So i've read the many debates about cats or no cats...a few extra hp at the cost of more stuff spewing out the back. blah blah blah...

my concern:

If the cop looks under and sees that I'm catless is that automatic impound with or a visit to the state ref? Please clear this up for me...
I'm considering picking up a catpipe for my Turbo XS stealthback for that reason. I got pulled over recently and I could smell the fumes, but the cop was too preoccupied with other stuff to notice. I'm slightly freaked out that my car can be impounded and have crazy fines for what?? 5 more hp?...not worth it IMO.

so is it impound or state ref?

TIA,
Ryan

 

when i got caught i got sent to the state ref...

 

I'm sure the officer has the option, since I've known both to happen. Impounds, though, seem to happen when the officer has made time for the process... like when they stake out meets and events or are part of street racing sting operations. From what I can figure, most cops want to ticket you and get to the next "exciting" part of their job (like the next ticket). They don't want to stand around waiting for a tow truck while you whine and complain. Of course, if they just came from Krispy Kreme with a fresh, warm box in the back seat, then you're screwed... then they've got lotsa time to kill.

jason

 

get the catted section. 1 cat is better than none.

 

i dont think they impound your car for only being catless. one would think that you did something else too to get your car impounded, like reckless driving.

 

Yeah like if you're caught with 8lbs of weed in the trunk + catless. Then they might impound the car for a while.

 

get yourself a extra up/downpipe... gut them and the pigs will never find out

 

LOL! yeah, well im prolly just gonna get the catted pipe anyway so in my mind I'll think that I'm doing the environment some good.

 

Yah the 5hp+stink isn't worth it. A decent high flow will knock out the stink and >95% of harmful emissions.

 

are you kidding?

 

hah maybe gut the stock uppipe but not the stock downpipe. Even if you gutted it completly (which would be a pain to do) you still don't have that great flowing of a downpipe since it isn't a bellmouth.

 

High flow cats are illegal as well, so it's really apples and oranges. You'll get a ticket either way.

 

But is one more severe than the other? That's what I was trying to figure out.

Eh, I'll be getting the catpipe either way. My conscience tells me that I should try to do something about the emissions since I can... even though lots of threads say the high flow cats do little.

 

he was worried about cops noticing his modified cats, so i suggested that because it looks stock.

if you have a brain and a set of some tools the downpipe is not hard to gut at all.
if your good with a dremel you can make it flow even a little less bad.

 

isnt' it just the start up that's bad? It's not going to be stinky while driving is it?