Moving to California (with my Atom)

[GNU]

Hi,
Does anyone have experience of moving to CA with an Atom already licensed in a different state?

I'm currently located in Redmond,WA and are considering moving to the SF Bay area.
As I'm going over the list of practical implications of the move I realize that my Atom (Brammo 300 that is tuned but lacks cat converter) is not a common vehicle and may require some extra work to get properly licensed in CA.
I'd greatly appreciate any information you can share!

//Arvid

[dp35]

The California Dept of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has a rule against buying a vehicle from out of state with less than 7,500 miles on it.  If you move from out of state there's an exception, but you have to prove it.  I'm pretty sure you can find info about it on the CA DMV website.  Then there's the issue of the SB100 smog exemption that you'll need to get in order to license your Atom in CA as a kit car, or as they call it - a "specially constructed vehicle" (SPCN).  You can search here or elsewhere to learn more about that stuff. 

Where in the Bay Area are you moving to?

[John H]

bloody hell..........what a load of bureaucratic shite. You can only buy a car from a neighbouring state if it has never been within 15km's of someone playing a Dolly Parton song, has less than 2mm of tyre wear on the front tyres, has never been looked at by an antelope and is accompanied by both parents, who must have 4 siblings and all drink carrot juice on Tuesday mornings.
Way easier over here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[RichardR]

[quote="John H"]
bloody hell..........what a load of bureaucratic shite. You can only buy a car from a neighbouring state if it has never been within 15km's of someone playing a Dolly Parton song, has less than 2mm of tyre wear on the front tyres, has never been looked at by an antelope and is accompanied by both parents, who must have 4 siblings and all drink carrot juice on Tuesday mornings.
Way easier over here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[/quote]

Unless you want a gun - then it's the other way round!

[John H]

[quote="RichardR"]
[quote="John H"]
bloody hell..........what a load of bureaucratic shite. You can only buy a car from a neighbouring state if it has never been within 15km's of someone playing a Dolly Parton song, has less than 2mm of tyre wear on the front tyres, has never been looked at by an antelope and is accompanied by both parents, who must have 4 siblings and all drink carrot juice on Tuesday mornings.
Way easier over here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[/quote]

Unless you want a gun - then it's the other way round!
[/quote]
Maybe in your part of the world sunshine.......where I come from, i.e. Glasgow, they give them to you when u start school!

[dp35]

[quote="John H"]
bloody hell..........what a load of bureaucratic shite. You can only buy a car from a neighbouring state if it has never been within 15km's of someone playing a Dolly Parton song, has less than 2mm of tyre wear on the front tyres, has never been looked at by an antelope and is accompanied by both parents, who must have 4 siblings and all drink carrot juice on Tuesday mornings.
Way easier over here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[/quote]

Unless you want to time your laps or pass other cars at a track day, then its the other way around.

But yes, you are correct, California is a bureaucratic hell hole.  Considering that, we are very happy to be able to license Atoms for street use here.

[John H]

[quote="dp35"]
[quote="John H"]
bloody hell..........what a load of bureaucratic shite. You can only buy a car from a neighbouring state if it has never been within 15km's of someone playing a Dolly Parton song, has less than 2mm of tyre wear on the front tyres, has never been looked at by an antelope and is accompanied by both parents, who must have 4 siblings and all drink carrot juice on Tuesday mornings.
Way easier over here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[/quote]

Unless you want to time your laps or pass other cars at a track day, then its the other way around.

But yes, you are correct, California is a bureaucratic hell hole.  Considering that, we are very happy to be able to license Atoms for street use here.
[/quote]
is that the same as "licence"over here

[WorkingOnIt]

[quote="dp35"]
...
But yes, you are correct, California is a bureaucratic hell hole.  Considering that, we are very happy to be able to license Atoms for street use here.
[/quote]

and not have windshields or bumpers required.  As time consuming as the California process is, it is apparently well defined, which puts it ahead of many jurisdictions where one has to reinvent the wheel.

