4MIDLIF

We've all had DMV horror stories, I'm sure - but what I'm going through is just so stupid, I had to share the story.

My car is currently not registered. In California, if you don't register your car you have to inform the DMV so you won't get killed with fees and penalties when you do register it. The car was in my driveway, and because we live at the end of a cul-de-sac, we (and our neighbors) have very short driveways. As a consequence, whenever we park in our driveways, part of the sidewalk gets blocked. You guessed it, I got a ticket. That was irritating enough.

Turns out that the city routinely informs the DMV of parking tickets. The DMV then assumes I am driving my car illegally and sends me a letter and a big fat bill .

So I go down to the local office with a copy of the ticket and a picture of the car/driveway. I explain that I am not driving the car and that it was simply parked in my driveway. Well, you can imagine the response.

"Sorry," she says. "I understand your situation, but there is nothing we can do." There is no appeal, no provision for reversing the charges. I either pay, or they will take the money from my tax refund, bank account, wages, or any other means.

To top it all of, California is trying to triple registration fees to help offset our $35 billion dollar deficit.

Thanks for listening...at least the weather is nice.

Gretch

Thanks, made me count my blessings......Not that the MA DMV is any better, but in NH (Free America) where Gretch is garaged, the DMV is nowhere near as intrusive on personal liberties.

Bryan

You know, I'm usually the first guy to volunteer with a good "slam the Mass. Registry" story, but either I'm just lucky, the Registry has changed the way it does things, or the Watertown branch is just staffed with good people.

Scenario one: Register the '85 Euro 928S with special state-issued VIN. My Euro 928S was imported privately into MA when it was new. When this happens, the state issues this weird VIN that superceedes the original VIN. It's just for registration and titling purposes. There's a sticker on the A pillar with the state VIN, which matches the title. So I bought the car in 2000, and was getting psyched up for the trip to the registry for days beforehad. I was sure the computer would choke on the special VIN and there would be special forms and who knows what. Nope. I was in, out, with plates, registration, and my title in the mail in like 10 minutes. The person at the counter seemed like they actually wanted to help get everything done quickly and as inexpensively as they could. Cool.

Scenario two: Register the '88 Euro 944 with out-of-state title and original "WPOZZZ" VIN. Ok, so the 928 was easy. It came into MA originally, so keeping it in MA shouldn't have been hard. This car I was expecting trouble. I show up with a VA title that carries the original WPOZZZ VIN and want to register and title the car. Again, no problem. The computer did complain about the WPOZZZ VIN, but the helpful Registry employee did something to force the computer to accept it. And once again, I was in, out, with plates, registration, and title in the mail in like 10 minutes.

I left the Registry on both occasions almost giggling to myself. So until the Registry cornholes me, I'll sing their praises.

Bryan

Big Dave

Our wonderful Michigan DMV (called the Secretary of State here) has this nifty provision that title fees are based on the ORIGINAL purchase price of the car.

So, I'm buying yearly license plate tabs based on the car's $50,000+ selling price back in 1985.

End result: $240 per year (and more than most SUVs currently on the road)....and I bought the bugger for less than $10K. My license fee is substantially more than that for my wife's new minivan.

Add insult to injury: The law provides that cars from 1984 and earlier are based on vehicle weight....so, a 1982 928 that cost nearly the same when new only costs $50 or so for yearly fees.

What crap. The S4s and GTs around here are getting "corn-holed" even worse than me. I'd hate to imagine the fees for licensing a GTS. Plus, we get to stand in line for an hour while the lobotomized clerks type on their computers with one finger....whenever they're not gabbing with each other about mind-numbing nonsense. At least this year my wonderful wife renewed my plates by mail. I've gotta get her some flowers for that act of mercy!

Don't even get me started on the cost of "no fault" insurance. When I moved to Michigan from Ohio, my insurance doubled.

Curt

Rob, I hear your frustration with the DMV and with some of the police out here. I have a long story to vent as well.

Back in July of 02 I pulled up behind a lady driving a Toyota 4runner in my Honda Accord. The lady was waiting for cross traffic to clear before pulling across two lanes of on coming traffic. She pulled out and started heading across traffic. I pulled up and took her spot at the stop sign. I came to a complete stop and the next thing I know the lady has it thrown into reverse and slams into the front of me. I just couldnt believe it. I mean it happend so fast that I had no time to react plus there was a car behind me so I couldnt have backed up anyway. So she got out and said cars were coming and that she couldnt make it across the street so she could only back up, blaw, blaw, blaw.

I had only front bumper damage but she wanted to make a police report so I said fine. Police came made report. Said it was 100% her fault and so on. I asked the police officer if I needed to fill out any other paperwork and he said no just contact your insurance.

I contacted my insurance and they estimated it at I think like $550 of damage. They gave me a check and that was it. I said nothing else to do and they said no. Coming to California from St. Louis MO I didnt realize that there is a form at the DMV called a SR22 form that needs to be filled out after accident reports. Keep in mind I have also moved to a new residence about every year for the past three years. I have however kept my drivers license and vehicle registration up to date with my new address, so I thought.

