Nevada Senate Bill 158 is currently under consideration.  This Bill will change smog check requirements so that they will only be required every two years instead of every year.  Sounds like less hassle and less cost for Nevada residents, right? 

Currently the State of Nevada collects $6 for each smog certificate.  Under SB 158 they will collect $12 for each smog certificate.  Let’s see, smog certificate required half as often but costs twice as much.  Does not sound like any cost saving to me.

Just as the state would double the smog certificate fee so as to not loose revenue, most  businesses that perform smog checks will have to double their smog check fee so as to not loose revenue and go out of business.  Ultimately this will not save you any money for smog checking your vehicles. 

Changing smog check requirements to every other year does mean that you will have to bring your vehicle in for a smog check less often, but at what cost?  The first cost will be our air quality.  This bill will allow vehicles that are emitting too much pollution to continue to operate for a longer period before repair.  Since Wayne’s Automotive Center is a Smog Repair Station I see every day how people put off performing repairs until the smog check is due.  SB 158 will allow these vehicles an additional year of polluting our air before they have to be repaired.

The second cost is actually  increased vehicle operating cost to the consumer.  Problems that cause failed smogs are typically problems that result in the engine running less efficiently and using excessive gasoline.  Left untreated, these problems may result in the catalytic converter  needing replacement.    Consequently, the consumer may ulitmately pay for repairing the initial problem, the poor gas mileage that is frequently associated with this type of problem, and possiblly a new catalytic converter as well!

Think of maintaining your vehicle like you would your teeth.  We all get our teeth cleaned and problems corrected immediately because we know that ignoring problems such as cavities will only allow the problem to become bigger and more expensive to resolve.  This is also true with your car.

So now I ask you, SB 158 sounds like a good idea, but is it?  Let us and your State Senator know what you think.