Best advice I can give is to just forget all about emissions and register the car in a county that doesn't require them.

After seeing how easy it is to do it's a wonder I even gave thought to the notion of having to try and get this pig to pass emissions.

 

So does your insurance company look at where the car is registered? I'd be concerned about the potential for insurance fraud.
I talked to a couple of local tuners who were convinced that it wouldn't be too hard to get the car to pass emissions with the high flow cats that are on there and a good tune. Bill and Nick from MAC Autosports were particularly helpful (thanks for the contact guys -- good stuff!). I checked with my bank and they pre-approved me for a loan, so that part looks pretty solid.

Carfax checks out -- I just need to get hold of the seller and see what we can work out as far as timing and me flying out there to check out the car. I'm going to ask GT Motorports to checkout the car before I go out there, too -- just in case.

I'm taking my family on vacation this Saturday for a week, driving to Meeeshigan to see some relatives. Not sure if I can squeeze a flight out to California and a drive back to Colorado into the next three days, but i am going to give it a shot! Worse case scenario, I should be able to go out and get the car in a week and a half.

Thanks for the help and info, guys -- looking forward to seeing you all at he next Colorado Z get together!

 

No, why would they care, as long as they have their money I don't think they even know or care.

Registering somewhere else will take you 10 mins and cost you nothing. Just my .02 cents as you asked our opinions.

Just so you know I was looking at all the options like you. Now that I have done what I did I have no regrets and it was waaaaaaaaay cheaper and easier this way. Just take it and see if it will pass, if it won't then find a friend with an address that it's not required to have an emissions test.

 

Another thing I thought of. I think you are buying this in CA right? I thought all cars had to pass emissions out there at all times to even be on the road?

Also, you could make the seller pay to make it emissions compliant as that is a prerequisite to selling a car in alot of states.

 

The owner is selling the car fairly cheap becasue he knows it won't pass CA emissions. CA emissions for new cars are actually more lenient than Colorado: 6 years on a new car before you need to do emissions in CA, 4 years in CO.