California impounds cars with lowered suspension?

[Fanzotti]

I was talking to this guy today who said he got his truck impounded the other day on the Sunset strip because the Cops told him there is a new law making too FIRM of a suspension illegal. Apparently it has to do with the car being dangerous due to rebound?

Has anyone heard of this?

[SandyEggoE30Girl]

how can they prove a lowered suspension? I mean an older auto would sit lower than a car with newer suspension right?

[Jean]

Headlight to ground measurement or fender / wheel . Not sure about this "car is too stiff" deal, sounds like some BS.

[Fanzotti]

how can they prove a lowered suspension? I mean an older auto would sit lower than a car with newer suspension right?

It's not about lowered suspension, It's about firm suspension. From what the guy told me they push down on the car and if it's what they consider too firm they impound it. If you can prove that the car isn't past there standards of firmness then you don't have to pay all of the fee's, but if it is you b SOL. He said something about the cops saying firmer suspension makes a car mor dangerous because it doesn't absorb the bumps and makes it easier to lose control. I guess it's a brand new law aimed at stopping street racing. This guy was in a lowered ford pick up.

[rThor432]

Well it would be pretty easy to tell if a car is stiff or not. How they would compare it to stock, I have no clue. California would come up with a law like that..

[MR 325]

Bullshit is what that is.

[Fanzotti]

Bullshit is what that is.

I hope so. But I don't think it is. Just about to lower my car. I'll see the dude tomorrow but I don't think he's bullshitting. He was pretty pissed of about the whole thing.

[monty]

It's not about lowered suspension, It's about firm suspension. From what the guy told me they push down on the car and if it's what they consider too firm they impound it. If you can prove that the car isn't past there standards of firmness then you don't have to pay all of the fee's, but if it is you b SOL. He said something about the cops saying firmer suspension makes a car mor dangerous because it doesn't absorb the bumps and makes it easier to lose control. I guess it's a brand new law aimed at stopping street racing. This guy was in a lowered ford pick up.

So the pig was sayin' a stock height vehicle "bmw" will be able to dodge a small child running across the street better than a "bmw" with performance suspension built for doing so? Does the pig have a stiffness meter built into his hand? I guess lots of jacking off you may gain something like that? Oh yeah I forgot that suspension is like a 200 HP gain too, yeah crack down on that, that should stop street racing. I would of judged that cops logic to his face if he wrote me a ticket for that.

[92 mtechnic cabrio]

It's their bandaid fix for their shitty roads and our lawsuits against their manholes

[sam3]

Most States abide by federal restrictions from the USDOT, things like headlight height, bumper height, crashworthiness. Some States are more strict than others. If you ever heard of the costs involved in "Federalizing" a Euro-Spec car, that's what it's all about. In order to be legal for sale, a car has to meet USDOT standards for sale or import. Some foreign manufacturers are not allowed to sell features that US car makers are (like roof-top lights- Jeep) due to laws protecting the US car industry.
The Feds set the standards for sale and import, the States decide how much they will let people deviate from the standard. Simple as that.

[winstontj]

Ride height would run into a problem with gyts running coilovers that can adjust. Firmness (gay) or better called spring rates is semi legit... in terms of targeting srteet racers. then again take a look at a Ferarri, Lambo, Porsche or even Vette... Tell me that the fender to ground or headlight to ground on a bone stock Vette is more than your lowered E30...

Only thing they have going for them is they usually run 18"+ wheels... time to flare your fenders!

I wonder if the coilover guys can rig up something with a dual spring coilover. Use a longer threaded tube and instead of a keeper spring just run something stiff enough to support the car but soft enough to pass... Car would drive like shit till you adjusted or bottomed out the soft springs... Its like the Fed going after Hedgd funds... Sooner or later they will learn that you can not put a dinosaur up toe to toe with the best & brightest in the industry! They will always find ways around the rules!

[atomic]

California law makers have nothing better to do than fuck with people over stupid things.

[KenC]

So other than hearsay from the guy with the lowered Ford pick-up, nothing has been verified...

[atomic]

I did see the other day on foxnews that California was destroying cars again that were caught doing street races !! They even showed them crushing the shit out of a honda civic that was all tricked out reduced it to about 2 foot tall

[Erick]

It's their bandaid fix for their shitty roads and our lawsuits against their manholes

As soon as I saw this thread, I was asking myself if you still had your car.

But yeah... the more I read about CA, the less I'd like to be there with my own car. All these new laws are ridiculous.