Researching about going FI and wondering what exactly will happen if you get caught with turbo - in Cali? I know you'll get a state ref, but i hear you just pay like $300 and everything is done. Is this true, or do you have to return the car back to stock?

 

killed it

 

have to return to stock, then pay a fee.

 

Edited

 

Are you guys sure? Anyone have this happen to them?

 

ive always wondered

 

+1

 

i think state ref mostly cares about emissions. the only guy i know who got it was ticketed for race headers and exhaust + $300 fine.

 

They care about any modifications you've done with no carb number and their government paychecks.

 

My bf got a state ref in his eclipse - aftermarket turbo and a ton of other crap.. he just paid some money and didnt have to return to stock. I always thought you had to return to stock when you got one of those, so just want to know if anyone actually got one and had to return to stock..

 

someone I know did. APS TT.

 

+1 i've seen this happen. I've also seen people return to stock and pass the state ref and still get fined. A weird system we have to where California is just really overboard on some stuff. Anti-car enthusiasts state...wait let me rephrase that...Anti import car enthusiast state. My friends have had muscle cars running like crap with no cats, newer domestics that are fully modded, and harleys that are louder than crap and they were not messed with until they got an import

My friends have even been let go while caught street racing but of course their odds were probably a lot better because one was caught in a 65 Malibu/chevelle and the other in a 66 mustang. talk about getting the short end of the stick ehhh?

 

I hear you! I live next to some bike shops. Those things are so loud but heaven forbid we but an aftermarket exhaust on and get 8 more hp.

 

Wouldn't you know it? Ca is also a racist state! LoL

 

damnit i just wrote like paragraph and my stupid finger pressed the backspace button and lost all my writing.

Well im just going to make this short now. Friends got caught with aftermarket parts and were required to get a state ref. They decided not to and just pay the fine. After the fine payment no letter was sent to tell them that they still needed to see the state ref. On top of that they were also pulled over a few time after paying the fine and nothing was said to them abou tthe state ref. So that just shows that 1) the cop did not do a background check on my friends for warrents or notes or 2)by paying the ticket you are scott free.

You might want to look at your bf's ticket or do some research about this. But based on what i've seen you should be okay with just paying the fine. Like what someone said above, $$$ comes first then emissions.

Good luck yo!

PS: the whole import vs domestic topic is true. Hogs are way louder, infact the police bikes are louder than most modded import. Its the fact that the majority of the policemen around my area at least grew up and played with muscle cars so they tend to look the otherway when they see one. I bet if they grew up with imports they would also look the other way too. Plus muscle cars itself were a little noiser in stock form than the new car these days, then you factor in that they are old so they must make noise and bam! you now have a equation for why cops do not car about domestics. noisy stock car + age = noise

 

no, stereotyping is just too common..

 

they think the sounds from domestic cars are from their cheap motor that dont last.

 

You can pay the bail or go to the ref. You dont have to get a smog. More prof that this state only cares about the money. Fuggin cali!

 

Are you serious? No turbo's in Cali? What about factory turbo cars.

 

If you get caught, they will crush your car!!!!