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Actually, what are some states to avoid for people who like to work on their cars? I don't want to necessarily build a polluting machine but I don't want the govt telling me I can't install certain parts. California is obviously a nightmare but what are some others?
VA is fine if you stay out of cities that require emmisions...my RX-7 was catless there for a long time. On the basic state inspection they normally kick the tires and call it a sticker.
Or, keep your car registared in a state that doesnt require emmisions and live with it somewhere else. Your current state cant enforce other state inspection requirments. But they can enforce the you moved here 30 days ago where is your current state DL?
As long as you're not in the Chicago and St. Louis metro areas, you're fine. The metro areas do emissions testing, and even then the only thing you have to worry about is whether your car passes or fails. As long as it passes, they don't care what you've done to your car. It's not like California where they'll bust you for using non-CARB-approved aftermarket parts even if your car would still pass emissions with them installed.
My car is registered in Minnesota where there is no testing but my residence will change in a year or two. I know a guy who got in trouble for having his vehicle registered out of state, actually. It was because his neighbor was an ass but still.
Illinois does have emissions, but like Drover said above, they could care less about what youve done to the car. Just make sure to get exhaust silencers because cops here are definitely stringent on noise violations, Ive been ticketed a 1/2 dozen times. Oh, and keep your cats on too.
I find that modding cars that are 1995 and younger works best for us. OBD1 cars and older are easier to pass inspections. It's not difficult to make the car run clean enough to pass the sniffer test, but more that it's harder to pass the scan test where the car needs to be free of a check engine light and when the inspection station scanner is plugged into the car's ecu, all the info coming out has to be cool and match up with what the state's RMV wants.
Now in Illinois, only cars that are 1996 and newer are being tested; that's because 1996 and newer are OBD2. They don't have to run the car on the dyno to get tailpipe emissions. That's great news for hotrodders with modified cars. I have a few modified cars that I no longer have to use 'workarounds' to keep current license plates on. None of my 1996 or newer cars have any mods that I have to worry about, at least for now.
I do agree, these emissions tests are such a pain. It's my car, I paid big sales tax on it and they get money out of me every year for plates. I just want the government off my back.
I can't imagine what it must be like in Cali. That state used to set the standard for high performance cars. Now, hotrodders must feel like they live in a prison. I could never live in a place like that with big brother.
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Oh, and keep your cats on too.
