Cant pass smog - Need a "Guaranteed" pass in CA, PLEASE HELP!!

[ATClarke]

The cops towed my car from my house because I can't pass smog and it cost me $920 to get it out. Plus I already had a $174 ticket for no registration (due to not passing smog) and a NEW $190 ticket from Anaheim PD for smog-related issues.

I'm looking for a Smog Testing place in Orange County (possibly LA or IE if its worth the drive) that does "guaranteed" tests. The ones that cost like $200.. you know what I'm saying?

If anyone knows a place like this please help!!! The cops are KILLING me with these tickets and I just wanna get the damned thing smogged and move on. Thanks guys!

[thejlevie]

Has it ever occurred to you that taking the car to a good shop and having them put it good operating condition would be a viable alternative?

[ATClarke]

Sorry, I should have been more specific. My friend moved to Chicago and gave his broken '94 318i to me. He said I could have it if I fixed it. I've already put a couple grand into it (far more than the vehicle is worth), and I was told that I would need to drop another $1,200 for a catalytic converter in order to pass smog.

I recently lost my job and I'm surviving off savings right now and cannot afford to pay that price. I need this car to get to job interviews and whatnot, but I'm scared that if I get pulled over the cops will impound it for good (because of the smog.) Hence why I want to get this done immediately.

I don't care if I have to spend $200, I just need it smogged. Someone please help!

[jettore]

Can't you just go to an exhaust shop and have a generic catalytic converter installed? The one on our VW was $99.

[bmwdirtracer]

Any shop or person that would give you such an address, after this post, would be a damned fool. Big Brother is watching. No, I live a world away, I don't know anyone who can help, if I did, I wouldn't tell you, because it sounds like a set-up to me.

Sorry for your issues, but you should investigate other methods for solving them, like buying a used exhaust, or welding in a Summit Racing cat(s), at $70-80 each. And for God's sake, please don't tell anyone if you do that, and make sure you tell the shop that it's for racing only, or you may land them with a $10,000 fine.

[ATClarke]

First of all, this isnt' a "set up".. I'm a poor college student with no credit who had to take a free car because my bank wouldnt give me a loan for a new car when a drunk driver totalled my Jeep and the insurance company only paid for the loan, and nothing more.

I dont have much money and I heard there are shops you can pay like $175 or $200 to and they will make sure you pass. I dont know how they do it, but I'd rather pay $200 for a pass than $39.95 for a fail..

The cops towed my car FROM MY HOUSE while I was at school and like I said, it has cost me over $1000 to get it back.. I just want this nightmare to end. I don't see why everyone is acting like I'm trying to acquire explosives and the blueprints to the pentagon!

I just need my car to pass smog so I dont have to live in constant fear of the cops impounding my only means of transportation (and income)!!

So if you know a place.. my email is A_TrevorClarke@hotmail.com.. please send me an email. I'm not "big brother" or whatever. And btw, who is watching a bimmer forum, and why?

[bmwdirtracer]

Certain things should never be committed to computer. If a friend divulged a "generous" inspection I'd done, I'd never forgive him/ Would you?

I'm not trying to prevent you from receiving your needed paperwork, I'm telling you that there are more reasonable paths for doing so/ buy the cats, or a used exhaust. You're asking for someone you've never met to put someone who's helped him in deep kimchee. That's not right.

[justaddwada]

Both counties I have an emissions cert from have a clause about emissions waivers. You should look up your county laws regarding them.

Basically where I live if you fail an emissions test and spend $400 or more on emissions related repairs, and then fail again, you can be granted a one year emissions waiver. You must have receipts to prove the emissions repairs and you must have all emissions regulating equipment in place for the second test.

Look up your local laws, or ask a trusted emissions tech. Good luck!

[ATClarke]

The problem with going the "fix it" route is that I've been quoted $900-$1400 by 3 different mechanics. I cannot even began to stress to you guys what a P.O.S. this car is (but hey, it gets me places.)

Also, to the user who suggest I look up county law.. where I live (Orange County, CA), we don't have that, but we do have this application with the state for them to pay for our smog if we've spent over $1,000 on it and it still won't pass. However, I have yet to hear back from them..

The reason I'd rather just go to a place in the "hood" and drop $200 is because I have two court appearances to make where I have to show proof of correction, otherwise I'm going to owe like another $1,000...