It should perhaps be noted that red tape involving importing cars to California is not pure random capriciousness, but born at least in part to enforce the California-only emission requirements begun in the '70s. (Car enthusiasts or just plain cheapskates can be very creative.)  While this may stir some more red tape debate, anyone who actually experienced 1970s LA air will probably admit that things worked out for the best.

[WorkingOnIt]

[quote="John H"]
[quote="dp35"]
...
But yes, you are correct, California is a bureaucratic hell hole.  Considering that, we are very happy to be able to license Atoms for street use here.
[/quote]
is that the same as "licence"over here

[/quote]

Depends on how you analyze it. 

While double-checking my spelling, I ran across License Plates of the World - something for every interest on the internet.

[dp35]

[quote="WorkingOnIt"]
[quote="dp35"]
...
But yes, you are correct, California is a bureaucratic hell hole.  Considering that, we are very happy to be able to license Atoms for street use here.
[/quote]

and not have windshields or bumpers required.  As time consuming as the California process is, it is apparently well defined, which puts it ahead of many jurisdictions where one has to reinvent the wheel.

It should perhaps be noted that red tape involving importing cars to California is not pure random capriciousness, but born at least in part to enforce the California-only emission requirements begun in the '70s. (Car enthusiasts or just plain cheapskates can be very creative.)  While this may stir some more red tape debate, anyone who actually experienced 1970s LA air will probably admit that things worked out for the best.[/quote]

I think its more about sales tax revenue now.

[GNU]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this!

The area that I'm considering moving to is around Mountain view.

I agree that some of the red tape seems really random. Living in Sweden most of my life has taught me to be pretty resiliant though As an example I can mention that letting your car run on idle for more than 60 seconds is illegal in most regions over there.

dp35, I think you're on to something there. I'm getting close to 7k miles and my wife will spend a whole day at the track with it on Monday
That together with driving it down to CA should bring it up to the 7.5k mark.
I'll try to find out more on their website.

//Arvid

[John H]

hahahahahahahaha.I need to spend some more time on the US side of the forum...............
OK all together L.I.C.E.N.C.E.
There is no "S".
I love u all, Please come to the UK for Atom X.
We have a special grammar and diction class at Goodwood!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
heh
Thanks, Y'all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[dp35]

[quote="Arvid"]
dp35, I think you're on to something there. I'm getting close to 7k miles and my wife will spend a whole day at the track with it on Monday
That together with driving it down to CA should bring it up to the 7.5k mark.
I'll try to find out more on their website.

//Arvid[/quote]

Your wife will spend a whole day on track in the Atom?  Awesome!

We have a few Atom owners here in the Bay Area that get together once in a while to go on drives.  Hopefully you'll be able to join us in the future.


[quote="John H"]
hahahahahahahaha.I need to spend some more time on the US side of the forum...............
OK all together L.I.C.E.N.C.E.
There is no "S".
I love u all, Please come to the UK for Atom X.
We have a special grammar and diction class at Goodwood!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
heh
Thanks, Y'all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!![/quote]

This is the "North American" section of the forum, where we also use words like aluminum, tire, rumor, etc.  Get over it or let it bother you.  Either way you'll be the only one that cares. 

[silver]

[quote="John H"]
hahahahahahahaha.I need to spend some more time on the US side of the forum...............
OK all together L.I.C.E.N.C.E.
There is no "S".
I love u all, Please come to the UK for Atom X.
We have a special grammar and diction class at Goodwood!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
heh
Thanks, Y'all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
[/quote]

According to Meriam-Webster

Main Entry: 1li·cense
Variant(s): or li·cence \ˈlī-sən(t)s\

so you are correct under the Variant spelling...which isn't used stateside and you'd get your hand slapped with a ruler if you tried to spell it Licence here.

Even the forum tries to correct the spelling Licence but knows License is correct. Now I find that funny.

[John Scherrer]

Over the pond 1, over here Nil !

Licence - Noun - Document giving permission to do something
License - Verb - Grant a licence to

Licensee - Noun - Holder of a licence, eg Publican

Maybe Glasgow is different ?