Florida to California smog requirements

[digitaldervish]

I found a van that looks pretty good, 2006 Ford Econoline 250. The guy brought it here to California from Florida where he said they have no smog requirements. The check engine light is on, which I know means it is going to fail smog. He said a mechanic said it was some kind of air sensor that would be a couple hundred to replace. Knowing California smog though, this could be just one of many necessary repairs to get it smog ready. I have no experience with this really, but I did hear a horror story from my brother who had a friend who bought a car from New York and ended up needing to install a catalytic converter which cost him at least $1,000. Anyone have any advice for me?

 

[TMG51]

Get the code read. Most auto parts stores and some mechanics will do this for free. The code will tell you which O2 sensor it is (if it is indeed an O2 sensor - if it's something else, it'll give you an idea what). Then look up the location of that O2 sensor and see how easy it is to replace. There's a fair chance it could be done on your back for the cost of a $30 part before even buying the vehicle (a couple hundred is what it will cost if you take it to a mechanic).

It's true that O2 sensors love to go bad and throw codes, so that makes this explanation both a likely truth or a likely scapegoat on the part of the seller. Get the code read.

 

[29chico]

I took, and passed, the California smog license course.  Any seller of a motor vehicle, that will need a smog certificate to be registered by the buyer here in California, is required by law to provide the new owner with a valid, less than 90days old, smog cert.  Yes, if the buyer was going to take the vehicle to another state to register it a smog cert from CA would not be required.

So getting the van thru smog is not your responsibility unless you choose to take this task filled with potential expensive pitfalls on.  So, unless the price is so cheap that you can walk away from the van if it becomes to expensive too smog it without being financially hurt, I suggest that you consider walking away from the deal now.

As far as the "air sensor" is concerned, if the seller is right, it is probably either an incoming air temp sensor (not too spendy), or a mass air flow sensor (more spendy).  Either one usually can be replaced easily.  The problem is that if the van has been driven much with the check engine light on the engine could very well have gone into limp in mode and the fuel mixture would have gone rich.  This can wipe out the catalytic converters, possibly very spendy.  In California any vehicle that needs a replacement aftermarket cat converter(s) must buy a California only certified cat converter, extra spendy.

 

[29chico]

Get the code read. Most auto parts stores and some mechanics will do this for free. The code will tell you which O2 sensor it is (if it is indeed an O2 sensor - if it's something else, it'll give you an idea what). Then look up the location of that O2 sensor and see how easy it is to replace. There's a fair chance it could be done on your back for the cost of a $30 part before even buying the vehicle (a couple hundred is what it will cost if you take it to a mechanic).

It's true that O2 sensors love to go bad and throw codes, so that makes this explanation both a likely truth or a likely scapegoat on the part of the seller. Get the code read.

California outlawed auto parts stores from reading codes a few years ago. 

A basic OBDII code reader can be bought from Amazon for around $20.

 

[TMG51]

California outlawed auto parts stores from reading codes a few years ago. 

Jesus. I know California shouldn't surprise me anymore but...

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

I think there's a very good chance this guy brought the van from Florida and discovered it would cost too much get it on the road in CA, so now he is trying to dump a headache on someone else.

He thinks it can be fixed for a few hundred dollars?  Offer him $300 MORE than his asking price, but contingent on the van passing CA inspection.  If he won't go for that, walk away.

Regards
John

 

[Spirituallifetime]

There could be other inspections needed if the title is out of state. I've bought vehicles out of state and had to get safety inspections and they make sure the vin maches the title before it could be registered.

 

[Gary68]

California outlawed auto parts stores from reading codes a few years ago. 

thats just evil

yea,out of state they will want to physically see the vin

some times your o2 sensor just needs cleaning

 

[digitaldervish]

Vans have been hard to hunt down here in SoCal, so despite the smug uncertainty, I'm still thinking of pulling the trigger, just want to see if there is a way to find out what I might be in to. The price is close to bluebook value, not double like most vans I've come across. The Carfax came back clean, it was a fleet vehicle and then the current owner purchased it. I'm inclined to agree that this guy brought the van from Florida and started finding out what it would take to get it to pass smog and decided he would rather sell it. I'm wondering if I should pay for a vehicle inspection service like AAA has to get an idea of the repairs needed, although I don't know if they cover smog issues.

 

[MrNoodly]

It has been my experience that when a seller admits to some small problem, there are other, more serious, problems he's not mentioning.

 

[drysailor]

Vans have been hard to hunt down here in SoCal, so despite the smug uncertainty, I'm still thinking of pulling the trigger, just want to see if there is a way to find out what I might be in to. The price is close to bluebook value, not double like most vans I've come across. The Carfax  came back clean, it was a fleet vehicle and then the current owner purchased it. I'm inclined to agree that this guy brought the van from Florida and started finding out what it would take to get it to pass smog and decided he would rather sell it. I'm wondering if I should pay for a vehicle inspection service like AAA has to get an idea of the repairs needed, although I don't know if they cover smog issues.

Some of the bigger smog stations in Ca offer a smog inspection without the connection to the C.A.R.B. - they usually charge the full inspection price, around $50, and will tell you if it passes or not, and what service is needed, if any. Don't commit to this van unless you're sure what it will cost. A 2006 Florida van will not have all of the smog control equipment that Ca requires, and you could find yourself in a very unpleasant place. If you're in SoCal, look at FamVansdot com in Fountain Valley, or at Gobestautodot com in Corona. Dealers in Vegas often have vehicles from Ca, and I've also seen some in Phoenix. At the very least, call the DMV in Sacramento, & chat with them about this before you do it.

 

[29chico]

A 49 state vehicle can be registered in California w/o being modified to California standards. 

It does have to have over 7500 miles miles on it when the new owner takes possession.

 

[drysailor]

A 49 state vehicle can be registered in California w/o being modified to California standards. 

It does have to have over 7500 miles miles on it when the new owner takes possession.

          In current law, that only applies if you were a Ca resident traveling outside Ca, and your Ca-registered vehicle became un-useable, or you were a legal Ca resident on active duty stationed outside Ca.

 

[29chico]

          In current law, that only applies if you were a Ca resident traveling outside Ca, and your Ca-registered vehicle became un-useable, or you were a legal Ca resident on active duty stationed outside Ca.

I beg to differ.  The following rules are from the California DMV web page linked at the bottom.

The Bottom Line

If you are a California resident and acquire a new car, truck, or motorcycle from another state, it must be certified to meet California smog laws to be registered in California. This includes certain diesel-powered vehicles. DMV cannot accept an application to register a vehicle in California that does not qualify for registration (California Health and Safety Code §§43150 - 43156).


What Is Considered a New Vehicle?

California considers any vehicle with less than 7,500 miles on the odometer at the time of purchase or trade by a California resident or business, to be a new vehicle. This is true whether or not the vehicle has been registered in another state.


The key issue is how the California DMV defines a new vehicle in this case.  The exemptions that you are referring to apply to a vehicle that is smog compliant in other US states, but not in California, and has less than 7500 miles on it.

For a number of years the California DMV charged folks with 49 state vehicles, that had the required 7500miles or more, a $300 smog impact fee to complete the registration.  This was struck down as interfering with interstate trade by a federal court.

Link:   https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/?...ntent_en/dmv/pubs/brochures/fast_facts/ffvr29