Question for California MB diesel fans

[ericnguyen]

Dear friends:

Since California's laws are very much against diesel cars, I wonder whether buying a diesel car from ANOTHER STATE (on Ebay) will cause any CA DMV registration problem or it's completely forbidden?

Thanks.

Eric

[The Warden]

I haven't had any problems. I flew out to Dallas to get my 300D last July, and while they needed to do a routine inspection, I had no issues with getting it registered, no special fees, etc. This is even with an '85 federal emissions vehicle.

Hope that helps some...good luck!

[ericnguyen]

Dear The Warden:

Thanks a lot for your information.

Best regards,

Eric

[sixto]

You can't bring a new car into CA unless it is certified to CA emissions standards. You can bring in any US spec car with over 7500 miles.

A 2004 E320 CDI is out for now, but I'm sure you'll have no trouble finding someone to rack up 7500 miles for you.

Sixto
95 S420
91 300SE
87 300SDL ... from Arizona
83 300SD

[The Warden]

Originally posted by sixto
You can bring in any US spec car with over 7500 miles.

You mean under 7500 miles, right? {on edit} Oops, I thought it said "can't", not "can"; never mind...

Actually, now that you say that, I rememebr hearing somewhere about a $300 import fee for out-of-state vehicles. I don't know what the criteria is to make you pay this or not pay this, but I didnt' need to pay that on my '85 300D, and I didn't need to pay that on my old '65 Chevelle either (which I brought from Nevada)...OTOH, the Chevy had 50K miles on it when I got it, and the 300D had 223K miles on it when I got it...

[sixto]

I mean over. If it has over 7500 miles, it's not new. Essentially they don't want you to skirt CA emissions requirements when you buy a new car. All bets are off with a used car.

A guy I work with bought a new Corvette Z06 in Atlanta and had it shipped here and still saved something like $6K on what local dealers were quoting him. Since the Z06 is a something of a limited edition, they're all 50-state compliant. I don't know if all 'vettes are 50-state compliant.

The $300 smog impact fee was dropped a couple of years ago. In fact it was found to be unconstitutional so the state issued refunds. It might have only applied to cars that were subject to smog check.

Sixto
95 S420
91 300SE
87 300SDL
83 300SD

[The Warden]

Oh, okay...and oops, I misread what you had said earlier; I thought you had said that you can't bring in any US spec car with over 7500 miles.

Kinda sad...my eyes are going bad and I'm going senile, at only 22...

[Wes Bender]

Warden:

If you think you're in trouble at 22, wait 'til you get to the late sixties... My wife was always worried I'd get creeping sinility. I fooled her and went directly to galloping sinility.

Now, what was I going to write...

Oh yeah, I solved the CA problem when I bought my Toyota pickup.... moved to AZ when I bought it (without the CA smog stuff). Side benefit: Kept more of my hard earned cash too.

Wes

[The Warden]

Originally posted by dieseldiehard
Hey Guys - WHAT WE GONNA DO ABOUT THE GOVERNOR?

Recall the SOB...simple as that.

Last I heard, they're real close to having enough petition signatures to put the issue on the ballot this November.

[Mordecai]

Originally posted by The Warden
Last I heard, they're real close to having enough petition signatures to put the issue on the ballot this November.

If I had Issa's money I'd start a initative to recall every elected official in California and ban them tfrom future participation in the government.

M.

[ericnguyen]

Dear friends:

This is Gray Davis' second and last term in office, so he does not care about getting elected the next time. That's why he will do whatever he wants, including tripling CA DMV registration fee and
raising taxes.

All elected officials (for which laws limit a fixed number of terms) are just like that when they reach the final term.

Thanks all again for your information.

Eric