Hookup
I really don't get these responses from you folks. This topic will come up over and over again, as you have seen. Expecting this to stop happening would be the same as expecting that no one else with a modded car is going to move from another state to CA. Sure, people can search but not everyone is an Internet Blackbelt, and they find a Subaru forum and post up a question.
I personally have moved to CA a few times. Each time, for whatever reason, I have had a car that is not smog compliant. I know how this works and still, the same thing happens to me. Last time it was, ironically, my WRX. I did not think I would be moving back or so soon, so I did not worry that my car was not CA compliant since it was easily registered in another state. Then, through a series of silly un-expected events, I need to smog my car and am in exactly the same place as the OP.
The thing is, CA has ridiculously crazy smog rules, and this condition is made worse by two things: people who think it's cool to toss out that they don't need to worry about smog, thus creating this "idea" that there are a load of smog shops out there that will sneak someone through, when really this is just someone trying to be cooler than the next fellow at a meet, by saying that "they don't need to worry about smog" but not offering anything really helpful or true. I have pressed the issue a couple times and it either leads to them not wanting to give up who they are talking about, or that they really do not "got a guy" as they were saying (this is usually the case).
Imagine someone showing up from any other state with a mildly or wildly modified car, and starts showing up to meets and doing some research after having done some research ahead of time before coming. They hear things verbally at meets that conflicts with everything that they have read. What they have read is hard to believe, because it's ****ing crazy and they did not have to do anything like this in any other state they have lived in. So when faced with the prospect of the financial/logistical hardship of returning your car to stock, when people have verbally said they they didn't need to. What is the next logical step?
To come on here and ask some questions. Then they get faced with the second thing: Incorrect information.
Not true, you do not need to take the car to the Referee. Your car will need to have a valid smog certificate on file, and need to take the car to the DMV for an inspection (verifying underhood labels, looking for shiny stuff). No appointment needed, but it could save some time to have an appointment. I have done this at least six times. The last time was March of last year. I had to smog my car, show up at the DMV to pop the hood, and done. Same process when I have purchased a car from out of state while living here.
Granted, if your car is not stock it will be harder to smog, and this is where they grey area begins. This is where all the confusion lies. Some people will tell you that they did not have to change anything to smog their car. Some people will tell you a specific aftermarket exhaust that they have personally passed smog with. If you ever ask at a shop, they will always say that you must have the stock downpipe/cat on to pass. There are people who have spent time/money to return their cars to bone stock and were told they did not need to, laughed at even. There are people that have said they have passed with all sorts of illegal things. All of these are or could be true, and that is confusing for people who have not personally experienced this.
Maybe instead of doing the internet thing and trying to make people feel stupid for asking a fairly valid question, or making these kinds of threads prohibited (wtf??) we do a sticky at the top of the page that has some info on smog rules. A "Moving to the Bay" type of FAQ.
What do you think?
I personally have moved to CA a few times. Each time, for whatever reason, I have had a car that is not smog compliant. I know how this works and still, the same thing happens to me. Last time it was, ironically, my WRX. I did not think I would be moving back or so soon, so I did not worry that my car was not CA compliant since it was easily registered in another state. Then, through a series of silly un-expected events, I need to smog my car and am in exactly the same place as the OP.
The thing is, CA has ridiculously crazy smog rules, and this condition is made worse by two things: people who think it's cool to toss out that they don't need to worry about smog, thus creating this "idea" that there are a load of smog shops out there that will sneak someone through, when really this is just someone trying to be cooler than the next fellow at a meet, by saying that "they don't need to worry about smog" but not offering anything really helpful or true. I have pressed the issue a couple times and it either leads to them not wanting to give up who they are talking about, or that they really do not "got a guy" as they were saying (this is usually the case).
