Calling on all Arizonian's

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k91

k91

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Can any Arizona folks give some insight on emission testing in AZ? I currently live in Washington State and am planning on moving to AZ in about a year. I currently do not have emission testing here in WA, but understand there is emission testing in AZ, as per the AZ DOT website. I have a 75 FJ40 that has been de-smogged and was curious if anyone can give some insight on if the inspectors lift the hood, or just do a sniff test at the tail pipe? The AZ DOT website does not really detail what in entailed. Thanks all !
 
LandCruiserPhil said:
Registrar it as a classic vehicle no testing. Most areas outside of Maricopa county (Phoenix Area) do not require any testing.
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Don't forget Tucson has testing as well. As for classic route most insurance companies will require a garage and limit for miles driven. Been over fifteen years since I gone thru emissions on a pre OBD2 vehicle but they use to check under the hood for things like a smog pump. My second home is in rural part of the state and could have a smoke screen coming out the back and wouldn't get a ticket.
 
Living in the Past said:
Don't forget Tucson has testing as well. As for classic route most insurance companies will require a garage and limit for miles driven. Been over fifteen years since I gone thru emissions on a pre OBD2 vehicle but they use to check under the hood for things like a smog pump. My second home is in rural part of the state and could have a smoke screen coming out the back and wouldn't get a ticket.
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How many miles a year to you drive your 40? Point is its easy to get around anymore where ever you live in AZ.
 
LandCruiserPhil said:
How many miles a year to you drive your 40? Point is its easy to get around anymore where ever you live in AZ.
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Next to nothing. I drive my FJ62 more but even that is was less than a daily driver. Only reason I have classic insurance on my 70 FJ40 is for a stated value policy. Not sure if the state requires historical plates or not to avoid emissions in area where its required. Those cost extra. Not sure if your in a emissions area and have it registered as a classic if they still hit with the fee for emissions. First five years on a new car you get a pass on emissions but still paying for missions. Just registered my 70 for five years and was right at $65. Not going to get away that cheap in a emissions area.
Enough about me, original poster said nothing about how they use they cruiser. While never used a FJ40 in the valley as a daily driver or would I with all traffic that doesn't someone else wouldn't. Just not assuming everyone uses the cruiser like me.
 
If you live in Phoenix or Tucson metro areas you will need an emissions test. They will both look under your hood and do a sniff test on he dyno. Sometimes they will do a pressure test of your gas cap but this seems rather inconsistent. I have a 78 FJ40 and get to do an emissions test annually. I believe the vehicle needs to 1967 or older to be exempt. While I believe they have no clue what they are looking for under the hood, missing all of the emissions equipment might spark their interest.
 
arizona78 said:
If you live in Phoenix or Tucson metro areas you will need an emissions test. They will both look under your hood and do a sniff test on he dyno. Sometimes they will do a pressure test of your gas cap but this seems rather inconsistent. I have a 78 FJ40 and get to do an emissions test annually. I believe the vehicle needs to 1967 or older to be exempt. While I believe they have no clue what they are looking for under the hood, missing all of the emissions equipment might spark their interest.
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As Phil mentioned you can get around emissions in the Phoenix and Tucson areas by registering as a classic that comes with limitations. 67 requires emissions has to be older than 67. At one time emissions was twenty years or newer. My 68 went a few years of being emissions exempt before fixing it at 67. So once a year I needed to drive it to emissions just so I could tow it to a rural area to use it.
 
Thank you for the replies everyone! I currently have Collector plates on the 40 here in Washington which comes with the stipulation of only driving to "special events"- Right!! I do not drive it daily, just on the weekends. I looked on the AZ DOT website for information and the only vehicles I saw that would be exempt were the newer vehicles and AZ's description of a "Collector vehicle" which was some where around manufacture year 1941? I could be wrong on the date, but it was no where near my 1975.
 
I know people have done it on much newer vehicles. Historical plates require the vehicle be twenty-five years old. Pretty that is the requirement to get the emissions exemption. All my old vehicles are located out of the Phoenix area and have been for years so never looked into the classic option.
 
