JDEP162

i recently read an article in HRM about californias car rules and laws, i knew they were strict about this or that, but holy ****! i had no idea how third reich it was. so how do u guys do it out there, mod and stuff? put back on stuff before testing? im fascinated by the stark difference, here i have driven for 20 years and never seen a vehicle inspection. how do u guys do it?

justin455

They either don't mod, they change it back to stock enough, or they "know a guy" that does inspections. I'm with ya though...in Indiana you just pay the registration online and then my new stuff comes on the mail a week later. Done.

Zlow28

iTrader: (11)

luckily where i live they dont require any smog tests or inspections. Theres a list on the dmv website of cities where they dont require any testing except for when you buy a used car the first time. After that, nobody checks. A lot of people register their cars in those towns. The biggest way out is knowing somebody though.

JDEP162

can anybody from california chime in with expiriences? im just fascinated at the differences in that state. and im killing ti?e at work so im open to all discussion lol

fruitsalad

iTrader: (5)

It's a major pain in the ***.

oChristiano

iTrader: (6)

Its really not. Just gotta pay to play around here. Basically you have to have smog hook up who will pass you. Runs between $150-300. That's every two years. You can get Ref'd if you get pulled over and cited for illegal mods. Either put it back to stock and get it inspected or pay the fine. I personally have never been hassled over mods really. I used to daily my old SS with Foxed back Corbeaus with a 5pt harness. Cops never said anything.

ez2cdave

"Kommie-fornia" . . .

Sommer86

iTrader: (46)

Exactly.....

fruitsalad

iTrader: (5)

Want to see my collection of tickets?

oChristiano

iTrader: (6)

Lololol you don't wanna play that game with me. I deserved all my tickets though, never got an exhaust or illegal mod ticket. Plenty of front plate, tint, speeding etc.

Burken01

iTrader: (88)

Plus the new smog check points with the rollers lol

They are cracking down big time

fruitsalad

iTrader: (5)

The one illegal mod ticket I got was more expensive than almost all of the others combined. Most of the others were correctable though, which I don't have a problem with.

Some cops thought my cage and harnesses were cool and others immediately pronounced me guilty of street racing just for having them in my car.

I would avoid smog checkpoints, but my buddy stopped at one in the valley and CHP there told him that anyone was more than welcome to tell them they needed to be somewhere and couldn't stop, or just decline to stop outright, and they wouldn't be pulled over or further harassed. Apparently they were also going to give people who didn't pass the $500 BAR repair stimulus.

Fourth-Gen Man

Yeah it sucks out here. Everybody thinks that they will put their car back to stock before smog but after they find out how much of a pain it is to do that they go to plan B which is knowing somebody who can hook you up in exchange for a couple hundred. I'm sure there are some who do actually put everything back to stock, but those people are better men than I. I have also never seen a smog checkpoint before in my life. I have never encountered a cop that gives a damn about my front plate missing or anything like that. However, cops are nothing more than human beings. As we all know some people are cool, others are complete pieces of ****. My cousin was pulled over and ticketed once because of "your Chinese taillights" on his Honda Civic DD. (They were regular aftermarket chrome taillights with LED's). He then took it to a couple of cops that were B.S.ing at a parking lot, asked them about what the hell is the problem with his lights and they signed it off and told him something to the effect of that's why nobody has any respect for motorcycle cops.

Cajun ELESS-ONE

so glad i live in a state that dont give a **** about that stuff. took my camaro to get a brake tag. 10% tint, no cat, exhaust. . brought it to the brake tag place and they didnt check anything. no lights/blinkers/horn. the best is its across the street from the police station

RJDio

I lived in Northern CA for 18 years and had a miserable time. My 1986 Olds 442 with a 307 factory stock costed me a lot for someone to drill out carburetor caps and adjust while on machine to pass smog - REALLY??? wtf. STOCK! Fast forward bought my 1997 Z28 and added intake and exhaust had to pay a friends husband that owned a shop to fudge it. Now I know the enthusiast and mechanic can do things, for the average guy modding it is expensive and a pain. Not everyone knows how to remove exhaust and install original, or change tunes, or whatever before a sniffer test. CA used to be car mecca, it threw away a multi-billion dollar after market car industry, amongst others. I live in TX now - thank the car Gods!

AllblackLS1

California is real shitty I'm stuck with that problem right now can't smog my vehicle because of all the mods. Sure wish I woulda kept all my stock parts real jerk move

BobDoLe

iTrader: (11)

grin and bear it. the houses are overpriced and we have an addiction to making more and more laws to limit our freedom, but the weather is nice.
if you get pulled over, try not to give the cop reason to search for illegal mods.
i think the **** really hits the fan if a cop sends you to the state ref. you can pay the expensive fine, but web searches will give you conflicting information on what happens if you get pulled over again without detuning your car back into compliance.

you're really better off ignoring what we've done to ourselves out here, it will only upset you.

RJDio

If you move or get transferred to CA, you may be better off selling your car before you go. I had a neighbor there that had a garaged turbo'd mustang that he could never register, he just towed it around to race days and shows - and I'm not talking about a race car with giant racing slicks and roll cage. Selling it may be a pain too. Even some new cars are not manufactured for CA and take some money to get passed. If me, I would try to buy the fastest 'street legal' used car I could afford there.

LS1 Racing

iTrader: (15)

You are not required to submit to that, if pulled over. The Man might imply that you have to do it, but you're not obligated.

Burken01

iTrader: (88)

Good to know thanks!