California CARB labs

RedCelly94

New member
Hey everyone, I am in need of a place that can convert my car (94 ST205) to California legal standards. I already had it registered in maryland. Any place in SoCal? I already know about GnK or whatever, but they would charge me like, 8k to do that. Anyone know of another place that could do it for cheaper? Thanks for your time everyone
 
Does everyone in California that imports these 27 year old ST205's faced with bringing the cars up to CA CARB standards? Has anybody imported an ST205 and had to bring the car up to Fed EPA (not CA CARB) to get it titled in the US?

And to what level of standards do these 27 year old cars that are imported to California need to be brought up to? The level that was in effect when the car was produced (1994 MY)? Or 2021 standards?

I thought that was the big reason there was a 25 year ban on importing used cars from foreign markets - after 25 years, the cars can be brought into the US without EPA impacts.
 

simple

Member
"
I thought that was the big reason there was a 25 year ban on importing used cars from foreign markets - after 25 years, the cars can be brought into the US without EPA impacts."

You are confusing EPA with DOT. They are not the same. EPA and CARB are not the same either. Even at state and county level the emissions requirements can differ. Anywhere near a large city you will have stricter requirements in my experience.
 
European & Australian Market ST205's had EGR. Japan Market ST205's did not. Maybe importing ST205's to California would suggest getting a European or Australian Market ST205 and not getting a Japan Market ST205?
 

simple

Member
Just guessing but if you get a european or australian ST205 you are paying 25% more than japanese import. At least that if you can find one.
 
simple":3vkehxfj said:
Just guessing but if you get a european or australian ST205 you are paying 25% more than japanese import. At least that if you can find one.
It most likely would still be lower in total cost buying a lower price JDM ST205 and then having to pay someone $8k to put in an EGR system vs. just getting a European or Australian market ST205.

The OP may want to get into alltrac.net, where there are many ST205 owners, and find out if any of them have JDM ST205's living in California, and if they had to go through this expense to get what is needed to operate theirs.

Of course, the OP could sell their JDM ST205 to someone in another area that doesn't have this same costly conversion requirement, then seek a European/Australian ST205 to import. May even be able to get a conventional LHD model this way.
 
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