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  #1  
Old January 19th 05, 04:51 AM
Nielsen
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default ODB2

Hi all,

I am about to purchace a 97 Miata Limited Edition which has been
sitting in a garage for some time. Seller has to smog and register it
before sale.. well... it passed the smog test but the ODB2 computer
failed ???
Seller claims it failed because he recently gave it a new battery and
it needs to be driven a while before the ODB2 computer comes back up -
is this just a minor issue or should stay away from this one ?

Another factor: it has 97K miles on it and he's asking $4K is that
reasonable ??

Thanks for any answers
/Rene
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  #2  
Old January 19th 05, 08:11 PM
Chief_Wiggum
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Posts: n/a
Default

It's true that a car will fail the smog test if the OBD computer hasn't
gone through enough "drive cycles"

The only problem is though, that you don't know for sure that he didn't just
clear the codes to sell the car, and a "check engine light" will pop up
after a while.

It very well *could* be just what he says, but unless you trust him, or have
some recourse you don't know for sure.

4k for a 97 sounds like a good price if the car is in nice shape.

You might try telling him you will hold back $500.00 until it can fully pass
the inspection. If he has nothing to hide, he shouldn't have a problem with
it.

good luck!

"Nielsen" > wrote in message
...
> Hi all,
>
> I am about to purchace a 97 Miata Limited Edition which has been
> sitting in a garage for some time. Seller has to smog and register it
> before sale.. well... it passed the smog test but the ODB2 computer
> failed ???
> Seller claims it failed because he recently gave it a new battery and
> it needs to be driven a while before the ODB2 computer comes back up -
> is this just a minor issue or should stay away from this one ?
>
> Another factor: it has 97K miles on it and he's asking $4K is that
> reasonable ??
>
> Thanks for any answers
> /Rene



  #3  
Old January 19th 05, 08:11 PM
Chief_Wiggum
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

It's true that a car will fail the smog test if the OBD computer hasn't
gone through enough "drive cycles"

The only problem is though, that you don't know for sure that he didn't just
clear the codes to sell the car, and a "check engine light" will pop up
after a while.

It very well *could* be just what he says, but unless you trust him, or have
some recourse you don't know for sure.

4k for a 97 sounds like a good price if the car is in nice shape.

You might try telling him you will hold back $500.00 until it can fully pass
the inspection. If he has nothing to hide, he shouldn't have a problem with
it.

good luck!

"Nielsen" > wrote in message
...
> Hi all,
>
> I am about to purchace a 97 Miata Limited Edition which has been
> sitting in a garage for some time. Seller has to smog and register it
> before sale.. well... it passed the smog test but the ODB2 computer
> failed ???
> Seller claims it failed because he recently gave it a new battery and
> it needs to be driven a while before the ODB2 computer comes back up -
> is this just a minor issue or should stay away from this one ?
>
> Another factor: it has 97K miles on it and he's asking $4K is that
> reasonable ??
>
> Thanks for any answers
> /Rene



  #4  
Old January 19th 05, 11:57 PM
chuckk
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Sounds a little strange to me. Where I live a smog test is not an issue.
However, a smog test in the next city (where it's required) will fail if the
ECU light is on, or does not work, regardless of a pass or fail at the
tailpipe.

"Chief_Wiggum" > wrote in message
news:GhyHd.41419$St.23336@fed1read03...
> It's true that a car will fail the smog test if the OBD computer hasn't
> gone through enough "drive cycles"
>
> The only problem is though, that you don't know for sure that he didn't
> just
> clear the codes to sell the car, and a "check engine light" will pop up
> after a while.
>
> It very well *could* be just what he says, but unless you trust him, or
> have
> some recourse you don't know for sure.
>
> 4k for a 97 sounds like a good price if the car is in nice shape.
>
> You might try telling him you will hold back $500.00 until it can fully
> pass
> the inspection. If he has nothing to hide, he shouldn't have a problem
> with
> it.
>
> good luck!
>
> "Nielsen" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Hi all,
>>
>> I am about to purchace a 97 Miata Limited Edition which has been
>> sitting in a garage for some time. Seller has to smog and register it
>> before sale.. well... it passed the smog test but the ODB2 computer
>> failed ???
>> Seller claims it failed because he recently gave it a new battery and
>> it needs to be driven a while before the ODB2 computer comes back up -
>> is this just a minor issue or should stay away from this one ?
>>
>> Another factor: it has 97K miles on it and he's asking $4K is that
>> reasonable ??
>>
>> Thanks for any answers
>> /Rene

>
>



  #5  
Old January 20th 05, 12:59 AM
Leon van Dommelen
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Nielsen > wrote:

>Hi all,
>
>I am about to purchace a 97 Miata Limited Edition which has been
>sitting in a garage for some time. Seller has to smog and register it
>before sale.. well... it passed the smog test but the ODB2 computer
>failed ???
>Seller claims it failed because he recently gave it a new battery and
>it needs to be driven a while before the ODB2 computer comes back up -


The computer will come back up as soon as ignition is turned on if
it is not broke. The seller lied.

