poolshark021

iTrader: (8)

Hey all, I will be moving to california soon and I am not sure what to do with my car.
There is no way it will pass smog/visual tests and I will not put it back to stock just to pass. I would sell it before that ever happened.
I am an ase master mechanic and will be looking for a mechanics job out there. Maybe I can land at a decent shop and be able to smog test my own car? But then if I get pulled over I could get screwed I imagine.

My other thought is to put the title in a friends name and have him register it here in MI. Then I could keep MI plates on it and have him renew the registration every year (no inspections at all). If I ever got pulled over I could just say I'm borrowing it. If any neighbors turn me in what would they say? I can't register someone else's car in my name in CA so there's nothing they could do, right?
Is it illegal to drive someone else's out of state car over a certain time frame?

The other option is just to sell it before I move and buy something that will pass emissions tests once I get out there. I really love my car and don't want to go that route but I don't want it to me a huge headache just to keep my car illegally out there.

Any suggestions?

jugz ss

iTrader: (3)

what part of cali?. My car whont pass smog or inspection but it will on paper

poolshark021

iTrader: (8)

Probably sf bay area. What happens if you get pulled over? Seems like my car would be very obvious that it shouldn't be able to pass inspection.

99Bluz28

iTrader: (35)

Don't sell your car. Just buy a used beater car here in california.

jugz ss

iTrader: (3)

Im telling you mines whont either. And nothing would happen if you get pulled over. Just show the dmw your smog paper every 3yrs I believe. The worst maybe a loud exhaust ticket of something like that.

mramay

iTrader: (4)

Some CA counties have the drive-wheel rollers with the exhaust sniffer and do a real smog test (idle, 2500 rpm), some counties just use the OBD II port. Find out where you're going and how THAT locale does the testing. I lived in Antioch, 40 miles from SF, but used the BART subway to get to work (inexpensive, faster than driving). My testing (five years ago) was very simple out there. Also, there are special fuels that you can use if they want to do a sniffer test the first time (e.g., methanol drives NO way down).

My PCM has been "upgraded" so that it will NEVER throw an emissions code. YMMV

FYI, I put a "BART Beater" at the work end of the ride. It was an old Volvo station wagon so ugly that when I parked it on an SF street and accidentally left the keys in it, it was still there a couple of hours later. The perfect BART car.

zbugger

Every county in the SF Bay Area runs on the dyno. Passing the visual is a little different than passing the sniffer. My car will pass both, but my '77 wouldn't pass the visual when it was running. It would pass the sniffer though, but I went to the inexpensive smog place that happened to have a smart tech. He knew old cars. If you can get it to pass the visual you should be able to sneak it past the sniffer.

SoCal01z28

iTrader: (11)

BART Beater! hahahaha........ Any County that uses wheel rollers for emissions testing are called "enhanced smog" area's vs. the "basic" area's. Basic area's use the OBDII connector only.....

http://www.smogcheck.ca.gov/80_BARRe...rogram_Map.pdf

1904gto

iTrader: (4)

if you come down to SD i can get you to pass for $200

poolshark021

iTrader: (8)

So it sounds like my best bet is to find somewhere (or do it myself at the right job) to pass my car without putting the sniffer on it. What about the visual test? I have no cats, egr, or air pump.

I have also heard that any car being transfered from another state has to be visually inspected by a dmv employee. Is this true?

lowerthanyou00

iTrader: (8)

Ya someone from dmv will look at it just for vin and making sure it doesn't run on diesel. AAA can do it too fyi. But niether care what's done too it my surban was too tall for the dmv to check so they just used the door vin and asked if it ran on gas

cali_bear2003

iTrader: (7)

The DMV will check your car and such. I do not believe AAA handles that service in southern California, but I am not 100%. If you do not have cats along with all of your other mods, just keep the car registered in your home state along with your drivers liscence and insurance. Just change your address to your parents or sibblings. This is the only option other then making it completely smog legal again. It is NOT easy finding a smog shop that will fudge the readings just for a couple of bucks. The shop can loose their liscense. May I ask, WHY do you want to move to California???

poolshark021

iTrader: (8)

I am moving because I hate michigan weather. I have lived here my whole life and I've always wanted to move somewhere warmer. My wife says she's not spending another winter here. My cousin (who I am very close with) and my sister are both in the process of moving there as well.

I live just outside of flint mi. I don't know if you've ever heard of it but its pretty much the biggest sh*thole in the country. I've got to get out of here!

XxRedDevilxX

iTrader: (1)

I used to live in Ann Arbor MI. Leave it in a friends name and keep your michigan DL say your visiting **** that law

LS1Adam84

iTrader: (21)

Dude you won't have an issue I have a pretty loud car and they never bother me. I wouldn't worry too much most people here don't care that much, if you got pulled over you can just pay the fine which I believe is like $500 for the first offense.

jugz ss

iTrader: (3)

I got places that you dont even need to take your car just the registration and youl have your smog passed the next day and its cheaper then what was said above. Pm if anyone whants info.

NORCALMUSCLE1

iTrader: (9)

Well Im from Northern cali, Im always in the bay area and In the central valley.
Smog Shouldn't be your concern! First Off buy some cats bust the honeycomb out and have them put on. Usually Police pull you over and look for cats! If you have cats they are pretty cool. Also i believe a state ref ticket for cats is 879 each cat! Also Modified Exhuast is state ref as well which 279.

My advice would be slap a stock catback with a electric cutout. As Well As dummy cats.

poolshark021

iTrader: (8)

I don't think I want to mess with modifying my exhaust anymore. I am leaning more towards leaving it registered in MI under someone elses name. I don't think they can do anything to me for driving someone else's car in CA for an extended amount of time. Worse thing they could do is tell me I can't drive it in CA until I get a CA plate. If that happens I will sell it...

BobDoLe

iTrader: (11)

there are counties that have certain zip codes that do not require smog http://www.dmv.ca.gov/vr/smogfaq.htm#BM2539
here's a map in pdf format straight from ca's dmv site http://smogcheck.ca.gov/80_BARResour...rogram_Map.pdf

you could "rent" from someone that lives in some armpit of santa rosa. use that address to register your car. all those areas are filled with government employees that are used to countless people trying to get around smog, so you might want to put your name on utility bill of the place you're "renting" if they want some proof of residency.
after all this, you still have to worry about a cop sending you to the state ref, so you could stick stock heat shields on your headers and add cats. then you just smile and hope the cop doesn't know what they're looking at.

it sucks, but don't worry - once you see our traffic, its not like you'll need a fast car anyway.