car smoke

Types of Smog Test Stations

You should note that a smog test is done by a station that is licensed by the relevant automotive organization. Depending on the circumstances, you may be required to take the vehicle to any of these types of smog check stations or centers.

Test-only Station

This type of station performs only the smog check test but does not carry out repairs. These stations may not meet the highest performance standards required. In most cases, they are non-STAR stations and are operated by technicians who are new or have no experience of performing smog tests. In fact, such stations are regarded to be undesirable.

Test and Repair Station

This is a type of station that carries out both smog checks and vehicle repairs. However, these stations suffer from conflicts of interest. For consumers, it may be fishy that a station that is in the business of repairing vehicles that do not pass emission tests is the one that does the test. This may because the station intentionally made the vehicle fail the test to make extra money on repairs.

car test

Repair-only Station

Ideally, this is a station that does only repairs but does not perform the test. In fact, these stations do not perform smog checks, and they are not authorized to do so.

STAR station

Ideally, star smog station meets the highest performance standards set out by the relevant authority. In fact, some of the stations fall into the category of test-only stations, whereas others are test and repair. The technicians working in these stations have superior knowledge, skills, advanced testing procedures, and excellent customer service.

As you know, until you can provide a smog check certificate, the registration of your car cannot be renewed. Also, if the vehicle fails the smog check, you will be required to carry out the required repairs and then take a retest to complete the registration. However, if the costs of repairing the vehicle outweigh the value, the government may purchase it as scrap.

Smog checks are quite important. Nowadays, some vehicle owners modify the exhaust systems of their cars and even remove catalytic converter for performance gains. Although cars yield high performance, they increase pollution. Therefore, smog checks on all cars, whether they are new or used is necessary. There is a need to ensure the best equipment and skilled professionals accurately test the vehicle.

a black and shiny tire

Benefits of Portable Tire Inflators

Selecting the best tire inflators among the available options is not an easy thing to do. At some points, it can even turn into a frustrating experience. For this reason, many drivers prefer to be dependent on large and stationary air compressors that car workshops provide. But the real question is, does it work for all conditions? The answer is, of course, no. Those who drive a lot to foreign areas will know how it feels like to get stuck alone on a roadside after having a flat tire.

Especially when one wants to address such problems, having a portable and practical tool ready in hand is crucial. Thus, we can all agree that a portable air compressor is a vital item that one needs to prepare before the long drive. Unlike the regular stationary compressors, the portable items offer several features and settings that driver can benefit from. The automatic setting is one example of the available features. The feature allows the device to work automatically whenever it detects unbalanced air pressure within the tires. Apart from the above example, below are the other benefits of having a portable tire inflator.

It Is Easy to Use

People these days rely solely on practicality that a product offers. It includes simple use and how they can benefit from the products. The same thing happens to the portable air compressors. Different from decades ago, today’s drivers are luckier since the presence of the item will bring them many amenities. One reason is that it is easy to use and faster operation speed. They only need to attach the device to the flat tires and push the button, and the device will work immediately. Some inflators even go further by inventing a feature that allows users to pump all four tires at once. Although the prices may be higher, the item proves dependable and practical.

It Saves Time

The next advantage that drivers can get is its ability to save time. Indeed, compared to the conventional method of fixing flat tires by bringing the car to the workshop, an automatic action is pretty much needed to fix the problems in no time. Some brands are even equipped with a system that can pump a lot of air into the tires and finish within four minutes. In addition to it, using the device is also a safe choice for drivers. The device comes with certain safety features, and these features will make sure that nothing bad will happen during the operation.