Edward

Because I love my SSIs (yeah, I knew it going in), I've been doing the smog dance now for many years, and for whatever reason this year it's gotten me more pissed/frustrated. So...

Any of you in smog-reg (quasi-fascist) land end up giving up the SSI goodness for the regular ol' exchangers and cat? Every registration cycle I hope that there will be some special exemption for old-year or low-mile cars (ha, hope in vain, this is Cali, after all...), but all for naught. I get the ******* just thinking about switching back to smog regs so I'm askin you all ...what are your thoughts?
(pssst, feel free to PM me if you like ).

Edward

Amber Gramps

Apparently my sister in law knows a guy that just passed her Cienna even though her CEL was all ablaze.

PiB993

What's 'ssi'? If you are really desperate some rural counties smog less often I believe so register your car there and get a PO Box. I have to bring my car to a 'star certified station' which is supposed to be more strict I think. Since I'm 4x4 I was able to convince them it could NOT go on the rollers, which is true, and they barely did anything. My tip? Go to the seediest looking "Star Certified" station you can find! They really did not check my cats or mufflers or anything to make sure it was stock.

Reiver

Ed, I sympathize but can't empathize as I live in Az. and with collector car insurance do not have to smog at all (actually live outside a smog test area no matter what).
I'd be hard pressed to go back to a stock unit but understand the hassle of on/off with all of that.
Is it yearly?
Is there a 'date' your car becomes no longer testable....if so, maybe go stock and anticipate.

Michael T

In Texas, the no test year is 25 years old for my 1989 Targa. The PO had removed the catalytic converter, and mine barely passed the last year it needed emission testing.

Edward

Thanks for the sympathy, guys. It's every 2 years in Cali, and my SC is an '82 fer cryin out loud, with what, maybe a 3-4K miles per year?!!! It's largely a trackmeister, but I keep it registered to drive on occasion (especially since I had decided to sell the trailer and go back to "arrive-n-drive" at events). I really wish there were an answer to this madness...

Edward

Reiver

I'd do the swap in/test swap out drive if only every 2 years. Do they do roadside checks like they use to in Cali?
I feel your pain...I've driven 20k miles in the last 18 months in my SC....if I can't drive it it's a bad day.

Amber Gramps

Do you still have your stock pipes and cat? How long have your headers been on? Maybe you could just borrow the set up for a few days.

cal44

There is nice to have and need to have. In this case you need to have smog items. A guy that lives here in San Diego County had had enough with smog testing on his mid 80's P cars.
So he bought property in Montana and got plates for his darlings in that state. Problem solved.
Of course not all of us have extra money to do things like that.

mike

theiceman

For me the issue would only be the thought of messing with those exhaust studs every couple of years .. the thought would keep me at wake at night more than the testing..

I HATE those things..

Edward

Exactly! Those studs, on a good day, give me the *******. But their propensity to "freeze" on there for that interim duration ...shudder....
It's such a pain-in-the-tuchus. Why in blazes is there no equivalent of "collector car" or "low-mile" exemption here defies logic ...but then again, this is Cali...sad....

Edward

budge96

I've lived in Los Angeles and still have a truck registered there 15 years after returning east
What my non compliant friends do ..'I hear ' is get chummy with a repair shop and ask them
who they recommend to get a 'paid pass ' expensive but available ..you didn't hear it here
haha..

realgren

You have a PM. Good luck.