legal in CA???

[onevia drift]

basically i am new to the west US .. so what is and isnt legal here.
I have a 92 coupe with an SR, buddy club exh., its slammed, and basically i just wanted to know what i can and cant do here . I have already got in some shit for it being too low and too loud so yea..
I had to bullshit my way out of what i am guessing is some major shit as far as engine mods go.

just lookin to get some info on what not to do .
thanks

[lttletimmy]

Well, if you have an SR then you're illegal, so just maintain a low profile and find out by word of mouth where you can get it smogged.

[don_bagz]

yep.. sr is definately illegal. umm, exhaust wud be legal as long as it is below 94 db. (i think)

but what you can do is keep your license and your plate number(if you came from another state that all these mods are legal). If you get pulled over just show em that you are from another state visiting..

[leash]

Exhaust doesn't matter to a cop, its up to him/her to determine if the decibel is over the limit. The one way to get around this is to take it to a station, get it tested and actually get the paper work to prove that its within the 94 db.

But honestly its best to replace the exhaust with a stock looking performance one. I had a custom one made awhile back (2.5 straightpipe) and that thing was freaking loud as hell but I was NEVER pulled over for it. Just goes to show that they'll just pull you over for looking modified.

Keep your original plates and license if possible, that pretty much the best way round this.

[don_bagz]

what sucks about the decibels is that you can't go to a station to get it checked until a cops pulls you over for it.. Coz stations don't usually do that service. So they only measure sound level only when you have a note or a ticket from a cop saying that you need to have the sound level checked..

[gun]

get an exhaust valve controller thing so you can run open and a quiet exhaust too, flip the switch and blow up babies' ear drums

[DMaxUSA]

SR = ticket
Loud exhaust = ticket
Being too low = ticket

and in my case....
Asian in a modified Japanese car = ticket

....this is the life we chose...

[Brian]

You are not allowed to modify the car in any way.

[ESmorz]

What not to do... hmm well if you're smart... not drive an SR'd car on the street.

You could always just sell me your SR.

[touge monster]

Sell the 240, get a nice DD

[Flipzide]

Anything w/o a CARB number is illegal.

Any exhaust that gives a hint of being aftermarket can be written up for a ticket.

Any level of tint (if the cop feels like being as asshole) can be written up for a ticket.

If your headlights are lower than a certain height (~20inches? i don't remember), you can get written up for a ticket.

If your wheels are tucked past the lip, you can be written up for a ticket.

The list can go on and on...

Welcome to California. Enjoy your stay.

[ZenkiGTS]

get an exhaust valve controller thing so you can run open and a quiet exhaust too, flip the switch and blow up babies' ear drums
cut outs ftw! quicktime performance.... btw welcome to the good old wild wild west

[onevia drift]

lol damn this shit sucks... yeah my exhaustis well over 94Db... whats a good stock looking exhaust.? i was thinkin circuitsports.?
and here is my car...
http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc86/SRni-ju/s13.jpg

too low... yeah i think so .

[Flipzide]

Well I've gotten away with daily driving a Apex'i N1 exhaust for 3 years and I've never been pulled over for having a loud exhaust. My S13 is as low as yours too and I didn't have much issues. I'd be more worried about that SR of yours more than anything else.

Local cops can be cool or bad. It depends on where you live unless you get pulled over by CHP then you're done.

[RedStage]

OneviaDrift...what are you doing in Cali?
Reason I ask is if you are Miltary....you can get away with keeping the car registered through your home state in most cases...

[lilaznjeff]

you should ask me about it.
i got ref with a buddy club and sr

[Z_Spool]

So much ignorance in this thread... read up, and forget just about everything everyone else is telling you.

California State Vehicle Code:
California Vehicle Code Table of Contents (http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/vc/vc.htm)

[Flipzide]

So much ignorance in this thread... read up, and forget just about everything everyone else is telling you.

No.. most of the stuff I stated is in this CHP page...

CHP - Asia Pacific Islander Outreach (http://www.chp.ca.gov/community/streetlegal.html)

I just paraphrased what I remembered off the top of my head and shared my experiences. For the other things I mentioned that aren't on the page, it's stuff I've personally seen or heard from a friend that has been pulled over.

Lowered frame (or any other part) that is lower than the lowest point of the wheel rim (24008 VC).

Illegal engine modifications. Most are illegal due to smog (27156 VC). See Air Resources Board web site for more info and list of parts that are legal.

Excessively noisy exhaust systems and mufflers (27150, 27151 VC). Many aftermarket exhaust systems and parts are illegal. Look for parts that meet California law. If it doesn't say it meets the law, it probably doesn't.