At least with the guy on the street, you can show up to his house and force feed him the keys...

So what’s the downside to the buyer? If the car still checks out and is at an agreeable price, what would be the potential problems with going ahead with the purchase?

Is it just me or does anyone else think that exhaust setup looks absolutely fantastic?

I did not know this history beforehand. Funny because I am in the market for a new cat for an older vehicle I own and searching for CA legal ones on

Nice write-up. Thanks for the insightful story & history lesson.

I’m in a similar boat with a classic (but not classic enough) American V8. I’d love to enhance it for a win-win scenario: more performance and cleaner emissions. Sigh.

Another point I didn’t mention: it’s ILLEGAL to sell universal catalytic converters in California for this very reason. I repeat, it’s illegal to buy a catalytic converter here that is not make and model-specific.

Good point. I hadn’t thought about that perspective. The aftermarket companies just pass the additional cost of CARB exemption on to the consumer, so it doesn’t really affect the big ones. The small ones can’t afford to compete, so they don’t sell parts in California, giving the bigger companies less competition in…

The problem with the California regs is that they mandate both the means (CARB-approved everything) AND the ends (actual tailpipe emissions, either as measured at a test station or reported by the car itself).

Agreed. People should read a little into what hydrocarbons are and the various ways they can be made

Back when I was in middle school, 15 or so years ago, there was only 30 years of oil left. One of the things I learned back then was math, and I’m pretty sure that means oil’s gone in 15 years. Well, I guess we’re fucked and going to be stuck within 50 or so miles from home again.

Should we let Audi know that there are these things called plants that also trap CO2 to turn it into energy and that by processing these plants, it’s possible to create fuel? I mean they went through all this trouble, but, y’know.

People born in the late 70s and early 80s are NOT millennials. One more Person calls people in my age group millennial I will hunt you all down!!

Im born in 79 and feel more like a gen X than Y

When American car companies make a crappy interior everybody pans the shit out of it, when an Italian car company makes a crappy interior it’s beloved because it’s quirky.

Not a Big Block.

That's not door-to-door. 11.0 @ 125 > 12.0 @ 113.

GM did release a Volt with a world-class interior; it was called the Cadillac ELR and cost almost $80k.

While I see the potential benefits of admitting guilt as far as the officer being "nicer" to you, you really limit yourself if you ever want to contest the charges. Not every cop is going to care if you come clean, and some could come down harsher. Playing dumb and keeping your mouth closed is your best bet to leave…

It's typically referred to as personal property tax. You get to pay the state a tax for the privilege of continuing to own something that you already paid tax on when you originally bought it.