I just want this to end quick and easy. I hand a dude $200, he comes back 30 mins later with the paperwork, ya know what I'm saying? If anyone knows a place like this in OC, IE or south LA.. PLEASE let me know! Thanks!

[Avec]

What is involved in the $900 - 1400 fixit route? If it is just your cat that is bad, you can get one cheap from summit or even cheaper from the junk yard. Have a muffler shop weld it in. If there is more to it than that, fix those problems too. Maybe an O2 sensor, injector cleaner, clean your MAF etc and you should be back in working order. You should be able to do this for the 2 bills the "guaranteed pass" shop is going to charge you.

[ATClarke]

Thanks Avec, I'll talk to my mechanic and see if he's able to do it. I appreciate the heads up man!

[tommramon]

The guy at the autozone told me that a product called "RXP" an engine de-carbonizer might work and at 5-6 bucks it's worth a try.We don't test for emmisions here so I don't have first hand knowledge.Good luck.

[ATClarke]

Tommramon - I'm familiar with that product. I'm also familiar with the rubbing alcohol trick. Unfortunately, whoever owned the car before me made so many modifications that it is beyond any reasonable means of passing.

The product you're referring to are for vehicles that just need that little extra boost over the edge. Mine needs a HUGE boost (see: engine re-build.) Thanks though!

[T444E]

Ah the joys of not living in CA!

[justaddwada]

If you still need help by bimmerfest I'll loan you my exhaust and my maf. See you in Pasadena!

[ATClarke]

Update: I finally found a place today, but then the guy refused to do it for me. I failed a smog test back in August '09, so the info is in the computer. The guy said if he passed me, the DMV can compare the records and ask how the car went from "Gross Polluter" to "Pass"?

I told him: "Easy. We fixed it."

I then offered him $150, $175, $200, $250 and finally $300 and he still wouldn't do it. So I went to like five or six other places and they all dissed me.

This sucks. It's such a Catch 22.

Need car to make money. Don't have car. Need money to fix car.

Ugh, FML.

But for real, if anyone knows a guy in OC that does guaranteed Smogs, then please PM me. Thank you.

[530transam]

Update: I finally found a place today, but then the guy refused to do it for me. I failed a smog test back in August '09, so the info is in the computer. The guy said if he passed me, the DMV can compare the records and ask how the car went from "Gross Polluter" to "Pass"?

I told him: "Easy. We fixed it."

I then offered him $150, $175, $200, $250 and finally $300 and he still wouldn't do it. So I went to like five or six other places and they all dissed me.

This sucks. It's such a Catch 22.

Need car to make money. Don't have car. Need money to fix car.

Ugh, FML.

But for real, if anyone knows a guy in OC that does guaranteed Smogs, then please PM me. Thank you.

LOL maybe they all saw this thread and was like "uh, if we pass this kid, hes going to plaster our info all over internet forums where anyone with google can find out we did this"

Do you realize that for the money you've spent in tickets, you may have been able to get away with an M50 swap? Stop pouring money into that thing, buy a used Catalytic converter from a junk yard to get you over your hump and when you do get a job, save up to make your car legal. I have lived in Ca my whole life, smog will destroy your life if you dont take care of it. Also Autozone sells stuff called "guaranteed to pass" and if you run alcohol it will run cleaner ive heard but dont know for sure, or maybe it was high octant racing gas.

[bmwdirtracer]

As a rebel, and a mechanic, and a Buddhist, I'll say that sometimes, it is easier to work from within the system than to try to circumvent it entirely. I'm sorry for your troubles, and hope that you find a good solution.

[12v]

Unfortunately, whoever owned the car before me!

Umm, You might be legit-if so Im sorry. BUT, when you change your story from "my friend" owned this car to "whoever" it raises a eyebrow to me. Did you forget your friend so quickly? When a story changes (for me anyway) somethings not right.

My advice to you is this. Forget the car you have-take the $$ you do have and get a used anything from a dealer. A ok to good car can be had for a few grand. Plus, you know it will pass smog as its illegal for a dealer to sell a vehicle that cant pass

[ATClarke]

Umm, You might be legit-if so Im sorry. BUT, when you change your story from "my friend" owned this car to "whoever" it raises a eyebrow to me. Did you forget your friend so quickly? When a story changes (for me anyway) somethings not right.