Living in the Past said:
As Phil mentioned you can get around emissions in the Phoenix and Tucson areas by registering as a classic that comes with limitations. 67 requires emissions has to be older than 67. At one time emissions was twenty years or newer. My 68 went a few years of being emissions exempt before fixing it at 67. So once a year I needed to drive it to emissions just so I could tow it to a rural area to use it.
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My old FI V8 powered 40 Murf drives is a 1982 with no AZ emission testing required. It has classic plates with Hagerty Insurance. In talking with Murf Hagerty was the choice because of the minimum limits and did not need to park in a garage.
 
I live in Tucson, and have a 69 FJ40, and a 74 FJ55. Rather than have to dumb down the vehicles every year just to get through the test, I registered them both as classic vehicles. And the Haggerty insurance is less expensive than I was paying Farmers.
 
Fyi....the historic plates have nothing to do with emissions. If you get collector car insurance that will make you emission exempt. With that insurance you call run whatever plate you want.
 
LandCruiserPhil said:
did not need to park in a garage.
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Would have to check my policy with Hagerty to see if I am required to garage mine. Was asked that question when I signed up years ago. Didn't matter since my 70 as been garage since I bought, wouldn't have bought a original paint FJ40 then parked it outside. I have stated value policy which I'm sure sure had anything to do with it or if all their policies have a stated value. Do you know if Murf is required to at least park his FJ40 behind a fence? Believe does keep it out of sight.

JackA said:
Fyi....the historic plates have nothing to do with emissions. If you get collector car insurance that will make you emission exempt. With that insurance you call run whatever plate you want.
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Wasn't sure if the state requires Historic Plates or not. That will save $25 a year. Hagerty doesn't require it. Carry Hagerty for the stated value. The orange and green license plates are free since I had them on my 68 originally, otherwise they would run $25 extra a year.
 
Living in the Past said:
Would have to check my policy with Hagerty to see if I am required to garage mine. Was asked that question when I signed up years ago. Didn't matter since my 70 as been garage since I bought, wouldn't have bought a original paint FJ40 then parked it outside. I have stated value policy which I'm sure sure had anything to do with it or if all their policies have a stated value. Do you know if Murf is required to at least park his FJ40 behind a fence? Believe does keep it out of sight.
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All the years I owned it I registered it out of the county with never an issue.
Best to ask MURF on the fine details. But Im guessing no because he parks it in open parking lots all the time.

This aside, there are couple easy ways around the smog police is Arizona having done it since 1986 with one or more vehicle.
 
I know plenty of people use the other address out of emissions counties to get around the system. Never did it myself since passing emissions was never a problem. Just bothered me taking my 68 thru emissions when I never used it in the valley and even towed to where I used it. Once we had a second home moved it there and registered it there.
 
LandCruiserPhil said:
My old FI V8 powered 40 Murf drives is a 1982 with no AZ emission testing required. It has classic plates with Hagerty Insurance. In talking with Murf Hagerty was the choice because of the minimum limits and did not need to park in a garage.
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Did Hagerty need to list anything specific on the policy that the DMV would look at? I just went to a 3rd party DMV today to transfer a title and register my 1971 FJ40 and brought along my Hagerty policy. The lady working said she couldn’t get the computer to accept any of the info to make it exempt from emissions. The prior owner had it exempt so I know it’s possible. Maybe it was just that specific 3rd party DMV.
 
Sando Serious said:
Did Hagerty need to list anything specific on the policy that the DMV would look at? I just went to a 3rd party DMV today to transfer a title and register my 1971 FJ40 and brought along my Hagerty policy. The lady working said she couldn’t get the computer to accept any of the info to make it exempt from emissions. The prior owner had it exempt so I know it’s possible. Maybe it was just that specific 3rd party DMV.
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When I went in to one of the state MVDs with my evidence of collector's insurance they couldn't find 79 FJ40 in the system (I think the VIN was shorter than expected) so they had to do a quick VIN inspection. For those types of things I think the non-3rd party offices might be better equipped.

Aside from the initial registration it's super easy (just renewed a few vehicles under collector's insurance for 5 years online!).
 
FYI: should factor in the "Public Safety Fee". If you register for one year or five years it's $32. Do the registration annually it would be $160. Been nineteen years since I registered my 68 in Phoenix. Annual emissions I believe were $27. Add in the new Public Safety Fee would be $59 a year just for those two. Classic route and five year registration is really the only way to go in you live where the state requires emissions.
 
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