GT_Bob

They are shops under license from the state. You have smog check only stations that can't do any repairs and you have smog stations that can run the check and do repairs. Dude, it's so bad out here, they put your car on a dyno during the smog check. Not to mention all of the smog machines are linked via-phone line to the state during the test. No joke. It'll take way more than a $20 dollar bill to bribe a guy to look past the fact that you are missing a couple of cats. And yes, all aftermarket parts you put on your car MUST be California Air Resource Board (C.A.R.B.) approved.

GT_Bob

Every two years on a car older than 4 years old. New cars get a pass for the first 4 years. Anything newer than 1975 must be smogged.

johnGT

well the bassani i have right now has cats....but im putting on slp LT's and shorty x-pipe w/ no cats in a few weeks. maybe i'll just second think that.

johnGT

sounds like a huge process. i'm probably better off just getting a new car or not doing LT's.

yetihairball

Yikes GT_Bob!

When i got my car inspected in Texas, the guy at the shop said I could do anything with my exhaust (even long tubes) as long as I had cats.

But, geez, phones connected to the smog equipment...$20 will definitely not cover that.

GT_Bob

You could probabley get away with LT's here if you ran cats. Most shops will sign off on the visual if they see cats under the car and you can pass the "sniffer" test.

johnGT

yea i could always do that and i'm also thinking that maybe i'll just leave my Jersey plates on because I would be a student and I could just say my permanent residence is in NJ.

GT_Bob

That would work for a little while.

Here are a couple of helpful links:

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/brochures/howto/htvr9.htm

http://www.dmv.org/ca-california/smog-check.php

johnGT

great man thanks

GT_Bob

You're welcome. Good luck.