Smog

[Maverick]

I went to get my truck smoged today and the guy ran the whole deal and charged my credit card only to tell me that my headers arn't Kalifornia legal and the truck passed smoge except for he pipes... He said they weren't stamped and that there was no sticker on the hood..
I don't know who made them, so I went to the muffler shop. The muffler that has done work for me in the past took a quick look and said they were Gibson headers.. He called another shop that does smogs and told me I won't have a problem there getting it smoged with these guys..I got home went to Gibson site got the model # off the headers and printes it out.. Took that back to the origanl shop. The knothead tells me that now that he knows the pipes are legal he will run it again in the morning for another smog fee. What has this guy been smoking? This is where I came completly unglued. Tomorrow I have a 700am appt with the smog tech and I only have to pay for the cert 8.25. Would you guys take you truck to another shop or back to the orignal?

 

[Maverick]

I called Gibson they are sending me a skicker and cert say that they are there pipe for any future problems..

 

[Marty]

In the case you describe, I would take it to the original shop because the BAR oversees his accreditation. If he refused to correct his mistake, he can be held accountable to the Bureau and they could ultimately revoke his smog certificate. This is not an issue where a person could easily trick the smog inspector by returning home and installing an approved part; in this case - a set of headers.

In the past, I have heard others recommend that you carry a copy of the header info in the glove box. (make, model, sales copy, BAR #)

On a similar note: I had to take a car into for a "brake and light" certification. The inspection went okay and the tech rang up the charges. He then proceded to tell me that I would have failed the light portion because one of the two 3rd-light bulbs was not illuminating. It wasn't burnt, just not making good contact. I replied with a long and audible "hmmmmmmm - right."

 

[Maverick]

Originally posted by Marty@May 11 2004, 06:17 PM
In the past, I have heard others recommend that you carry a copy of the header info in the glove box. (make, model, sales copy, BAR #)

whats BAR?

 

[Maverick]

Bureau of Automotive Repair got it ..lol

 

[JDC]

Problem being that it failed visual on the first test. When he failed it visually he now has to rerun the test.

Welcome to one of the biggest scams to hit CRC.

An honest smog tech would have told you up front it won't pass a visual, and sent you out to make corrections prior to running the test and charging you.

He unfortunately is perfectly within his legal right though.

If all he's doing is charging you for a cert. then go back to him.

If he's charging you for a full retest, you can take your chances elsewhere.

I have found that you have to watch out for the smog/repair shops. The last one I went to I about went over the counter and beat them with thier greasy turbines. He didn't allow the car to warm up, then forced my electric fan to go on high while he ran the test. I paid him, but turned his camel loving butt into the BAR.

I took that same car down to a test only place (they don't do any repairs) and it passed.

 

[machine]

He should have done the visual, before he ever run the rest of the test.
I had my smog certication in the early 90's and that's the first thing
they teach!

I'd rap the pipes around his head!!!!