Hi guys, I'm sorry if I'm putting this in the wrong place. Mods, please move it if I put it in the wrong place.

Please help!!! I just don't know what to do. My birthday was August 12. My check engine light came on in the beginning of July. Knowing that I had my eCheck (Ohio res) coming up before my birthday, I went to my mechanic (who has his master certifications and was my dad's best friend prior to my dad's passing) to get it straightened-out. I wish I had the scanner code for you, but I didn't write it down. Basically it was a complicated one (aren't they all?). There were all these simple things that it could be and then finally, the catalytic converter. Great. We've done repairs on every single thing and are JUST below passing. I'm beyond frustrated and hopeless.

I have an '03 Sunfire with 145,000 miles. I've kept it well-maintained since I bought it 6 years ago, and I have records from when the original owner bought it, showing that she also maintained it well.

We're so close! After all this work, the car is just barely failing his shop's emissions tests. I'm tempted to just go to the eCheck and try it. Maybe a failure would give us more clues?

We've covered everything he can think of...the last possibility is the cat. That's our fear. He warned me about this, however we've tried everything else first (and he hasn't charged for labor and has given me his rate for parts, so I know he's not ripping me off, and he's known me since I was born).

I'm getting ready to buy a new Fusion Hybrid this fall. I can't keep spending money on my old Sunfire!!!

I'm getting desperate. It is just barely below passing. I did try additive cleaners to make sure the system was clean and my light went off for a couple of days, then it came on again. Maybe another round or two of this would clean it out totally?

At this point I just want to pass the test. I need legal tags so I can drive my car until the fall, when I will have enough money to buy a brand new one. If it's the emissions system and it needs more additive to make sure it's cleaned-out better or something, or I should use premium fuel (my car calls for regular unleaded), then whatever, that's easy enough. I just need to pass it so I can keep saving money to buy that new hybrid car. It would suck if my Sunfire is already dead and I'm not ready to buy my new car quite yet. Just a few more months will do it.

If you have any suggestions, please be candid and send me a private message, or post here if they would be helpful for the whole forum.

Thank you in advance!!!

Melinda