California SMOG Certificate (STAR Station)

[EDEZ8]

I recently learned the hard way that if you receive a car registration renewal in California that requires a smog certificate one need to pay attention to the type of station that can perform this work. To protect consumers, the state of California has both repair stations and non-repair stations (STAR) for issuing smog certificates. I took my car to my local BMW dealership, but it was unable to perform the smog check because I needed to use a STAR station. The thought process is if you need a smog certificate a repair station may start to change for unnecessary work. As a result there are these STAR smog certificate stations.

In the end with a recommendation from the dealership, I went to a STAR smog certificate station and the Z8 easily passed. I also had the opportunity to drive the car around a little bit more than planned but that worked out well too on a warm Fall day.

[///M Blitz]

You had to have your Z8 "tested"? The last two times (4 years), I've only had to have my Z8 "inspected." As I understand it, cars 2000 and newer no longer need to be tested in Cali. They inspect to make sure all emissions equipment is intact.

[EDEZ8]

You had to have your Z8 "tested"? The last two times (4 years), I've only had to have my Z8 "inspected." As I understand it, cars 2000 and newer no longer need to be tested in Cali. They inspect to make sure all emissions equipment is intact.

i didn't watch the entire 15 minute process but the report indicates that the emission systems were visually checked and the obd reviewed for tripped error codes.

[///M Blitz]

Ok, that makes sense.