Screwed in California

[ksadz]

I need help. I called DC and found out that the 325/600 3500 I ordered 1/15 through Dishman Dodge in Spokane WA does not have the CA emissions (feature NAE). I spoke to Butch at Dishman this morning and he said he was told by his Dodge rep that only "border states" can order it.



I ordered through Dishman because of the $1100 below invoice deal he was offering to TDR members but now I'm screwed.



Butch was very apologetic and professional and will send me my deposit back. Does anyone know a dealer in Nevada, Arizona, or Oregon that can even come close to $1100 below invoice or the famous Tomeygun 3% below invoice? I need to get back in the order queue!!!!



And why if this new engine is supposed to be 50-state can't other dealers order the CA emissions?



Thx guys.

 

[thejeepdude]

Have you talked to the DMV? What are they going to say if you buy the truck, drive it back to CA and try to get it registered? They didn't even ask about emissions on my '99 when I bought it out of state. I haven't bought a new one yet, but I plan to get it from St. Louis and drive it back when I do. I expect they'll do the standard "pay your sales tax, verify the vin, apply for CA title" like they did with my used out of state vehicle purchases...

 

[nickleinonen]

arn't all the cummins 600's suppose to be 50 state emissions legal?

 

[RobertBolinger]

What somebody explained in another post was it had to have 7500 miles on it to bring it in to CA-can you not title it and register it in another state until it has 7500 miles-I'm sure you can get a mailing address at Mailboxes etc. in Spokane WA- or maybe use a friend/relative's address in another state for a year.

 

[thejeepdude]

Originally posted by RobertBolinger

What somebody explained in another post was it had to have 7500 miles on it to bring it in to CA-can you not title it and register it in another state until it has 7500 miles-I'm sure you can get a mailing address at Mailboxes etc. in Spokane WA- or maybe use a friend/relative's address in another state for a year.

I thought the 7500 mile rule was to avoid paying sales tax when you brought it in. IE: if i buy in oregon where they have no sales tax, I'll still get charged 7. 25% when I register it here... unless I have owned it for X amount of time or put 7500 miles on it... but i could be way off base here...



BTW, they didn't even check the mileage on my '99 when I brought it to CA... of course it was obviously used, and I planned on paying the sales tax anyways...

 

[RobertBolinger]

Originally posted by thejeepdude

I thought the 7500 mile rule was to avoid paying sales tax when you brought it in. IE: if i buy in oregon where they have no sales tax, I'll still get charged 7. 25% when I register it here... unless I have owned it for X amount of time or put 7500 miles on it... but i could be way off base here...



BTW, they didn't even check the mileage on my '99 when I brought it to CA... of course it was obviously used, and I planned on paying the sales tax anyways...

Maybe a little of both-I'm sure they don't make it easy to bring in non-CA emissions vehicles, though, otherwise a lot of people from the conservative heartland of CA would travel elsewhere to get their vehicles...

 

[ksadz]

ok just got off the phone with DMV. Now I'm really confused. I've read many posts about the many schemes of getting HO's into CA from other states.



According to the DMV rep I talked to, with a 50 state legal diesel truck, I will have no problem bringing it into CA and registering it. I will not even be required to smog the truck because it's a diesel. I asked him 3 times if he was sure about it and he said yes. As long as it is not "illegal by any other means" it's "not a problem". I will have to fill out a form called a "Statement of Fact" and check of the Powered By box as diesel.



I'll call again and try to get someone else to tell me the same thing. I don't know what to think now. Maybe a glimmer of hope?

 

[ksadz]

I just got off the phone with the 2nd DMV rep who verified what the first one said. So unless someone can punch holes in this theory then I'm going to stay with the truck I have on order and bring it in to this wacko state.



This whole thing seems like a bunch of gov't and corporate mumbo jumbo. I'm thinking that DC is protecting their CA dealers from flocking to other states that are willing to deal with customers. It seems like the DMV doesn't give a hoot. In '86 when I moved here I brought a 5 day old non CA Nissan with me and they just made me get it smogged and it passed with flying colors.



I'm starting to think this "CA version" of cars is a freakin hoax and a sticker on the door.

 

[HOBrian]

I am glad to hear that you can bring it in!!

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

ksadz, basically what DC is feeding you WAS true with all previous Dodge Cummins trucks because there were California-specific models with less HP and with emissions equipment (EGR and Cat. )



Now with the '600' being 50-states legal there is no such thing as "California emissions" and everything previous flies out the window. The DMV people are correct, DC is not. Go ahead and get your truck from Dishman and drive it home



California whacko? Be careful, that may not be PC



Vaughn

 

[GLolas]

I think you hit the nail on the head with the "sticker" comment. As long as the truck has an underhood label that says it is 50 state legal or that it meets Federal and California standards, you will be fine. If it only says Federal standards, you will have a problem unless it has over 7500 miles.

