Used Cars and the Need for a Smog Check
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 are a family looking to save money the last thing you want to do is buy a used car with extra expenses you weren’t prepared for. Especially if those extra expenses were not in your budget.
So one of the big things you want 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 in buying the used car here are a few things you ought to consider.
Under a law passed in 2005, if your car is 1976 or older you don’t ever need a smog check.So if your vehicle is newer than that your car will need to be tested based on state emission laws.You can learn about your state if you call 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 car has been sold and registered in California for the first time, you will have to get 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 made the car purchase in another state but live in California, you will have to find out if your vehicle can pass a smog test.In general California is a lot more strict.
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 mentioned above, that is not the big cost.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 steps when shopping for a used car and you are going to save a lot of money.