If you replace the ECU with an aftermarket one, it would fail OBD
II. I just happen to know this. That car would be illegal
to drive, at least here in the USA. But that would suggest a
big turbo supercharger may have been installed on it in the past.
Which would suggest lots of wear and tear.

Why not try calling the shop that did the test and ask in what
way OBD II was failed? If there was no OBD II response, open
the ECU box behind the passenger seat and have a look.

Leon


>is this just a minor issue or should stay away from this one ?
>
>Another factor: it has 97K miles on it and he's asking $4K is that
>reasonable ??
>
>Thanks for any answers
>/Rene


--
Leon van Dommelen Bozo, the White 96 Sebring Miata .)
http://www.dommelen.net/miata
EXIT THE INTERSTATES (Jamie Jensen)
  #6  
Old January 20th 05, 06:03 AM
Chief_Wiggum
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Of course the computer comes back up as soon as the battery is connected
BUT...

the codes can be cleared, and the registers are in a zero state.

Many of the functions that the OBD computer monitors require several drive
cycles before they can accurately register. Thats' why sometimes you can
clear a code, and the light will come back on a day later, rather than right
away.

Some states (like Nevada) REQUIRE that the computer has gone through enough
drive cycles to register accurately. In past years they would allow an
old-fashioned tailpipe sniff test, but no longer.

The reason why is that they don't *actually* test the car anymore.. they
simply communicate with the car's computer and say "how are you running"...
if the car responds "fine, everything is okay" then it passes.

If you notice, the smog cert on OBDII cars doesn't provide the specs for O2,
CO, etc like they do with a manual test... it just says PASSED, or FAILED.

Anyway, like I said earlier... it's entirely possible that it's legit, but
it's also possible that he just cleared the codes so it would't be lit when
folks test drove it...


"Leon van Dommelen" > wrote in message
news
> Nielsen > wrote:
>
> >Hi all,
> >
> >I am about to purchace a 97 Miata Limited Edition which has been
> >sitting in a garage for some time. Seller has to smog and register it
> >before sale.. well... it passed the smog test but the ODB2 computer
> >failed ???
> >Seller claims it failed because he recently gave it a new battery and
> >it needs to be driven a while before the ODB2 computer comes back up -

>
> The computer will come back up as soon as ignition is turned on if
> it is not broke. The seller lied.
>
> If you replace the ECU with an aftermarket one, it would fail OBD
> II. I just happen to know this. That car would be illegal
> to drive, at least here in the USA. But that would suggest a
> big turbo supercharger may have been installed on it in the past.
> Which would suggest lots of wear and tear.
>
> Why not try calling the shop that did the test and ask in what
> way OBD II was failed? If there was no OBD II response, open
> the ECU box behind the passenger seat and have a look.
>
> Leon
>
>
> >is this just a minor issue or should stay away from this one ?
> >
> >Another factor: it has 97K miles on it and he's asking $4K is that
> >reasonable ??
> >
> >Thanks for any answers
> >/Rene

>
> --
> Leon van Dommelen Bozo, the White 96 Sebring Miata .)
> http://www.dommelen.net/miata
> EXIT THE INTERSTATES (Jamie Jensen)



  #7  
Old January 20th 05, 02:10 PM
Leon van Dommelen
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

"Chief_Wiggum" > wrote:

>Of course the computer comes back up as soon as the battery is connected
>BUT...
>
>the codes can be cleared, and the registers are in a zero state.


So, that is why I wrote:

>> Why not try calling the shop that did the test and ask in what
>> way OBD II was failed?


Leon

--
Leon van Dommelen Bozo, the White 96 Sebring Miata .)
http://www.dommelen.net/miata
EXIT THE INTERSTATES (Jamie Jensen)
  #8  
Old January 21st 05, 04:46 AM
Nielsen
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

According to seller the smogstation was aware of this battery/computer
problem.... so he has to re-smog it again next week after driving it
for a while.

Thanks for your inputs, very educating.

/Rene


On Thu, 20 Jan 2005 13:10:22 GMT,
(Leon van Dommelen) wrote:

>"Chief_Wiggum" > wrote:
>
>>Of course the computer comes back up as soon as the battery is connected
>>BUT...
>>
>>the codes can be cleared, and the registers are in a zero state.

>
>So, that is why I wrote:
>
>>> Why not try calling the shop that did the test and ask in what
>>> way OBD II was failed?

>
>Leon


 




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