They aren't testing emissions in VA for late production cars, just ODB codes and visual safety requirements (working blinkers, etc) - which DOES include a visual inspection for cats. If one were to say, have high flow cat bodies installed, that were hollow, they would pass that visual inspection. Hypothetically of course.
I wouldn't say the rasp, of the 5th gen anyway, in the above scenario was very noticeable in my opinion. And yes they were hollow because they melted. Luckily I had already done a muffler delete so it all just came out the back. They won't tailgate me anymore.