 

[Doubleclutch]

STOP IT! You guys are making me nervous. According to Joe's article, and other sources as well. there will only be one Cummins diesel in the 2004. 5 Dodge truck. No options, no HO. Just the 325/600. I'm a pretty simple guy, and that's how I see it.

Greg

 

[Tomeygun]

this whole "ca sticker thing" kind of defeats the purpose of making a diesel 50-state legal, doesn't it??



everyone needs to get there story straight at chrysler and the CA dmvs

 

[BillGotthelf]

Maybe the "California" model has some software that is different from the other 49 states. In the pre 04. 5 trucks along with the lowered power the software in the pcm was different than other states. This would put the truck in "limp" mode if the parameters were not meet. Even though the power is the same maybe the software isn't. For example put in a switch to not allow the TC to lockup and in the 49 state truck no problem. Do that in a California truck and it puts it into limp mode and throws 2 codes for the dealer to read.

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

There is/should be only one version of the 325 hp. The DC rep was most likely thinking about the 305 hp problem that s/he has no doubt discussed innumerable times. If the engine is not legal in CA, it must be a used truck with 7500 miles. If it is a CA legal engine, the truck can be registered new. If you got a decision from CARB and have the name of the person (preferably a supervisor), you are done. Sue them if they hassle you



It is very hard to find a dealer who will give up the holdback which is essentially what you are talking about. Invoice-holdback-rebates is pretty rare. Be sure there aren't add-ons like documentation fees, export fees or other stuff negating the savings

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

"Maybe the "California" model has some software that is different from the other 49 states. "



STILL, there would hafta be SOME clear evidence, sticker info, VIN, etc. , as to that fact, otherwise, down the road, how would a buyer know whether it was a CA truck or not?

 

[Sarge]

Relax gentlemen. 50 states is 50 states, and that means even in goofy California. And I should know, I see the "goofy" every day!!

Sarge

 

[ksadz]

The latest. No wonder people think CA is wierd...



Here's an excerpt from the California Air Resources Board regarding purchasing new vehicles out of state.



"A California resident or business cannot operate a new out-of-state vehicle in California that is not "California certified. " The Department of Motor Vehicles will not register it. It cannot be driven or sold here. If the vehicle is to be operated or resold, it must be removed from California.



Converting a "federally certified" vehicle to be "California certified" is not allowed.



To find out whether a car or truck is California certified, check the emission control label under the hood in the engine compartment. If the vehicle is "California certified," this label will state that the vehicle con-forms to California regulations or that it is legal for sale in California. If a vehicle is "federally certified," the label will state that the vehicle conforms to U. S. EPA regulations, but no mention will be made of meeting California requirements. "



So I guess the question is... What the heck does this emission control label say on a non-CA truck? If it says anything like 50 state then I'm pretty sure we're good to go. Anybody have one yet that can check?



Thx, Kevin

 

[frijole]

No wonder I left that place

The key word in ksadz quotation is in the first line, "new". The 7500 mile rule still applies the way I read it.

When are the people of California gonna take back the logical running of the states affairs, instead of letting a bunch of whacked out POLITICIANS on the take and a bunch of environmental freaks tell you everything you're going to do at their whims? I say vote the freaks out and return some common sense to running the states business. It is REALLY getting out of hand there... ... ... .

 

[thejeepdude]

Originally posted by ksadz

I just got off the phone with the 2nd DMV rep who verified what the first one said. So unless someone can punch holes in this theory then I'm going to stay with the truck I have on order and bring it in to this wacko state.



This whole thing seems like a bunch of gov't and corporate mumbo jumbo. I'm thinking that DC is protecting their CA dealers from flocking to other states that are willing to deal with customers. It seems like the DMV doesn't give a hoot. In '86 when I moved here I brought a 5 day old non CA Nissan with me and they just made me get it smogged and it passed with flying colors.



I'm starting to think this "CA version" of cars is a freakin hoax and a sticker on the door.

I would go for it... honestly, after having had a few CA titles created, the DMV employees seemed more clueless about it than I was. All you should need to give them is lienholder, proof of ownership (bill of sale from dealer), and a filled out CA title application... they'll physically verify the VIN and you should be golden. I guess there's always a chance it won't go smooth but I wanna see you try so I can find out for sure!