Need $9,500 for an electric car? Money for repairs? San Joaquin Valley programs could help
Drivers can receive up to $850 to get smog-related repairs for their vehicle through a San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District program — and some might be eligible to get help buying a new car.
The Valley Air District Governing Board approved more than $12 million in funding Thursday to continue the Tune In Tune Up Vehicle Repair Program that was implemented in 2005. It also has additional funding for its Drive Clean in the San Joaquin initiative.
Here’s how to get your vehicle’s smog checked for free, how you can receive money to get it fixed and other funding that could help you replace an old car:
Free smog checks in San Joaquin Valley
The Valley Air District offers free smog checks on scheduled Saturdays all year long. The tentative dates for the rest of the year, according to the district, are as follows:
June 24 | Merced | Merced County Fairgrounds
July 22 | Stockton | San Joaquin County Fairgrounds
Aug. 5 | Madera | Madera Fairgrounds
Aug. 26 | Turlock | Stanislaus County Fairgrounds
Sept. 16 | Kings County | TBD
Oct. 14 | Tulare County | Ag Center/Visalia Adult School
Oct. 28 | Bakersfield | Kern County Fairgrounds
Nov. 18 | Merced | Merced County Fairgrounds
Dec. 9 | Fresno | Fresno Fairgrounds
The next scheduled Tune In Tune Up free smog check is Saturday, June 24, at the Merced County Fairgrounds from 8 a.m. to noon.
Gates may open as early as 6:30 a.m., according to the district, and attendees should expect a two-hour wait, or longer.
If a vehicle fails the smog test and the vehicle is repairable, the registered owner will receive a voucher to redeem at a participating STAR Test and Repair station.
More funding for vehicle replacement program
The “extremely popular and currently oversubscribed” Drive Clean in the San Joaquin vehicle replacement program also received more funding Monday, according to the district.
The board accepted $30.4 million in state funding to reboot the program.
Owners of vehicles that are 2006 or older can receive funds to replace their vehicles with newer ones or to upgrade to hybrid or electric vehicles.
The types of vehicles applicants are eligible to replace their current vehicle for, according to the district, are:
Conventional 35+ – Gas powered vehicle with fuel economy with at least 35 MPG
Hybrid 35+ - Gas powered and electric motor vehicle with fuel economy with at least 35 MPG
PHEV/EV - Plug-in hybrid electric vehicle that utilizes power from a battery and an onboard gas-powered generator or an electric vehicle that is purely powered by a battery charged from an external electrical source.
This program does not require current vehicles to fail smog in order to receive the funds and says you must be “willing to give up” or surrender your older car.
The program is available to those who meet federal poverty level thresholds based on income and household size, according to the district. Residents who live in disadvantaged communities can receive a higher funding amount.
Applicants can receive anywhere between $2,500 and $9,500 in funding depending on income, ZIP code and what type of vehicle is purchased. You can check your eligibility on the district’s website.
The air district also has a rebate program, that offers up to $3,000 toward a new car. Funding for these two programs cannot be combined.
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