So i'm contemplating getting a car shipped into Ca. I can get a SMOG Cert for the car here in Ca.

BUT and a vary large BUT the car is Registered in Florida (FL Plates) and I go to the local DMV for my NEW Ca. plates/Title and WHAT?

Do I have to get a Ca. inspection? Title / Vin check? Under-hood inspection for a SMOG sticker?

Or can I just go to the DMV with paperwork in hand (title/SMOG Cert./purchase receipt without the car and get my plates/Ca. title?

ALL OF THIS BTW IS theoretical AS I HAVE NOT PURCHASED ANYTHING.

Thanks, Jeff

 

first off you should go to dmv and gather the necessary papers. tell them that youre registering a vehicle out of state and theyll give you the right papers (hopefully).

the only major thing is that you will have to smog the car here in cali. i bought an FC from a guy that moved here from Ohio. so first when you sign over the paperwork and stuff.. bring the papers to dmv and pay the registration fee.. they will give you a certificate that states which type of smog you will have to get (test only or just whatevers). then get the car smogged. once smogged, i then brought the car along with the papers back to dmv. they will then ask you to fill out some forms on VIN verification (if you havent already done so)... a few checks here and there and youre set. they will take the out of states plates and give you new ones.

 

Go to the DMV and tell the clerk at the front you want to register an out of state car. They will tell you to park it out front in a reserved parking area and you wait for a clerk to come out and inspect it. All they do is check to make sure the VIN on the dash and firewall match what is on the paperwork. If everything is straight then they give you a VIN verification paper and then you go inside to register it as you would with any other car. If you have the smog already done and pay for the fees they'll give you new CA plates the same day. The title usually arrives 2-3 weeks later.

 

Or ask J_J to buy it and sell it to you for less.

 

And PM DJDino for smog hook-up.

 

^^^^^^^ Word

 

OK that's the main question the VINs will match but on the under hood inspection how dumb do you have to be to miss a FMIC, or a V8 with a huge Turbo?

All the cars I have been looking at are extremely modified.

Like this car: http://www.jtuned.com/content/templa...id=77&zoneid=2

How stupid do the DMV peeps have to be? Or do they just say go to the SMOG shop or Referee (and you know your fucked at the DMV referee).

 

I don't think DMV really cares. They just check for the VIN # and that's pretty much it...that's the only reason they would ask you to pop the hood. You still have to get it smogged, however. So obviously the smog tech will care what is under the hood....but the DMV worker probably doesn't even know what mods are legal/illegal and it isn't his job to cite you for things like that. So if you want you could put it under your name at the DMV, pay for the fees and then come back after you smog it. Or if you already have it "smogged" before visiting DMV then you can take care of everything in one trip. But I don't see why the DMV worker would hassle you about mods. The only exception is if you have to take it to a CHP office for VIN verification if it is salvage or flagged for whatever reason...then you have problems.

 

DMV doesn't care about the modifications on the car. Additionally they only need to see 2 vins on the car. So if you have the vin on the door jamb, you do not even need to open the hood. You may want to use AAA if you have it. That is who I have used. I have purchased several out of state highly modified cars without issue.

 

My FC came from Oregon and I had to get the stuff transfered to Cali...

They checked all three vins. (door, dash and firewall) after that, with a smog and brake lamp check (salvaged) I was good to go.

Now that I want to sell the car, after many years of owning it, I swapped the interior and lost the vin plate on the dash like an idiot. They would not pass the 'vin check' without the dash one. Mazda won't give you another one unless it has a clean title. So I have to go to the CHP and have them do the vin check.

They were also upset because I didn't have a front license plate haha (well my county does require it...) so I found a mount and put it on.. it was never on the car since the 3 years I have had it.

Lucky me the only mods on the FC are a cat back minor crap... so nothing I think will be an issue.

Just a little info I have learned from buying too many salvaged cars.