Went to my local car dealer last week to get the Abgas certificate renewed. Total visit time was about 20 minutes. So imagine my shock when I received a bill today for 128.04!

Breaks down as follows:
Wartung und reglage Abgassystem, CHF62-
Abgaswerte messen, ausdrucken und zertifikateintrag, CHF57-
(and CHF9- of tax)

So if I read this correctly, I paid CHF60- for them to run the test, and another CHF60- for them to print it out. That's one expensive window sticker.

Even here in rip-off Switzerland, this seems excessive. Next time I'll pay closer attention to the posts telling me where I can get the abgas done for CHF50-.

But the CHF9 of tax is alot less than you would pay in other places. Smile you are in Switzerland, where anything involving manual labour costs an arm and a leg!

I paid 77chf.

Does that make you feel any better?

In Bern, there are garages who make the test for 35 CHF.

I don't get the:
"Wartung und reglage Abgassystem, CHF62-"

I have the impression it has to do with the measurement device.

Manual labour? Even at CHF120- per hour (which, I think, is the rate at my garage) this should cost about CH40-.

I didn't watch them perform the test, but my understanding is that they basically stick a big hose over your exhaust pipe, press a button, take a reading, and give you a print-out.

Oh yeah. They have to remove the old sticker and apply the new one. Which they've done fastidiously, to their credit.

OK just read again your post. You "went to the local car dealer" ... big mistake. You're looking for troubles!

I think I paid somewhere between 35 and 40 at the cheapest independent garage I found so far in Switzerland.

What i understood is that the price varies not only based on how hard they screw you, but on the car you drive: Diesels were more expensive than petrol and newer cars had some simplified method with a paper that gives you the tolerances it might have while older cars were more paper work? Don't remember exactly, but 127 sounds excessive to me.

They also update the certficate and stamp it - ensuring that should you get stopped by the police you don't get a fine.

Damn regulations.

FYI - my 21 year old car has emissions lower than any other previous test

I paid CHF 50 as late as yesterday. They did not measure anything in the exhaust pipe (!!??) but only connected to the cars electronics....whatever. Guess they (only) checked if the Lambda probe is doing OK....

But I drove away with a new sticker, a fresh stamp in the booklet and a smile.

I just tried to google "reglage", and it seems you paid a standard price of 57 for the test, and an additional 62 for adjustments necessary after the test. I just had my Abgastest 1 month ago. They charged me CHF 87 for the test only, so be glad you don't drive a jaguar, or it would have cost you even more

Doc.

The emissions are failling due to age. Time to replace them

I have been given the same rip-off story in the past; but with most modern cars "adjustments" are not possible - emissions are managed by the in car computer which cannot be adjusted.

Usually like this only if you've got a diesel (the probe doesn't work up diesel exhausts). My last one cost about CHF 20!

Of course they can. How do you think engine mapping works?

Lambda is a good measure of how lean/rich you are running the engine - and can be tweaked for different throttle openings and different rpms.

In my opinion though, making adjustments would indicate there is an issue elsewhere in the system, MAF, oxygen sensors, fuel sensors etc - for example if an oxygen sensor is reading high the computer will increase the amount of fuel you use.

Yeh! Heard that one before, delivered with a bland smile, until I showed him the cars interface.

I've been ripped off by BMW a few times, with prices varying randomly from 88 to 130 chf. For the same BMW car I paid 34.90 chf a few months ago here http://www.auto-technik-unger.ch

Of course I know how engine mapping works.

I simply do not believe most Swiss garages have the equipment or expertise to remap & also nobody ever tried to charge me for a new chip.

If they did re-map the chip I suspect you would have to go to the Strassenvekehrsamt & get it approved?

good tip.....

I received a letter today from 'Strassenverkehrsamt' asking (I think) me to bring my car to attend a compulsory test.

The letter tells me a date, time and says it will cost 57.60 ch.

Has anyone else received a letter like this and know what it means? I live in the Canton Zug.

The letter is titled 'Aufforderung zur Fahrzeugprufung'. I thought my car was not due for testing for another 6 months.

Cheers, Griffo

I'm not really sure but I think it is the famous MFK test.