Cali residents: Watch Your Ass

This was posted in the 240sx forums so I thought you guys should get a heads up too.



"California Crackdown on Modified Cars
$5 million in federal money will fund a Sacramento, California effort to stop drivers in modified cars.

Unmodified Subaru looks modifiedPolice in Sacramento, California announced Wednesday that they would use $5 million in federal money to begin cracking down on auto enthusiasts who modify their vehicles. The money will be used to form an undercover "Drag-Net" unit to stop motorists who appear to be driving modified cars.

The concept, which originated in San Diego in 2001, has been spreading throughout the state and generated significant revenue for the California Highway Patrol and local departments. In Santa Fe Springs, for example, twelve officers on Drag-Net duty issued 300 citations and impounded 50 vehicles in just one weekend. Several cities have drag-racing ordinances that allow police to auction off seized cars and keep the profits.

Under Drag-Net, San Diego officers come to train other departments how to look out for what they believe to be tell-tale signs of illegal modification such as window tinting, large spoilers, extra gauges or racing stickers. Police say this gives them probable cause to stop and inspect a vehicle and its engine compartment.

In practice, "excessive exaust noise" tickets are the most common violation. California law does not require police to measure sound levels objectively. Instead, according to the California Highway Patrol, the "citation is based on officer's judgment."

Drivers of stock vehicles that come from the factory with some of the characteristics of modified cars have experienced harassment under this provision. One such motorist complained on an enthusiast website that the Calfiornia Highway Patrol was using these programs to make "driving while Asian" a crime, pointing out that the department's own website has several pages dedicated to Asian involvement in street racing and "vehicle modification."

Those receiving a vehicle modification "fix-it" ticket must visit a California Bureau of Automobile Repair office and pay a $35 fee to have their car inspected. If the car fails, a judge can impose another fine of up to $2000 for failing to meet California emissions requirements."

I'm glad i do not live in cali any more! good luck guys

Wow, that's crazy! Even more of a reason to come out to Florida hehe... no "fix it" law, and no smog inspections :biggrin:

But, wouldn't this law like conflict with like freedom of speech or something?

It would most definately conflict with Freedom of Self Expression which is part of freedom of speech. I understand California has smog problems, but this is going a little to far i think. Time someone from Cali went to their congressman and had a chat.

im not going to coment on this, my deep silence when even the word cop is spoken near me should be enough to under stand my feelings for them.

God GOD. This is really absurd and is definitely scary. Even pulling over stock cars that appear modded? I'd get chewed up! These guys don't have anything better to do it seems. "Let's ignore the violent gangs, drunk driving, burglaries, murders and domestic violoence, and grab those terrifying leaches to our society, those evil, evil guys with a fart can and limo tints."








That, dear sirs, is some seriously retarded ass shit.

Definitely, imagine cops just going out tip hunting, thats fucked up. Since when did racing stickers, limo tint, and spoilers become so dangerous. I can udnerstand them wanting to limit street racing, but jesus christ, doesnt Cali have better things to worry about? Like the millions of dollars they owe? Its even more bullshit that they have the nerve to auction off your car once they impound it.

For 1, its an individual's car, not the state's. That person worked damned hard for the money to go into it.

For 2, they're auctioning it off. If you're trying to get that car off the street, why the fuck are you selling it off to another person?

Cali's got issues man, seriously.

oh yea BTW your 100% absoloutly RIGHT!!......the police around here in the bay area where i live have tons of shit they can do, but they chose to be useless mother *******. Around here where i live the cops are at the EXTREAM for biast shit, for example, they pull over my freind in his honduh al lthe time for his exhast.......ITS NOT EVEN LOUD!!!....omg its retared.....but the FORD MUSTANG!!.....oh no....thats a "kool" car...no matter how loud it is they will NOT pull over a Cammro.....mustang.....Chevell...anything Domestic is ok.....Even a Harley With 300++++++ Decibles......nope. cop will wave was he goes by and say, " nice bike, HEy! look theirs that guy with his honduh again.....quick pull him over".

and no im not exagerating, thats how it really is for me an my friends here. he actualy got pulled over 3 times in one week for his exhast here in Santa Rosa / Rhonert park area, such Bull shit. sorry if i offend, but so far in my life ....i hate cops, and everything that thye DONT do. ( soory for the rant )

Does this happen just for mods that would cause you to fail emissions, or are they saying that it is illegal to modify your car, in any way?

