This Mercedes 450SL is a federal car. This affects the smogging process. The car lacks an air pump that is required on California cars. It, therefore, fails a California smog test. However, there are two solutions to this. One is the California DMV Ombudsman, who can examine the car and allow passage of the smog test. The second is that some smog stations will pass the vehicle. It is, perhaps, worth noting that the car has twice passed the smog test, on separate occasions, while firing on 7 of 8 cylinders because of an oiled spark plug. When running properly it is very clean.

The car is currently registered and smogged till March 2026.