[Ron61]

I've always wondered about California smog tests. As I understand it, almost all cars pass. But those that fail usually only have to spend a few hundred dollars, and then they are "exempted". In the meantime, the vast majority pay a not-insignificant fee for what?
I like the clean air, but I wonder if this is the best way to do it...

I am not positive, but I believe that exemption rule has been changed. And not all cars pass by any means, at least not up here. They will find something wrong with the visual inspection, such as a chrome air cleaner where the factory one was painted and send the person to the referee where he has to spend a ton of money. It is more about the money than any desire to clean the air. One guy here had a stock Ford pickup and they failed his visual because he had an Auto-lite Distributor which was what came in it. They made him put in an after market one and then charged him a big amount because of that, even though the pick up passed the sniffer test in great shape. But go in with an aftermarket distributor in the vehicle and you will also be failed on the visual. I can't say what the rest of the state is like now, but in Northern Calif., it is a mess as no two referees will accept the same thing and just being 50 state legal around here doesn't mean they will accept it. We have people leaving here every day as they are fed up with the state and its stupid rule enforcement.

Ron