Q: What would your advice be to a person who needs to get a smog check on their car to make sure it passes the smog check? 2005 Mitsubishi

Hi there - the most straightforward and least expensive approach to this problem is to simply take your vehicle in for testing 15-30 days prior to your "deadline" (birthday month?). Most states or metro areas allow a 30 day "repair period" if there is any problem, and re-testing is usually free. Obviously, the car must be in good running order before having it tested. If your Check Engine light is illuminated, or the car runs badly, there is an issue, and the car must be repaired as appropriate. Once inspected, the "pass" certificate is also good for some period of time (sometimes as long as a year) as well, so there is no penalty for checking your emissions early. If you pass, you’re good-to-go. If not, you have a period of time to get it repaired before your current certificate expires. Good luck!