y8s

iTrader: (8)

unfortunately that is less of a joke and more truth.

EO2K

iTrader: (37)

It wouldn't be stock

MartinezA92

iTrader: (4)

The bullshit that the CARB approves is exactly that. Bullshit. The only reason those have CARB approval is because the company went through the long and expensive process of getting it, not because they're any cleaner than a custom turbo kit with a megasquirt. I can make a turbo Miata that will blow cleaner numbers than any stock Miata and CA is still not going to let me drive it around.

And STAR station basically means "We're going to make it even harder for you to pass smog". The only way to be a STAR station is to fail a certain percentage of cars. Which means they are absolutely not ******* around there.

EO2K

iTrader: (37)

I was wondering what the new STAR bullshit was all about.

Lexzar

iTrader: (2)

Damn. I need to make a buddy in the smogging business or something. ****'s crazy.

I totally agree that CARB is bullshit. If they just set some fair numbers to stay under or something, then some people with the ability to tune that way could and be just as "eco-friendly" as the next guy.

Joe Perez

iTrader: (8)

I lived in San Diego for eight years. And the days of being able to slip someone a few hundred bucks or having a friend on the inside are pretty much behind us.

That said, CARB isn't the hideous monster that some people interpret it to be. CARB is a bureaucracy, and it has a set of rules. The way to succeed is to learn those rules, learn how to give the appearance of abiding by them, and developing a sense of who best to interpret them.

In my experience, the dreaded test-only shops actually tend to be some of the easiest for an "enthusiast" to pass in, since they tend to be small, independent shops run by like-minded people who take a somewhat relaxed attitude towards the visual inspection. Find a one-bay shop in a crappy part of town with a bunch of motorcycles parked out back run by a man with a grey beard. This was my go-to shop in Vista.

And yes, you're going to have to start with a CARB-approved kit in order to get the sticker and the name "BEGI" cast into the manifold. If you thought you could get around that, well, tough.

But don't get discouraged. We all had to learn this one way or another.

Savington

iTrader: (31)

This. It's not legal, but I DDed my ~220whp turboed '94 with a standalone for 3 years/30k miles in CA and never had any issues with LEOs or the referee. Don't be stupid and it won't be a problem.

Lexzar

iTrader: (2)

Yeah, this is probably what I'll be doing. Thanks for all the input.

turbofan

iTrader: (1)

I actually went to a place near Redlands that passed my '97 Jetta with failed extra air pump BS thing for $120... I didn't know anything about it, they just said it didn't pass (this is true... it would have failed anywhere, they weren't just extorting me), but for $120 they'd give me a sticker. This was about a year ago. They are still around. Join a real ghetto car club and they'll tell you where to go.

Lexzar

iTrader: (2)

I kind of like the idea of taking everything apart and making sure everything is good, buuuuuut $120 to be completely lazy, that sounds grrrreat.

turbofan

iTrader: (1)

...that being said, the car was stock besides. So it passed the visual, it was just the smog that it failed. Don't know if that would screw you or if you could find someone to pass you on both. Probably could.

dstn2bdoa

iTrader: (18)

There is a shitty little shop just N of the 10 on orange. It's almost more of a hangout than a shop. Those guys might know a few "tricks" to the local area.

dstn2bdoa

iTrader: (18)

Corner of Brockton and Orange.

turbofan

iTrader: (1)

I bet they do. I think I remember seeing that place. There's also a little shop right next to the scrap yard there, I wonder if they would know. Up in San Bernardino there's a place that does it. Too bad I don't remember the addresses of the places, lol! The place I went was southwest somewhere. I had listed the Jetta for sale and a Mexican guy who wanted to buy it took me to this place to get it smogged. Ah I've never been that ghetto before (or since) in my life. That Jetta was a nightmare. (nothing against Mexicans, yo).

Lexzar

iTrader: (2)

Thanks, this is what I needed. are you still in the area with that impressive miata?

supercooper

What you SHOULD do.... it TRUBO the **** out of that car... Then drive it ***** to the wall in an Eastward Direction, To at least Colorado, or a little further, To an area where there are no emissions testing, and..... Profit...

pikachukiat

I think you meant to say win

supercooper

Profit IS Win... Win on all counts...
lol

Lexzar

iTrader: (2)

I think the time it would take me to drive there, get tested, and drive back, I could have dissembled the turbo-related ****, replaced them with stock, go and get tested, and put all the turbo **** back on.

I am so jealous of the lack of our stringent emission testing though.

y8s

iTrader: (8)

here's the y8s tuning secret of driving a turbo miata in california:

1. buy a new one.
2. turbo the **** out of it immediately.
3. ????
4. Profit for 6 years of smog exemption for new vehicles.

That's what I did. Then I moved to DC.

or:

Buy or rent a property in the zip codes of California that do not require biennial inspections and "garage" the car there.