[PacoMartin]

My friend has a low mileage BMW which like all new vehicles in California was exempt from emissions testing for six years. She brought it to Nevada and it passed emissions testing for eight years.

Now you may think that after 14 years the car is so old that you have to live with whatever happends, but the 15th year the car still only had 77,109 miles. It started failing emissions testing in the strangest and often ultra expensive manner. Last year the repair place (European Motor cars) said they couldn't clear the codes and the entire instrument cluster had to be replaced.

In Pennsylvania, vehicle owners who spend $150 on emissions-related repairs on a vehicle that failed a reinspection are eligible for a 1-year waiver. This idea of spending thousands to replace an instrument cluster just to get a code cleared seems outrageous to me.

Has anyone else felt like they had to go through extraordinary efforts to pass an emissions test in NV?

[Camaro5]

Something about that doesn't sound right. I would've taken it somewhere else, probably a dealer, although that would've probably been expensive as well.

Sometimes age causes problems despite having low mileage. We are seeing that with our 2010 Lexus RX350. It only has 68,000 miles but being 11 years old I kind of expect things to happen. So far it hasn't been too bad, and the Lexus dealer we use has been pretty good with fixing things without charging a fortune.

[PacoMartin]

Originally Posted by Camaro5

Something about that doesn't sound right.

I thought so as well. Like I said in PA if you spend $150 on emissions-related repairs on a vehicle that failed a reinspection you are eligible for a 1-year waiver.

My friend received the following tech notes last year.

REPAIR WIRING AND CONNECTOR AND REPLACE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE SENSOR. CLEAR FAULTS AND ROAD TESTED. FAULT REOCCURS. REMOVE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AND VERIFIED WIRING HARNESS AND SENSOR ARE GOOD. SIGNAL IS GOOD AT CLUSTER. CLUSTER HAS INTERNAL DAMAGED FROM WIRING BEING SHORTED. WILL NEED NEW CLUSTER.

That basically means to me that there is nothing wrong with the car, but the indicator sensor is not working properly. A replacement cluster was well over $1500. Without it you are held at gunpoint because the registration cannot be renewed,

This was only the most egregious of a long list of repairs tied to emissions testing.

Another friend in PA has a 2001 Mercedes Benz ML 320 4dr All-wheel Drive (3.2L V-6) with an MSRP of $35,800 which now has 219,000 miles on it. My brother pushed a Honda Accord to 209,000 miles. I am reluctant to advise my friend in Nevada that she needs to get rid of her BMW 330i with only 90,000 miles even though it is a 2004 model.

[longviewJoe]

Reminds me what has been said many times by many people smarter than me... BMWs are just over-priced vanity items and SUCK for reliability. I realize people still love them but the reality is they are just crappy cars. The new ones are even worse. Good for about 3-4 years.

[airics]

Originally Posted by PacoMartin

I thought so as well. Like I said in PA if you spend $150 on emissions-related repairs on a vehicle that failed a reinspection you are eligible for a 1-year waiver.

My friend received the following tech notes last year.


That basically means to me that there is nothing wrong with the car, but the indicator sensor is not working properly. A replacement cluster was well over $1500. Without it you are held at gunpoint because the registration cannot be renewed,

This was only the most egregious of a long list of repairs tied to emissions testing.

Another friend in PA has a 2001 Mercedes Benz ML 320 4dr All-wheel Drive (3.2L V-6) with an MSRP of $35,800 which now has 219,000 miles on it. My brother pushed a Honda Accord to 209,000 miles. I am reluctant to advise my friend in Nevada that she needs to get rid of her BMW 330i with only 90,000 miles even though it is a 2004 model.

$80 at Keystone in North Las Vegas

[movin1]

Originally Posted by Camaro5

Something about that doesn't sound right. I would've taken it somewhere else, probably a dealer, although that would've probably been expensive as well.

Sometimes age causes problems despite having low mileage. We are seeing that with our 2010 Lexus RX350. It only has 68,000 miles but being 11 years old I kind of expect things to happen. So far it hasn't been too bad, and the Lexus dealer we use has been pretty good with fixing things without charging a fortune.

What Lexus dealer is that? I switched to Lextech when I felt like the charges at Lexus Henderson were too much. So far so good, though Lextech doesn't do some things.

[Camaro5]

Originally Posted by movin1

What Lexus dealer is that? I switched to Lextech when I felt like the charges at Lexus Henderson were too much. So far so good, though Lextech doesn't do some things.

We use Henderson Lexus for anything other than oil changes or tires. So far their prices haven't been out of line. Not cheap, by any means, but their work and customer service has been good.

[movin1]

Originally Posted by Camaro5

We use Henderson Lexus for anything other than oil changes or tires. So far their prices haven't been out of line. Not cheap, by any means, but their work and customer service has been good.

Thanks, good to know. I haven't needed much, but will go back there if I need anything Lextech doesn't do. I did like the dealership but for basic services like an oil change, prices were too high.

[Cold Warrior]

I wonder if you could just sell the car in one of the Nevada areas that doesn't require a smog check. See the DMV map.

[Cold Warrior]

See also

If the vehicle still fails after being repaired, it may be eligible for a waiver. Your vehicle must fail:

• Carbon monoxide and/or hydrocarbon levels exceeding standards for 1968-1995 light duty vehicles and all heavy duty vehicles, or;
• Illuminated “Check Engine” lamp for 1996 and newer light duty vehicles.

Waivers will not be issued to:

• Vehicles eligible for warranty coverage.
• Smoking Vehicles - The vehicle must be repaired with no limit on cost.
• Emission Device Tampering – The vehicle must be repaired with no limit on cost.

A waiver is only valid one year. The vehicle must be repaired prior to the next registration year.