I just bought a 2008 M5 from a dealer in MD (special order) while on a business trip, but had my local San Diego BMW dealer perform a courtesy delivery. I picked up the car last Tuesday! The car was in the BMW production / delivery pipeline just as though I had ordered the car in San Diego. I paid all CA tax and registration fees to register the car here but the DMV insisted that the car had to be smog tested because the certificate of origin is from MD. The same certificate clearly stated that the car was built to meet all CA emissions requirements as well as those of the other states.
I tried getting the car smogged at an authorized CA check point last week, but their equipment could not perform the test and they suggested I try the dealer. I dropped off the car at the dealer yesterday for the testing. The issue I've encountered as explained to me by an SA at my San Diego dealership is that the 08 M5 is so new that the current CA smog testing equipment cannot read the cars emissions at the various tachometer threshholds because of a presumed software communiation problem. They are initiating a PUMA. He said that, technically, they didn't expect to have to smog an 08 car for about 4 years. I didn't think that sounded correct, but then I remembered that BMW did software recall on my 2002 M Roadster last year because they thought it would not pass a smog test. Don't know what would have happened had I sold it sooner as a smog test would have been required before I could legally sell the car in CA.
Sorry this is getting long....BUT.....
I am wondering if anyone else on this board has purchased an E60 M5 and had to get it smogged for CA registration, either because it was purchased in a different state or as part of the CA requirement for smog checks upon resale of the car to someone who would register it in CA.
I am especially interested if anyone has dealt with this problem on an 08 M5 and if there is already a work-around of which my BMW dealership is not aware (FYI-it's BMW of San Diego).
Thanks!:confused2
I tried getting the car smogged at an authorized CA check point last week, but their equipment could not perform the test and they suggested I try the dealer. I dropped off the car at the dealer yesterday for the testing. The issue I've encountered as explained to me by an SA at my San Diego dealership is that the 08 M5 is so new that the current CA smog testing equipment cannot read the cars emissions at the various tachometer threshholds because of a presumed software communiation problem. They are initiating a PUMA. He said that, technically, they didn't expect to have to smog an 08 car for about 4 years. I didn't think that sounded correct, but then I remembered that BMW did software recall on my 2002 M Roadster last year because they thought it would not pass a smog test. Don't know what would have happened had I sold it sooner as a smog test would have been required before I could legally sell the car in CA.
Sorry this is getting long....BUT.....
I am wondering if anyone else on this board has purchased an E60 M5 and had to get it smogged for CA registration, either because it was purchased in a different state or as part of the CA requirement for smog checks upon resale of the car to someone who would register it in CA.
I am especially interested if anyone has dealt with this problem on an 08 M5 and if there is already a work-around of which my BMW dealership is not aware (FYI-it's BMW of San Diego).
Thanks!:confused2