as alrady mentioned, if your car "fits the profile" of a gross polluter (as my 1976 BMW 2002 did) you may get randomly targeted to go to a test only center. a small percentage of all the cars also get selected at random.
when i took the 02 it failed coz stuff was disconnected or missing. then of course he hooked it up to the sniffer and it passed.
but i still have a fail for my test. aint that a b!tch? thats like failing an english exam coz i held the pen the wrong way.
i went to dmv, got my temporary extension (i wasnt going to pay over $1100 to get a thermo reactor, pcv valve and other stuff replaced to pass a test my engine already passed!!!) and explained to every policeman who stopped me why i was driving a car wih tags that were overdue. even had a copy of my smog certificate just in case. most just let me go and said "take care of it."
now all im waiting for, with bated breath, is my 2004 registration. i hope i dont have to smog it again although i suspect i might have to seeing as i didnt bother to get it to pass. i know for sure that as of 2005 its considered 30 model years old and exempt from smog. i just hope i dont have to wait a whole year.
this emissions test procedure of californias is not about smog as far as im concerned. its more about money, and making people pay extra for stuff they dont need and having companies pay to certify their aftermarket stuff. just as the artificially low speed limits is just another form of taxation.
this normally law abiding citizen will make the most of finding a crooked station from now on. fight the power.
insert angry fuming smilie here.