M3 ownership in SoCal

[e90335e36m3]

Fellas, I lived in CA as a student in the early 2010s, pretty care free life in Davis, but now as an adult I am moving back to San Diego for a professional opportunity and am not sure what to do with the E9X M3. Mine is a pristine and fully loaded 2013, with 13,xxx miles and a Harrop supercharger/headers to boot. The car is currently registered in NC, but the change over to CA has me a bit miffed.

As a caveat and preface for the below, I do not intend to stay in CA longer than 1-3 years, it's just not the place for me. I am more of an east coast guy (D.C. is ideal).

My first concern is violating the noise law and emissions. I feel like there is very little recourse but to remove the headers. I will probably register the car in TX where I have a workaround, but imagine that as soon as my car is on the noise 'radar' so to speak, it will also be on the registration radar as well and subjected to the noise and emissions challenge down the road, regardless. The previous M3 I brought to law school from TX never ran into any issues despite being turbocharged with no catalytic converters. But CA has become more restrictive since then.

The other is the personal property tax on the car. Best I can tell, there is a 1.75% annual personal property value assessment which I can correlate to KBB and understand the total exposure. The personal property tax I pay currently in NC is roughly similar to that of CA.

The third is gasoline prices. Although bit discouraging, not much can be done about it, and I do have a high efficiency beater to take to work every day.

Also, I am not certain about my living arrangements but if I purchase a 1-1.5BR condo in SD, it I am relegated to one parking spot and this does not work with 3 cars (1 for my wife), so I need to find a house. If for no other reason than to avoid dings and scratches. Admittedly, the car as a partial justification to buy a home seems like poor financial planning on my part.

Finally, I am not sure what insurance will be like. My insurance in NC is high enough as it is (definitely higher than it was in TX), but I surmise it will be even higher in CA.

Long story short, how are you guys going about these issues? Is your mentality simply 'pay to play'? I am leaning towards either selling the car or keeping it tender charged at in NC house, though the latter seems like a monumental waste of a depreciating asset.

Any feedback is greatly appreciated, especially if you've moved from a low cost state like NC or TX to SoCal or the Bay Area.

To sell or not to sell is really the question? Thanks to all who took the time to read and provide feedback.

[WhatsBFc]

IMO, id leave it on the battery tender in NC and enjoy it whenever you go back and forth! Wouldn’t have to deal with re-titling to CA and emission tests. (only because it seems as you don’t drive it much anyways...)

[firstbimmer]

There is no annual personal property tax on your car in CA. I paid tax on the car when i bought it, but i live in CA. There is an annual registration fee, but you won't pay that if registered in texas with texas plates during your stay. I've always lived in CA so maybe if push comes to shove and you end up having to register the car in CA there may be a tax due then???...I have no idea how that works though.

CA Emissions also wouldn't apply to you if registered in texas, as that is only required in combination with CA registration process. So basically, if you can pull off living here three years with texas plates, you win. If you get pulled over and end up having to register the car in CA, you lose.

In 2003, a friend got pulled over in his jeep with CO plates in SF after being in CA for school for over a year. Got ticket for not registering car in CA after 6 months of living here full time and car impounded. Then you have the guy living down the street from me who has had OR plates on his cars to avoid taxes for years. Your experience may vary...

[roastbeef]

i wouldn't bother bringing it over here and deal with california's smog nonsense. you'll probably get rear ended by some turd without insurance anyways.

[Scrippy]

Don't worry about the noise laws. Cops really only seek out idiots on that one. Gas is what it is, get over it. As far as exhaust maybe get a CA compliant X pipe and muffler for smog compliance (testing only then put back to what you have). Sell the smog exhaust to a forum member here. The parking is really the only thing that would concern me. There is no way I'd park my car outside and hell to the NO for sidewalk parking.

[msan]

Sell the car and get something nice when you move out of CA in 1-3 years. That’s the sensible thing to do.
You don’t drive the M3 enough to entertain any other option.

[dakarwu]

Don't think you can pass smog and register the car in CA with a supercharger unless you know someone. Sounds like a god dam headache.

[Timujin]

Do not attempt to smog it in CA. It will be flagged. You will have to make it stock and pay for anal cavity check.

[fenster44]

I think msan is right... it makes the most sense to sell the car. Registering it in CA would be a big headache. And keeping it on ice in NC isn't much fun.

[chocstraw]

Owning / titling a car in CA kinda sucks, I probably spend $240-260 a month on gas, am constantly worried about other drivers, am probably paying too much for insurance, do most of my leisure driving after 10pm because that's the only time there's no traffic, and I get to spend a nice sunday afternoon every 2 years putting the cats back on, etc. The main consolation prize is that we have some pretty great roads here.

Usually cars are a depreciating asset, but considering your mileage, keeping it on ice might not be a bad idea. Harrop S/C is mostly reversible and many would consider it a desirable addition. I would imagine the car is super clean.

here's a tastefully modified E46 M3 with 16k miles that just sold on BaT

if it were a typical 60k+ mile example, that'd be mostly depreciating from here on out, but I don't think yours will.

[XKxRome0ox]

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