Were all 91-95 Esprits CA smog certified?

[FJ40]

Getting ready to purchase an Esprit and find out that as a resident I can only bring a California smog certified car into this state, NO exceptions except one of you could die and give me your car but I think that is a long shot at best!)

I have read the VIN number charts and I am a little confused.

It looks like 93-97 all the cars are 50 states leagal?

It looks like 88-92 cars some are legal in California? There are two numbers places in the vin that refer to location , “place 12” for market chassis, and “place 13” for market engine. Do I just need to have a California engine or both?

I assume that this VIN information is for smog certification.

Thx for the help.

Dan

[GUY JOHNSON]

First who told you this?
Second if that was the case I could never smog my 88.
Call 562-865-4439 He does alot of the lotuses down in L.A. Ask for Claudius

[FJ40]

Per the State of CA ARB web site:

If you are a resident of California and buy or acquire a new car, truck, or motorcycle in another state, it must be "California Certified" to meet California emission laws, unless it meets one of the exceptions listed below.
A vehicle is defined as new in California if it has less than 7,500 miles on the odometer when it is acquired.

Exceptions: As a California resident, you may register a new out-of-state vehicle certified to federal emission standards only if you:
obtain it as part of an inheritance or divorce settlement:
purchase it to replace your California registered vehicle that was stolen while out-of-state; or
purchase it to replace your California registered vehicle that was destroyed or became inoperative beyond reasonable repair while out-of-state.

[FJ40]

Just got off the phone with the Smog police. If the car has more that 7,500 miles all it has to pass is the smog test for CA if a CA car, or 49 states test if not a CA car.

[GUY JOHNSON]

What year are you buying? Do not tell them it is a new car because what ever you by is not going to be new.

[GUY JOHNSON]

From that last satmemt you should have no problem going down and smoging the car If it has over 7,500 miles. If my car passes with a hallowed out cat you will pass.

[cnh1990]

Buy a new car and I will do you the favor of driving it for the first 7500 miles and then drive it to CA.
Calvin

[Billy Boy]

I have bought 2 Lotus cars from out of state and brought them into California in the last year. The latest one was a '95 S4S with 10,800 miles that I got from Chicago 8 months ago. I got it smogged and registed with no problem. I had a problem with my '91 Elan SE that I got last May from Texas. When I bought it, the Elan only had 5,500 miles on it, and I paid premium for the milage. The CA DMV would not allow me to register the car because California does not allow it's resident to buy an out of state car with less than 7,500 miles on it. I had to put on 2,000 miles in 30 days in order to register the car.