CA emission certification ends?

[trailexplorer]

I post my first thread in desperation. I reside in CA and ordered a 04. 5 3500 HO from a dealer in NV. My truck build date was 3/11/04 and was delivered to the dealer yesterday 4/29/04. CA HO's apparently need some magical CA emission certification which were provided to an initial allotment. My truck apparently does not have this cert. Today i was informed by the dealer that a "Memo" was sent to them from Dodge stating that no further trucks beyond this "initial allotment" will be certified for CA do to increased costs imposed by CA to attain the cert. If the engines are all the same and 50 state legal; what is the deal?

BTW the dealer still wants to sell me the truck at a very good price but recommends I register it out of state till 7500 miles. This supposedly categorizes the truck as a used vehicle and then is exempt from reg. restrictions. If I purchase it now and try to register the truck with a non-cert VIN, I am told it will never be eligible for registration in CA as a used vehicle.

Please help, 40' 5er on the way in 3 weeks.

 

[GFritsch]

Wher in CA do you live?

 

[trailexplorer]

Southern CA, Ventura County

 

[GFritsch]

Try calling Rob Randolph at Serramonte Dodge in Colma (650)222-9364 (near SF). He is a straight shhoter. Might be that you could get your truck delivered to him, or a dealer closer to you. As far as I know you are correct. The emmisions are all the same for 50 states. If he can't get your truck he could propbaly give you the straight poop. Tell him I reccomended that you call him (I don't have any $$ interest with this dealer, but I have brought business his way, and I think he will try to help you if you mention my name)

Good Luck-- There are ways to buy out of state too, but I am not familiar with them.

 

[trailexplorer]

I will call now. However I do not know your name.

 

[GFritsch]

Greg Fritsch--sorry

 

[trailexplorer]

Thank you sir.

 

[GFritsch]

Sir? Iam just a 38 year old kid with a bad habit

Let me know how things work out for you.

 

[trailexplorer]

LOL im 30. Got no answer but left a message.

 

[ksadz]

trailexplorer,



sorry to hear that. welcome to the bizarre world of CA emissions and the 50 state cummins. the dealer is full of crap. there is a $0 cost option (YCF - Emissions - Border States (Calif)) that he should have ordered with your truck and didn't. That option is just an emissions sticker with a CARB (CA Air Resources Board) rating.



If you don't have that sticker and try to register it here they will tell you to remove the vehicle from the state immediately. Sure there are ways to play around but since the CHP is really cracking down here on false out of state registrations it's not worth it. What the dealer is proposing is illegal. That truck is no good to you if you want to stay on the up and up.



I pulled my hair out with this a couple of months ago and ended up ordering a CA truck in OR. If you post what you're looking for maybe the eyes and ears of TDR can spot one on a lot here in CA for you.



Good luck to you. Something should pan out.

 

[trailexplorer]

So you tried to purchase a truck without the carb sticker and moved onto a truck that had the option selected? What is the difference between trucks other than a preordered "sticker" that is supposely valueless? I just want to buy a truck. UGG!

 

[ksadz]

you guessed it. the difference is a valueless sticker. i feel your pain, man.



it's so much bs. if you've got a minute read on. i'm still ****** about it.



i originally ordered a truck from WA from a dealer that had a great deal. gave him a deposit and everything. he called the next day and said he couldn't order the CA option. I'm thinking, no problem, it's 50 state, right?



So I call the DMV and then CARB and ask them SPECIFICALLY about the 50 state 325/600 Dodge.



A snotty woman at CARB told me she knows there's only one engine but if I come into this state without a CARB sticker they will give me 24 hours to move the vehicle out of the state. What a crock.



I ended up getting the same deal from an OR dealer who I made sure ordered that dumb sticker. got my plates this week.



Anyway the bottom line is this:



1. Only CA, NV, OR, and AZ dealers can order a CA compliant truck (sticker).

2. Non CA new trucks can only be brought into the state if they have 7500 miles on them.

3. Registering a car out of state and bringing it into CA is done all the time but technically you're supposed to change the registration within 20 days.

