By Kathy Brown.
On July 11, 2021, New Image Auto, LLC posted on their Facebook page, “This Friday, July 16th, will be the last day we will be doing emissions testing. For several reasons we are choosing to exit the emissions testing program and will no longer be a test station.”
We talked to one of the owners of New Image to get the scoop. Michelle and Jeremy Adametz have owned New Image since 2017. Michelle said that the previous owners had done the emissions testing and they wanted to continue offering the service, but for a number of reasons, they will be discontinuing it. One of the main reasons is that they are short staffed, so when someone comes to get their emissions testing done, a mechanic has to stop work on whatever vehicle they’re working on, wash their hands, and do the testing. The testing isn’t consistent — sometimes there are five vehicles to test in a day, and other days there are 30. New Image is short on technicians, even without losing someone to emissions testing. “Customers are often frustrated that they have to book appointments farther out,” said Michelle.
The state has a third party contracted to oversee the emissions testing. In March, the emissions system was hacked, and Michelle said, “There was little communication to the public, or to the test stations, and the stations bore the brunt of the backlash.” The third party now has a new contract term, where the testing equipment cost and other items will be increasing by an as-yet-undetermined amount, but the Adametz’s don’t feel comfortable signing a contract with so many unknowns so they have made the difficult decision not to sign the contract to continue emissions testing.
After July 16th, according to the CT Emissions website, these will be the closest testing stations:
- Jim’s Auto Sales & Service, 13 Middlefield Rd., Durham, CT
- Computer Tune & Lube Inc., 966 Washington St., Middletown, CT
- Midas Auto Service, 380 Washington St., Middletown, CT
- Personal Auto Care Service, 60 DeKoven Dr., Middletown, CT
- D&R Automotive, 32 Nod Place, Clinton, CT
- Guilford Texaco, 2293 Boston Post Rd., Guilford, CT
- A1 Complete Autocare, 655 Boston Post Rd., Guilford, CT
