>In CA the BUYER is responsible for obtaining a smog certificate even if
>the vehicle was recently smogged e.g. registration was expired and owner

NO!!!  It is _legally_ the SELLER's responsibilty to get the smog 
certificate.  You can buy it without it and do it yourself, but you should
make the seller do it.  that way, if anything expensive comes up, he's stuck
with it and not you!

Thom
-- 
>> I used to have a handle on life, then it broke.
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:    Thom Fitzpatrick                             Transamerica Info Mgmnt  :
:  Systems Administrator                          1860 Howe Ave            :
:  tfitzpatrick@tim.com                           Sacramento, CA 95825     :
:   fax (916) 921-6781                            (916) 565-3346           :
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All opinions expressed herein are mine and not necessarily those of TIMS!