So last night i had my annual pulling over...

I love how it always happens when i have the least amount of money in the entire year.

Living in a small town doesnt bring "easy going" cops with it. They think that they work in downtown LA and everyone they pull over is a criminial or has something that they are hiding. this cop was a greasy pig.

The first question i have, is i keep hearing completely different stories about front window tint in CA. I hear that there is a legal limit and then this bastard last night says you cannot have any thing attached to the front windows. WHAT ARE THE FACTS?

I was able to divert him from looking under the hood, which is good. Although i dont know how much trouble i would get in for a Carbonio.

My next question is i have to get the car smogged(which i had no idea meant i wasnt getting my newly paid for tags) and with the exhaust, intake, and chip will there be any problems...


oh and lastly... **** THE POLICE!!! that *** probably drives a mustang.

 

http://www.tintcenter.com/laws/CA/
Although I was told a 1%(Tint) or 99% (VTL) is ok on the front. 2.5% or 97.5VLT on the front-sides. 5% or 95VLT in the rear windows. In reality "The Man", can say or do as he pleases.

When it comes to smog......Just dont say you did anything to mod your car, and that you bought it as is. I've been there, had to take it to more than one place. I have APR chip with K&N and straight pipes....pass with 9PPM of HCs out of 119HC allowable.

 

That totally blows. So you got a fix it ticket?

I have heard that it is never legal in California to have any windows tinted. However, it's also funny just the fact that some cars come stock from the dealers with the windows already tinted.

Most of the time police won't pull you over for window tint (as it's only a fix it ticket) unless you have done something else that's more meaningful than just a fix it ticket then they will add the window tint (plus no front plate for some of us).

I'm sure you will pass the smog (as I remember you're running catback or axleback with no modified downpipe and/or testpipe) easily. The Carbonio is legal just like any other legal intakes out there and there is no reason why you shouldn't pass it even with the chip. Those big companies have spent countless amount of money making their products legal so you as a customer should have no problem passing smog. This is why we're paying big bucks for the well-known products as they spent big bucks researching and legalizing their products.

Good luck!

 

The only thing I can think of on the intake that would make it not pass smog is if it requires a tag on it saying it's legal. Got caught for that on my truck with the K&N. Just had to call them and tell them I didn't have the tag, they said they'll mail it or I can pick it up. Then went back had it tested for free.

 

I dont think there are any tags on the intake :/

Last time i got pulled over for my tint it was full limo on the fronts, so obviously that was understandable but the cop didnt give me a load of **** about how i cant have anything on the front windows. he specifically said " your tint is a little too dark" implying that having tint is ok when its a legal limit.

I looked up the CA code for window tint and it is hella confusing. It says that nothing can be attached to the window but it goes on to list a serise of exceptions that completlely contradict that first statement. it talks about having a minimum of 80% light allowance on front windows and no limits on the rear. I would say you guys should look it up and read it cause it makes no sense what so ever. tell me what you think.
http://home.pcisys.net/~bpc/auto_law/tint/tint_ca.html

Hey randy, the thing about factory tint is that is is laminated within the glass. because of that its no longer considered applied or attached to the windows making it legal.

The other thing about it is that the pig said that any shop who says its ok to tint front windows is lying. I dont understand how they justify pulling ignorant ppl over who have no idea who to believe instead of going to the ******* source and busting the shops for illegal advertising. If it is indeed a law that no tint can be attached to the front windows. The fact that all the tint shops are still in business kind of proves that what they are doing is legal and this cop and any other who say front tint is illegal in any degree is a piece of **** rook.

 

^ yup. cop told me front window tint is illegal in the wonderful state of california so i jus took them off.

**** putting tint back on. don't wanna go through the same process.


as for the smog, as long as you have your catalytic converter, you're fine. if you're runnign test pipes you're pretty much fucked. as for your intake, i ran the smog test with my trust intake ON. i just downloaded the .pdf and printed out the CARB Executive Order aka the EO# of the intake. i keep it in my car so if a cop ever hassles me about my intake, i can whip out my executive order and slap him across the face with it.

 

It is LEGAL to get front windows tinted in California. See subsection (d) towards bottom of this webpage for the requirements.

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d12/vc26708.htm

However, as you can see, the requirements are quite onerous, and I bet that almost no one complies with them because:

1. Most people who tint want a darker tint than what is allowed in California, and

2. Almost no tint shop carries the tint material that complies with the cited statute.

I looked into this in 2004 when I was working at a place without covered parking. Most shops I spoke to would say that it was legal to tint at or below a certain percentage, without getting into the other requirements. Ignorance or misrepresentation?

I am guessing that a policeman who thinks that ALL front window tinting is illegal would be technically right most of the time. Furthermore, many policemen are biased against tinted windows due to the occupational hazard.

 

When I said factory tint I was actually talking about the film tint strip (jut like the one you have) the dealership put on for you (usually 20% tint). This doesn't happen a lot at the Audi dealerships but more in, for example Toyota or Lexus dealerships.

 

Gotcha Randy...

I see that the tint thing is a losing battle but i feel naked without that stuff. its not even so much a cosmetic thing more than i just hate ppl always looking at me in my car and how hot it gets in the summer time. the issues with it are so few and far between that im for sure gunna put it back on. ill just start doing it myself.

Is wilcox a CHP yet? lol

 

By the way, the vehicle code is written so that , by the definition of the law, Any modifaications to any part of your car are illegal. and by the law, technically when your tires wear out and you go somewhere else fro replacements that is against the law.