4. Last week the Governator and CHP announced the CA "narc you neighbor" program to report out of state vehicles.



I'm just trying to pass on information so you can make an informed decision. Of course whatever you do is your business. Just would hate to see someone step into a pile that they didn't know was there.

 

[MMotschman]

California is stupid if I buy a vehicle out of the state (being military and all) I cannot register it in california without taking it there well being stationed in colorado I'm not going to drive 2500 miles round trip to register a truck. i don't know whey they are so stupid about this. Califnira has got to be losing tons of money every year to the califnoria military members who buy new cars and pay the sales tax to a different state because califnia has these stupid rules. Plus I figured dout why california diesel is so expensive (more CARB poop, if you re curious ask me) so now the bigger second tank is looking more and more attractive for when I go home to visit the folks. That way I can fill up in Arizona and then have enought o get to the coast and back out of the state before I have to fillup again. arrgh I'm sorry I begin to digress yet again.

 

[trailexplorer]

Thanks alot for the responses. I just got done tearing into the dealer who did admit not ordering the carb sticker. They had not heard off any problems w/ people registering the so called "50 state legal truck" in CA so they were not concerned. They are only ordering that option now. That explains why the *@#! said he could order me another truck from their "CA allotment". What a bunch of #@!%. ..... calm down



Ok. So the moral of this story is watch your you know what and do your home work. For my first post I am pleased.

TDR and members..... I thank you. Now do i buy it since the 5 er is 3 weeks out? ;-)

 

[trailexplorer]

Anyone know where I can get a silver 3500 6spd 3500 3. 73 quad dually laramie with butt warmers (gotta have have butt warmers) by next weekend? ;-) Thanks again all.

 

[ksadz]

trailexplorer,



Best of luck on your search. Some of these salespeople are real winners, aren't they? Glad you got to fire the howitzers at em. #@$%!



Doesn't Dodge have a system to search dealer inventory? GMC has a way for a consumer to do it over the web. It'll even show the window sticker. Maybe someone can pipe in here. should check the border states too. I've heard that some of those guys order CA trucks all the time.



A nice saturday project??

 

[DanDee]

Well the six speed has been in short supply... . but if you would accept the auto & 4:10s, there is a silver sport 3500 dually that just came in to Hoblit Haynes (next to Sacramento) about a week ago.



Fully loaded, dark slate Laramie with the heated seats. I just checked on the 5star site and its still listed for sale, but you would have to check as sometimes they are slow to update sales!



I had a deal with the fleet manager for invoice less rebates... maybe he would still honor that, you could ask.



If you need a phone number or any info about the truck... send me a PM. I ordered two trucks (long story!) and the other dealer's came in first... so I had to decline this one.



I also had wanted the six speed, but I'm very happy with what I have now... . between the back order on the six speeds & trying to keep the wife happy, I ended up getting the auto.



Good Luck! DanDee

 

[Sarge]

Check Frahm Dodge in Norco. Huge dealer, lots of inventory. They also have a web site that allows you to scan and look at inventory. Worth a look... ... ... Sarge

 

[Silver600]

You can check inventory from the dodge website but you have to go to each dealer and look at each truck's window sticker. It will only show you five star dealers and can be very time consuming. I read somewhere how to decode the vins and that made it a little quicker, then you only pull up the window stickers on trucks that have what you want.



Good luck finding the 6spd. on a lot, I finally gave up and decided to wait mine out. I ordered 02/11 and the truck was realesed from the factory 3/25 then sat in mexico for a month (which no one can explain) before getting on a train. I talked to the dealer I am getting my 5er from and they were cool with storing it for a month until my truck gets here.

 

[trailexplorer]

Thanks for the info. I'll will follow up on the leads. I ordered the "illegal" CA truck on Feb 4 and it arrived on 4/29/04. Not sure if i can wait for another order without holding out for a 05. Anyone know when the 05 order will begin... ..... FOR COMMY CALI!!

My powerstroke SRW load capacity is not going to be happy w/ a 40' Weekend Warrior 16k toyhauler, sandrail, and 2 quads settin on its shoulders.