SoCal Newbie: Smog Question

bcrdukes · 05-05-2008, 07:03 AM

Hey guys,

I'm new to this so please bear with me. I live in Vancouver, BC but I never drive my MR2 up here. I've got a company vehicle so my MR2 is quite the garage queen. It also rains a lot up here (compared to California anyways) and I'm pretty anal when it comes to taking my car out in the rain.

I've been going down to Los Angeles a lot to visit my family. I'm there pretty much every weekend for a day or two then I come back home. Every time I'm down there, I rent a car but instead of doing that, I was thinking of just importing my MR2 down in California.

Now, in order to do that, what do I need to do to register it for California plates? I have a 93 Turbo and has passed AirCare (Vancouver's equivalent to Smog but I don't think as thorough?) but my Aircare is good for only 2 years. How long would smog check be valid for in California and what exactly do they inspect/look for?

Ben · 05-05-2008, 01:09 PM

If you are going to permanently live in Vancouver. I would just keep it registered there, so you don't even have to worry about smog checks and such. You don't have to have California plates to drive here or keep it here. Are you planning on moving down here?

bcrdukes · 05-05-2008, 04:52 PM

^
In the long run, yes, which is why I'm asking.

Ben · 05-05-2008, 06:48 PM

Does your MR2 have EGR? If it is the same as a USDM 3SGTE, then you probably are fine about emissions. In a nutshell, they do a visual inspection (is anything modified or removed), functional (is your timing right), and the actual tail pipe emissions test. I have been having to get a smog once a year.

bcrdukes · 05-05-2008, 08:17 PM

No, my EGR isn't removed. Do they check for a cat-converter and how often do you have to run through smog?

Ben · 05-05-2008, 11:13 PM

They do a visual to see if the cat converter is there. When I got smogged, I only had the primary cat and I passed (luckily). I get a notice once a year.

bcrdukes · 05-06-2008, 02:29 AM

Whoa, once a year? That's pretty stringent! I think I'll just pass!

Ben · 05-06-2008, 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bcrdukes

Whoa, once a year? That's pretty stringent! I think I'll just pass!

Yeah, its pretty bad in California. If you can, I would leave it registered in Canada and save yourself the hassles of smog laws.

bcrdukes · 05-06-2008, 02:32 PM

^
That leaves me to my next question:

Would I really want to be driving around in SoCal with a non-California plate? I'm not sure how it is in SoCal because I've never heard of it happening but what's the theft rate like for out-of-state vehicles?

Ben · 05-06-2008, 02:37 PM

I wouldn't think that it would be any different than with Cali plates...... I've actually never seen a post where someone said their MR2 was stolen.

bcrdukes · 05-06-2008, 06:06 PM

Maybe it'll just be easier if I bought a car in SoCal.

Ben · 05-06-2008, 07:14 PM

That could be a solution.......

bcrdukes · 05-07-2008, 02:43 AM

I might pick up a Miata this weekend.

Herb91T · 05-13-2008, 01:46 AM

Excuse me,

A miata, an MR2 to a Miata, I was just getting ready to invite you to some of our meets.

How about it Ben, ?

Herb

sw20Tmatt · 05-14-2008, 09:06 PM

you know that the miata and mr2 are rivels right?

and yes I would just keep it up in canada as far as regitration. I am learning the hard way that california smog sucks harder than pimping out a geo....

therealjab · 05-28-2008, 03:17 PM

I don't mean to hi-jack this thread (or do I?..

) but do any of you guys running heavily modded MR2s know of a "mod-friendly" smog shop in so-cal?

I don't want the hassle of swapping out an entire engine back to my NA just for a periodical smog check. Thanks!

Ben · 05-29-2008, 01:15 AM

Is yours heavily modified? Or just a plain swap?

therealjab · 06-08-2008, 04:12 PM

Hey Ben,

I will just start out with a gen2 3sgte swap when it comes time to smog my ride. Do you know of any shops?

Ben · 06-08-2008, 05:52 PM

If you just do a plain swap to a stock USDM 3SGTE, it is legal as long as it is the same year motor or newer than the body of your car.

So, if you have a 91, you can swap in a 91+ motor. But if you have a 93, it has to be a 93+ motor. But no smog tech really will notice the difference

sw20Tmatt · 06-09-2008, 08:07 PM

and make sure you get the stickers! toyota no longer makes the smog stickers for the engine lid so you need to find a turbo hood or someone who has stickers.

05-05-2008, 07:03 AM	#1 (permalink)
bcrdukes MR2s Suck. Plain & Simple Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 79 Thanks: 2 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts iTrader Rating: (1/100% )	SoCal Newbie: Smog Question Hey guys, I'm new to this so please bear with me. I live in Vancouver, BC but I never drive my MR2 up here. I've got a company vehicle so my MR2 is quite the garage queen. It also rains a lot up here (compared to California anyways) and I'm pretty anal when it comes to taking my car out in the rain. I've been going down to Los Angeles a lot to visit my family. I'm there pretty much every weekend for a day or two then I come back home. Every time I'm down there, I rent a car but instead of doing that, I was thinking of just importing my MR2 down in California. Now, in order to do that, what do I need to do to register it for California plates? I have a 93 Turbo and has passed AirCare (Vancouver's equivalent to Smog but I don't think as thorough?) but my Aircare is good for only 2 years. How long would smog check be valid for in California and what exactly do they inspect/look for?

05-28-2008, 03:17 PM	#16 (permalink)
therealjab No Skills Join Date: May 2008 Location: Hacienda Heights, CA Posts: 49 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	I don't mean to hi-jack this thread (or do I?..) but do any of you guys running heavily modded MR2s know of a "mod-friendly" smog shop in so-cal? I don't want the hassle of swapping out an entire engine back to my NA just for a periodical smog check. Thanks!

