Not for the Charger, but I need some input on a set of CATs for my better half's ... cough, cough... mini-van. She has a check engine light throwing a bad CAT code. Normally I wouldn't care too much but our wonderful Cali smog test is due and I need it for the registration. I checked around and everywhere I looked said due to CARB, it is a dealer only swap. Stealership wants $1,800 a piece for them to be replaced. I don't even think the car is worth much more than the $3600 it would be to replace them, maybe a little more but it has over 100,000 miles on her. Any ideas?
Drew, couple things. Don't know make or model or how old your van is but my first thought is to hit a junkyard to see if you can find some used ones. And there's gotta be an exhaust shop around there somewhere that will put them in. Hell do it yourself. And that VIN thing can't apply to older cars,that's gotta be new (and STUPID as hell) but also isn't Cali smog eqpt on new cars warrantied for like 100K?? Maybe you're still under warranty. And worst case, trade it in on something new, that way you won't have to deal with it and you'll make the missus happy!
Ya, I was looking at one of the Toyota X-Runner trucks. Need something to haul the puppies around in. Heck, Hemi, my Mastiff is 204 pounds now. Good idea on the junk yard though.
There is no way on earth that your local joe-blow SMOG shop will ever know if your cat is VIN specific.....hell, I've never heard of that. But my high-flow on the neon passed.
Take it here: http://www.edhansonsmuffler.com/ Ed will make it right. Best exhaust guy in San Diego. He's worked on several local LXs and knows a few of us. Tell him Ralph sent you.
Ya Ralph sent me there to him and he couldn't help me, at least that's what his female assistant told me. They even looked to see if there was some other type of CAT from the same "family" they could use and no luck. They are the ones who first told me about the new CARB VIN thing. They said if it was under 100,000 iles, he could possibly do something, but too many miles on it I guess.
LOL! Looks like we'll possibly be looking at new wheels for the wife tonight. Man.... just when I was trying to butter her up for my new wheels for the Charger! Maybe this will work to my advantage....hmmmmm...
So Drew what happened, did you trade that thing in a get something new or burn it to the ground like durangatang said, lol!
Nope... it cost me $1,800.00 to pass smog...Lol! I just ordered custom wheels, paint and interior work... looks like I'll have to make a "Pimp Mommy's Ride" thread! We couldn't find anything that could carry Hemi (208 pound Mastiff) and get somewhat decent mileage.... so we're keeping it for a few more years.