Anyway months after the accident what I didnt know is that the DMV sent me the SR22 form to fill out but it went to the wrong address and was sent back. When they recieve stuff back they dont try to resend they will simply temporarily suspend your license. All along I had no idea what was going on behind my back.

So come in December I was headed down to LAX very, very early in the morning to catch a flight to St. Louis MO to visit my parents for Christmas, I pass a CHP on the 101 in Santa Monica just before getting on the 10. Sure enough he starts to follow me. Its about 4:00am on a Friday morning and I figure he's looking for drunks. As he starts getting closer I exit on Lincoln Blvd where I need to get off and he figures im trying to avoid him so he pulls me over. He gets out and comes up and the first thing he asks is how much have I had to drink. I say nothing just headed to the airport, blaw, blaw, blaw. He see's my luggage and says okay. Can I see I.D. Give it to him and he dissappears. He comes back minutes later and says have a good trip. We are just on patrol looking for drunks. I said thats what I figured and left.

As soon as I pull out not more that 1/4 mile down the road, and I swear it was less than a 1/4 mile there are lights behind me again. I pull over and this time its the Santa Monica Police dept. You wont believe this but the first thing he asks is how much have I had to drink. I couldnt help it but to laugh a bit. He asked what was so funny and I explained the entire story about the CHP just a mile back. He said okay but I need to see I.D. This time though he was at his car for about 15 minutes. When he came back up he said did I know that my license had been suspended. I said no, what for. He said I didnt fill out a SR22 form from an accident. I said never heard of it. He said DMV sent it out to you but you never returned it. He pretty much said sorry you cant drive this car anywhere until you get it taken car of. And to top it off he would have to impound it. I was so furious. None of this mess was my fault. I was the one who got hit and now look at what was going to happen. I tried to plead to the office showing proof of insurance, my new drivers license with my correct address on it saying its the DMV's fault for sending it to the wrong address. He said sorry and called the tow truck andthe car was impounded on the spot.

So, I was so pissed. I actually yelled at the officer for doing this. He as all apolagetic but said there was nothing he could do. I said bull**** you guys can do anything you want. I told him I would take care of it after I got back from vacation. He didnt care.

I called a taxi and got to the airport. Pleaded with the airlines to change my flight to a later flight the same day so that I could hopefully get all this taken care of during the day. It was Friday and the DMV would be open.

So first I taxi'd it to the DMV in Santa Monica from the airport. That cost 30 bucks. Had to sit there till they opened and then had to explain my case to the counter lady who was already saying I cant do anything about it you will have to write the Sacramento office. I did not give up but kept saying I need to get this done today. Finally she gave me a number to call for the Sacramento office. Talked with this great lady who cleared my license over the phone and in her computer. She apologized for the entire matter and said the officer should have never done this to me.

So then I headed to the Santa Monica Police Dept. with my cleared license. about 25 bucks for taxi. I had to pay a paperwork fee with them of about 55 bucks to have my car released. then taxi'd to the impound yard. There I had to pay $231 bucks for impound charges and one day of holding fees. I was so pissed but what could I do. I paid it and headed to the airport again.

I ended up paying about 400 bucks that day for an accident that was not my fault. And all the hassle that I went through. I got lucky because the airlines did not charge me any fee for rebooking. That could have been a 100 dollar fee right there.

I feel the DMV must come up with a better system so that this kind of stuff doesnt happen. It could always have been worse so im thankfull I could just spend the money and have it fixed. but it still leaves a very bad feeling with me everytime I think of the DMV or registration or smogging cars or whatever.

Greg Klanderman

Dave- MA similarly bases the annual tax they assess on cars based on original purchase price. and when i initially bought the car I had to pay sales tax based on their "book" value which was double what i paid. what crooks. Now MA has this thing on your income taxes where they expect you to declare and pay sales tax on all the stuff you bought online and by mail during the year which was not already taxed.

Bryan- you must live pretty close to me, I'm less than a mile from the Watertown RMV.

Big Dave

Love that thing about paying taxes for online items. I believe the compliance rate is about 0.000001%

Bryan

Hmm. Call it the conspiracy theorist in me, but I suspect that the lobbyists of a certain industry based in Detriot, MI, may have some influence on that state's automotive legislation. What better way to drive new car demand than to make used cars the same cost as new cars to own.

The MA excise tax was based on some "assessed" value. The excise tax for both my cars is quite low. I believe the assesed value of the 928 is like $5K, and the assesed value of the 944 is like $2500. So I guess I can't complain, except about the excise tax existing at all.

The Registry doesn't always look up the book value of a car when you register it. I registered a $1200 Civic once, and they were like "fine" ($1200 was the price on the bill of sale). I registered a $1500 BMW 318i, they looked at me ascance, then registered it. When I registered my $3000 944, they heard the word "Porsche" and were like "$3K? Yeah, right." and looked up the book value. The book value was only like $5K. See, too many people were going to the registry with a bill of sale stating they bought their $18K car for $500. So the state caught wise and now they look up the values. But I think it's at the discretion of the Registry employee. So if you come in and say "I bought this '82 Corrolla for $10K" then they'll sure as heck tax you on that $10K even though the book value is $200.

Bryan