crawfish333

I am getting ready to buy another C-6 coupe or Z06 soon and I am confused about the rules for smog. Here are some questions I have that maybe someone can assist me with:

1. If I buy an out of state used car and it is stock, can I register it in California.

2. If I buy a new car, does it have to be purchased from a California dealer?

3. If I buy a car that has mods to the exhaust (cat back) will it pass smog as long as it has not been tuned? (either in state or out of state)

I moved to California in January and I really do not understand this smog stuff. I would hate to buy a car and then find out it cannot be registered.

Thanks in advance.

Moto

This should help you. http://dmv.ca.gov/pubs/brochures/fast_facts/ffvr29.htm

The car must have an emission sticker that say it's legal in California. Otherwise, you won't be able to register the car. If you buy the car new from an out of state dealer, make sure their cars have the California emission sticker.

Cat back exhausts are fine. Headers are not.

altwairqi

Actually, I think it's possible to buy an out-of-state car without the CA emission sticker. A friend of mine bought a mustang with PA plates from an auction here in CA and that car didn't have the CA emission sticker (I checked it myself and it said "this car is emission legal in 49 states, but not in CA" or something like that). He had it smoged, then took it to the DMV for a visual inspection, and BOOM!! he got a CA title and plates.

socalman

You can register any car in Cali as long as it has 7500 miles on the odo or more. New cars (or cars with less than 7500) cannot be purchased and brought into California unless

1.) They have Cali Sticker
2.) You moved here recently and brought your 'new' car here
3.) You were on vacation out of state, car broke, bought another and brought it back home.

All cars will need to pass Cali smog which is safest if 'stock' tuned, no mods to exhaust, fuel or air system (cat back is ok- anything back of the cats).

crawfish333

I think I will TRY and find a car in California if possible. Anyway thanks for the information, it is very helpful.

doveboat

Don't limit yourself, as stated above, min of 7,500 miles with Stock / Carb # Mods.

Ed

arkus

do you need to have a 69 vette smogged ??????

bearphoto

Here is all the info you need for purchasing a new or used car out of state:

New: If you buy a new car out of state, it must have the emissions sticker for california! a 50 state sticker is not good enough, it must specify californa! remember, all the smog emissions equipment on a new car is the same regardless of where the car is bought from in the US. the difference is the sticker and thats all, but if it does not specify ca you will not be able to register the new car here for 1 year from date of purchase and the car must have 7500 miles on it.


Used out of state:

If the car is at least 1 year old from date of someones purchase and has 7500 miles on it, the emissions sticker does not matter. If its a used car and has less than the 7500 miles on it, you cannot register it here until it does.

As for mods, my personal opinion is its not worth it here in ca. any emission alteration as long as it has a CA "carb" number on it would be acceptable I believe.

Now, it does not matter whether the car is new or used, if you bring it into California, you must first:

have the car "smogged", yes it applies even if its a new car
go to dmv for a vin/emissions sticker inspection
if all is ok, then pay ca sales tax and registration

mike100

I have a federal car...I registered it here a after it had accumulated mileage. If you live near a military base, chances are you won't be hassled because of all the different out-of-state plates in the area.

If you get popped for speeding with a cali driver's lic and an out of state car, you better have a dual residency or an out of state company registration or the cop is going to bust your ***** on it. Most people just sort of take it easy for six month and show up at the dmv. It's way easier to find one with CA emissions though.

lkelliott

kimmer

yes, yes and yes but the out of state car must have over 7500 miles on it or be of a certain age.

bearphoto

Thats what I said in my post. It really is easier to just buy a cali car if you can find one. In my case, i bought both out of state as the GT1 cars were so rare I did not find any in cali so Ohio and Iowa each had one. I did get hammered from Iowa as before i traveled out there i asked if the car had the cali emissions sticker and i was assured it did. I was so excited to see and get the car that i did not personally check it. So i have a great drive home with the car, go to dmv and when they did the emission sticker inspection they said, oh, you cant register it hear for 1 year (used to be 6 months, now 1 year) and the car has to have 7500 miles on it. I was so mad at the Iowa dealer but they compensated me financially for their error.

petercln

The vin/emission sticker inspection may be done at the Auto Club if you are a member, or by private inspection companies.

MTPZ06

So how did you get around this? You drove it without CA reg for 12 months+ while you clocked 7500 mi on the odo?

mike100

I think a lot of people end up doing this. In my case I had valid reg and plates to a company address elsewhere. I switched it after a year-besides the company went belly up anyhow, had to.

NORTY

Buy it anywhere you want to. Don't worry about smog tests/rules or laws. Don't even worry about registration/insurance or anything at all.

Just put on some plates from Baja California. The DMV/CHP computers don't communicate with the Mexican authority, so you're home free. In fact, the DMV/CHP doesn't even know the car is always here and has never even been to Mexico!

Just think of all the money you'll save:

1. No registration (this alone is $500 per year.)
2. No insurance ( save another $500+ per year.)
3. If you get into a crash, you get free health care.
4. The CHP will not cite a car with Baja plates (unless you're waving a pistola @ them.)
5. What did I leave out? Oh yeah, free food stamps & schooling for your kids.

How's yer Spanish?

crawfish333

No, but I gave up on finding a C3... Everyone I heard about was either sold, junk, or out of my price range.

I have decided to buy a twin for my roadster, but it will probably be after the first of 2012.

skyavonee

Best advice I've heard on this forum yet

Also, don't forget you'd be immune to automated red light camera tickets. At nearly $500 a pop, this could potentially save you thousands each year!

NORTY

Make that #6!
There's more I'm sure. C'mon people, help us out with suggestions!

mike100

Baja plates sound good, but you if you want to play being a mexican, you have to be willing to let them tow away your car forever so you can just go out and get another $1500 sh!tbox with no insurance.

Maybe I should get one of those BS Mex consular cards that they give away in Los Angeles as a proxy driver's lic. That would be great.