Q: My California Department of Motor Vehicles registration has the Smog Abatement Fee on it — but my parents don’t have it on theirs. Do you know why?
– Gina N. Dangelo, Saugus
A: Yes.
Gina, do you happen to have a newer ride than your parents?
Generally, the California Legislature does not require gas-powered cars and trucks that are eight years old or younger, are purchased here in the Golden State, with its restrictive requirements on manufacturers, and have remained with the original owner to get smog checks every other year.
Of course, newer gas vehicles aren’t likely to be excessive polluters.
Most smog checks cost nearly $60. So you save cash there.
But those with the younger gas vehicles don’t get cut much slack. That Smog Abatement Fee they must pay is typically $20 or $25 annually, depending on the vehicle’s age.
The revenue is used to back programs meant to curb pollution. For example, it helps with grants for those with construction and agricultural equipment, semitrucks, locomotives, buses and fire trucks — so the owners can purchase cleaner engines.
Electric vehicles may not need smog checks, but their owners get the pleasure of dishing out $118 for a Road Improvement Fee.
Q: We just purchased a new vehicle about a week ago, and the temporary license plates were installed on the front and back of the vehicle. We just noticed the front plate is missing. The back plate is still on the vehicle. What should we do before our permanent plates arrive? Are we going to be cited?
– Priscilla Derieg, Costa Mesa
A: Ask the dealer to get you another one, or a new pair.
It can log into a DMV database and print out temporary plates onto that special paper that can deflect a beating by the weather.
Temporary license plates are “valid until the customer receives the permanent license plates or up to 90 days after the date of sale,” said Katarina Snow, a DMV spokesperson.
And, yes, you could get cited for not having both plates.
But Honk wants to be honest with you — if you take a walk around your block, you will very likely see more than one car or truck without a front plate.
Honk likes chit-chatting with cops, but not on the side of a road after getting pulled over, so he doesn’t take chances: The Honkmobile always sports two plates.
HONKIN’ FACT: Rocker Joe Walsh, in the classic “Life’s Been Good,” sings how his Maserati does 185. It’s unclear what his 2007 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 can do, but it is on the block in an ongoing auction via Julien’s Auctions, based in Gardena.
Carroll Shelby signed it, albeit it is unclear where. Walsh hasn’t driven it much — the odometer has 5,706 miles on it. A portion of the proceeds will go to his charity, VetsAid.
As of Thursday, there had been seven bids, with the top one at $70,000.
To ask Honk questions, reach him at honk@ocregister.com. He only answers those that are published. To see Honk online: ocregister.com/tag/honk. Twitter: @OCRegisterHonk