Imagine someone showing up from any other state with a mildly or wildly modified car, and starts showing up to meets and doing some research after having done some research ahead of time before coming. They hear things verbally at meets that conflicts with everything that they have read. What they have read is hard to believe, because it's ****ing crazy and they did not have to do anything like this in any other state they have lived in. So when faced with the prospect of the financial/logistical hardship of returning your car to stock, when people have verbally said they they didn't need to. What is the next logical step?
To come on here and ask some questions. Then they get faced with the second thing: Incorrect information.
Granted, if your car is not stock it will be harder to smog, and this is where they grey area begins. This is where all the confusion lies. Some people will tell you that they did not have to change anything to smog their car. Some people will tell you a specific aftermarket exhaust that they have personally passed smog with. If you ever ask at a shop, they will always say that you must have the stock downpipe/cat on to pass. There are people who have spent time/money to return their cars to bone stock and were told they did not need to, laughed at even. There are people that have said they have passed with all sorts of illegal things. All of these are or could be true, and that is confusing for people who have not personally experienced this.
Maybe instead of doing the internet thing and trying to make people feel stupid for asking a fairly valid question, or making these kinds of threads prohibited (wtf??) we do a sticky at the top of the page that has some info on smog rules. A "Moving to the Bay" type of FAQ.
What do you think?
I really don't get these responses from you folks. This topic will come up over and over again, as you have seen. Expecting this to stop happening would be the same as expecting that no one else with a modded car is going to move from another state to CA. Sure, people can search but not everyone is an Internet Blackbelt, and they find a Subaru forum and post up a question.
I personally have moved to CA a few times. Each time, for whatever reason, I have had a car that is not smog compliant. I know how this works and still, the same thing happens to me. Last time it was, ironically, my WRX. I did not think I would be moving back or so soon, so I did not worry that my car was not CA compliant since it was easily registered in another state. Then, through a series of silly un-expected events, I need to smog my car and am in exactly the same place as the OP.
The thing is, CA has ridiculously crazy smog rules, and this condition is made worse by two things: people who think it's cool to toss out that they don't need to worry about smog, thus creating this "idea" that there are a load of smog shops out there that will sneak someone through, when really this is just someone trying to be cooler than the next fellow at a meet, by saying that "they don't need to worry about smog" but not offering anything really helpful or true. I have pressed the issue a couple times and it either leads to them not wanting to give up who they are talking about, or that they really do not "got a guy" as they were saying (this is usually the case).
Imagine someone showing up from any other state with a mildly or wildly modified car, and starts showing up to meets and doing some research after having done some research ahead of time before coming. They hear things verbally at meets that conflicts with everything that they have read. What they have read is hard to believe, because it's ****ing crazy and they did not have to do anything like this in any other state they have lived in. So when faced with the prospect of the financial/logistical hardship of returning your car to stock, when people have verbally said they they didn't need to. What is the next logical step?
To come on here and ask some questions. Then they get faced with the second thing: Incorrect information.
Not true, you do not need to take the car to the Referee. Your car will need to have a valid smog certificate on file, and need to take the car to the DMV for an inspection (verifying underhood labels, looking for shiny stuff). No appointment needed, but it could save some time to have an appointment. I have done this at least six times. The last time was March of last year. I had to smog my car, show up at the DMV to pop the hood, and done. Same process when I have purchased a car from out of state while living here.
Granted, if your car is not stock it will be harder to smog, and this is where they grey area begins. This is where all the confusion lies. Some people will tell you that they did not have to change anything to smog their car. Some people will tell you a specific aftermarket exhaust that they have personally passed smog with. If you ever ask at a shop, they will always say that you must have the stock downpipe/cat on to pass. There are people who have spent time/money to return their cars to bone stock and were told they did not need to, laughed at even. There are people that have said they have passed with all sorts of illegal things. All of these are or could be true, and that is confusing for people who have not personally experienced this.
Maybe instead of doing the internet thing and trying to make people feel stupid for asking a fairly valid question, or making these kinds of threads prohibited (wtf??) we do a sticky at the top of the page that has some info on smog rules. A "Moving to the Bay" type of FAQ.