I think they're using exterior mods as a "reasonable doubt" cause to search your car for emission failing mods.... Which is crap....

Does this happen just for mods that would cause you to fail emissions, or are they saying that it is illegal to modify your car, in any way?


its for the emissions, they obviously cant make it illegal to modify our cars, its our right as Tax paying americans to what we want when we want to our cars.

but GOD DAMN you'd think it was illegal to paitn your car a cool color round here where i live, geezus christ!!! :screwy: :swear:

SHPYDER and BOOSTEDSPYDER better start watchin their asses... especially you SHPYDER(when your car is running again)!!!!! lmao... GL bro's

I don't think they are saying that exterior mods are illegal.... just using those for an excuse to pull over and search for mods that are bad for emmissions... but unfortunately an officer can really pull you over for anything... all they have to do is "say" you did something so they have probable cause...

What The Hell Is The World Coming To!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

thats bullshit. Just because you have exterior mods gives them probable cause to pull you over and search your car. I feel bad for the stock cars that just look really nice and get pulled over.

SHPYDER and BOOSTEDSPYDER better start watchin their asses... especially you SHPYDER(when your car is running again)!!!!! lmao... GL bro's


Lol. I'm waiting on RRE to call me up with that quote I requested for a 6-bolt block swap. In any case, I'll be driving the car 90 miles north to get there...with the block knocking and ticking away. It probably has crankwalked or bust lose a rod or piston (cyl 2,3 = 140 compression, other 2 are 170; fine), but there's no way in hell my car can board a tow truck, it's so slammed, the lip sits 1.5" from the ground. I'd rather risk it and drive up there than have my bumper pulled apart and paying $1000 to get it towed there :icon16: . It would suck to get pulled over on my way there. :uhoh:

OMG....... I hate california. Damn them and there greediness. Haven't they taken enought money from me already..... now they wanna take my car, sell it at auction, and keep my money...... @$#@ THEM!!

Luckly my exterior looks stock, well except the Huge front mount, limo tint, and exhaust....

If they pull me over, I'm doomed.

thats bullshit. Just because you have exterior mods gives them probable cause to pull you over and search your car. I feel bad for the stock cars that just look really nice and get pulled over.

Yea thats what I thought too, I can imagine alot of Evos and STi's gettin anal rapped sometime soon.

But you know Moozilla was right, I've hardly ever heard some shit like this going against domestics, hell even european cars. I've never seen a loud ass Mustang or a M3 being hounded down by the cops. As a matter of fact now that I think of it, my homegirl got pulled over a few weeks ago when her and a Mustang were doing 60 in a 40. She drives black eclipse, but the Mustang was red and was in front of her :screwy:

California is full of commies.. Better leave before they put up the wall Shpyder. :naughty:

( More Rant, Sorry i hate California :loser: )
see what im saying, their biast against Imports im not being rediculous, most cops are older men with that domestic pride thing, I mean dude! they dirve FORDS!!. thats what they learn in, thats what they were raised on , why teach them to to drive those old pile of crap cars that cant handle as well as our cars, they could just buy better cheaper cars, but in their eyes our cars are " cheap import peices of crap", i hear that line way to much, yea our cars may be cheap but they are well built .......and since when does some one complain when something is cheaper??? WTF!? biast, hypocriticle, BORD, mean ass cops.

you know thats how the bay area cops make ends meat around here, its not from bustin up the gangs we have ( shit their probably to afraid ) and i know its not from pulling over people for driving like ass holes ( tail gaters, swerving in and outa lanes without blinkers )......nope not those ( IMO ) loud, obnoxious, harley's... not those Mustangs, comaros, and GTO's that are louder than harley's.

