Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I recently moved from Maryland to West Virginia, where there is no emissions testing while Maryland does have it. Many states across the country actually don't do emissions tests.
I think emissions tests are NOT necessary since there are already federal standards on all cars sold in the United States. Maybe like 1 in 1000 cars actually fails it. So that's not worth the cost of having these tests either thorugh testing fees or through taxes. I think it is just another way for state governments to collect revenue, and to make the liberal elites in the cities feel good about themselves. Also West Virginia is a mostly rural state with the exception of the Metro Valley (Charleston-Huntington) and even here the air quality is decent.
Oh yes and emissions testing also provides more useless state government jobs and their unions would probably throw a hissy fit if states stopped doing this.
Without going into whether emissions testing makes sense...some of your statements are not true everywhere.
In my State, emissions testing is done at private garages, dealerships, and some gas stations. Employees of these establishments (NOT the State) conduct the tests on equipment purchased and maintained by the station owner.
The private inspection stations also keep 100% of the $28 emissions inspection fee. The emissions inspection actually costs the State money due to the handful of NON-UNION State employees that administer the program.
I recently moved from Maryland to West Virginia, where there is no emissions testing while Maryland does have it. Many states across the country actually don't do emissions tests.
I think emissions tests are NOT necessary since there are already federal standards on all cars sold in the United States. Maybe like 1 in 1000 cars actually fails it. So that's not worth the cost of having these tests either thorugh testing fees or through taxes. I think it is just another way for state governments to collect revenue, and to make the liberal elites in the cities feel good about themselves. Also West Virginia is a mostly rural state with the exception of the Metro Valley (Charleston-Huntington) and even here the air quality is decent.
Oh yes and emissions testing also provides more useless state government jobs and their unions would probably throw a hissy fit if states stopped doing this.
You must have forgotten the smokey tail pipes of the 70's...Now that more cars are far less poluting, what you want to quit?
Here in PA it varies by area, in the urban areas the test is more rigorous. Where I live they test the gas cap and make a visual inspection to insure the OEM pollution controls exist. It would be cheaper to buy a new gas cap every few years......
As cars of the 80's and 90's vanish from the road, I'd say that emissions testing really isn't necessary.
I have three cars that were built in 2001 and one built in 2003, and all of them have 150,000 miles or higher. None of them have failed emission testing in the four years I have owned them -- in fact, none of them ever really have come close to failing.
Sure, if you have an O2 sensor go south, you'll fail the emission test. Or if you have an older car, you could fail. They test all the way back to 1988 cars right now in NC, and I am sure there are some failures with those cars.
Here in PA it varies by area, in the urban areas the test is more rigorous. Where I live they test the gas cap and make a visual inspection to insure the OEM pollution controls exist. It would be cheaper to buy a new gas cap every few years......
Beat me to the punch down in my part of PA (Dauphin County, Cumberland County, Lebanon County, Lancaster County, and York County) they run the full gamut of emissions tests. However, in Adams County, there is no emissions test required, not even a tailpipe test. Ditto for most counties north of Dauphin County and west of York County.
----------------------
OP, in PA, the private inspector keeps all of the fees. The garage also sets the fees. There are no set fees the state mandates, and the state collects none of it
What is the failure rate of emission testing to justify hundreds of millions of dollars spent and millions of hours lost?
Florida stopped testing vehicles over 20 years ago. It was a huge waste of time and money.
The country seems to create jobs by making up new rules to live by then coming up with an industry to enforce it.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
down in my part of PA (Dauphin County, Cumberland County, Lebanon County, Lancaster County, and York County) they run the full gamut of emissions tests. However, in Adams County, there is no emissions test required, not even a tailpipe test. Ditto for most counties north of Dauphin County and west of York County. 
