zoink

I plan to register my car to CA and I think DMV will do car inspection.

My questions:
1. How thorough is the inspection?
2. Will I have some problems if I don't have front license plate?
3. Will I have some problems if I have my front side windows tinted?
4. If let's say they want me to put front license plate & remove the tint from front side windows, will they write me a fix-it tickets or just ask me to fix them first and come back?
5. If they give me fix-it tickets, how much would it be? And do I need to go to the court?

I know I'm pushing my luck a bit... front license plate is not a problem. Just a little hassle to take off my bumper plugs and install it.

But for front window tint, I like it... but would hate if I have to come back later to register the car after the fix (wasting time).

Anyway, I just got off w/ warning this morning due to my front window tints on my bimmer... but unfortunately my car should be easy to spot... never seen any bimmer wagon around here

Any other advice?

jrcart

I don't live in Cali, but in Illinois we need front plates, however I refuse to run one. I have been cited and ticketed for it several times. All I do is get some of that heavy duty plastic velcro stuff (not the nylon/fabric kind) made by 3M, stick one half to the plate the other to the bumper, it will hold pretty well, good enough for a visual inspection. My ticket gets tossed every time. I even got creative and went to Pep Boys and bought a cheap license plate frame and those little chrome caps that cover the screw heads so it looks like it is actually screwed in.

As for your tints???? Try going with your windows rolled down or at night and keep on an interior light, you can see right in unless you are running limo black tint. The interior light trick works when a cop pulls up next to me at a stop light at night.

I know this sounds REAL cheezy but it works. They probably don't have rocket scientists working at the DMV.

zoink

Thanks for the advice....

I don't have any problems w/ front license plate. My bumper plugs are "special" So I could just take them off and install the license plate back. After the car has been registered, I could take it off and re-install my bumper plugs

As for the windows, this is what I don't know and would like to get feedback. Will the inspector roll up and down windows just like how they check all the lights or not? If they roll up and down windows, I don't think I could get away from it

C'mon CA members.... answer pleaseeee....

ROCKETW19

DMV cant write tickets. if your worried about your tint leave the windows down. front plate Im sure is a must. but the basic inspection that I have had were only on motorcycles that I built never a car. all they want to see is the safty stuff (blinkers, lights, horn,ect) and vin numbers. the DMV workers are pretty lame. I had to read my vin on one of my bikes cuzz the chick couldnt get down to see it.lol.

zoink

Thanks... that's good to know that DMV can't write tickets. So most likely I will have to come back to register the car if they don't like my front window tint.

Anyone ever got a ticket in NorCal due to front window tint? If so, is it just a fix-it or really a ticket that goes to your record?

PS: You had to read the VIN one by one may be because you stared at her a$$ all the time j/k

mbamg06e55

Hey Buddy,

First I take it the car is and "out of state car". The only thing DMV is concerned with is smogability and the safety features of the car. legal bumpers, lights turn signals, brake lights headlights...etc. The tinted windows are not an issue unless they are of Limo tint and most important the VIN number.

As far as the tint. If you get a ticket, its a fix it ticket. Just have it removed and get it signed off and send the ticket into the court and its done. It is not a ticket that stays on your record unless of course you don't take care of it and they issue a warrant for your arrest. then you will have trouble.

zoink

I see... thanks. For the bimmer, I guess I have to remove the tint. A bimmer wagon is so rare that it would be easy to spot by the same police.

For my E55, I guess I'll push my luck a bit Roll down the windows and see....

mbamg06e55

Would this happen to be Fremont PD? They are most **** department I have ever scene. But what I have found out is if the car is of a certain class of folks they leave you alone...ie ( BMW, Mercedes, Ferrari,...) They usually harass the younger crowd in their rice rockets and other beater up cars.

zoink

Yeah On Stevenson at 9.15AM today.... a police on a motorcycle saw me at the red light and pulled me over. Good thing he let me go w/ warning.... he just told me that if he sees me again later still w/ the tints, he would write a ticket

Yes, I drove a BMW.... but I'm not that young (unless if wearing a cap made me look real young )

zoink

Any suggestion w/ the most lenient DMV office? I usually go to Fremont office.

mbamg06e55

Don't worry about it. Just drive as usual. The reason he got you was he had just started his shift. Since you get busted right down the street from the department. They will not remember you from the next guy. I have been told by numerous cops to take mine off and never did. I have seen them numerous times and they just drive right on after looking at me. This is drivin a car that sticks out in a crowd.

By the way how dark is your tint. That will go ALONG way in determining if they are going to harass you.

poorguy

Try SJ office on ALMA street (it ghetto there).

mbamg06e55

Dont go to the Fremont one. Try the Hayward DMV on Jackson. They seem to be a little more lax. Also the DMV in Pleasanton. They see cars with tint all the time, if that is what is concerning you

zoink

My tint is 35% non-metallic (looks a lot darker than ceramic/metallic, which was why I chose it the first place).

SJ office on Alma Street = Ghetto?? How ghetto is it? I'm gonna register two cars at the same time....

mbamg06e55

The tint shouldn't be a problem, since its not the metallic style. Thats what bugs the cops the most is the reflective natural of the tint.

poorguy

Compare to the rest of them in SJ it different. You see when u get there .

mbamg06e55

Yeah I agree the DMV on Alma should be a good one to take it to. Its not that Ghetto. Its just in South San Jose right behind the wendy's.

JRAMGV8

Ha ha yeah I've been there before, the area around it I have to agree thes worst is E. San Jose.

Also there's another DMV in Santa Clara as well.

zoink

Yep.... that's the only thing I'm concerned.

OK.... I'll go to Pleasanton ones.... there should be a lot more higher end cars there than Hayward.

mbamg06e55

yeah...they are use to higher end cars. Shouldn't be any problem.