Bringing an out of state car into CA?

[Nine9six]

How can we CA residents purchase an out of state car and be assured of passing CA smog? I had to pass on a good deal on an AZ car because the owner would not assure the car would pass CA smog.

I offered to PPI, and purchase the car, but wanted a money back assurance that the car would pass CA smog. I offered to attempt to smog the car at the first available smog test station over the boarder into CA. I even offered $500 for his trouble if the car failed.

Owner said no I could see his point, but there was no way I was rolling the dice to the tune of the purchase price of the car.

Sadly enough the PPI shop could not replicate the rolling tests, and were very honest about their capabilities.

Comments and recommendations are appreciated!

[KNS]

You may run into the same problem again with an out of state car. I can understand the owner not wanting his car traveling all the way to the border.

You could have had him pass the smog test for Phoenix (Maricopa County). While perhaps not as strict as California (..?), if it passed then at least you'd know the car was running reasonably clean.

Does he have a current pass for Maricopa County? If his car is on collector insurance here then he need not have his car smogged.

[McLovin]

Originally Posted by Nine9six

How can we CA residents purchase an out of state car and be assured of passing CA smog?

You really can't.

Unless you can get the car to a smog shop, that you trust, that can exactly duplicate California's smog test (test at idle, and rolling dyno, test), you really can't be sure it will pass.

[aigel]

You buy a car that has all the smog equipment in place and runs well, and it will pass. Of course an out of state seller isn't going to take that risk. You have to be able to gauge if it will pass or not. If the car is modified, it can be pretty tricky to gauge if it will make it or not.

In a nutshell, if it is a stock car, I wouldn't worry about buying out of state. That said, there are so many Porsches for sale in CA, why bother going out of state?

G

[geshaghi]

There are two aspects of the smog test for pre-OBD cars: visual inspection of emission control devices (i.e., cat, EGR valve, smog pump, etc) and the emission test. If you buy an out of state MY76 or later car, make sure it has all of the smog equipment in place (or at least in a box so you can reinstall it). If you have all of the equipment and the car runs reasonably well, you should be able to pass, perhaps with a little bit of engine tuning.

[Nine9six]

I am looking at a 1995 993, OBD1 car. Car is in AZ, but spent most of its life in MI.
I dont know if this is any help...I'm thinking McLovin is about right.
Time to bail from this crapbox of a state...

[Nine9six]

Originally Posted by aigel

You buy a car that has all the smog equipment in place and runs well, and it will pass. Of course an out of state seller isn't going to take that risk. You have to be able to gauge if it will pass or not. If the car is modified, it can be pretty tricky to gauge if it will make it or not.

In a nutshell, if it is a stock car, I wouldn't worry about buying out of state. That said, there are so many Porsches for sale in CA, why bother going out of state?

G

aigel, you should know about the slim pickens of 993's...Just not that many to choose from, unless you have a buttload of money, or want to take on someone else's issues.
I am somewhere in the middle; not a buttload of money, and not willing to take on someone else's issues. Especially a SAI or worn valve guide issues.

[Targa Me]

My 84 Carrera is originally from WI. I was told (but I don't know for certain) that Porsche made all their US cars CA smog compliant, from 1980 on.

[aigel]

Originally Posted by Nine9six

aigel, you should know about the slim pickens of 993's...Just not that many to choose from, unless you have a buttload of money, or want to take on someone else's issues.
I am somewhere in the middle; not a buttload of money, and not willing to take on someone else's issues. Especially a SAI or worn valve guide issues.

You shouldn't be shopping for rustbelt cars then either. The 993 still has a lot of stuff to rust off, i.e. look at the heat shield on this car:



There is no free lunch unfortunately. I'd settle for a nice 964 or 3.2 Carrera from CA and continue saving for a good 993.

G

[aigel]

Back to the 95 - if it is stock and has no check engine lights on, chances of it passing smog are very high if it also passes a general PPI (compression, valve guides).

I'd still pass on ANYTHING that spent time in MI.

G

[356racing]

I can't imagine any problem with a 95 passing CA smog unless it has aftermarket exhaust or possibly a chip. Either one is a easy fix. If it was a SC I would worry, but a stock 964 and 993 not so much(except SAI code on ODBII cars). Who did the PPI in Phoenix?

[McLovin]

I agree, the year of the car makes a big difference as to the risk.

A '76 912E coming into California for the first time from a non-smog state has IMO about a zero percent chance of passing California smog. The odds of that out of state car retaining all of its original (draconian) smog equipment, and it all being functioning perfectly enough to pass Cal, after 35+ years are very low.

An unmodified 2011 997 has about a 100% chance of passing.

Everything else falls somewhere in between.

For 911s, I'd be fairly comfortable that anything Motronic and above should pass (i.e. 84 Carrera and up), as long as it hasn't been modified and doesn't have a mechanical malfunction (badly worn valves, burned out cat, SAI problems, etc).

But there's still of course always some risk, bringing in a car to Cal that has never passed Cal smog.

[Nine9six]

You guys all have excellent points....For the record, I didn't go shopping for a Michigan car. It just turned out that way after I ran a carfax.

Fortunately? for me, the owner wouldnt go for the run to the boarder for CA smog, so i cancelled the PPI.

From my perspective, the owner was somewhat shortsighted. I was willing to pay for the PPI, and pay for the car in full (cash), prior to having the car smogged. This equates to very little risk on the owners part; other than the couple hundred miles on the clock, in the event of smog failure.

I used the owners emails about how solid and flawless his car was, and told him here is where he could actually stand behind his words. Other than the miles on the clock; all the risk was mine.

For those of you that chimed in about a nice 964. Those are getting as scarce as 993's. Thats what most guys bought when 993 owners thought their cars were golden nuggets, and priced them accordingly.

3.2, been there, done that...Looking for more giddy-up.

Are there good 996 years to consider? (where IMS & RMS issues were addressed)

[aigel]

Originally Posted by Nine9six

3.2, been there, done that...Looking for more giddy-up.

930!

Originally Posted by Nine9six

Are there good 996 years to consider? (where IMS & RMS issues were addressed)

No. Unless you can spring for a TT or GT3. And that car is a whole different animal as well IMHO. Much larger and more of a GT car even though people have accused the later air cooled cars of the same ...

G

[Nine9six]

Originally Posted by aigel

930!

Light switch power delivery? No thanks...

No. Unless you can spring for a TT or GT3. And that car is a whole different animal as well IMHO. Much larger and more of a GT car even though people have accused the later air cooled cars of the same ...

G
To much coinage

...and the search continues

[aigel]

LOL - the 930 isn't faster than a 993 but it has a lot of tuning potential which the 993 does not have. I would love to make my 993 faster accelerating, but there really is no good way (in terms of hp/$).

What is your budget for the 993 and what are the asking prices you encounter, i.e. with the AZ car you mention.

Cheers,

George

[Rodsrsr]

Originally Posted by aigel

LOL - the 930 isn't faster than a 993 but it has a lot of tuning potential which the 993 does not have. I would love to make my 993 faster accelerating, but there really is no good way (in terms of hp/$).

What is your budget for the 993 and what are the asking prices you encounter, i.e. with the AZ car you mention.

Cheers,

George

I'd put money on the 930.....

[aigel]

Well, they are within half a second at any rate:

Porsche 993 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Porsche 930 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I have to get a 930 now.

G