouldnt the car have already been tested for emissions and passed for US standards?

[John_H]

In some states emission testing is required every one, two, or four years to make sure the emission controls are up to snuff. Catalytic converters wear out, holes end up in exhaust systems, other things can get in the way of a smog free experience.

In Ohio, the locations that require the "E-Check" are Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Portage, and Summit counties.

It's a little like asking for a vehicle inspection.

[LexLuthor]

I'm actually in California. Just moved here and going to register my car here.

Should I take my car to get tested and it fails, what would I have to do to get the car legal?

[John_H]

That's between you and your car. If you have a hole in the muffler you need to replace your muffler. If the catalytic converter is done, you need a new cat (aftermarkets in general are significantly less expensive). If your exhaust manifold is cracked like it was on the Jeep I sold a decade ago, you'll need to replace the manifold.

Bottom line: if it's broke, fix it. Or use the results of the testing as a bargaining point on price.

There's a decent chance everything's fine.

[belkin666]

in califorinia, depending on county, the seller must provide a smog certificate to the buyer. see DMV link: Smog Information

However, see this link:
450's Exempt from Annual California Smog Inspections

good luck

[planetjuice]

I will have lots of information in a few days i will post it. you can go to G&K in LA they charge 1250.00 for a somg cert that is good in cali, they dont do a check they give you the certificate, rip off, they know you need need, so they rape you.

[rgaus]

Not sure if this guy is still in his position, but this would be your first try:

There is supposed to be a sub .8 liter engine exemption to emissions checks in California. The 450's, with a .7 liter engine, would seem to qualify. Contact Glenn Wilson, 916-574-7452. Very nice guy. He initially gave me this information, but maybe he was wrong. It may also have to do with the number of years between the model year of the car and the current year. Still worth asking again. If he isn't there anymore, ask anyone who answers that phone. Should be the same position as Glenn.

G&K did those emissions checks for folks in Calfornia in the past. That price has always been $1200 or $1250. The reason for that price is the cost for the right to offer that service in California. I believe the State of California charges around $5000/year. There are very few requests for this service and unless there are four per year, G&K loses money on their decision to continue to offer that service. When I last checked, there were only one or two people in the entire state that offered the service. G&K had stopped doing it for a year and I had asked them to please continue it for another year, for potential smart customers, which they did. The number of years that now have passed since the model years of these cars may now make this inspection unnecessary. Check with Glenn Wilson in the paragraph above.

One other consideration. If you own a 2000 smart car and have it in the US, it did not get here legally. It may be legally titled in some state, but the federal entrance was not legal. Be careful. Though ZAP owned some 2002/2003 cars that were converted by G&K, there were no legal cars that came to this country prior to the 2002 model year. The other 1026 legally converted smarts were 2004/2005/2006 (including two 2007 Year 450's from Mexico).

Ron Gaus, aSmartCar.com

[Smart Enuf]

That information does not comport with what California DMV says on its website. What I don't get is this: If smart's 700cc engines were exempt because of their size, why would G&K even offer to do smog checks in the first place?

To my knowledge, there are only 4 exemptions applicable to gasoline-engined cars in California:

(1) all pre-1975 cars are exempt from all smog inspections;

(2) hybrid cars are exempt from all smog inspections;

(3) cars 6 model years or newer (relative to the current year) are exempt from the biennial inspection (assuming that county is in one of the areas subject to a biennial inspection requirement);

(4) cars 4 model years or newer (relative to the current year) are exempt from the smog certification that is normally required when title is transferred to a non-family member.

Smog Information

[jwight]

This will not help the OP, but I found this tidbit:

Assembly Bill 2683 exempts vehicles manufactured prior to 1976 from the biennial smog check requirement. Also, gas engine vehicles that are six years old or less are exempt from the biennial smog check. Diesel motors still have no smog check requirement.

May help others with the 2004-2007 smarts.

[PerryA]

Originally Posted by LexLuthor

Hi, I am trying to sell a 2000 smart and I have a potential buyer, however, he is asking me to get the emissions tested on the car. Since I bought the car, and it has a vin number, and is DOT certified, shouldnt the car have already been tested for emissions and passed for US standards?

I suspect the buyer is in an EPA target area like Cuyahoga County. If you don't have an Ohio E-Check in your area, check to see if there is one in an adjacent county/city. I acquired a car (not a Smart) in Stark County (which was not an e-check area) and had to drive it into Summit County for an e-check and then to the license bureau to transfer title and get tags.

UPDATE: Sorry, didn't read the whole thread. Saw people responding to the US standards issue vs. the regional EPA issue.