Smog

My minivan has failed a smog test. Not by very much, and the guy at the test-only station where I took it said that many vans of my type are classed as "gross polluters," but mine is only a borderline failure and probably won't take much to bring back into compliance. So this coming week I need to take it for diagnosis and repair. The shop next to the test station quoted $98 minimum diagnosis charge plus whatever it will take to repair it. I will also call the guy who put the engine in and ask for his opinion. He may not be able to work on it -- I think you need to be a licensed smog center for this -- but he may have a recommendation to a particular repair shop, and given how well he's treated me over the years, I would take his recommendations very seriously.

( Car Talk )

At least I still have more than a month before the registration is due, so I've got time to get the repairs done.