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05-05-2008, 01:09 PM	#2 (permalink)
Ben Same In The End Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Oceanside, CA / Reno, NV Posts: 4,274 Thanks: 20 Thanked 309 Times in 284 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (16/100% )	If you are going to permanently live in Vancouver. I would just keep it registered there, so you don't even have to worry about smog checks and such. You don't have to have California plates to drive here or keep it here. Are you planning on moving down here?

05-05-2008, 04:52 PM	#3 (permalink)
bcrdukes MR2s Suck. Plain & Simple Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 79 Thanks: 2 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts iTrader Rating: (1/100% )	^ In the long run, yes, which is why I'm asking.

05-05-2008, 06:48 PM	#4 (permalink)
Ben Same In The End Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Oceanside, CA / Reno, NV Posts: 4,274 Thanks: 20 Thanked 309 Times in 284 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (16/100% )	Does your MR2 have EGR? If it is the same as a USDM 3SGTE, then you probably are fine about emissions. In a nutshell, they do a visual inspection (is anything modified or removed), functional (is your timing right), and the actual tail pipe emissions test. I have been having to get a smog once a year.

05-05-2008, 08:17 PM	#5 (permalink)
bcrdukes MR2s Suck. Plain & Simple Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 79 Thanks: 2 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts iTrader Rating: (1/100% )	No, my EGR isn't removed. Do they check for a cat-converter and how often do you have to run through smog?

05-05-2008, 11:13 PM	#6 (permalink)
Ben Same In The End Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Oceanside, CA / Reno, NV Posts: 4,274 Thanks: 20 Thanked 309 Times in 284 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (16/100% )	They do a visual to see if the cat converter is there. When I got smogged, I only had the primary cat and I passed (luckily). I get a notice once a year.

05-06-2008, 02:29 AM	#7 (permalink)
bcrdukes MR2s Suck. Plain & Simple Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 79 Thanks: 2 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts iTrader Rating: (1/100% )	Whoa, once a year? That's pretty stringent! I think I'll just pass!

05-06-2008, 02:32 PM	#9 (permalink)
bcrdukes MR2s Suck. Plain & Simple Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 79 Thanks: 2 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts iTrader Rating: (1/100% )	^ That leaves me to my next question: Would I really want to be driving around in SoCal with a non-California plate? I'm not sure how it is in SoCal because I've never heard of it happening but what's the theft rate like for out-of-state vehicles?

05-06-2008, 02:37 PM	#10 (permalink)
Ben Same In The End Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Oceanside, CA / Reno, NV Posts: 4,274 Thanks: 20 Thanked 309 Times in 284 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (16/100% )	I wouldn't think that it would be any different than with Cali plates...... I've actually never seen a post where someone said their MR2 was stolen.

05-06-2008, 06:06 PM	#11 (permalink)
bcrdukes MR2s Suck. Plain & Simple Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 79 Thanks: 2 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts iTrader Rating: (1/100% )	Maybe it'll just be easier if I bought a car in SoCal.

05-06-2008, 07:14 PM	#12 (permalink)
Ben Same In The End Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Oceanside, CA / Reno, NV Posts: 4,274 Thanks: 20 Thanked 309 Times in 284 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (16/100% )	That could be a solution.......

05-07-2008, 02:43 AM	#13 (permalink)
bcrdukes MR2s Suck. Plain & Simple Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 79 Thanks: 2 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts iTrader Rating: (1/100% )	I might pick up a Miata this weekend.

05-13-2008, 01:46 AM	#14 (permalink)
Herb91T Entrepreneur Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Huntington Beach, CA Posts: 119 Thanks: 7 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts iTrader Rating: (2/100% )	Excuse me, A miata, an MR2 to a Miata, I was just getting ready to invite you to some of our meets. How about it Ben, ? Herb

05-14-2008, 09:06 PM	#15 (permalink)
sw20Tmatt Master of the Universe Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Socal, Portland OR Posts: 392 Thanks: 4 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	you know that the miata and mr2 are rivels right? and yes I would just keep it up in canada as far as regitration. I am learning the hard way that california smog sucks harder than pimping out a geo....

05-29-2008, 01:15 AM	#17 (permalink)
Ben Same In The End Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Oceanside, CA / Reno, NV Posts: 4,274 Thanks: 20 Thanked 309 Times in 284 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (16/100% )	Is yours heavily modified? Or just a plain swap?

06-08-2008, 04:12 PM	#18 (permalink)
therealjab No Skills Join Date: May 2008 Location: Hacienda Heights, CA Posts: 49 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	Hey Ben, I will just start out with a gen2 3sgte swap when it comes time to smog my ride. Do you know of any shops?

06-08-2008, 05:52 PM	#19 (permalink)
Ben Same In The End Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Oceanside, CA / Reno, NV Posts: 4,274 Thanks: 20 Thanked 309 Times in 284 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (16/100% )	If you just do a plain swap to a stock USDM 3SGTE, it is legal as long as it is the same year motor or newer than the body of your car. So, if you have a 91, you can swap in a 91+ motor. But if you have a 93, it has to be a 93+ motor. But no smog tech really will notice the difference

06-09-2008, 08:07 PM	#20 (permalink)
sw20Tmatt Master of the Universe Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Socal, Portland OR Posts: 392 Thanks: 4 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	and make sure you get the stickers! toyota no longer makes the smog stickers for the engine lid so you need to find a turbo hood or someone who has stickers.