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New to California - Law Questions

PCho222

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Good Afternoon!

Sorry if this is in the wrong place, but I just found out that I will be sent to Los Angeles AFB for the next few years. It came as a surprise since California was the last place on my list, but if space/missile is where they want me then I guess I will concede this one time. I heard a lot of things about the new California laws regarding car modifications and I never really cared but now it has me concerned.

I am going to remain a Florida resident with a Florida driver's license, rear plate, and registration so I don't plan on registering anything in CA, but I have been running Kooks catted headers and an MBRP street catback for the last few years now with no issues in the Florida panhandle. How have your experiences been with the law down there regarding modifications like this? I have heard horror stories of even out-of-staters getting tickets for not having a front plate even though it is the legal standard where they are from, let alone an exhaust. I would likely be located in the El Segundo / Redondo Beach area and probably lock my rev limiter to 2k RPM via my right foot. Hell, for the price it would cost for me to buy a quieter/stock exhaust and headers and have them thrown on, I may as well just run to work.

V/R,
Pete
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motodad

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As long as you have an active military ID, you won't need to transfer the reg to CA, so your modifications will be fine. I believe they can still cite you for the loud exhaust, but as a noise nuisance, not a modified exhaust. I have not seen any crack down on loud exhausts as long you are respectful of your surroundings. Leave WOT for the freeway or out in the desert.
 
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PCho222

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As long as you have an active military ID, you won't need to transfer the reg to CA, so your modifications will be fine. I believe they can still cite you for the loud exhaust, but as a noise nuisance, not a modified exhaust. I have not seen any crack down on loud exhausts as long you are respectful of your surroundings. Leave WOT for the freeway or out in the desert.
Thank you for the quick response! The loud exhaust citation is exactly what I am primarily concerned about. All I have are anecdotal examples, but everything that I have been reading had people being cited unfixable-car-modification tickets resulting in large fines or court appearances to fight those fines. Then again, you have no idea what the circumstance was or if they were hooning in the streets just begging for it. I really, really hope what you say is true.
 

Biggus Dickus

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Limit the antisocial behavior to highways and rural roads
 

motodad

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The loud exhaust citation is exactly what I am primarily concerned about.
Exactly what @Biggus Dickus said !!

I don't have headers but I have the Thermal R&D cat-back that can be very loud past some RPM. I have never gotten a second look by a LEO.....
 

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ugstang17

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I lived in SD for seven years while in the Navy. Had CA plates. Never ran a front plate and was only given a hassle over it once when pulled over for something else. And no they cannot force you to comply with having a front plate when running an out of state plate. You're hearing 'sea lawyer' stories from no-it-alls. As for newer sound level laws that is where you will likely run into trouble. Muffler compliance is being held to a pretty tight tolerance. They carry DB meters to measure the loudness of your exhaust in some areas.

If you arrive out there and give the place a fair chance and not arrive with your head full of BS from people who like to just run their mouths, you can then make your own fair assessment of the place. I learned that early on and thankfully chose to adapt and conform to the lifestyle. I was much happier and had a great time after I figured that out shortly after arriving. Granted I was in SanDiego which made that a lot easier and things have changed some since I was there. But you can either make the best of something or the worst of something. The former is a lot easier than the latter. Sorry to be preaching. Just trying to give a fellow veteran some useful advice that worked well for me.

Enjoy the good things about being stationed out there. There are some very good aspects of SoCal. Get down to SanDiego and check that area out. I loved it out there though I found many of their ideas more progressive than to my taste. But I was a military veteran and a guest so I stayed out of their politics locally and complied as I was required -- other than the front license plate thing. You being a coastal state person will enjoy it and should have no issues getting on well when off duty. Just mind manners, be respectful, and don't act like a redneck hick.

Thanks for your service from an Old Salt.
 
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PCho222

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Thank you all for the responses! I'm glad to hear that a lot of the hearsay is just that. Despite being quite disturbed by it initially, I got pretty excited to try out LA since it's been a while since I've lived in a big city. It would be an opportunity to give it a shot with "costs paid by big blue" so to speak. My car hooning days have been long gone for quite a while now, but the worst thing I could imagine happening would be getting pulled over here and there for just cruising to the grocery store or to work with the police being the last thing on my mind. I'm not seeking trouble but my exhaust combo isn't exactly quiet, especially if I am gonna be compared to bone stock cars. I feel I would stick out like a sore thumb, but if a ton of you folks are getting along just fine, then I guess I am just being paranoid.
 

Kmp013

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I grew up in El Segundo and still work in El Segundo(LAX and Chevron Refinery) a couple times a month. These areas are not too bad as far as the police go. If you are not causing trouble they leave you alone. I have a 71 Chevy truck with a blown 350 with dual 3" exhaust that I use for my work truck that is not quiet, no front plate and I have never been bothered by the police. I have actually had motorcycle cops pull up next to me at lights just to ask me about my truck.

It is a really nice area, the weather can't be beat.
 

DevilDocAZ

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In my experience it's all a roll of the dice. I was stationed in CA, had AZ cars. Never had a problem in San Diego but got a ticket for window tint on the freeway driving through El Centro even though it was compliant with AZ law. Judge upheld the ticket!

One time some cop questioned my about no front plate, I think it was SDSU campus police. A quick google search that AZ doesn't issue a front plate and he let me on my way.
 

17Ruby

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Welcome to California. I don’t know about the catted headers. Since they are catted they may be carb legal in California. I would go on their web page and find out. The loud exhaust law I think you will be ok as long as you don’t make it a point to let everyone on the road know it’s loud, if you know what I mean. I have driven without a front plate for 30 years and have never received a ticket. Although I have not received a ticket on about 20 years.
 

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ugstang17

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Regardless make sure you try the Carne Asada Burritos and/or Fish Tacos at a Robertos down south in SD, and of course hit an IN/OUT Burger anywhere in the SoCal area. You're going to find out that beef in Mexican food in SD (aside from Del Taco and Taco Bell) means shredded beef NOT hamburger.

I went back out some years ago for a 5 day visit. My first stop after getting the rental car was Romeros (same menu as Robertos) in Pacific Beach on Mission Blvd just north of Garnett.
 
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PCho222

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Thank you all for the responses. It seems it is a mixed bag but mostly good assuming you drive like an adult. I don't plan on registering my car there so I am hoping CARB-compliance wouldn't matter since I wouldn't get inspected. Believe it or not, I also don't have window tint despite living in Florida. Just never got around to it
 

Jiki05

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I've had my awe exhaust and running no front plates for two years now. I have never gotten a second look from police officers. Just leave the crazy driving for the track.
 

ColeTrickle

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No front plates on my cars and I run tint....If you are cool and not hot roddding around light to light you should be fine.

I find CHP to be way worse for crap B$ tickets than standard PD.
 

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No front plates on any of my cars here ever, exhaust has always been loud as hell on all my vehicles and it all comes down to what others have said before me. Right place right time, keep the hooning to the back roads and you'll be fine.
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