Can anyone cut through the Smog Fog?

[Tristar1959]

Follow-up to the Euro 280CE in California -

Can anyone provide a summary or links to state doctrine regarding old cars and "smogging". With the 74-75 M110's, when they began cats, then air pump injections, EGR's, etc - into the nightmare like my daughter's California version 1978 280CE which has THREE cats, and a shunted air injection system switching between the manifold ports AND the first two cats via two thermo switches controlling the air valve...

If a resident of California bought, for instance, that Euro 280CE, which made it into the States in 1986 but apparently has none of the above, would he be required to retrofit all that joyful stuff, or is there some sort of grandfathering?

This is not an academic exercise - one of our newer members may be facing this question as he shops the country for a 114 or 123 coupe.

How about "collector car" registrations of the sort the chap in Vancouver, BC mentioned, up north of Billgatesland (although mine was sold new in L.A. WITH all the above, so it was available/contemporary at the time)

And would a "federal" (1 cat, only port injection) version of that same car be allowed into the Golden State?

Someone enlighten or educamate us, please.

Stan

[Mark DiSilvestro]

During the 80s, there was an EPA waiver availible on a one-time basis to exempt privately imported grey-market cars from emissions equipment. If the waiver paperwork is absent then it comes down to state by state inspection requirements. Some states and Canadian provinces require emissions testing, regardless of a car's age. Some states, like Virginia, don't require emissions tests once a car is 25 years or older. However, in the case of Virginia, there is/was a provision in the annual safety inspection to check for the presence or absence of the catalyctic converter on cars that originally were required to have one. Currently in Virginia, a car 25 years or older, can be registered as antique, exempting it from the annual safety inspection as well.
Technically, post '73 W114 cars didn't have a cat converter, but instead used a device called a thermal reactor built into the exhaust manifold, so it may be possible to register a grey-market W114 without installing a cat converter. I believe most W123 gas cars DID have cats, so it comes down to whether or not one of those has the EPA waiver, or can conform to the inspection requirements in your particular region.

Happy Motoring, Mark

[Tristar1959]

Thanks, Mark - The 78 was my first emissions-control Benz, so new to this all.
Your area's tailpipe tests haven't come this far from the Beltway, yet - but don't want to go the antique route for the daily driver/commuter that doesn't qualify for collector insurance...

Anyone there can provide Los Angeles current realities, esp reference that Euro 280CE, which is high-compression and un-cat'd and probably unable to pass any tailpipe tests?

Thanks,
Stan

[BradleyP]

Smog Inspections are performed by private shops, thankfully. I've toyed with a couple vehicles with some things that wouldn't be considered CA Smog Legal, and the only advice I can suggest is that you talk to your local independent MBZ shop and find who they recommend for difficult smogs.

The only saving grace that I'm aware of, (and correct me if I'm wrong) that as long as the car has over 7,500 miles and was purchased out of state, CA will allow it, as long as it is bone stock...i.e. if you had headers into straight pipes, it'd be mildly questionable.

The state has some smog shops that they refer to as "referees" that you can take your car to if it fails inspection due to these technicalites, and they're pretty reasonable guys that will approve it most of the time.

[ptspringer]

.. in California, even though it passed smog with flying colors. Please look up the California Health and Safety Code Section 44202. that requires all used direct import vehicles, not previously registered in California prior to May 31, 1988 to submit a Certification of Conformance before such vehicle can be registered in California. A "used" direct import is a 1975 or later model motor vehicle, not originally intended for sale in the United States, which is at least two years old upon entry into California. The test for certification has to be done at one of two Cal. Air Resource Board laboratories, and costs over 10 $K. If you move from out of state and car has federal documentation, then I believe there is an exemption.

Best of luck it you get caught on this rule.

Paul

[Mark DiSilvestro]

Originally Posted by ptspringer

.. in California, even though it passed smog with flying colors. Please look up the California Health and Safety Code Section 44202. that requires all used direct import vehicles, not previously registered in California prior to May 31, 1988 to submit a Certification of Conformance before such vehicle can be registered in California. A "used" direct import is a 1975 or later model motor vehicle, not originally intended for sale in the United States, which is at least two years old upon entry into California. The test for certification has to be done at one of two Cal. Air Resource Board laboratories, and costs over 10 $K. If you move from out of state and car has federal documentation, then I believe there is an exemption.