What do you think?
I personally have moved to CA a few times. Each time, for whatever reason, I have had a car that is not smog compliant. I know how this works and still, the same thing happens to me. Last time it was, ironically, my WRX. I did not think I would be moving back or so soon, so I did not worry that my car was not CA compliant since it was easily registered in another state. Then, through a series of silly un-expected events, I need to smog my car and am in exactly the same place as the OP.
The thing is, CA has ridiculously crazy smog rules, and this condition is made worse by two things: people who think it's cool to toss out that they don't need to worry about smog, thus creating this "idea" that there are a load of smog shops out there that will sneak someone through, when really this is just someone trying to be cooler than the next fellow at a meet, by saying that "they don't need to worry about smog" but not offering anything really helpful or true. I have pressed the issue a couple times and it either leads to them not wanting to give up who they are talking about, or that they really do not "got a guy" as they were saying (this is usually the case).
Imagine someone showing up from any other state with a mildly or wildly modified car, and starts showing up to meets and doing some research after having done some research ahead of time before coming. They hear things verbally at meets that conflicts with everything that they have read. What they have read is hard to believe, because it's ****ing crazy and they did not have to do anything like this in any other state they have lived in. So when faced with the prospect of the financial/logistical hardship of returning your car to stock, when people have verbally said they they didn't need to. What is the next logical step?
To come on here and ask some questions. Then they get faced with the second thing: Incorrect information.
Not true, you do not need to take the car to the Referee. Your car will need to have a valid smog certificate on file, and need to take the car to the DMV for an inspection (verifying underhood labels, looking for shiny stuff). No appointment needed, but it could save some time to have an appointment. I have done this at least six times. The last time was March of last year. I had to smog my car, show up at the DMV to pop the hood, and done. Same process when I have purchased a car from out of state while living here.
Granted, if your car is not stock it will be harder to smog, and this is where they grey area begins. This is where all the confusion lies. Some people will tell you that they did not have to change anything to smog their car. Some people will tell you a specific aftermarket exhaust that they have personally passed smog with. If you ever ask at a shop, they will always say that you must have the stock downpipe/cat on to pass. There are people who have spent time/money to return their cars to bone stock and were told they did not need to, laughed at even. There are people that have said they have passed with all sorts of illegal things. All of these are or could be true, and that is confusing for people who have not personally experienced this.
Maybe instead of doing the internet thing and trying to make people feel stupid for asking a fairly valid question, or making these kinds of threads prohibited (wtf??) we do a sticky at the top of the page that has some info on smog rules. A "Moving to the Bay" type of FAQ.
What do you think?
From DMV.
registering an out of state car in california.
How To Register A Vehicle from Out-of-State (Nonresident Vehicle)
sweet! i have an account with nasioc too. imma "bad ***"
registering an out of state car in california.
