SOOOOOO my mom just called me to give me the news on my cars inspection andddddd she tells me that it's going to cost me 1500 dollars. I literally almost died on the spot.

1. A new front control arm or bearings or something because its rusting and its metal on metal and supposedly that's about a thousand
2. A new battery
3. A new front tire
4. They said that my car won't pass the emissions test and they can't figure out why

yaaaa so any thoughts?

 

Did you only go to one mechanic? If so, is it someone you know or someone who normally does work for you and/or your family? If not, I would highly suggest getting a second opinion or two, it couldn't hurt. Honestly, do the battery yourself, it's one of the more basic repairs for cars in general. Buy a Haynes repair manual for our cars, they're great reference tools and you can do most of what they list in them with basic tools. Hope this helps, good luck with everything.

 

I see your info says philli, I'm in Erie. Is your car in PA? If so, that mechanic sounds like bs or your mom(no offense to her) relayed the message wrong. Emissions insp here in PA is visual(last I checked w/ my buddy who does insp anyway). They don't do any machine checks or anything so how could they not know how it's not passing? I would either talk to the mechanic yourself or have her take it somewhere else...

 

Front control arms are a thousand? Wtf that mechanic is ripping your mom off. Just do all of it yourself and in PA emissions are visual they're not gonna bother you unless you have no cats or something.

 

Emissions testing in PA is determined by the county in which you live. Some counties (mainly urban areas) require dyno emissions testing:

http://www.drivecleanpa.state.pa.us/

I replaced all the front suspension bushings including upper an lower control arm bushings myself. Took very little in the way of special tools. Tricky part was burning the old rubber bushings out with a simple propane torch. Cost for Energy Suspension polyurethane bushings, with an upgraded lower control arm vertical bushing design to prevent bind with the more rigid bushings was about $50. A wheel alignment will be required.

Battery - if you can't replace it yourself, sell the car and ride a bike

Get is scanned for codes - that will go a long way to finding out why there is an emisiions problem.

 

Even paying a pro to do the front control arm work shouldn't be more than a few hundred. Did your mom go to a dealership?

 

it was taken to a sunoco down the street that my family has been using for years. I'm going to have it taken to the place my girlfriend uses and see what they say. How can a car mysteriously fail emissions? i did have a magnaflow dual exhaust put on since inspection last year but would that cause this? and i know my car only has OBD 1 scanner i think it is.

and the reason i dont know more is because I'm still 300 miles away at college so I had my mom take it in for inspection so that it would be ready for when i get home on thursday so that i can get to work

 

[QUOTE=Injuneer;6678094]Emissions testing in PA is determined by the county in which you live. Some counties (mainly urban areas) require dyno emissions testing:

http://www.drivecleanpa.state.pa.us/

QUOTE]

OK, I did not know that. Makes a little more sense now. I would still call the mechanic tomorrow.

 

The car can fail emissions a year after passing, due to:
-failed catalytic converter
-faulty A/F ratio control, often due to faulty O2 sensors
-problem with EGR system
-exhaust leak BEFORE the O2 sensors
-misfires from worn plugs, arcing wires, or virtually any other ignition component
-leaking or dirty injectors
-engine running too cool (high HC and CO), or too hot (high NOx)