Georgia 2004 owners beware!
 

(I posted this in the SE regional category but figured it ought to be here as it might be missed by casual readers.)

This year the 2004 models need to be emission tested in Georgia. They're the first 8's to need it. Lucky me...my b-day is in January, so I'm one of the first of the first.

The State of Georgia has incorrectly entered the RX8 into their emission control computer listings! It is listed as a 2-cylinder engine -- this renders the computer system unable to test our cars.

All the systems in Georgia use the same database, it seems. It will not matter where you take the car for testing -- the dealer will not be able to help.

Until the system is fixed, be advised that getting the RX8 registered is a real PITA. Here's the procedure:

1. Go to an emission testing place. If the technician is not aware of the computer error, go to a different testing place.

2. They will test and fail the car.

3. You'll be given a pamphlet which lists "waiver" facilities.

4. Go to the waiver facility and obtain a waiver in lieu of a successful emissions test report. It's about a five-minute process not counting wait time.

5. Register as usual.

Note that in the metro Atlanta area, there are only about 5 waiver sites. I used the one off of Franklin Road in Marietta and found the staff efficient and courteous. "Oh, you're the second RX8 owner today," she observed.

Hopefully they get this problem resolved soon.

I get to use my Big Chicken pic again in honor of Marietta!

Go Big Chicken! Too bad the pic isn't one of those animated GIFs...then everyone could see how the Chicken's eyes rotate in a demented and disturbing fashion. Always made me think of "Mad Chicken Disease."

Marietta would cease to function if we were to lose our Chicken. Just about every set of verbal directions issued by our citizens leads off with "From the Big Chicken, go..."

Not everyone in Georgia has emission testing. Those of us fortunate to live in the rural areas of the state are exempt from testing. Is Atlanta metro area the only area or are there others?

Well, I thought that the Pennsylvania computer system was screwed up, and it is, but it did recognize my rotary engine. Are fifeen year old cars covered under your computerized system because I wonder what all of those RX 7s have been doing? It is the beauty of government that it employs people who have never had a job working at anything in their lives and make them responsible for telling all the rest of us how to do our jobs. Genius!

That shows how much I know about the state in which I reside! (I'm a native Floridian and lived in Texas before moving to ATL in 1999.)

This is from the GA emissions website:

[testing is required if]

If your vehicle is: a 1983-2004 model year gasoline-powered car or light-duty truck (up to 8,500 pounds gross vehicle weight rating) registered in Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, Paulding or Rockdale County.

The last RX7s were sold in, what, 1995? It's my understanding the GA testing system can cope with rotaries but that someone mis-entered the emission system data.

Come to think about it, this is why the emission test machine was reading an idle rpm of 1700-1800 yesterday. It thought it was 'listening' to a 2-cylinder when it was really listening to a...um...very different type of engine. (What did someone here once say the rotary acted like? A 3.8 L 6-stroke piston engine?) Probably gave the machine a little silicon nervous breakdown.

The reason that I ask is that Pennsylvania has a multitiered requirements. The current standard here is to plug the OBD II into a state run computer, via modem, and have that central computer operate the test, but of course cars before around '99 don't necessarily have OBD II ports so cars in those counties that require this type of emissions test are tested with a rolling treadmill at 40 MPH with a sensor up the tailpipe. In other counties there is only a physical inspection. The system is ludicrous, but if Georgia is using an OBD II test then that isn't going to work on older cars, which raises the question, what happens to them?

Interesting post. That waiver thing is great until they fix the system. No fail; nothing to repair.

Yeah those are all metro Atlanta counties. I think the poor air quality in that area required them to do it. Lower vehicle densities in rural areas less emissions, except form some of them chickens. Been in GA since 1973.

Yup, that sounds about right.