What does CA emissions do to mileage /value/ ect on a 2002 C5?

 

I don't think there would be a big difference. I doubt if anyone has actually done a comparison. I have an 02 California coupe and it does great on the freeway averaging 28. Around town I only get 13 to 14. My car probably isn't the best for this purpose since I have a Procharger.

Rick

 

Every C5 since 01 has a sticker under the hood that says it is 50 states smog legal including California. My car was sent from the factory to Capital Chevrolet in Montgomery, Alabama and then to San Diego. As soon as I received it, I had to have it smogged. What I'm getting at is that there is no difference between your car and a C5 that was shipped to California from the factory. All have the same emissions.

 

No difference on CA versus the other 49 states on emissions. Should not to anything at all to the resale value of any C5.

 

Thanks for the Info, I only ask as I know nothing about this stuff so I try to inform myself before a purchase.
So this is what I found in the build sheet for a 2002 coupe I am looking at.

CALIFORNIA EMISSIONS LEV NK4

50-STATE LOW EMISSION VEHICLE YGH

So it is just paper stuff only no difference is what you are all saying.

Thanks for the posts.

Clif

 

The main difference is that California enforces the smog laws and your required to pass a visual and emissions test after fours years from new then every two years after that.
I believe any car produced after 1994 is 50 state compliant.

 

I just moved to san diego. So my 97 will be ok? it is registered in WI until May 09 so i dont have to worry about it yet, but still good to know

 

The big deal is that California won't let you change anything, besides a cat-back exhaust system, from what it had when built. The exceptions are for items with a "California E.O. Number" associated. This number indicates that the manufacturer of the mod has submitted it to the state for testing, passed testing, and paid appropriate bribes to the right officials.

When you take the car for inspection, the station will look for changes. Intake (Vararam, Blackwing are illegal; Callaway Honker has the E.O.), headers (B&B Short Tubes have an E.O. - not aware of any others), cats, air bridge, etc. They should actually look under the car. In San Diego, I think you'll have to have it dyno checked as part of the inspection.

If you've done any mods, contact the manufacturers and ask if they have an E.O. number you can use. You may find a shop that will look the other way, or that doesn't know. I took the VR sticker off my Vararam, and it looks enough like GM that the shop I used passed it on visual. But my dealer wouldn't - not worth his license to ignore that.

The Random Tech cats are legal if your car is out of federal/Calif smog warranty. On a ten year old car, shouldn't be a problem. But you may have to go to a "Referee Station" on that one.

California smog law is a license to steal. Find a shop that will "pre-test" it for you before they hook up to the state - the normal is that the test will be transmitted real-time.

Good luck. You can get away with a fair bit, but keep your old parts in case you need them. For internal mods (cam, etc.), check the forum for what folks have found to work. That's where the sniffer test can fall apart - too much cam or tune or whatever. West Coast Corvettes, in Anaheim, has always steered me straight. If you have questions, you may want to give them a call.

 

Tim,

GREAT write-up! Thank you for posting this information for the rest of us forum members to read. I've been very fortunate with any after-market mods I've made on other vehicles I've owned (never have modded a Vette). I think what saved me was that the person(s) doing the smog inspections did not (1) know what he was looking at and (2) the main components either looked correct, were close to what the inspector was looking for, or they had the right numbers.