DMV & License Plate Troubles

[protege]

Just be glad your car doesn't use Whitworth tools - though if it did, you would probably have got a set long before now.

...and you'd be in for a case of sticker shock. Those tools aren't cheap--an 11-piece set from Moss lists at roughly $320 So I'm glad that there aren't Whitworth bolts on my MG, since my Craftsman tools work quite nicely

Seriously though, I have to have both metric and imperial wrenches in the garage. Japanese cars are metric

[Pagan]

Used to be common that you got new plates (and numbers) every year. Utah did that through 1972.

I think it was around the same time that New Mexico quit issuing new plates every damn year, too.

You went to the DMV to transfer title and get new plates? The County Courthouse handles that stuff here.

Do that all through the MVD in New Mexico, too. And Texas.

[emax4]

I'm sorry to hear you had to go through that, although I kept laughing when you got to having to saw off the bolts. I was imagining the sun setting, getting dark, and all you heard was the "RRREEEErrrr RRREEEErrrr RREEEErrrr" of the hand saw..

[fireheart]

SD law changed at the beginning of the year and now instead of the plates staying with the car upon sale/transfer, the plates now stay with the original registrant and can be transfered to another car as long as the tags are current.

Ah thank you, I forgot about something there.

If someone needs new plates for their car down here for several reasons, they can pay a fee with the DMV here and the VIN (and thus the registration) is transferred over. (Depending on the plate in question, it's either a once-off to change it over, or you pay extra PER YEAR for that plate) Aside from your standard reasons for changing your plate (buying one at auction or buying a customised plate etc.), one of my friends was forced to change her plates around because her ex kept stalking her . She received a new set of standard licence plates for $20.

[Jay 2K Winger]

I'm sorry to hear you had to go through that, although I kept laughing when you got to having to saw off the bolts. I was imagining the sun setting, getting dark, and all you heard was the "RRREEEErrrr RRREEEErrrr RREEEErrrr" of the hand saw..

Now now. Saws don't go "RRREEEErrrr." They go "Zwoobah."

[Cookies for reference.]

[dalesys]

Now now. Saws don't go "RRREEEErrrr." They go "Zwoobah."

[Cookies for reference.]

How long can you tread water?

[emax4]

Now now. Saws don't go "RRREEEErrrr." They go "Zwoobah."

[Cookies for reference.]

I'm thinking Family Guy with the toy where you aimed the arrow at the animal, pulled the string, but in the show they mix up the sounds.

"The cow says, Sha ZOOOOOOM..."

How close am I?

[Jay 2K Winger]

I'm thinking Family Guy with the toy where you aimed the arrow at the animal, pulled the string, but in the show they mix up the sounds.

"The cow says, Sha ZOOOOOOM..."

How close am I?

Not very.

Dalesys is right on the money, since he returned fire with a quote from the same source (and same routine, too!)

[dalesys]

... you let me go out there and bring in a pregnant elephant, you give me no manual for delivery or nothin', never told me the thing was pregnant...

[Jay 2K Winger]

You gotta take one of those hippos out and bring in another one.

[dalesys]

Some Ph.D. dissertations are such fun to quote.

[wolfie]

DO NOT take your vehicle to Iffy Lube. Yes I call it Iffy and for a very good reason. They are the 9th circle of hell in the auto industry. They do not hire qualified techs. They hire talking chimps for minimum wage.

You're treading on dangerous ground. Chimps are MUCH stronger than humans - think of what they'd do to you if they found out you'd insulted them by implying they'd work for a place like Iffy Lube.

Yes. Because the registration (and thus, the plates) was in my parents' name. When the car title transferred to me, I had to register it under my name. New registration, new plates.

It gets even more complicated for commercial vehicles. The plates go with the operating authority, so if an owner-operator changes companies (same name on the title, but different operating authority) the old plates have to be returned to the old company (who returns them to the DMV) and the new company gets new plates.

[Sapphire Silk]

On a sub-note: the car changes plates when it changes hands?

In the US it does.

It depends on the state. In Delaware, the plate is actually owned by the plate holder and can even be sold. Low number plates have prestige and can command top dollar. (I know; stupid. Not something I'd spend my hard earned cash on).

When I bought my Jeep in California, the plates came with the car. I'm getting ready to sell it in North Carolina, and I think the plates will go with the car.

Maryland, you got new plates when you bought a used car.

SD law changed at the beginning of the year and now instead of the plates staying with the car upon sale/transfer, the plates now stay with the original registrant and can be transfered to another car as long as the tags are current.

You went to the DMV to transfer title and get new plates? The County Courthouse handles that stuff here.

In most states, you do everything at the DMV.

In North Carolina, you go to a state run office (DMV) to handle things in regards to your license. You go to a privately run office for title and tag work.

In my area, several of these offices have been shut down because the owners were running scams on the state. The state is currently advertising for new management instead of just repealing that rule and running the show themselves

On another note, I can sympathize with the OP's travails. When my Dad passed 3 years ago, Mom opted not to sell the car right away (she doesn't drive and never has, is scared to death to). A year later, she asked for my help in selling the car as she'd decided she needed the space in the garage. I told her the car was worth about 14K Blue Book, but we'd be lucky to get 10K for it from a dealer unless we went Carmax or private sale, and that getting close to Blue Book was possible but would take a lot of time and negotiation. She said that 10K would be acceptable and wanted that price, no less. I was planning a visit to Maryland, and told her I'd take the car to Carmax when I got up there and see if they'd give us that much.

My hospice and teacher friend J. overheard the conversation on the phone and immediately offered 10K for the car, sight unseen (it was a 2006 Toyota Camry LX, all the bells and whistles but had been in one minor fender bender). I called Mom back and she was fine with the offer. Called Brother too and got his input, he also gave thumbs up.

That's when the hell really started. I drove up to Maryland. Mom had lost the title. Wasn't in the safe deposit box. Couldn't find it in the house. Had to go to the DMV and order a new one. Drove the car back to North Carolina so J's bank could inspect it and approve a loan. That took awhile. Finally got the loan paperwork done; DMV wouldn't title the car in North Carolina without a bill of sale and notorized paperwork on the odometer. Maryland said that wasn't necessary. I couldn't simply sign the title over since my name wasn't on it. Bank wouldn't issue a check without a clear title.

Argh!

J and I went up to North Carolina to get my car. We tried getting the bill of sale and the notorized paperwork. North Carolina still refused to accept it; can't remember the exact issue, something to do with insurance I think (though the car was insured, just not in North Carolina). So I made a THIRD trip to Maryland and just had Mom gift the car to me so I could get a Maryland title in my name, got it insured in my name, went BACK to North Carolina, registered it in my name and THEN was finally able to show a good title to the bank, get the check and sign the car over.

It took two months to get through this process.

I will never buy or sell a car across state lines again.

At least Mom got the price she wanted. /threadjack

[BeenThereDoneThat]

In Florida the Driver's License office is separate from the place where you get your motor vehicle registrations done. Also, while most of us have to get new plates every 5 years, we don't have to turn in the old ones...though it might be a good idea so nobody can steal your old plates and get you in trouble.

[Sonoma]

I got to renew my truck's registration this weekend. The one place where I'm very happy to part with $107. In Oregon, the plates stay with the car. I live in the Portland area, and we have emissions testing to go through, so I just wen to our local test station, had the test done (and it passed - Hooray!). 10 years old, 116k miles, maintenance overdue...I was very happy for that passing test.

When you pass the emissions test, you get the 2 year renewal stickers right then & there.