I got pulled over today in my turbo s2000 because of a modified exhaust in Arcadia ca today. The cop asked to pop my hood and I said no. He call for back up had me sit on the curb. Back up came and the searched my car poped my hood and looked in my trunk. I was giving a ticket for my exhaust and a ticket to see the state ref for my under the hood mods. I then went to the Arcadia police station to file a compliant for illegal search. The watch comander spent some time will me and said they are legally about to "inspect" the car for illegal modifications if there is probably cause. Probable cause being I have a modified exhaust

Please help. Is this legal? Can I fight this?
I really don't want to spend 2 days of my life to put my car to stock/ drain the tank of e85 then take it to get inspected. Then put the damn turbo kit back on.
In 10+ years of driving moded turbo cars. This is the first time this has happened.

 

Hell yes this is an illegal search! Get a lawyer and take them to the bank.

 

sucks I hear cali laws are strick
we have stuff like that here but if you are driving a skyline.
other than that I dont think they know what they are looking at.
I would also record the video of this procedure next also if you dont know dont be a dick.

 

Every and I mean EVERY time you ever get pulled over and asked to step out

1 top up
2 windows up
3 lock the car

Good call on refusing though, don't go to the ref take it all to court you can refuse to go.

After it's all taken care of move out of Cali

 

Can I really fight this? How?

 

Sorry but you don't have a case to argue here. In California a polIce officer can legally search your car if he/she has probable cause. It doesn't take much for them to have such cause, and having an aftermarket exhaust is an automatic in for them. If you deny them access to your car they can legally impound it; plain and simple. So, now you have to go to a state inspection facility, they will go over your car with a fine tooth comb, and chances are you will receive a laundry list of citations and fines. You could go to court and possibly get the fines reduced, but you will have to correct all the citations (I.e. Illegal mods) before the court will allow you to legally drive your car. Sucks big time but that's California for ya.

 

It's almost end of the month, so the cops must do whatever it takes to give ppl some stupid ticket...

 

I always have this stupid thought in my head ever since i got my tinted window ticket...
can you switch the license plate to antoher s2k with match color?
but in ur case, i wonder if they will match the VIN or not.

 

Damn that sucks I got pulled over last week and cop gave me front license plate ticket, I got pulled over yesterday cop gave me front license plate ticket, suspension ticket, tint, and exhaust ticket, tried to pop my hood but I talked him outta of it but he still got me good luck brother time to invest in a daily

 

This is why I am glad I don't live in California. If I did, I would have bought a cr and left it stock. Good luck.