Illinois Questions from a Texan

[klinetime574]

HOWDY!

The fiance and I are considering relocating to Illinois after getting married. She is from the Chicagoland area, but does not know the car-world of Illinois. I'd be the only gear-head in the family of about a million people.

What are the Smog laws or Registration rules in Illinois? I read some things online but am a little confused about what I read. Something about 96 and newer every 4 years requires emissions. What about a 1984 FJ60? Does it need to pass emission testing? Or would it need to be registered as an Antique? Leading into the next question about that. How strict are the Antique vehicle driving rules? (To and from car shows or service stations only.)

In Texas anything over 25 years old is safety only inspection. I've got my FJ60 registered just like a Prius and only pay $7.50 for a state inspection along with ~$70 in registration. Regular old Texas plates. My friend has Antique plates here in Texas and has never had issues about driving it on the street. Your typical vehicle just needs to pass an OBD2 scan to check if the monitors are set. So we don't have tailpipe emissions per say.

My FJ60 is desmogged, headers, stock carb, lifted on 33's with an ARB front bumper. Nothing crazy.

Look forward to hearing from y'all.

 

[ClevSix]

HOWDY!

The fiance and I are considering relocating to Illinois after getting married. She is from the Chicagoland area, but does not know the car-world of Illinois. I'd be the only gear-head in the family of about a million people.

What are the Smog laws or Registration rules in Illinois? I read some things online but am a little confused about what I read. Something about 96 and newer every 4 years requires emissions. What about a 1984 FJ60? Does it need to pass emission testing? Or would it need to be registered as an Antique? Leading into the next question about that. How strict are the Antique vehicle driving rules? (To and from car shows or service stations only.)

In Texas anything over 25 years old is safety only inspection. I've got my FJ60 registered just like a Prius and only pay $7.50 for a state inspection along with ~$70 in registration. Regular old Texas plates. My friend has Antique plates here in Texas and has never had issues about driving it on the street. Your typical vehicle just needs to pass an OBD2 scan to check if the monitors are set. So we don't have tailpipe emissions per say.

My FJ60 is desmogged, headers, stock carb, lifted on 33's with an ARB front bumper. Nothing crazy.

Look forward to hearing from y'all.

If you stay away from Chicago and St Louis then there is no inspections, safety or emissions in IL. If I remember right it is based on the county. I don't live in one of those areas so I'm not sure what the requirements are.

Anything 25 years or older can be registered as an antique. But that restricts when and where you are allowed to drive. I have no idea how strictly it is enforced.

For most vehicles the renewal fees are about $100/yr.

You can read the rules here: The Official Website for the Illinois Secretary of State

If you have more questions let us know

 

[Gumby]

84 is exempt for emissions. No safety inspection on any year.
96 and up needs to be checked every few years. Basically they check the OBDII and make sure its reporting correctly. This is only in the Chicago counties and collar counties.
any car can be registered as non antique. 25 and older can be antique and only driven to and from events, or expanded antique and be driven much more frequently.

I would personally do anything to you can to avoid moving to chicagoland. It is the highest stress city in america. It is also the highest incidence of people who want to move away from there in the US.

I did.

 

[joez]

Only OBD2 and newer get smogged, and only near the city. I'm in unincorporated Will County and don't smog test.

Expanded antique are more loose that straight antique, however there are enough car shows and cruise nights going on at any given time it's easy to say you are heading to one. I personally run the expanded use ones, just so I don't get hassled.

And I really don't know why you would voluntarily move to this s***hole. I look forward to getting out in the near future.

 

[4rnr]

My 40 has antique plates, I drive it all over the place. Cops have never stopped me. I used to know where any given cruise night was, so I had reason ready... Never needed it. The cops are pretty chill in my experience of driving junk on the road.

 

[klinetime574]

Wow thanks for the input guys. So I could get regular old plates on my FJ60 and drive around like a fool. cool.

Oh and antique sounds like an option as well. lol

Reason to move would be for Family. Fiance's entire family is in Chicagoland. Specifically Streamwood. Which is in Cook County. My family is all over the place. Montgomery, TX. Belton, TX. Houston, TX. San Jose, CA. Troy, MI. Eagle River, MI. Marquette, MI. And to be honest, Texas' toilet is wearing me out.