Best of luck it you get caught on this rule.

Paul

Ahh, yes.
Another example of the finest bureaucratic nanny government the taxpayer's money can buy.
And if the pollution police aren't enough trouble, someone on this Forum posted his hassles with trying to insure a grey-market Benz. Seems his insurance company demanded he get rid of the car or they were going to cancel ALL his insurance!

So Paul, were you actually able to register that car in California?

Happy Motoring, Mark

[ptspringer]

No. We sold the car.

Paul

[Tristar1959]

Paul,

That was TEN THOUSAND dollars, or a typo?

Stan

[Mark DiSilvestro]

I don't believe that was a typo.
Obviously, California doesn't want anyone to actually apply for a 'Certificate of Conformance'!

Happy Motoring, Mark

[ptspringer]

The process is basically going through a registered importer. The 10 $K is typical for the tests and "modifications" needed to bring the car into compliance. They have to test that the car meets every emissions and safety standard in place when the car was built. These are the same battery of tests that a car company would do to sell a fleet in the states (except for maybe the crash tests). Its probably worth it for a $100,000 sports car not available here. Probably not for an old mercedes. I'd look for one previously registered in California, and with its credentials intact. Our 1983 euro 500 SL was an inheritance, and we had no other options.

Paul

[michaeld]

There is a very informative article in "The Mercedes Benz Technical Companion" on the issue of gray market cars. Basically, if the car was NOT modified upon arrival in the US, the article suggests avoiding the cars. In addition to the registration process, the article also says that you might have a very difficult time getting insurance, and it may be very difficult to get parts and labor.

Here's a website that could also help: http://www.dummies.com/WileyCDA/DummiesArticle/id-2668.html

Yes, Gray market for dummies. I myself thought about buying a 78 6.9 Euro car, but pulled away when I found it diffucult to get straight answers BEFORE buying the car and officially entering the registration process.

[Tristar1959]

Appreciate the info that you-all have been putting up -

As I noted, this is neither an academic exercise nor a theoretical discussion - one of our newer members is checking out old-timers, and he has the (mis)fortune (emissions-wise) to live in the Golden State - not only that, but in the Los Angeles basin.
At the moment, a 1972 (M130) or 1973 W114 (M110) appears to be the simplest candidate - (non)emissions - wise.
Comments or recommendations?

Stan

[Panzermann]

[QUOTE=ptspringer].. in California, even though it passed smog with flying colors. Please look up the California Health and Safety Code Section 44202. that requires all used direct import vehicles, not previously registered in California prior to May 31, 1988 to submit a Certification of Conformance before such vehicle can be registered in California. A "used" direct import is a 1975 or later model motor vehicle, not originally intended for sale in the United States, which is at least two years old upon entry into California. The test for certification has to be done at one of two Cal. Air Resource Board laboratories, and costs over 10 $K. If you move from out of state and car has federal documentation, then I believe there is an exemption.

-So what is federal documentation and how do I get some?

[Mark DiSilvestro]

During the '80s, there used to be a one-time Federal EPA waiver availible to allow an individual to bring a grey-market vehicle into the US, without having to modify it to meet Federal emissions requirements. That paperwork has to remain with the vehicle in order to register it in areas that require periodic inspections for emission levels and/or equipment. If it's been lost, check with the EPA to see if a duplicate is even availible. Outside California, many jurisdictions don't even check emissions if the vehicle is 25 years or older. However, as California's emissions program preceded the Federal EPA, they've been allowed to make their own tougher standards, so you better check with them too. Or, if you must have a grey-market car in California, just look for a pre-75 model!

Happy Motoring, Mark

[ptspringer]

.. My experience only. Your mileage may vary. I called the US EPA, and they claim to have no records before the late 80's when the one-time exemption was eliminated. You can also contact the US Department of Transportation (I think there is an import dept.), who can look up your car's VIN to see if it came through a registered importer. If it did, you will likely have a plate afixed to the drivers door jamb, that indicates the importer, and that the car was brought up the federal standards. If the importer followed through with the paperwork, the DOT may have a record.

Paul