Mom's moving to CA - have a few questions

[TheJeanyus]

As the title says, my mom is moving to California, and she has a few questions about the car laws there. She'll be living inside Yosemite National Park (my step dad just got a job as Assistant General Manager of the Wawona), and she drives a '98 GT with off road exhaust, Eibach springs, and a couple other things.

1. Will she get into trouble for her exhaust? I know she has to pass emissions, but if she can carry the AL tag for a little while will she be able to stay out of trouble? She doesn't drive the car hard or race at all, so other than the sound she won't be drawing any attention to herself.

2. I've heard that lowering a car below a certain height is against the law. Will she be ok with the Eibach Pro-Kit on that car? It is very low, but we want to make sure before she moves.

3. How picky are the police officers in that part of CA about window tint? Her tint is pretty light - probably 35% before fading after 4 years on the car.

4. She may be interested in selling the car within the next year. Will it be a difficult sale with the mods listed?

Sorry if these questions seem sort of stupid, but she's asked me to see what I could find out from some CA residents before she goes through the trouble of transporting the car across the country.

She talked to a guy with an '01 Cobra about some of this stuff in Barsto the other day. If he's a member, she appeciated you taking the time to talk to her a little about it. :beer:

 

[Tom's_03SVT]

As the title says, my mom is moving to California, and she has a few questions about the car laws there. She'll be living inside Yosemite National Park (my step dad just got a job as Assistant General Manager of the Wawona), and she drives a '98 GT with off road exhaust, Eibach springs, and a couple other things.

1. Will she get into trouble for her exhaust? I know she has to pass emissions, but if she can carry the AL tag for a little while will she be able to stay out of trouble? She doesn't drive the car hard or race at all, so other than the sound she won't be drawing any attention to herself.

if your exhaust is louder than 86db then you are illegal.
nope if she is a legal resident she has 10 days to switch her plates over,

2. I've heard that lowering a car below a certain height is against the law. Will she be ok with the Eibach Pro-Kit on that car? It is very low, but we want to make sure before she moves.

As long as the lowest point on the body isnt lower than the lip of your rim its fine


3. How picky are the police officers in that part of CA about window tint? Her tint is pretty light - probably 35% before fading after 4 years on the car.

its a ticket and now fix it tickets in CA have a fine

4. She may be interested in selling the car within the next year. Will it be a difficult sale with the mods listed?

the car has to pass smog to be considered legal for sale.

Sorry if these questions seem sort of stupid, but she's asked me to see what I could find out from some CA residents before she goes through the trouble of transporting the car across the country.

She talked to a guy with an '01 Cobra about some of this stuff in Barsto the other day. If he's a member, she appeciated you taking the time to talk to her a little about it.

Tom

 

[Quick96Mystic]

^ That pretty much sums it up.. but if she doesnt do anything wrong normally an officer here (in southern cali ) normally wont pull a random person over

I've got tints, L/t's 3 inch exhuast etc. and i have not been pulled over unless it was because i did something stupid

 

[TheJeanyus]

Thanks for the quick replies, guys. :thumbsup:

 

[moonltgold]

Also, she won't pass the Visual (no cats) when they inspect at registration, and they will.

 

[Steve@TF]

the only thing id be worried about up in Yosemite is the exhaust. especially if there are no cats. its not exactly a place where they want LOUD cars driving through. what with the wild deer running around and everything.

as for changing the car to CA. i havent done my car and its been a year already. once i do though i know it will pass smog, already has. im not sure if they'll really look for the cats but if they do, then all she has to do is get some. no big deal. tint isnt a big deal unless its DARK, but hell, mine's limo and no problems... springs, that makes me laugh. everyone thinks that CA stands for CubA or something. ive had cars that scrape while driving down a flat road. never gotten a too low ticket.

 

[Klay]

I think she should be ok for the most part. When she goes to get it smogged she will need the cats though. I have tint, car is lowered and exhaust and only got pulled over once for my exhaust (no ticket was given). As long as the car passes smog she should be alright.

 

[Steve@TF]

yeah, not to mention she could always borrow someones H pipe to get it smogged.

 

[lizardbreath]

Just sell the car before you go and get something else.

 

[Quick96Mystic]

springs, that makes me laugh. everyone thinks that CA stands for CubA or something. ive had cars that scrape while driving down a flat road. never gotten a too low ticket.

I had actually been pulled over once by an officer that was not such a nice guy about 7 years ago in a 95 Cobra i used to have.. after i downshifted right in front of him (on accident, i was about 18 at the time), he was checking everything on my car, i had shorties, o/r h-pipe, borla xr-1 catback, car was dropped low, full saleen kit and a bunch of other stuff

When he had his partner pull out the measuring stick they got a call, but ever since i've never been pulled over and been questioned about right height or gotten a random ticket.. so it's kind of rare for anyone to get pulled over for no reason

To the thread starter, i'm more than sure your mother is not going to be getting any tickets here in California :beer:

 

[Bullitt#918]

As long as the headlights are not lower than 27" you're fine