
The average smog inspection price will vary shop to shop. It ranges widely depending on the county you live in and the type of smog inspection your vehicle requires. While some of it has do with complex testing procedures mandated by the State depending on the make and model of the car and it's year.
For example, State mandates $8.25 in Smog certificate fees if the vehicle passes smog inspection. This is not included in the cost of the test and is charged only if the vehicle passes smog inspection. This fees is not charged if the vehicle fails.
For 1995 and older cars, State mandates an additional EVAP test to be performed. This test is not required for the newer cars. Since this costs additional time and effort on part of smog inspector the cost of smog inspection goes up for older cars. Smog check stations do not include these additional costs at the time of advertising the prices but add them up later once the smog check is completed. Customers need to beware of this and clarify the final costs upfront before committing to a smog station.
Some smog check stations also charge EFT (Electronic Transmission) fee to make up for the toll cost they pay as the smog machine is transmitting your vehicle's information via a dedicated phone line. This fee is usually between between $1-$3, and is charged regardless of whether your vehicle passes or fails the smog inspection.
The State of California does not regulate the actual cost of the inspection because it is a privately owned industry, however they do require the certificate fee which you pay at the smog station, but ends up at the State. Some parts of the State where smog inspections are not so common, shops may choose to charge more per inspection to make up the cost of maintenance.
What you should know about Quik Smog in Mountain View, CA
Quik Smog is a star certified smog check station licensed by the State of California to perform smog checks on nearly every vehicle.
While Quik Smog's prices change depending on the vehicles model, year and STAR, they do not charge any additional fees. They send certificate electronically to DMV FREE saving you time and money. For vehicles 1995 though 1989, Quik Smog only changes $10 extra and only $5 extra for STAR. This makes Quik Smog best priced, honest and most convenient station of them all! Call, ask and discover for yourself!