For your car to be properly registered in California, you need a smog check every two years. This is because the department of motor vehicles needs to make sure that your car is not releasing too many harmful emissions into the atmosphere. When it comes time to get your check, the station you go to matters. People are often concerned that a station will fail your vehicle on purpose so the shop can rack up repair bills. Choosing a test only inspection center will get you the results you need without risk of extra payments. Our STAR Test Only Smog Check Station in Temecula is located right off of Jefferson Avenue in Temecula, CA.
A station can receive two different kinds of certification that restricts what they can and cannot do. These are certifications for testing your vehicle’s emissions system and certifications for repairing it. Test-only centers are stations that only have the certification to test your emissions and make sure your vehicle is not a gross polluter.
Certain inspection only stations have a STAR certification as well. These stations have gone through comprehensive testing to make sure that they are thorough and accurate with their tests. STAR smog stations are sometimes required by the DMV in order for you to register your vehicle.
A center that only does inspections means the shop will only check the vehicle to see if it passes California emissions requirements. These shops are not authorized to offer repairs in the event of a failure. This means that the information that you get from these stations will be completely accurate with no hidden agenda on the part of the station.
When you go to a center that can do both inspections and repairs, they are authorized to both diagnose and repair your vehicle. This may sound like it would save you time and stress, but this is not the case. Many shops equipped for both repairs can leave a customer wondering if there was really something wrong with their car. Going with a shop that does test-only assures that the information you get is accurate and there is no risk of the station trying to run up repair bills.
There are certain stations that are only able to provide you with repairs. These repair stations allow you to reasonably go to a test-only station first so that you do not risk having to pay unnecessary money when your vehicle fails to meet the California requirements.
It is easy to tell which is equipped for only inspections or repairs. It boils down to the certification that they have. Often, the owner will openly display which they have to make the customer’s decision easier.
Tri-City Smog Check is a STAR test only station. Our skilled team has an average inspection time of 15 minutes, so you will not have to wait long to get your results back. You are also able to wait for your results in our comfortable waiting room, equipped with Wi-Fi. Our team sends the information directly to where you need it to go to save you time and stress. We accept walk-ins and make appointments. Come to one of our test-only stations today and get the results you need!
The California DMV requires all vehicles with a model year of 1975 or newer to receive a routine emissions inspection every two years. You also need to receive an inspection when your vehicle is first registered in California or when the vehicle is being sold to another person outside your family.
A STAR inspection is technically the same as a regular smog check, but their standards are more rigorous and take a specific certification to be performed. STAR inspections can only be done at stations that have received a certification from the BAR, or Bureau of Automotive Repair. These checks are more thorough and in-depth in, ensuring your car is not a gross emitter.
A STAR inspection is technically the same as a regular smog check, but their standards are more rigorous and take a specific certification to be performed. STAR inspections can only be done at stations that have received a certification from the BAR, or Bureau of Automotive Repair. These checks are more thorough and in-depth in, ensuring your car is not a gross emitter.
In the past, test-only centers would have to raise prices to keep up with expenses. Today, however, the costs of an inspection-only smog station have dropped considerably due to competition and STAR smog inspections. Therefore, receiving an inspection from a test-only shop would cost about that same as a shop that can both repair and perform checks.
If your car fails an inspection, you need to find an automotive shop that will help you make the necessary repairs to your vehicle. Repairs could involve replacing the catalytic converter, the fuel filler cap, making a minor repair to the EVAP purge control solenoid, or a few other options. There are many different things you may need to do, but the right testing stations will tell you the steps you need to take to get your emissions down to the California requirement.
