[BiturboS4] Re: more on emissions and CA (was: mostly ranting)

[dano]

At 8:36 AM -0700 on 10/18/02, Matt twentyV wrote:
>  > Has anyone seen
>  > actual emissions test results on S4 and/or other
>  > turbo cars compared
>  > with conventionally aspirated models?
>I had to smog test my S4 when I "imported" it to CA
>after buying it new in VA (50-state certified, why
>should it need testing because I brought it into
>the state instead of AoA??)  Anyhow, it blew all
>zeros.

Hm. I can believe zero CO. But zero HC with zero NOx at the same time?

><<Why VA?  My choices were a 6-month waiting list or
>$5k over MSRP in CA.  The exact car I wanted was
>sitting on a lot in VA and the dealer eagerly sold it
>for MSRP.  $1100 for shipping VA to CA>>

When I checked the Calif DMV two weeks ago it is no longer legal to
buy a car in another state and bring it to Calif. (I was looking at
an S4 Avant in Florida.)

Calif's auto buying laws and auto emission laws are moving targets.
What was true last year (or last month!) may not be true today. This
will probably continue to be the case for the indefinite future. And
they may even change the rules retroactively so that your car -
legally imported some time ago - may become extremely difficult to
register in the future. I do not know this for a fact, it's simply
speculation.

(I sold my '79 911SC because it was very difficult and expensive to
get to pass smog, even knowing a mechanic who could get it to pass. I
didn't buy a great looking and pollutionally clean gray market but
legally imported '83 911 Carrera because the State of Calif can
retroactively change the laws and then the car becomes a garage
queen.)

><snip>
>  > What is the deal with the mileage of the S4?  Who
>  > says 17 mpg average?
>  > My computer always reports 20.8 mpg average.
>I see 22-23 on the computer around town.  Freeway is
>more like 26-27.  Measured matches computer pretty
>closely... reset it when you fill the tank and check
>it on the next fillup.

I'm looking forward to fuel econ numbers for the new S4 with V8. Am
hoping that the 2003 S4 Avant is not just a wet dream of mine, but
may actually come to the US and Calif sometime next year...  heh heh
heh.