Dilemma: thinking of purchasing a car without cats when I live in a state that has emissions testing

[Xavier208]

You’re over thinking it pay a little extra to have someone help you pass

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[illadvised]

I have had a lot of problems dealing with California smog on 2 different supercharged mustangs.

For that 2015, I would just go back to the manufacturer tune from the supercharger company. I'd message the manufacturer of the blower and buy all the stuff needed to make it pass smog that comes with a "complete kit". Like the injectors that came with the original kit, the pulley that came with the kit, the air intake and filter etc etc. If the owner has an intake manifold that is locked out, buy a new one for the tune, and any other parts that wouldnt work

I would only want to use stock cats/headers. Trying to buy aftermarket cats, having them installed, trying to find ones that pass emissions, trying to find out how to make it pass visual, dealing with them repeatedly when the cheap aftermarket cats blow out etc etc. Just spend a few grand on a set of OEM cats and keep them in the garage if you want to go back to long tubes. Stock cats last the longest, pass emissions in your state, pass emissions in other states if you move, pass if the laws get more strict and its just easier to sell the car when you need to. That seller is a fucking idiot for getting rid of the stock parts, no reason to do that

Paying someone under the table to pass your car is only a temporary solution and I wouldn't recommend it. You are gonna want smog parts in the garage eventually anyways. Good way to solve a fix it ticket but also paying people to pass gets harder to find and more expensive each time smog rules changes, any time smog equipment changes, any time you move to a new area etc

 

[gimmie11s]

Interesting that CA does it that way, but I can 100% tell you that long tubes with no cats won't pass smog here in Clark County unless the emissions guy is high. Wait...marijuana is legal here so maybe there is a chance of that!

LOL. Of course it won't ... gotta "find a guy" willing to smog it.

They're out there and ill guarantee seller has a couple phone numbers on tap.

Put the owness on him and work it into your deal. ... aka... "full price" offer if he smogs. Otherwise, youd offer $42k as an example.

 

[gimmie11s]

I just wouldn't buy a newer model car that's been chopped up like that. Modded cars are generally worth less than their great condition, low mileage stock counterparts. The supercharger adds to the value, but certainly not the amount it cost to purchase/install. Meaning if you spent 8k on a supercharger setup, you won't recover 8k in resale value. In my opinion 3-5k max.

the car has 5k miles... should be easy to see if it's been mistreated or not. At $45k, it sounds like a great deal.

 

[gimmie11s]

Paying someone under the table to pass your car is only a temporary solution and I wouldn't recommend it. You are gonna want smog parts in the garage eventually anyways. Good way to solve a fix it ticket but also paying people to pass gets harder to find and more expensive each time smog rules changes, any time smog equipment changes, any time you move to a new area etc

So many false statements in that paragraph its hard to believe.

 

[illadvised]

So many false statements in that paragraph its hard to believe.

How so? Smog process here in Kalifornia has changed frequently in the last few years. As they crack down, it's harder and harder to find people every 2 years and always costs more. No reason to say it wouldn't happen in other states that care about emissions

Even if it doesn't, it's easier to sell the vehicle

 

[gimmie11s]

How so? Smog process here in Kalifornia has changed frequently in the last few years. As they crack down, it's harder and harder to find people every 2 years and always costs more. No reason to say it wouldn't happen in other states that care about emissions

Even if it doesn't, it's easier to sell the vehicle

The smog laws, as they pertain to our cars, have not changed in about a decade. Also, as long as you are in an "enhanced" smog area, the area you move to doesn't allow to differing smog laws.

Further, there are remote parts of CA where you do not have to smog your car at all (Needles as an example)--that's your pro tip for the day. Any relatives in Needles?

 

[WildHorse]

Quality right there

 

[WItoTX]

OP, do they actually stick a sensor in your tail pipe? If not, then go for it.

In Texas, they plug into the OBD port, no sniffer in the tail pipe. As long as the cars computer tells the inspection computer it has a cat, we are fine here. Not saying I have deleted cats, but if I were to do it, I would just make sure it's tuned properly.

Or, give a nice tip to the guy doing the inspection. Having a mechanic that you trust can go a long ways with stuff like this. Again, not saying I've done this, but if I were to do it, I would go this route.

 

[ice445]

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned the stock cats won't even hold up at that power level for too long. Maybe a year or two at most depending on usage. Sucks that op lives in a state with emissions testing, lol.

 

[LSchicago]

You’re over thinking it pay a little extra to have someone help you pass

That works in Cali, it won't work in IL. States all have different processes.

 

[illadvised]

The smog laws, as they pertain to our cars, have not changed in about a decade.

For us in Cali, they have changed within the last 10 years. Starting 2015 I remember is when they updated the requirements for the machines here making it hard to find guys to pay under the table. It has to be a carb approved tune now. NY has also changed their tests/machines in less than 10 years when that new company took over the contract.

Shit dude, they changed the way smog test is done on all cars last July to make it harder. It's been about 9 months since the test got harder. What do you mean by a decade?

I do have family in areas less than an hour from me in non smog counties. But again, those laws change frequently. The last county I lived in just switched from a smog check every 2 years to every year. Smog checks might go away or come back in certain areas in the US, but its much easier and simpler to just keep a set of stock cats in the garage lol

 

[gimmie11s]

For us in Cali, they have changed within the last 10 years. Starting 2015 I remember is when they updated the requirements for the machines here making it hard to find guys to pay under the table. It has to be a carb approved tune now. NY has also changed their tests/machines in less than 10 years when that new company took over the contract.

Shit dude, they changed the way smog test is done on all cars last July to make it harder. It's been about 9 months since the test got harder. What do you mean by a decade?

I do have family in areas less than an hour from me in non smog counties. But again, those laws change frequently. The last county I lived in just switched from a smog check every 2 years to every year. Smog checks might go away or come back in certain areas in the US, but its much easier and simpler to just keep a set of stock cats in the garage lol

Chief, there are no counties in CA that require an annual smog check if the vehicle doesn't change owners--it is every 2 years unless the vehicle is new, then it gets its first smog 8 years after purchase. Also there have been 0 changing laws in "no smog" counties. How can the law change if there is no smog??

NVM... doesn't matter. I have my smog plan figured out. Good luck to you!

 

[dx2]

You could compare the price of an equally equipped mustang with cats and then see if the seller is willing to reduce his price since you need to buy and install them afterwards AND make sure the emission tests is passed which might require additional tuning. So check price for cats, installation cost and tuning cost and substract that to the original price.
Also that exhaust pipe on the passenger side might need a replacement.
Besides that there is the risk of everything else that a tuned car of unknown origin and use might bring.

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