Ugh...So yo are saying that if I replace my CC with a 49 state legal system from magnaflow and move to California that they will make me replace it with OEM parts?

 

It has to have what it came from the factory with. The commercial plate thing is true, also. The only way to get around that is to put a tonneau cover or camper shell on it. If you get caught hauling anything in a pickup bed without a commercial plate you'll be ticketed. Get ready for sticker shock, as well. My 2500 cost $309 to register in January and the fees went up this month because of the budget crisis. Next year will be even higher. Bad time to be moving here, I hope you have a very good job lined up.

 

The thing about hauling something without a cover varies from county to county. As long as your not spilling stuff along the road, you'll be fine. As far as the commercial plate thing is concerned, well you can only register it as commercial so I wouldn''t worry about being "caught". It's not like trucks have a special plate that says commercial. Registration, for me, is not great but also not bad. It cost me $180 this year. last year it was $150. Cali, just like any other state, has it's ups and downs, but I like it. It' just tougher on us grease monkeys and shady tree mechanics when it comes to buying parts.

 

Sorry, but you're wrong. All pickups get commercial plates unless you tell the DMV otherwise and can prove it doesn't require one by having it inspected. And the plates are different. A regular plate has a number, 3 letters and 3 numbers. A commercial plate is a number, a letter and 5 numbers. Cops can spot them easily and if they see a regular plate on a truck with an open bed with cargo in it they can pull you over. I used to have a regular plate on my Power Wagon and got pulled over with my motocross bike in the back. Cop ticketed me and I had to get a commercial plate for it. The only trucks that don't automatically get commercial plates when sold new are ones like the SRT-10 that has a hard bed cover or those sold with dealer-installed camper shells. Also, any truck with a weight over 6k pounds gets a commercial plate no matter what.

 

All depends if they actually spot it and/or if they care. It will pass the test just fine, but with anything it comes down to the person doing it. Around here they don't even do an under hood or under vehicle visual.

 

In CA all the smog test stations are state certified. They do NOT skip the visual inspection if they want to keep their cert. Even if the underhood sticker is missing (that shows what equipment you're supposed to have) they know when then punch the VIN into the computer what should be on it. When testing emissions they insert a sniffer into your tailpipe and the results go straight to DMV headquarters in Sacramento. If you fail the sniff test, the testing station can't do a thing about it. your registration will be flagged until you retest and pass.