Smog tests with Used Cars

In the economy we live in, most families are going to choose to buy a used car rather than a new 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 mention about the financial considerations, I am not only 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 those extra expenses were not in your budget.

So one of the important things you need 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 2005 law that was passed, if you have a 1976 vehcile or older, you will not have to ever take a smog check.  But if it is newer than that your vehicle will be tested based on the state emission law.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 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 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 stated above, that is not the biggest expense.The biggest cost will be if costly repairs are needed.

So when purchasing the used car, make sure you find out if the vehicle has recently passed a smog test.

You don’t want to get any unexpected expenses cropping up all over when the idea was to save money when you bought that used car.

Follow these steps when shopping for a used car and you are going to save a lot of money.

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