[MisterCS]

Hello,

Looking to move to San Diego, CA from out of country. It's US SPEC M2 and will need to be registered when I arrive in CA. Worried that my Eisenmann exhaust with Midpipe is too loud for the state.

Wondering if there will be an inspection or annual check when I register the car in the state of CA.

I’m considering putting my stock exhaust back on prior to shipping it to CA…

Any information would be a great help. Thank you.

[to_riffic]

Originally Posted by NVMYCS

Hello,

Looking to move to San Diego, CA from out of country. It's US SPEC M2 and will need to be registered when I arrive in CA. Worried that my Eisenmann exhaust with Midpipe is too loud for the state.

Wondering if there will be an inspection or annual check when I register the car in the state of CA.

I’m considering putting my stock exhaust back on prior to shipping it to CA…

Any information would be a great help. Thank you.

As far as inspection, the exhaust will be fine. For initial, you should swap to stock just to be safe. But after, you're fine. As long as you don't change out the downpipe you're good.

[MisterCS]

Originally Posted by to_riffic

As far as inspection, the exhaust will be fine. For initial, you should swap to stock just to be safe. But after, you're fine. As long as you don't change out the downpipe you're good.

So there is an initial inspection?

[BadgerDog]

What you need to know is this: in the grand state of CA, any aftermarket parts that impact emissions (engine upgrades, intakes, turbo, cat, etc) MUST be CARB approved (CA Review Board) to be legal to have installed on a road-driven car.

You can get away with some things, and I'm not here to shame anyone by any means, I think the law is stupid... LOTS of places will just check the minimum. when I bought my M2 (in-state, so it was already registered here and that may have mattered) they just opened the engine bay, glanced in, and ran the OBD-II test (to ensure car was passing itself on emissions). Nothing else.

But I've ALSO run into places that look for an excuse to fail you... because you still have to pay for the inspection... then pay again the next time through.

So just be aware of what you're getting into with this lovely state and plan accordingly.

All that being said, exhaust mods that start after the cat should be fine as long as you have a working muffler (lots of local ordinances against super loud exhausts / muffler deletes). That wont affect emissions, just sound. I just figured it might do you some good to have more of an answer than you actually asked for, haha. Cheers mate, and welcome to the madness of this state.

[mikeyymonster]

I live in CA and purchased my M2C at the time from out of state and shipped it here. Initial inspection was required to complete registration so I'm pretty sure that will apply to you too.

[dc8439]

Originally Posted by mikeyymonster

I live in CA and purchased my M2C at the time from out of state and shipped it here. Initial inspection was required to complete registration so I'm pretty sure that will apply to you too.

Do you know if the inspection part is new?

I bought an out of state vehicle at a dealer about 7 years ago and I just remembered my only process was waiting at the DMV window to pay the reg. lol

[320IN54]

Purchased my 2021 M2 from Colorado about 2 months ago. Smog was simple even with the M Performance exhaust that came with the car. They popped the hood and looked at it for a bit and hooked up OBD. They did take longer than I expected especially from a 4k-mile car but I'm pretty sure they were just interested since the shops had never seen the car before. Smog is a must to register the car which is weird because the car is practically new.

[jefe2000]

Originally Posted by 320IN54

Smog is a must to register the car which is weird because the car is practically new.

They probably want to make sure the car isn’t running catless downpipes.

[MMRlight]

In CA does anyone know if the Active Autoworks resonated mid-pipes will cause issues with Smog? Everything else is stock just don't like the unequal length midpipes... with the S55 sound.

[Silos]

Originally Posted by MMRlight

In CA does anyone know if the Active Autoworks resonated mid-pipes will cause issues with Smog? Everything else is stock just don't like the unequal length midpipes... with the S55 sound.

as long as you dont touch your primary cats or throw a CEL, you will be fine.

@OP -- you will have to go get the car smogged; they don't really care about "mufflers", however that could also give them a reason to look closer into other mods. But as long as the stock cats are in place, you don't have a CEL, and your emission readiness monitors are all in a "ready" state, you will be ok.

good luck and welcome to CA!

[BadgerDog]

Did you make it here yet, op? You should come out to some of the cca events. Last time we had 5 long beach blue m2s. There are a few of us around.

[MisterCS]

Originally Posted by BadgerDog

Did you make it here yet, op? You should come out to some of the cca events. Last time we had 5 long beach blue m2s. There are a few of us around.

Picking up the car tomorrow. CCA events sound fun.

[///3dkn]

I have a 2019 M2C and just moved from Hawaii to CA and am about to do this. I’m getting my catless DPs swapped back to stock soon. I currently have BM3 stage 2 and have AA mid pipe and intakes. Bought the car like this in Hawaii.

My plan is to revert back to stock tune and put stock intakes on and let the car ready itself after a week of driving and then smog and register the car.

How many miles does it take to ready itself? And does this seem like a good plan? I hate this smog inspection shit