I plan on moving to CA next year and am concerned about registering my z with the inspection and smog tests. From what I understand starting 2013 the sniffer test will not be required for veh year 2000 and newer. I assume that leaves the visual inspection and ODB2 check.

So currently I am running Stillen Gen 3 long tube intakes, Stillen headers, Berk Hi-flow cats and Stillen TD exhaust. I also have a custom dyno tune via cobbs access port. I am willing to switch out the HFC for the inspection and then back but I dont really have any other OEM parts or time and patience to mess with making my car 100% stock again. I am also interested in GTMs supercharger kit but from what I understand it is not CARB legal. So I wonder if after I get plates then I can install stuff that makes the air dirty and my car faster (sry if my pollution offends your political stance or lungs). Also how in-depth is the visual inspection and can I cover stuff up so that its not visual somehow? And as long as I dont throw a CEL I will pass? Is my only option to leave it registered and insured in a different state? How does that work for insurance and if i get in a wreck(knock on wood)?

I am hoping for some insight on this if anyone could please help Id greatly appreciate it.

 

Starting 2013 as far as I know, visual inspection will f*ck you. I know some guy who has his car registered in arizona due to the no smog rule. Insurance is cheaper, still covers you, only bad thing is you gotta drive to a different state each smog

 

I'm not sure about starting 2013. But I have a Plenum Spacer, intake, headers, test pipes, and cat-back (with UpRev dyno tune). I pass smog just have to swap out test pipes back to stock cats prior to smog and good to go..

 

i think your only concern is your hi flow cats, there are CARB legal supecrhargers.

 

Right now, you could probably pass just by swapping out the cats if the smog tech is laid back. If the smog tech is a dick, you'd probably get nailed for the headers. If he's a HUGE dick he may ask for a CARB EO number for the intakes (and if Stillen doesn't have one, you'd fail).

In the future, they may become more stringent with the visual test, dunno for sure. If not, you'll be fine as long as you don't have a CEL, stock cats are in, and the smog tech is lenient with the headers and intakes.

A third option may be to pay someone to pass you regardless of what you have. But even that may get harder because they are implementing new rules for the smog techs that will make their lives hell.

 

ok cool so maybe im stressin it too much...guess ill just find out what it is and if i cant pass keep it reg in a diff state

 

I just recently moved to CA, and I'm keeping my car registered in TX cause Cali DMV laws are a freaking joke.
PERIOD

 

so if i get pulled over with out of state tags in cali whats my excuse? i dont live here? how long will that work for lol

 

You can either swap parts when smog comes. Or look for a tuner "friendly" smog shop. But of course we don't know anything about that And it depends on how you define "friendly"

 

I've said I'm visiting, or student. They usually don't pry after that. And if they do, visiting a family member, in such in such area.

 

If you're heavily modded, they'll know what's up, they aren't stupid. Especially if it's a local cop who's seen you around. They WILL remember a modded car and get you bad next time.

It's insanely expensive to register your car here. When I lived in Idaho, it was $15 per year or $60 for 5 years. It cost me almost $300 to register the Z for one year (when I first got here and it wasn't worth pennies) and over $500 for my M3.

 

yea its costin me 320 here in lame a$$ nebraska and i think its 192 in iowa so...Im not assuming they r stupid but if stuff is covered up and they cant see it without unbolting stuff then how can they get u...(maybe put a heat shield on the headers..idk) and if its reg in a diff state how can they get u? (assuming your not speeding or whatever)

any my350z.com lawyers in CA? lol i really dont want to make my car stock or get in trouble or think about the idea of not having it so i feel like im in between a rock and hard place

 

Welcome to California guys. My Z is mostly stock at the moment so I don't have this problem right now. Now my prior cars... well that was a different story.

I had a 95 Eclipse GSX (miss that car) with exhaust, headers, turbo etc. I had a evo/eclipse shop cough*"RoadRace"cough* that used to smog my car for me out in Santa Fe Springs. They charged me 250$-300$ to "smog" + registration fee's. Finally got tired of the games so i sold this to a family friend and it is now tearing up the snow in wisconsin lol.

Second car was a Mustang GT w/Kenne bell supercharger, hearders, borla, plenum+spacer and other mods. Now this was my second love and what do you know. Failed smog inspection, had to go through hoops for California to finally get it to pass smog. Unfortunately that car was totaled in an accident on my way to work. RIP....

There are ways around it, there is always $ and or extra time/work involved. I love california but i loathe the restrictions. Thats the price you pay for modding a car. With all that being said, will i start modding the Z?

You bet your *** i will!

 

If your car is smelly or loud, they will know. While he may not get you for your registration, he'll find a way to make your life hell the second time he sees you. Think about it, you're modded, you tell him you're not from around here, he gives you a break. Couple weeks later, same cop sees your *** rollin around town again. Now he's gonna give you a hard time for whatever he can cause he knows you lied. Cops remember that kind of stuff...