FYI HOW TO: Registering Euro 500E in California - Passed CARB / EPA certification

[mrindiafromuk]

well that’s awesome

Is there some information we can get for other members on the process that Christian took. If it can help other members save the money I spent then all the better. @cr7777 ?

 

[Jlaa]

@mrindiafromuk congratulations. You took on a mysterious and bureaucratic process head on and refused to give up. The end result is not only a DE market youngtimer car that is registered in CA, but also an immense sense of personal accomplishment that you will not soon forget.

May I ask about the nature of the $7500 in repairs prior to handing the car off for EPA testing? Aside from the 4K in transmission work that is not EPA related that is ….

 

[mrindiafromuk]

@mrindiafromuk congratulations. You took on a mysterious and bureaucratic process head on and refused to give up. The end result is not only a DE market youngtimer car that is registered in CA, but also an immense sense of personal accomplishment that you will not soon forget.

May I ask about the nature of the $7500 in repairs prior to handing the car off for EPA testing? Aside from the 4K in transmission work that is not EPA related that is ….

Thank u, some of the repairs were in some ways lack of clarity from the BAT descriptions and videos. But ambiguity leaves me in no position to make a complaint.

Work done but not major:

1) Rear main engine seals with the seal housing leaking oil.​

2) The prop shaft had ceased up and was not free to move . this was a lot of labor to get correct. replaced all the prop shaft donuts bushes etc.​

3) rear park brake springs etc were broken causing interference of shoes when driving​

4) There was a misfire , the dizzy cap was severely corroded , change plugs etc while there.​

5) Gear selector linkages was broken , needed replacing​

Things I did which were not a part of the mechanical but were a bit misrepresented in BAT description:

6) Source and replace center console because the 90s phone bracket was epoxyed in and it wripped the original console . got this from germany.​

7) Had the seat cushions for driver and passenger repadded​

8) Had front windshield replaced because it was peppered with micro chips. created glare.​

My own luxury:

9) Added an apple car play unit and a reverse camera​

 

[mrindiafromuk]

So 2 years after - yes its been two years - I went to get smog done for simple registration and my smog station failed the test on what they called was a modified CAT. WTF.......
I could not believe it. Getting intouch with the people who did the modifications turned into the most ridiculous exchange of profanity between them and the smog shop.
In the end the State Referee had to get involved. In the end it got smogged, but by the state referee who btw said it should never had come there.

I tried very hard to be the honest citizen, but clearly after taking your money CA really does not car about motorist. Bitten and Twice Shy. I have alternative legal strategies in place to avoid this nonsense happening again .

Just another story from Mr India to complete this book with a final chapter

 

[Jlaa]

So 2 years after - yes its been two years - I went to get smog done for simple registration and my smog station failed the test on what they called was a modified CAT. WTF.......
I could not believe it. Getting intouch with the people who did the modifications turned into the most ridiculous exchange of profanity between them and the smog shop.
In the end the State Referee had to get involved. In the end it got smogged, but by the state referee who btw said it should never had come there.

I tried very hard to be the honest citizen, but clearly after taking your money CA really does not car about motorist. Bitten and Twice Shy. I have alternative legal strategies in place to avoid this nonsense happening again .

Just another story from Mr India to complete this book with a final chapter

View attachment 228666

Ugh - so frustrating when you are just trying to do the right thing. No good deed goes unpunished. I would never ever ever ask you to ever disclose the name of that super misinformed and agony-causing smog shop so that all of us can avoid him, ever!

 

[duuder]

Its just insanity..

 

[MY911S]

Total cost to get the car here

$ 2,900 Transport the car into CA
$ 395 Formal Port Entry Fee over 25 yrs
$ 853 import duty
$ 3,726 CA Tax and registration
$ 10,000 for EPA certification, which included supply and install of 2 CATS
$ 7,500 Mechanical work needed to make good for EPA testing including a transmission rebuild which may have not been needed for test but ot was clunky. so possible it could hve been $4k less

$17,874 total cost without mechanical repair cost. but they were needed to get the EPA done so including that $25,374.

Add $30k purchase price

The car stands me at $55,374. I guess this is a keeper until values change. Next project is 6.0 upgrade, but that might wait because I am chasing an old 2008 Ferrari V12 to turn into a project car an make a manual gated car.

However it drives and looks like a car that came out of the showroom 2 years old.

If anyone wants and advice, dont hesitate to tap me up. BTW I have not cut any corners. All legit I have not found a way to short cut the $10k EPA cost. Well, not without registering the care in another state, which I did not want to do.

I am creating a YouTube Episode to share the whole process and what is needed to be done.

Just ran into this thread. Thought about doing this around the same timeframe for a 360 - and it was going to be at least 40K.

 

[gsxr]

Just ran into this thread. Thought about doing this around the same timeframe for a 360 - and it was going to be at least 40K.

360 what? And was the 40k just for the EPA certification?

 

[doolar]

It’s plain silly the whole thing. And I thought Swedish smog and registration was difficult

 

[Otrebla49]

360 what?

Ferrari Modena maybe..?

 

[TerryA]

@MY911S,
Carlo, if your Euro 500E has all the US smog legal equipment installed I have a guy in Orange that can probably pass your car. He has done my 500E for the last 22 years.

Let me preface this by saying, “I know nothing about what paperwork you need to present it for CA Smog”

 

[MY911S]

Ferrari Modena maybe..?

Yes Ferrari 360 Modena