smog test paradox
 

Let's say you own a car that won't pass smog and it's too expensive to fix compared to what it's worth and it's too new to collect the $1000 early retirement from the state. You can't sell the car to a private party because the seller is responsible for getting the car to pass smog. Are your only options to scrap the vehicle for $500 even though it runs fine and has several years useful life left or sell it out of state?

The reason I ask is a buddy called about his GF car. It's an 02 Volvo s60 with 130k on the clock and the transmission is slipping, which is throwing a CEL. Its kind of borderline whether it's worth it to spend $2-3000 to fix the transmission, which leaves him with the problem of what to do with the car.

I told him to reset the ECM and see if driving it with only light throttle keeps from throwing the CEL. Then after a week of easy driving take it for the smog test.

This got me thinking about the problem of what to do with a car too valuable to scrap that you can't sell because it won't pass smog.

Take it to salinas for dat dere illegal smog test or try flushing the tranny. dunno.

Find out which type of trans slip fluid you can add ( Some cars can't use certain fluids ) and add that and try to see If It helps. It's not going to fix It right away but will help over time. Maybe It will help get her by.

I'm in a similar boat with a 2001 VW golf. Fix or junk. Etc.

I'd try to do a flush of the transmission. Reset the ECU. See if that works. If not, you may be able to sell it to a mechanic/shop. Or trade it. Some shops will do that. If you need work done on another car you can trade them that one. They can fix it and turn a profit.

Right, I forgot I also told him to flush the ATF and reflash the transmission controller, but I doubt that will solve the problem.

I'm really more interested in what people do in this case. I figure this must be a common problem with cars of a certain age. One minute a car is running great and is worth $3-5000 and then something mechanical happens and the car is worth $500 because it won't pass smog.

Post it up on craigslist for sale to a mechanic but be prepared for low offers.

You can sell a car without smog provided that the buyer signs an agreement that he will test.

I'll buy it but I'll also lowball the **** out of your boy. Warn him

[QUOTE=OneManArmy;3034908]Post it up on craigslist for sale to a mechanic but be prepared for low offers.[/QUOTE]

x2 this

i sold my boosted civic without smog, just sell it with pink slip, bill of sale, and write a letter stating that you are selling the car without getting the car smogged and that the buyer knows this, get the buyer to sign it, date it and keep it just in-case buyer pulls some sh** on you

track car?

dude, theres a easy way to smog it, i did this on my last passat. if the cel is on, leave it on up until ur about to go get it smogged. once u get close to the place, grab ur code reader ( i bought mine from autozone for like 80 bucks ) and reset the code. go into the place, let them smog ur car, and tada, u have ur smog. trust me, it works. if the cel isnt on when the smog place plugs in their reader, it wont catch it =). i know this cuhz ive done it for my last passat and for a few of my friends cars who have cel's due to missing resenators, cats, or o2 sensors.

[QUOTE=StealthMODE;3035078]dude, theres a easy way to smog it, i did this on my last passat. if the cel is on, leave it on up until ur about to go get it smogged. once u get close to the place, grab ur code reader ( i bought mine from autozone for like 80 bucks ) and reset the code. go into the place, let them smog ur car, and tada, u have ur smog. trust me, it works. if the cel isnt on when the smog place plugs in their reader, it wont catch it =). i know this cuhz ive done it for my last passat and for a few of my friends cars who have cel's due to missing resenators, cats, or o2 sensors.[/QUOTE]

wont work unless its a 95 or below but for those battery disconnect works too. once you clear your CEL on obd2 cars, you have monitors that have to run. if 2 or more monitors show up incomplete, you fail. on 2001 and up cars like the OPs, you can only have 1 incomplete monitor.

cliffs: wont work chief. good try though.

[QUOTE=wrxBRAH;3035093]wont work unless its a 95 or below but for those battery disconnect works too. once you clear your CEL on obd2 cars, you have monitors that have to run. if 2 or more monitors show up incomplete, you fail. on 2001 and up cars like the OPs, you can only have 1 incomplete monitor.

cliffs: wont work chief. good try though.[/QUOTE]

worked for me. i had a ob2 2000 vw passat with 4 missing o2 sensors that i didnt wanna replace. i still passed. if u wanna go to the same guy i use, hit up the 76 gas station on the corner of diar and alverado blvd in union city. maybe he hooked me up with out telling me.

[QUOTE=tedward88;3035043]x2 this

i sold my boosted civic without smog, just sell it with pink slip, bill of sale, and write a letter stating that you are selling the car without getting the car smogged and that the buyer knows this, get the buyer to sign it, date it and keep it just in-case buyer pulls some sh** on you[/QUOTE]

What could the potential ramifications be for not doing this? I say that because I bought my car and then had it smogged before going to the DMV, and we adjusted the price accordingly. But you're saying if I was an ******* I could have screwed the guy?

[QUOTE=StealthMODE;3035114]worked for me. i had a ob2 2000 vw passat with 4 missing o2 sensors that i didnt wanna replace. i still passed. if u wanna go to the same guy i use, hit up the 76 gas station on the corner of diar and alverado blvd in union city. maybe he hooked me up with out telling me.[/QUOTE]

Something fishy going on there I guess.