Guys, you have to pay to play. Being harassed in a Japanese model car started back in the 80s and accelerated in the 90s when Civics, Integras and Eclipses were the hottest things.

Funny how guys will bravely discuss what you should have said/done when pulled over. Here's what you should do when you're pulled over:

1. Shut up.
2. Listen to the police officer.
3. Be respectful.
4. Take your ticket IF you're given one.

I'm going to assume most of this forum aren't attorneys (there are a few I'm sure) and I'm going to assume most people driving Evo 8/9s on a regular basis don't have regular lawyers on retainer (you'd be driving an Evo X or a much more expensive car instead).

Take your lumps and play the game. Go to stock when required to go to the state ref and then mod again. The law is the law. If you don't like it, talk to your congressman, solicit signatures and get the law changed.

To the OP, I'm glad to hear you're one step away from passing. Don't BS a state ref. They'll impound your car on the spot.

 

no you dont need to that man, honestly ive been to the ref a couple times, sounds like you got a dick cop pulled you over, and then a dick state ref. The one I went to was up here in San Berdoo, I swapped on my stock down pipe and cat since my dc sports cat delete is a 1 piece down pipe. I had to go back a second time, cuz my exhaust before i welded resonators on it, still couldnt pass the DB test I was at 98 db with just the catback and 02 housing aftermarket haha well minus my other mods. Its a pain in the ***, but the guys seemed really cool at the one I went too. So if you dont wanna get pulled over ive had a few close calls weld or have welded 2 18" style preforated resonators into your exhaust after the beginning of the catback flange in the long straightaway part of the tunnel. Should quiet your noise down when cruising. MY WOT and idle is almost the same as before but cruising cant even hear it over my exhaust. Good luck man and this is what we deal with in Calis ****hole.

 

 

oh one other thing to add man, for future reference when he says blow off valve, you tell him its not you tell him its a by pass valve. By pass valves as long as they function properly ive seen NUMEROUS EO california orders saying bypass valves are legal. Mine is a greddy type rs its shiny it has bling, but I tell them its a bypass valve when I get pulled over. Gotta build with stealthness in mind, sucks, but its what u gotta do to DD your car man. Swap whats not legal the day before reset battery cables drive it for 20 miles, take it in get passed keep the certificate in your glove box. Put all that stuff back on next time, if it happens show them that with the license registration and proof of insurance. Then there more likely to not try and cite you for that stuff.

 

Aaarrggghhhh I just got pulled over for "(a) loud exhaust" this morning and also got the State Referee sticker (San Bruno, CA)! This thread immediately came to mind.

Late last year, I was so worried about installing a test pipe so I searched countless threads like these. I finally decided that its power gain benefit outweighs the risk of situations like these and now I have to pay for it

OP, were you finally able to resolve this? Eff I only had my E85 tune for <2months!

 

why were you in cuffs? why was he searching your car in the first place? i would talk to a lawyer first. i had a buddy stopped for no reason in a gas station parking lot, the cop looked under his hood, gave him a ticket, and the judge dismissed everything. turned out that cop gave many bs tickets.

 

I just pulled over for a modified exhaust a couple of weeks ago, I was running a HKS carbon ti with a test pipe and downpipe. He didn't ask me to pop open the hood. I swapped my HKS exhaust for a RRE stealth exhaust then went to the local police station to get the ticket signed off, I paid a small fee and thats it. My car is super quiet now and it looks like I have a stock exhaust. I pass by cops all the time now and they don't even look at me.

 

**** that sucks bro i've gotten at least 3 ref tickets and they no fun that last time i got pulled over the cop asked me if i have ever gotten ref before i said yeah he told me if you get more than 2 or something you can go to jail is that right? i mean i ask him he said your breaking laws over and over but its only a fix it ticket wtf??

 

blow off valves are not illegal! ( if your car came with one) provided it is used in accordance with state smog laws, and per manufacturers specifications. ie: if it is recirculated in to the intake it must remain so. . you can find this in the air resource board website for the correct civil code number

 

Guns and cuffs sound excessive . and cops will pull you over for nothing. Happened to me in my Integra.

I got a fix it ticket for modified exhaust and tints in San Francisco a year ago. The CHP officer was cool cus he said he wasn't going to open my hood (though he wouldn't have found anything anyways) but also pulled a douche move by entering me into the system and told me that if I ever get ticketed for exhaust/tints again it would be a point on my record. I went to fight it since my Evo was registered in NC and they don't have those restrictions. I showed the judge documents regarding NC vehicle laws and he just laughed at me and said if I paid the bail today he'd cut it down to $120 which I happily took! Originally it was $400+ if I paid without going to court. So lesson is.. show up to court a few times and they might make you a deal!

btw I got pulled over because he saw me speeding but I saw him before he could pace me.. so he hit me with the tint/exhuast. You can barely even see my light tint lol

 

@veilside prius and GgreyEVOIX: it seems you guys got a more lenient cop since they just issued you fix it tickets. I wish this was also the case for me.

My problem is the same as the OP's as we both got the State Referee sticker, making our vehicles illegal to drive until the State Ref signs it. My concern now is the steps I need to get my car back on the street.

1) just pay off the fine if this is even an option. Cost?
2) put stock diverter valve, air filter, exhaust including cat, etc and go state referee. Retuned required? Total Cost?

Since my situation is similar to the OP, I hope this is not consider a thread hijacking

 

Lol good ol California.

 

I went with a buddy to a ref place and if they see any mods on your car with out a c.a.r.b. sticker your car will fail automaticly so they also run it like if your smogging your car so if you thing you'll pass with a walbro fuel pump than leave it but they are dicks

 

so glad we don't have that here in Colorado. We don't even have emissions testing in my county.