GG California, love how you focus on my friends nice quiet exhast instead of Drugies, murderers, Speeders, idiots drivers, oh yea.......i forgot about theis..........

my uncle ( no blood ) and his friend were DRIVING DRUNK back to their home one night and hes goes hualing ass through an intersection late at night right by a cop that had some one pulled over already. the cop jumps in his car and catches up to them, after pulling them over he asks if they had been drinking, he repiled to the cop "yes i have been oficer", the cop talks to him for a minute and asks where hes heading and how far it is, uncle replies...." just around the corner and im heading home", the cop tells him to drives home SLOWLY!!......( WTF!!! ), and he says " ok officer, thanks. then drives off.

WHAT THE HELL!!!.......they have the right to pull me over because my ******* car has a god damn extra Guage / device in it ??? or a bigger than normal spoiler and then harrass me about my car ?? but they let and alreay caught and pulledo ver Drunk Driver GO!.....this is bull shit.

thats some stupid shit. do you know what the officers name was because i would have reported him if it were me. even if it means the uncle pays a fine that cop shouldnt be out if he lets drunk people drive back.

Ricers beware.....


I'm glad my car looks totally stock...time to get out the black paint for my UICP......

Sphyder- Don't pay 1k to tow the car thats insane. I went to a A1 rental center and rented a tow dolly for my dads friends jeep, cost us like $40. You might have some clearance problems, but they do have dollys for AWD cars, so you might want to go with that.

Ya i would have most definetly reported that bastard of a cop, but he was drunk and he never mentioned any names so its a no go.

Wow.....seriously. :eek7:

Omg thats such BS. Man good think I dont live in Cali. Fuck that shit!

California is full of commies.. Better leave before they put up the wall Shpyder. :naughty:

LMAO! I hope its not coming to that! :grinno:

I'm glad I'm in Texas :smokin:

I'm glad I'm in Texas :smokin:

ya until California invades the world....... :devil:

watch neaxt year theirs going to be tax on the air we breath.....

I'm glad I'm in Texas :smokin:

Amen to that

Arnold the governador is disappointing many Californians. We need some sort of petition or vote to show the gov how much we hate the state's new enforcement on cars.

LOL... you guy's are funny...

it's all about invading personal space.

i used to live in the San Fernando Valley where street racing death happens all the time, and every honduh you see has at least an exhaust. there is a ton of cheesy rice all over the place. but it's not emmissions they are worried about. it's the drinking and drugs that seem to be so abundant among these cheesy ricers they pull over. it's the 50 kids that get together on a deserted street and guy's are taggin the walls, bottles getting thrown, weed is getting smoked... shit like that. it doesn't take long for cops to figure out that it's pretty easy to spot these types of cars and link this type of behavior.

so the cops are just looking for more excuses to pull you over, because most of the time it leads to more than just an exhaust ticket...

unfortunatly all it takes is one death to ruin it for everyone. and the biggest racing death events on TV [lately] were high school kids in a truck and a Camero, and another girl in a Mustang. oh and one more kid in a Mustang.

its just another thing to fuck with kids about. in a world with 500hp cars off the lot, we are gitting our balls busted for 300. how does hat work? that should be the real issue. so what if you take a 200hp car and make it 350hp. i have 2 friends that have Lambo's and i know for a fact those things don't pass emissions. how can you pass CA emmissions making that much power? the voulume of exhaust at that level alone is cause enough...

but it did cost me 500 bucks to smog my car. but fuck it... body kits are for ricers anyways. keep on the lookout for cops and remember to upshift when you see one. and i think that cops have a taste for bad taste. sleeper is the key. try to stay away from extra loud exhausts. keep your cats on.

at least us turbo guy's have a much better sound suppressor than 99% of the honduh's out there...

if you look like a scumbag, drive like a scumbag, and dress up your car like a scumbag...

but i love cali :) we have all the hot chicks...

but i love cali :) we have all the hot chicks...

Amen to that brotha'!















....And also Amen to your paying $500 to pass smog :icon16: