To Cali from Alabama, car registration ?'s (Los Angeles, Sacramento: fit in, rent)

[cosy]

I just took a 6 month job working for a non-profit in the Sacramento area. I will be getting paid as a 1099 (private contractor). At the end of the 6 months, we will re-negotiate and I may either 1-go home to Alabama, or 2-stay for an extended period of time on the order of years. We are currently being provided a place to live in Sacramento; we are living with a family and pay no rent or utilities, all of which is being provided. I have brought to Sacramento two cars, mine and my wife’s. Couple of questions if someone has a second…


[FONT=Calibri]1. 1. [/FONT]Because I am on a 6 month contract to be re-evaluated at that point, can I wait until that point to register the vehicles. I don’t want to register in California and pay whatever $ that will cost and then end up going home in 6 months and have to change my registration BACK to Alabama.


[FONT=Calibri]2. 2. [/FONT]Will the 20 day law come into effect once I establish permanent residence in 6 months? Or will they skewer me for 6 months of fees. This may be attached to question 1, I don’t know.


[FONT=Calibri]3. 3. [/FONT]The fun part – I drive a 2008 diesel that has had the EGR deleted, aftermarket intake, and is chipped. When tuned on the lower end, it will only blow a large smoke cloud when REALLY getting after it, but will accelerate quickly without causing smoke. Let’s say for a second it doesn’t pass emission, which it still may cause it has a form of DPF on the exhaust line, and doesn’t blow smoke, will the EGR delete automatically exclude it? It has a chrome blue cap where the DPF used to be, so it’s fairly obvious. Any recommendations or anyone with experience in this would be extremely welcome…


[FONT=Calibri]4. 4. [/FONT]Why does Cali have so many laws, good gracious. I know, Cali hears that one all the time, I won’t press it any further.


Thanks guys!

[cb73]

Just answering the first 2 questions. At this point, you are a temporary resident and must only maintain current registration and car insurance in your permanent state. If you choose to become a permanent resident of California, you'd use the date you decide to do that, and would have 20 days from that date to change your registration.

[mstnghu2]

As far as your car goes, yes, it will fail smog. Smog laws in CA are among the strictest in the country, for good reason, since we have so many cars on the road. We really do need the strict emission laws so that we're not breathing in polluted air all day long.

I work in the car business and have lots of experience with this sort of thing. Any modifications to emissions-related equipment will be an automatic fail, regardless of how clean the smoke from the tailpipe is. The aftermarket air intake could possibly be legal, providing that you can contact the manufacturer and obtain a CARB label proving that it's certified as CA emission legal. The chip and the lack of an EGR will cause it to fail though. On another note, it's very hard to find somebody who'd be willing to do a "kinky" smog to get it to pass. If found out, smog shops could lose their licenses and be fined thousands of dollars so it's not worth the risk for them.

[TheMoreYouKnow]

Originally Posted by cosy

3. 3. The fun part – I drive a 2008 diesel that has had the EGR deleted, aftermarket intake, and is chipped. When tuned on the lower end, it will only blow a large smoke cloud when REALLY getting after it, but will accelerate quickly without causing smoke. Let’s say for a second it doesn’t pass emission, which it still may cause it has a form of DPF on the exhaust line, and doesn’t blow smoke, will the EGR delete automatically exclude it? It has a chrome blue cap where the DPF used to be, so it’s fairly obvious. Any recommendations or anyone with experience in this would be extremely welcome…


4. 4. Why does Cali have so many laws, good gracious. I know, Cali hears that one all the time, I won’t press it any further.


Thanks guys!

There's ZERO chance of your truck passing any sort of CA emissions test, some bone stock Cummins 6.7s (which is what I assume you own) have trouble passing in CA. You're in for a lot of work, money and headaches if you need to register that truck in CA, you can kiss your EGR delete and programmer/chip goodbye. Also, if you haven't checked the price of registering a 3/4 or 1 ton truck of any kind in CA you might want to sit down because you're looking at commercial truck registration rates.

Hey, enjoy your visit.

[Chuck5000]

Let me add that although smog controls bother some people, there is so much proof that it has worked it's beyond debate. 40 years ago, go find a picture of Los Angeles on a typical day, and compare it to today. Sacramento's air is also cleaner; it's particularly vulnerable to pollution because it's in a large valley. We're all so much better off - and with ever increasing numbers of cars on the road, the air must become even cleaner than it is today.

Why so many laws? California is a mostly liberal state, which means that voters and the elected officials are not afraid to use government as an instrument to make life better and more fair. And most of the time it works, yes, despite what the naysayers say. California is ultimately a huge success story for the USA, and the world.

In some fantasy world, there are minimal laws for large population areas, and everyone behaves honorably, nobody pollutes, there is no "tragedy of the commons." But this is the real world, with some bad actors, and we need referees, no matter how imperfect.

I'm a car guy, so I do sympathize. But you sound like you're on a good path to a better career, so why not treat yourself to a newer, cleaner vehicle? You now have a great excuse! There's been so much technical progress in the last 7 years, you can get a newer truck with killer power. You might want an SUV that you can take to the mountains all year long, and cruise on the freeway comfortably.

If you're conservative, or apolitical, outside of the SF bay area you'll find plenty of conservative friends, so no worries there. Don't believe the propaganda about liberals being raving maniacs. Only about 10% are

[nightlysparrow]

Originally Posted by cosy

I drive a 2008 diesel that has had the EGR deleted, aftermarket intake, and is chipped. When tuned on the lower end, it will only blow a large smoke cloud when REALLY getting after it

If a cop sees the smoke, you WILL be pulled over. Then the party begins.

[jw2]

Originally Posted by cosy

I drive a 2008 diesel that has had the EGR deleted, aftermarket intake, and is chipped. When tuned on the lower end, it will only blow a large smoke cloud when REALLY getting after it

I will add to this that not as many Californians will think your puff of black smoke is as cool as your Alabaman friends.

[TheMoreYouKnow]

Originally Posted by Chuck5000

I'm a car guy, so I do sympathize. But you sound like you're on a good path to a better career, so why not treat yourself to a newer, cleaner vehicle? You now have a great excuse! There's been so much technical progress in the last 7 years, you can get a newer truck with killer power. You might want an SUV that you can take to the mountains all year long, and cruise on the freeway comfortably.

He's not going to find any stock new diesel truck on the market today, especially in CA that comes anywhere near the power of an 07 diesel with a chip and EGR delete.

[Chuck5000]

Originally Posted by TheMoreYouKnow

He's not going to find any stock new diesel truck on the market today, especially in CA that comes anywhere near the power of an 07 diesel with a chip and EGR delete.

What non-commercial user truly needs diesel to have a powerful truck, and does he really need all that power? He didn't mention a boat or a trailer. If he wants speed, there are a ton of fantastic fast cars available nowadays. He can have 3 cars. Or 4.

[TheMoreYouKnow]

Originally Posted by Chuck5000

What non-commercial user truly needs diesel to have a powerful truck, and does he really need all that power? He didn't mention a boat or a trailer. If he wants speed, there are a ton of fantastic fast cars available nowadays. He can have 3 cars. Or 4.

I didn't realize that CA automobile registration has moved to a "need only" basis, some people might actually want to own a 3/4 ton diesel truck for no reason other than that they want it or they already own it and like it.

The overwhelming majority of people pulling 5th wheel campers are going to pull them with a 3/4 or 1 ton pickup truck from the big 3. You can still buy those truck with a gasoline engine but they're a joke compared to modern diesel engines when it comes to power and torque.