[JST]

In order to pass the "safety inspection," all auxiliary lights (such as fog lights) on your vehicle have to be in working condition.

Note, though, that these auxiliary lights are not required by law. You can remove them, or even just remove the wiring for them, and they will "not be considered" for inspection. However, if they are in place, they have to work. Why? I don't know, but it means that I have to get my damn foglight (which I never use) fixed before I have the car inspected.

What a racket.

 

[Josh (PA)]

In order to pass the "safety inspection," all auxiliary lights (such as fog lights) on your vehicle have to be in working condition.

Note, though, that these auxiliary lights are not required by law. You can remove them, or even just remove the wiring for them, and they will "not be considered" for inspection. However, if they are in place, they have to work. Why? I don't know, but it means that I have to get my damn foglight (which I never use) fixed before I have the car inspected.

What a racket.

Same law in PA. I got burned a few times for cracked fog lights on my e36. Seems those things have a habit of catching stones. I feel sorry for you, it sucks.

 

[Guest]

In order to pass the "safety inspection," all auxiliary lights (such as fog lights) on your vehicle have to be in working condition.

Note, though, that these auxiliary lights are not required by law. You can remove them, or even just remove the wiring for them, and they will "not be considered" for inspection. However, if they are in place, they have to work. Why? I don't know, but it means that I have to get my damn foglight (which I never use) fixed before I have the car inspected.

What a racket.

We should order them in bulk.

 

[Plaz]

There's no regular inspection at all in CA. Just periodic emissions testing.

Thought that was very strange, having moved from NJ where the yearly ritual of having a state employee plaster a big obtrusive sticker on the drivers' side of the windshield is de rigeur.

:dunno:

 

[JST]

There's no regular inspection at all in CA. Just periodic emissions testing.

Thought that was very strange, having moved from NJ where the yearly ritual of having a state employee plaster a big obtrusive sticker on the drivers' side of the windshield is de rigeur.

:dunno:

See, I came the other way, from Michigan (You Can Pry My Jalopy Out Of My Cold Dead Hand) to the People's Republic. Michigan is one of the few (perhaps the only?) states that actually had an emissions program and got rid of it.

Anyone know if I can just slap a new (H1?) bulb in the foglight (which is cracked), or do I have to actually get a whole new housing?

 

[AF]

That is a very strange rule . . . have you checked BMW parts for sale on the org or ebay . . . maybe you can catch a deal

 

[Jetfire]

Yeah, VA's inspections stink. :thumbdwn: Yet another reason why Maryland (where I was born and grown) is the better state.

 

[Guest]

Yeah, VA's inspections stink. :thumbdwn: Yet another reason why Maryland (where I was born and grown) is the better state.

Preachin' to the choir...

I will not live in Virginia even if my commute to Herndon kills me.

 

[Patrick]

Circle BMW also sells fog light protective covers that prevent rocks from cracking the fog light lens.

Patrick

 

[Jetfire]

My home office is in Reston, and I lived literally across the street from it for about a year. Of course, I never once set foot in my home office during that time. Heck, for part of that time I was driving up to Rockville/Gaithersburg (25-30 miles) every morning. We then moved to Sterling, which only made matters worse. It was great for mileage reimbursements, though. Of course, now I'm working out of Reston. Soon I'll be in D.C. again.

TD, IIRC your commute is now similar to my old Gaith/Reston commute, only in the opposite and slower direction. I feel for ya. That kind of traffic makes me wish I'd kept my Pontiac at times.

 

[Kaz]

Wow, and people complain about the emissions testing here in CA.

Around here they don't care if you don't even HAVE any lights (or windows or a hood) to smog you and get your car renewed. The cops might eventually care but not for registration purposes

 

[dredmo]

Id still rather live in va than cali :dunno:

 

[The HACK]

Wow, and people complain about the emissions testing here in CA.

Around here they don't care if you don't even HAVE any lights (or windows or a hood) to smog you and get your car renewed. The cops might eventually care but not for registration purposes

And that's every OTHER year too.

 

[·clyde·]

Yeah, VA's inspections stink. :thumbdwn: Yet another reason why Maryland (where I was born and grown) is the better state.

MD better than VA. hehe There's only a few states that MD can say that about. I hate living here.

 

[Kaz]

And that's every OTHER year too.

I think for new cars its not until the 4th year now.

 

[·clyde·]

Around here they don't care if you don't even HAVE any lights...to smog you and get your car renewed.

Not true! Ask me about my $900 light bulb.

The one light they care about is the check engine light.

 

[Nat Brown]

Circle BMW also sells fog light protective covers that prevent rocks from cracking the fog light lens.

I recommend Xpel for protecting fog lights and head lights. I bought Xpel after losing a fog light within a week of taking delivery of my car in the US.

--gary

 

[Patrick]

I recommend Xpel for protecting fog lights and head lights. I bought Xpel after losing a fog light within a week of taking delivery of my car in the US.

--gary

What is Xpel? :dunno: What does it cost?

Patrick

 

[Michael330]

As Plaz said, no inspection in Cali. Just a stupid emission test which takes 5-10 minutes. As someone who came here from Europe I always find it funny that there are all these different laws in different states and even counties: different taxes, traffic laws, in some you can't buy alcohol, in some you have to buy it from the county, different education policies, in some you can't have anal sex... and so on and so forth. It seems like an anachronism. Maybe this made sense when there were all these independent colonies but now? I think they should just unite the whole nation and get rid of these states.

 

[Plaz]

As Plaz said, no inspection in Cali. Just a stupid emission test which takes 5-10 minutes. As someone who came here from Europe I always find it funny that there are all these different laws in different states and even counties: different taxes, traffic laws, in some you can't buy alcohol, in some you have to buy it from the county, different education policies, in some you can't have anal sex... and so on and so forth. It seems like an anachronism. Maybe this made sense when there were all these independent colonies but now? I think they should just unite the whole nation and get rid of these states.

Ahh, yes... it is inefficient and confusing at times, but it is this local control and local representation that has been the foundation of our system of government, and one of the reasons it continues to thrive through challenge after challenge. It also gives the opportunity for certain locales to experiment, and compete with other locales. It is central to the American Way (tm), and can never be changed.

I can see how it seems ridiculous to others, though.