San Jose HOV Sticker Bragging

[Tax Counsel]

http://www.mercurynews.com/topstories/ci_11592885

[CraziFuzzy]

Re: San Jose HOV Sticker Bragging

Hmm.. at least I've only gotten pulled over for this once...

[ajgiorgi]

Re: San Jose HOV Sticker Bragging

Do they make a Carb approved conversion for an old Dodge Caravan? That's the only way he could get the sticker. I didn't know they made conversions for that old of a van. I'm surprised he didn't get a ticket for being a smartass.

[CNG Utah]

Re: San Jose HOV Sticker Bragging

Dodge made an OEM CNG Caravan from about 94-96. They're pretty rare. The have four small tanks underneath the body and only get about 100-130 miles on a fill. Several of the ones we've sold had an extra tank installed behind the rear seat that bumped the range up to a more usable 200 miles or so.

[Tax Counsel]

Re: San Jose HOV Sticker Bragging

Not only are they rare, they're also problematic. In my first search for a CNG vehicle I looked at two of these Caravans. Both had histories of failed CA Smog Checks . . . To me, failed Smog Checks are an indicator of long-term problems.

[CraziFuzzy]

Re: San Jose HOV Sticker Bragging

I've had a failed smog check on my 97 crown vic, and I still believe them to be some of the better designed CNG engines of the era. All it takes is a bad plug, a clogged injector, or bad o2 sensor to fail a smog check, NGV or gasoline.

[CNG Utah]

Re: San Jose HOV Sticker Bragging

One of ours had trouble passing CA smog before we bought it. I believe the owner said it was the cat. We've had no issues with the ones we've had.

[Tax Counsel]

Re: San Jose HOV Sticker Bragging

I know it doesn't take much to fail a CA Smog Check, but one minivan had two failures and the other three. Those numbers spooked me.