"Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)" (rduncan5678)
07/20/2017 at 12:37 • Filed to: None
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"Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)" (rduncan5678)
07/20/2017 at 12:37 • Filed to: None | 0
| 24 |
So I am planning a move to California and will be bringing my Miata with me of course. However, I am really confused how I actually get my car registered there. Since my car is not “50 state legal” and is instead only “49 state legal” I am worried I will be SOL if I dont change parts on it. From what I have read, if the car was 100% stock to 49 state rules, it would be okay. But since I have an aftermarket header and CAT and muffler, it would no longer pass, even though its 49 state legal just like OEM would be. Now this makes NO sense to me so I am just trying to confirm this from more sources. Anybody have any idea about this?
My solutions will be to either swap in Cali legal crap every two years and immediately remove it. Or find “a guy” who will pass me as long as the sniffer and OBDII stuff says I’m good.
bwp240
> Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
07/20/2017 at 12:54 |
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I can’t offer any help, but I imagine it is something like this.
Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
> Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
07/20/2017 at 13:00 |
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I’ve done this several times. You will need to confirm with DMV but it should go something like this:
1. Smog vehicle (Your vehicle will smog fine as long as it still has cats and no CEL)
2. Make apt at DMV for registration and inspection. (all they check is VIN #)
3. Pay registration fee.
4. Drive vehicle and get it smogged every 2 years there after...
Dave the car guy , still here
> Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
07/20/2017 at 13:01 |
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Here is a guide from ebay forums. The guy isn’t a lawyer but it looks like good enough info that you could use his posting and some searching to verify what he says.
TahoeSTi
> Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
07/20/2017 at 13:01 |
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They’ll make you make it 50 state legal. Option 2 is just register your car in South Dakota, it’s cheaper, and you can renew by mail from any state.
Saracen
> Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
07/20/2017 at 13:02 |
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The limitations on 49 state vehicles have to do with mileage. California does not allow bringing in 49-state vehicles with less than 7500 miles on them, for some bizarre reason.
If you are moving to California and are bringing a 49-state vehicle with you, the only limitation that I know of is that it must have more than 7500 miles on it.
A 49 state vehicle only needs to pass federal standards, not California standards.
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Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
> Saracen
07/20/2017 at 13:04 |
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This is what I thought, but I keep getting conflicting advice about it.
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Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
> Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
07/20/2017 at 13:05 |
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But what about the visual inspection? Does that not apply to out of state cars? And what about when its reinspected in 2 years and is now a California car?
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Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
> Dave the car guy , still here
07/20/2017 at 13:08 |
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The only thing im worried about though are modifications. I already understood that if my car were stock, its no issue. But just by being “modified” its magically an issue even with meeting the standards. It would fail visual inspection.
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Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
> Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
07/20/2017 at 13:21 |
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All they look for is the VIN and a CARB sticker under the hood. They do not actually look at any of the equipment. I had a Datsun with a smog pump delete, they didn’t give a shit. The smog place just tests emissions, gas cap and evaporation emission control system. They do not give a shit about headers, after market cats etc...
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Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
> Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
07/20/2017 at 13:23 |
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A little more info, it will be impossible to fine “a guy” smog shops are smog only and they have no incentive to help a guy out. It’s $50 if you pass or fail.
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Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
> Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
07/20/2017 at 13:24 |
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I have imported 3 cars to CA and never had an issue with inspection or smog.
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Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
> Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
07/20/2017 at 13:25 |
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Well thats good to know. I’ve had people on Miata forums that are quite dumb then, because multiple people have warned about the dreaded visual inspection. I just wish the rules were more clear lol.
Thanks for the input though, what you are saying makes the most sense and sounds like it comes from actual experience.
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Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
> Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
07/20/2017 at 13:27 |
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Well yeah, it shouldnt be an issue. Im not running some catless test pipe or something stupid. Its a little more reasonable than some others have led me to believe.
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Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
> Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
07/20/2017 at 13:38 |
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They do test and inspect your evaporative emission control system so make sure that is still in working order. I had a south sacramento cat put on my 1990 isuzu and it passed smog with flying colors.
CaptDale - is secretly British
> Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
07/20/2017 at 13:44 |
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I do believe that technically the cars have to be 50 state to be registered here. I would say just bring it here try and get it smogged. Most places can’t tell or don’t look for “factory parts” and just see if it’ll pass. If it won’t then worry about changing all the parts.
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Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
> Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
07/20/2017 at 14:01 |
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Everything should be running properly. Throws no codes and everything is plugged in where its supposed to be. I should have no trouble passing any sort of test.
SPAMBot - Horse Doctor
> Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
07/20/2017 at 14:12 |
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I called the DMV about 5 years ago and they confirmed this 7500 mile thing. The shop I smog my Miata at did a visual inspection but no idea if he was actually looking for OEM parts. He did not look under the car at the cat. The only aftermarket engine parts I have is a Filter (with CARB sticker) and an axle-back. If it’s OBD II, they just plug it in and do the visual. I would assume the detail of visual varies from shop to shop.
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Saracen
> CaptDale - is secretly British
07/20/2017 at 14:12 |
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49 state cars only need to be 49 state. It is stated as much on the CA DMV site.
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CaptDale - is secretly British
> Saracen
07/20/2017 at 14:14 |
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See there you go then!
Like we would think of looking at the government site to get the proper information....
brianbrannon
> Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
07/20/2017 at 16:17 |
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My buddy cant get his jeep registered there because he relocated the stock cats to make room for a lifted suspension
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Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
> brianbrannon
07/20/2017 at 16:19 |
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It seems like some inspection stations just follow arbitrary rules while others use common sense.
Bytemite
> Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
07/21/2017 at 14:33 |
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actually my smog test guy checked my aftermarket cat to make sure it had a carb #... so they do fail you for cats.
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Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
> Bytemite
07/21/2017 at 15:04 |
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I have never had that happen. They never put the cars on a lift to check either. I had to replace the cat on my old truck and bought a cheap one at a sketchy muffler shop and never had an issue.
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Bytemite
> Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
07/21/2017 at 16:36 |
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Well the cat at the muffler shop is probably carb legal if you got it in a california shop. I just was told by tje tech that he’s checking the carb on my cat before he came back and passed me.