Drive my Italian Porsche in California...

[Doohan]

Hi there!

I'm planning to move with my wife to San Jose next year, I would like to bring my 2000 996 C4 with us, do you think it's possible to drive it with my Italian license plates and insurance for at least one year?

[Loren]

Um... the law is 20 days in California. Penalties apply beyond the 20 days (when you do register).

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/brochures/howto/htvr9.htm

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/vr/checklists/outofstate.htm

[gnetwerker]

You may also want to refer to this: http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/reg_hdbk/ch12/ch12_15.htm (12.070 Direct Import Vehicles (H&SC §39024.6)). You may have some trouble with emissions requirements and similar things.

One possibility, while not strictly legal, would be to import it into a neighboring state, and try not to get pulled over while you're there.

[Doohan]

It looks soo complicated... It's easier to obtain a green card than import a car.

[JFP in PA]

It looks soo complicated... It's easier to obtain a green card than import a car.

California is a bit unique in this respect as it typically sets the benchmark on emissions and safety requirement's for cars in the US.

[logray]

Don't quote me on this, but speaking as a CA resident, you will eventually need to comply with SMOG in order to get California registration stickers.

This could mean retrofitting SAI, O2 sensors, another cam sensor, and an ECU flash which would be both a nightmare and a tragedy.

Again I'm not 100% certain on that, I haven't read the fine print either.

Not sure about resale values of 996's in Italy, but perhaps selling the car and picking up a USA model once you're here would make more sense, even take the money you would spend towards shipping/import/etc towards a newer/nicer model (values of early model 996's here have only slightly rebounded after plummeting recently).

Edited May 12, 2013 by logray

[Doohan]

Yeah, you're right, I'll probaly take the very little money they are evaluated here and see what I can get in CA...