How To Register A Vehicle from Out-of-State (Nonresident Vehicle)
sweet! i have an account with nasioc too. imma "bad ***"
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 15
From: San Jose, CA
Car Info: 2008 STI
I really don't get these responses from you folks. This topic will come up over and over again, as you have seen. Expecting this to stop happening would be the same as expecting that no one else with a modded car is going to move from another state to CA. Sure, people can search but not everyone is an Internet Blackbelt, and they find a Subaru forum and post up a question. I personally have moved to CA a few times. Each time, for whatever reason, I have had a car that is not smog compliant. I know how this works and still, the same thing happens to me. Last time it was, ironically, my WRX. I did not think I would be moving back or so soon, so I did not worry that my car was not CA compliant since it was easily registered in another state. Then, through a series of silly un-expected events, I need to smog my car and am in exactly the same place as the OP. The thing is, CA has ridiculously crazy smog rules, and this condition is made worse by two things: people who think it's cool to toss out that they don't need to worry about smog, thus creating this "idea" that there are a load of smog shops out there that will sneak someone through, when really this is just someone trying to be cooler than the next fellow at a meet, by saying that "they don't need to worry about smog" but not offering anything really helpful or true. I have pressed the issue a couple times and it either leads to them not wanting to give up who they are talking about, or that they really do not "got a guy" as they were saying (this is usually the case). Imagine someone showing up from any other state with a mildly or wildly modified car, and starts showing up to meets and doing some research after having done some research ahead of time before coming. They hear things verbally at meets that conflicts with everything that they have read. What they have read is hard to believe, because it's ****ing crazy and they did not have to do anything like this in any other state they have lived in. So when faced with the prospect of the financial/logistical hardship of returning your car to stock, when people have verbally said they they didn't need to. What is the next logical step? To come on here and ask some questions. Then they get faced with the second thing: Incorrect information. Not true, you do not need to take the car to the Referee. Your car will need to have a valid smog certificate on file, and need to take the car to the DMV for an inspection (verifying underhood labels, looking for shiny stuff). No appointment needed, but it could save some time to have an appointment. I have done this at least six times. The last time was March of last year. I had to smog my car, show up at the DMV to pop the hood, and done. Same process when I have purchased a car from out of state while living here. Granted, if your car is not stock it will be harder to smog, and this is where they grey area begins. This is where all the confusion lies. Some people will tell you that they did not have to change anything to smog their car. Some people will tell you a specific aftermarket exhaust that they have personally passed smog with. If you ever ask at a shop, they will always say that you must have the stock downpipe/cat on to pass. There are people who have spent time/money to return their cars to bone stock and were told they did not need to, laughed at even. There are people that have said they have passed with all sorts of illegal things. All of these are or could be true, and that is confusing for people who have not personally experienced this. Maybe instead of doing the internet thing and trying to make people feel stupid for asking a fairly valid question, or making these kinds of threads prohibited (wtf??) we do a sticky at the top of the page that has some info on smog rules. A "Moving to the Bay" type of FAQ. What do you think?
Registered User
iTrader: (13)
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 1,035
From: Sunnyvale, CA
Car Info: 02 WRX Wagon
The purpose of a post like this is to find a CURRENT point of contact, so searching through old threads is of limited use. The info there may be outdated and generally the important details like a name or phone number would be communicated privately to protect the service provider as well as the solicitor. So, the post on a local car club is really a desperate one, laying yourself bare in public and hoping that someone will reach out to help you. By bumping the thread with pointless yammering, they increase the chance that an informed user might spot that plea for help and reach out to that person.
So really, they were just being helpful. For once.
Oh, and these kinds of posts must be viewed as illegal because the OP is basically soliciting an illegal service in a public forum. That's the equivalent of running down the street naked and waving a $20 bill while yelling at prostitutes for a handy. Can't be having that kind of thing in a civilized place.
You can run but you can't hide.
So really, they were just being helpful. For once.
Oh, and these kinds of posts must be viewed as illegal because the OP is basically soliciting an illegal service in a public forum. That's the equivalent of running down the street naked and waving a $20 bill while yelling at prostitutes for a handy. Can't be having that kind of thing in a civilized place.
You can run but you can't hide.
The purpose of a post like this is to find a CURRENT point of contact, so searching through old threads is of limited use. The info there may be outdated and generally the important details like a name or phone number would be communicated privately to protect the service provider as well as the solicitor. So, the post on a local car club is really a desperate one, laying yourself bare in public and hoping that someone will reach out to help you. By bumping the thread with pointless yammering, they increase the chance that an informed user might spot that plea for help and reach out to that person.
So really, they were just being helpful. For once.
So really, they were just being helpful. For once.
That makes sense. What I was suggesting was something like "FAQ for people moving to CA from out of state with a modded car" with some handy info for these folks and such. Chances are, not everyone knows how draconian CA is, and even some who have read about it possibly might not believe it. But, now I see that would not solve the problem.