http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/TK/16246 A friend of mine was cited for "too loud" an engine.  It is now a state requirement to have a BAR referee check if fix-it tickets have been fixed.  His car tested within legal decibels and smog emissions (with no work being done) but one part had a serial number that did not match those on the BAR list for that vehicle so the referee wouldn't sign off the form.  I am confused.  Why is California so worried about whether every part is stock or not?  This was a used car purchased from a guy who works on engines.  My friend figured the car would be in good shape, mechanically speaking.  How do any of us know if the used car we are buying may have a part replaced with one which fits but isn't on some state certified list?  Sounds like the car makers had a friend in Sacramento. A friend of mine was cited for "too loud" an engine.  It is now a state requirement to have a BAR referee check if fix-it tickets have been fixed.  His car tested within legal decibels and smog emissions (with no work being done) but one part had a serial number that did not match those on the BAR list for that vehicle so the referee wouldn't sign off the form.  I am confused.  Why is California so worried about whether every part is stock or not?  This was a used car purchased from a guy who works on engines.  My friend figured the car would be in good shape, mechanically speaking.  How do any of us know if the used car we are buying may have a part replaced with one which fits but isn't on some state certified list?  Sounds like the car makers had a friend in Sacramento. en-us BAR can be a motorist's worst nightmare. It operates much like the state legislature where politicians don't live in the real world and make life miserable for those that do. http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/TK/16246/#c_154250 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/TK/16246/#c_154250 BAR can be a motorist's worst nightmare. It operates much like the state legislature where politicians don't live in the real world and make life miserable for those that do. What "part number" didn't compare?  I thought the State only kept track if the V.I.N. and the motor number.  I have been driving for a long time and have yet to have a "nightmare" caused by BAR.  I think BAR is the place to go to complain about shoddy repair work done by licensed mechanics.  Sounds like a nightmare for crooks. http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/TK/16246/#c_154284 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/TK/16246/#c_154284 What "part number" didn't compare?  I thought the State only kept track if the V.I.N. and the motor number.  I have been driving for a long time and have yet to have a "nightmare" caused by BAR.  I think BAR is the place to go to complain about shoddy repair work done by licensed mechanics.  Sounds like a nightmare for crooks. The number on the header did not match the type of engine.  The BAR referee had a list of approved parts for that engine and this header was not on the list.  It fit well.  It performed well.  The engine passed both the noise test and the pollution test.    http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/TK/16246/#c_154657 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/TK/16246/#c_154657 The number on the header did not match the type of engine.  The BAR referee had a list of approved parts for that engine and this header was not on the list.  It fit well.  It performed well.  The engine passed both the noise test and the pollution test.