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CA Registration

Discussion in '360/430' started by VISTA2012, Jul 20, 2019.

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  1. VISTA2012

    VISTA2012 Rookie

    May 15, 2019
    12
    Full Name:
    KYLE GANO
    Situation : Two 10+ yr cars for use in CA but purchased out of state. Both with <7500 miles thus considered “new” by CA standard. Both cleared smog checks in CA prior to attempt to register the cars. Neither car had contemporary CA emissions stickers.

    Outcome :

    Car 1 - 2010 330 BMW
    DMV registered car all good

    Car - 2003 Ferrari 360 Spider
    DMV gave refusal notice saying car did meet CA specs as identified by relevant sticker on car.

    Any suggestions before I dig in?
     
  2. Motob

    Motob Formula 3
    Professional Ferrari Technician

    Nov 11, 2003
    2,238
    Frederick, Maryland
    Full Name:
    Brian Brown
    Unless the 360 is a Grey market car that was a converted Euro-spec car, then it is a USA car, which is 50 state legal. Ferrari did not make 49 state 360s that don't meet California smog requirements. The emissions control sticker should state that it meets California and all Federal emissions requirements. The smog guy doesn't know what he is talking about.
     
    Manda racing likes this.
  3. Skidkid

    Skidkid F1 Veteran
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Aug 25, 2005
    8,682
    Campbell, CA
    Full Name:
    John Zornes
    Brian is right. There are a lot of euro cars around and people pretend that they will just register fine in CA. That simply isn't true; you may get lucky but it could go very wrong as well. SO, Assuming it is a US car: I would verify the smog sticker. If missing, I would go to the dealer and get a new one applied. THEN contest the finding and go to a referee station. If it is a gray market car and there is no BAR sticker, you are in for a rough road and you will likely fail. Search for a thread I wrote about registering euro in CA, it has the details.
     
  4. Manda racing

    Manda racing Formula 3

    Feb 25, 2015
    1,245
    Bakersfield, Ca
    Full Name:
    Mark
    #4 Manda racing, Jul 22, 2019
    Last edited: Jul 22, 2019
    Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login IMO

    This is what happened to me with a 2008 Scud where the inspector chp made errors on checksheet and my missing smog sticker was a legit problem.

    This was just to complete most of title transfer from TX and start registering it in CA.
    (All Scuds where 50 state legal)

    It doesn’t matter to DMV if it passed smog. FYI.
    (That’s an additional requirement). They don’t give a hoot.

    And after you’ve been rejected due to initial inspection nobody cares about a sticker; but its a good idea for future sales and smog inspections. $19 + shipping.
    (I’ll put mine on one of these days)

    When you get this letter I guarantee it’s the worst day of life. When Fifi sends you the letter verifying your cars USA EPA and CA legal it’s like wedding day.

    Then the DMV tech called me up and asked when it would be convenient for me to make an appointment they would schedule. Later the same day worked for me. :)
     
  5. PFSEX

    PFSEX Formula Junior

    Jun 30, 2006
    843
    Las Vegas
    Full Name:
    John Ratto
    I guess all of this plays into why Euro spec cars are worth less than US spec cars (at least in the USA).

    CA can be brutal when trying to register these cars, or pass smog tests.

    Be warned.
     
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  6. Manda racing

    Manda racing Formula 3

    Feb 25, 2015
    1,245
    Bakersfield, Ca
    Full Name:
    Mark
    Correct— my experience pertains to 50 state USA car with less than 8000 miles. And stock with factory OEM catalytic converters— the smog shops say they have to provide a part number when doing smogs .
     
  7. Skidkid

    Skidkid F1 Veteran
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Aug 25, 2005
    8,682
    Campbell, CA
    Full Name:
    John Zornes
    Correct BUT if the euro has a BAR sticker it is all good and CA won't blink (you are then officially a 50 State car). Each gray market car has to be tested individually to get its own BAR sticker and most just don't do the drill.
     
  8. Manda racing

    Manda racing Formula 3

    Feb 25, 2015
    1,245
    Bakersfield, Ca
    Full Name:
    Mark
  9. Skidkid

    Skidkid F1 Veteran
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Aug 25, 2005
    8,682
    Campbell, CA
    Full Name:
    John Zornes
    Go read my thread titled something like "registering a euro in CA". I started it and it has the process to get the diagnostic laboratory authorization.
     
  10. cgfen

    cgfen Formula Junior

    Jun 1, 2015
    447
    vista ca
    Does you car have this sticker on the left engine compartment panel?
    If so, you should be good. If not, ??????

    Image Unavailable, Please Login
     
  11. Skidkid

    Skidkid F1 Veteran
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Aug 25, 2005
    8,682
    Campbell, CA
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    John Zornes
    Actually, if it is a gray market car they require an additional sticker in California. EVERY gray market car must be tested independently and a sticker that has a bar code and says BAR (Bureau of Automotive Repair). I have a pic somewhere and there are a few others on this site. That sticker is required and you would be ok IF your emissions sticker says '50 states' or 'California' emissions; Euro cars do not have the right words on the stickers and they don't have air injection so they HAVE to be modified.
     
  12. VISTA2012

    VISTA2012 Rookie

    May 15, 2019
    12
    Full Name:
    KYLE GANO
    Thanks everyone. My case was classic DMV. I misspoke on the CA emission sticker front. The 360 had it, turns out during the initial car inspection the “inspector” from the DMV looked in the hood b/c that where the sticker is supposed to be - where engines are. He didn’t think the engine is in the back in the “trunk”. You just cant make this stuff up. Anyway, after connecting the dots here on what they did/didn’t do I went back at put the inspectors nose on the sticker. All is good. Enjoying the 360 now with 2700 miles!
     
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  13. Skidkid

    Skidkid F1 Veteran
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Aug 25, 2005
    8,682
    Campbell, CA
    Full Name:
    John Zornes
    Now that is funny stuff. Apparently he didn't notice that there was no engine in that space. That should be concerning but may be why they are in that job.
     
  14. DaChosen1FoSho

    DaChosen1FoSho Karting

    Dec 23, 2017
    65
    You live in Vista man?
     
  15. VISTA2012

    VISTA2012 Rookie

    May 15, 2019
    12
    Full Name:
    KYLE GANO
    Ha! Close this was at the DMV in Poway. I dont think they ever saw a Ferrari before.
     
  16. DaChosen1FoSho

    DaChosen1FoSho Karting

    Dec 23, 2017
    65

    Cool. I’m south of there near Santee. Hit me up if you ever wanna go for a drive
     
  17. 360trev

    360trev F1 Rookie
    Project Master

    Oct 29, 2005
    4,241
    Gibraltar
    Full Name:
    360trev
    If anyone has a grey import car and needs us spec ecu firmware reflash just pm me.

    I've been running EU cars with US firmware now and I can individually enable and disable anything from air injection to smog checking.

    It should be easy enough to find the SLS (Secondary air injection), hardware, pump, headers etc in breakers these days and professionally add any missing bits using factory parts.

    The whole law is a joke on a low volume Ferraris anyway since it won't actually make any difference whatsoever to environment for the number of cars and mileages involved. Why didn't they just exempt production under 50k units? Sigh... Law makers really can be maddening...
     

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