My advice to you is this. Forget the car you have-take the $$ you do have and get a used anything from a dealer. A ok to good car can be had for a few grand. Plus, you know it will pass smog as its illegal for a dealer to sell a vehicle that cant pass

Ok, what I meant was the guy who owned the car BEFORE MY FRIEND did stuff to it (see: racing modifications.) My friend was in the process of "souping it up" and then he had an emergency and had to move back to Chicago, so he gave the car to me.

I'm not a mechanic or a car enthusiast (just a guy hard out on luck who didnt have a car, and got a free one from a good friend), so I don't know the specifics of why it won't pass. My friend told me to "remove the cold air intake" before he moved to CHI, and that would make it pass. Unfortunately, it didn't.

And seriously guys, 1.) I am NOT a cop and 2.) I'm not going to friggin advertise some guy's shop all over the internet if I find one. I just want someone to send me the adress of a shop to my email and keep it discreet.

And to the user who suggested the rubbing alcohol and "guaranteed pass" formula you can get at an auto shop - that is for cars that just need a little nudge to pass - mine needs a MAJOR PUSH so to speak.

Also, it's not like I haven't been trying to get this resolved. I've already paid the DMV $279 in registration fees, I've applied for CAP (and was denied because the transfer of ownership cannot be completed due to the fact that the vehicle can't pass smog, so it's in this grey area of ownership between my friend and myself. And the state will only provide CAP assistance if you're the registered owner.) Another catch 22...

Trust me, I've gone the legal route the entire time on this. I had my mechanic fiddle with the cats, and work on the exhaust, and it still wouldn't pass. This is LITERALLY my last resort.

I tried another 12-15 shops today in the Santa Ana (see: Hispanic) area of Orange County today, and they were all too scared of the DMV to do it.. So I don't know what to do.

I'm running out of money, I can't pass smog, and I need this car legalized by the 23rd of this month, otherwise I have to pay a huge ticket.

So if you can help.. then HELP!

Thanks guys.

[530transam]

you're such a cop. Try offering people money for information, you may get a nibble that way. LOL. like paypal $100 to the first person who gets you a guaranteed pass.

[12v]

like I said, dump the car. Being cash strapped and BMW don't go together. Cut your losses and get a cheep used car/scooter-whatever from a dealer.

[ATClarke]

A cop?? WTF.. try a college student. Dude.. I WILL send someone money via paypal if they refer me to a place that will actually pass me.


So far the two places I went to (one Mexican-owned, the other Vietnamese-owned BOTH denied me...) Apparently they only do it for girls.. go figure. I should have sent my GF.. but she can't drive stick.

I need to show proof of correction by the 23rd, otherwise I have to pay a friggin $190 ticket! Is someone gonna help me or what?

[Roo2003]

A

So far the two places I went to (one Mexican-owned, the other Vietnamese-owned BOTH denied me...) Apparently they only do it for girls..

spend a few bucks on a long blond wig and borrow some of your GF's sexy outfit and make up...go see the Vietnamese owned one, (sucker for blonds), hand them a note that says you are deaf/mute to avoid conversation, and another note that explains your problem so they get an "idea" of what you want/need. Flirt a little, rub the arm, etc. etc. you'll drive off with a pass cert.

[bmwdirtracer]

A cop?? WTF.. try a college student. Dude.. I WILL send someone money via paypal if they refer me to a place that will actually pass me.


So far the two places I went to (one Mexican-owned, the other Vietnamese-owned BOTH denied me...) Apparently they only do it for girls.. go figure. I should have sent my GF.. but she can't drive stick.

I need to show proof of correction by the 23rd, otherwise I have to pay a friggin $190 ticket! Is someone gonna help me or what?

Guess you could hire a hooker that drives stick, but she'd probably run off with your car.

Really, you live in LA, everyone's scared of smog cops, and it's highly unlikely anyone here's going to give you the secret password at the Guamanian inspection station.

{Yeah, I know you think I made up Guamanian, but really, the census bureau did it.}

This is 2010, and you're trying to outwit probably the best smog cops in the country with an on-line plea for help....that ain't gonna work, I'd betcha. When such things ARE possible, they are only done between personal friends, even in my little banana patch.