Why I like the DMV
I finally got my car smog tested today. It failed, as expected.
It's a 1992 Isuzu Trooper. I bought it 1997. I wanted an SUV. I know, I know... I now aspire to a hybrid Civic.
I had meant to get rid of it when I finally got another car in 2002. But then the household needed two cars. And the truck wasn't dead yet.
The truck's problem is that a cylinder doesn't fire properly, and therefore much fuel doesn't combust, so the hydrocarbon emissions are off the chart. Not very green of me, I know.
The problem is, repairing the problem costs about 3.5x what the truck is actually worth. But I own the truck outright, so I can either a) spend nothing, and destroy the environment b) spend several thousand and have a more environmentally friendly 13 year old car or c) Spend tens of thousands and acquire a more environmentally friendly new car. I've been choosing a), with the hope of saving up for c).
The car has to pass emissions to get registered. The nice DMV lady gave me an extension to get it smogged. Knowing it would fail, I'd begun plotting what I'd replace the truck with. Having gotten it smogged with the expected failure, the nice (and cute!) DMV girl then gave me another two months to get the car off the road. Those two months are just what I need to make the transition.
The good news is CA has this program where they'll give you $1000 for ANY vehicle that fails emissions which you voluntarily retire. So if I can't get more than $1000/(1+excise tax rate) on the trade-in, I'll use that program.
But the DMV lines were short, and the lady gave me two more months, and I really needed them. So yay for the nice DMV lady.
It's a 1992 Isuzu Trooper. I bought it 1997. I wanted an SUV. I know, I know... I now aspire to a hybrid Civic.
I had meant to get rid of it when I finally got another car in 2002. But then the household needed two cars. And the truck wasn't dead yet.
The truck's problem is that a cylinder doesn't fire properly, and therefore much fuel doesn't combust, so the hydrocarbon emissions are off the chart. Not very green of me, I know.
The problem is, repairing the problem costs about 3.5x what the truck is actually worth. But I own the truck outright, so I can either a) spend nothing, and destroy the environment b) spend several thousand and have a more environmentally friendly 13 year old car or c) Spend tens of thousands and acquire a more environmentally friendly new car. I've been choosing a), with the hope of saving up for c).
The car has to pass emissions to get registered. The nice DMV lady gave me an extension to get it smogged. Knowing it would fail, I'd begun plotting what I'd replace the truck with. Having gotten it smogged with the expected failure, the nice (and cute!) DMV girl then gave me another two months to get the car off the road. Those two months are just what I need to make the transition.
The good news is CA has this program where they'll give you $1000 for ANY vehicle that fails emissions which you voluntarily retire. So if I can't get more than $1000/(1+excise tax rate) on the trade-in, I'll use that program.
But the DMV lines were short, and the lady gave me two more months, and I really needed them. So yay for the nice DMV lady.
posted by Kenneth at 3:48 PM
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