No inspection in CA. Once its registered if you're pre-smog you're good to go, provided you keep your foot out of it when the police are around. I haven't had any problems so far.
I have Hooker Super Comps into 2.5" pipes with an X pipe and Summit 2.5" glasspacks (the 18" glasspack, total 24" length version) that dumps at the rear axle. Very nice. Not all that bad at idle, freaking roars at WOT. I wouldn't trade them for anything. I tried a set of flowmaster 40's on it too, way to tinny sounding, and not as loud as the glasspacks are. Not sure what the obsession is with Flowmasters, I really don't like them. I had the shorter version of the Summit glasspacks originally, they're a little too loud (12" glasspack, 18" overall length). The longer glasspack makes the exhaust note a bit deeper. You'd think I had a big block instead of a stock 318. :D