None of my fiance's family seem to have a hatred for Illinois or want to move (to my knowledge). Keep the convo going with anything else I need to know.

 

[4rnr]

I'd rather live in Texas than Illinois.

 

[klinetime574]

I would personally do anything to you can to avoid moving to chicagoland. It is the highest stress city in america. It is also the highest incidence of people who want to move away from there in the US.

I did.

And I really don't know why you would voluntarily move to this s***hole. I look forward to getting out in the near future.

I'm not talking about being in Chicago proper. I'm talking about Streamwood, Hoffman Estates, etc. Does this still apply? If so, I want your personal opinions please. I appreciate it fellas.

I'd rather live in Texas than Illinois.

I like Texas. Houston is the one that seems to be dragging on me. I'm originally from Belton, TX. About an hour north of Austin.

 

[4rnr]

That area isn't too bad, relatively. Seems like less yuppies than the coastal north side! But still dense sub divisions, and frustrating driving (but maybe thats just cause I'm a south sider and feel more comfortable there).... It is definitely better the further you get form the city IMO.

 

[klinetime574]

That area isn't too bad, relatively. Seems like less yuppies than the coastal north side! But still dense sub divisions, and frustrating driving (but maybe thats just cause I'm a south sider and feel more comfortable there).... It is definitely better the further you get form the city IMO.

Thanks for your perspective sir

 

[Leandro]

also be prepared to pay a lot more, on everything..... housing, taxes, groceries.... IL is an expensive state to live in.

 

[Leandro]

also be prepared to pay a lot more, on everything..... housing, taxes, groceries.... IL is an expensive state to live in.

and I almost forgot, RUST!

 

[joez]

Honestly, if your 60 is in decent shape, you aren't going to want to be driving it daily between Nov and April anyway. Illinois operates on the "if we don't use more than last year, how will we be able to justify using even more next year" plan. That goes for regular old spending of your tax dollars, to road maintenence, to salt usage in the winter. Only state I have ever seen build a beautiful concrete stretch of highway with a 60 year lifespan, and cover it in 6" of blacktop 20 years in. Why? Because it's quieter... Oh, and if we didn't spend that years road repair budget on something we wouldn't get a bigger budget next year.

Extended antiques are the way to go. Cheaper, and minimal limit on driving.

That areas not terrible. I work everywhere from Joliet/Shorewood to Elgin pretty much strait up 59, and really just hate the traffic up that way. But, as it's been said, further away from the city the better. Moving 20 miles further out has the potential to be almost no impact to a commute just due to the roads you can take.

 

[Gappy]

On the up side, I think moving to Chicago would make you want to wheel more, as far away from Chicago as possible.

 

[klinetime574]

@joez Yeah my 60 would not come out in the salt months... lol

@Leandro Definitely have thought about that. Got my Tundra that would suffer unfortunately.

Keep it coming

 

[jimkyser]

If you're going to garage the 60 for 5 or so months of the year, the expanded-use antique plates might make sense and are about 1/2 the price of regular plates. They have the same restrictions as regular antique plates from November through March, but allow you unfettered use for the other 7 months.

Regular antique is much cheaper yet, but technically restricted to 'club events', 'car shows' and driving to/from a service center. I see plenty of people who have regular antique tags and use their vehicles for much more than what is technically allowed and the police seem to care very little. I guess it's just not a priority as long as you aren't drawing their attention for other things when you drive.

regular tags are $101 per year
expanded-use antique tags are $51 per year
regular antique tags are $30 for 5 years

 

[Leandro]

So how old must be to get the antique plates? 25 years?

 

[Gumby]

On the up side, I think moving to Chicago would make you want to wheel more, as far away from Chicago as possible.

This is 100% true. I counted days to getting away when I lived there. I don’t really feel the need to go any more.

 

[slander]

Houston is the only place I have been where I said I wish I was back in Illinois.

Saying that fxxx this hell hole, this state absolutely sucks in everyway except for the food and it's not houston. Lack of "safety" inspections on vehicles is nice as well. Your in-laws like illinois because they have never left and don't know any better, only explanation.

 

[slander]

This is 100% true. I counted days to getting away when I lived there. I don’t really feel the need to go any more.

Here is a good example of how bad illinois is, it beat Todd down so bad that he loves Michigan!!