Featured Technical Worst DMV experience ever

Any 3rd party title service has no guarantee
that someone with a valid documented claim
to ownership can legally challenge what
they produce.

Jim

 

Phone number for CARS in Temecula is area code 951..not 915...

 

I hate dealing with the DMV. Always. I went to register my 56 Ford 292. It went smoothly and she handed me the new plate--19G566, it took me a few seconds to process and by that time she had called the next person. Still regret not getting 19G568. That was not a bad experience. Just one I remember

 

The registration service I used handled all the paper work/transfer when I bought my '54 wagon with only a bill of sale BUT I had an old 1972 registration slip. Apparently that made the process much easier. Regardless, Shelly came to the house, verified the VIN and had me sign several documents. I received the title in less than a month. She also handled the process for a friend who inherited an OT Jag that her mother owned. They couldn't fine the pink slip and since her mother had passed it took several months to get everything transferred over but Shelly got it done. Point is that all of these transactions could have been done in person at the DMV but the average person doesn't know all the various steps needed to complete the process which leads to confusion and possible multiple return trips and long waits (at least for the DMV in SoCal) The DMV (or AAA) is fine for straight forward transfers but for anything other than that my advice is a title service that is experienced with non standard transfers. JMO

 

You should try registering a modified car is Australia. I put a V8 into my avatar. It had to have an engineer inspection (including noise and brake testing… $US2500) then a “blue slip” issued by a certified mechanic to show it was roadworthy.

Then off to the DMV…

07:30: pick up blue slip as quickly as the workshop opens.
08:30: drive across and front up, first in the queue for when the DMV opens. Submit paperwork, and the magic licence plates land on the desk.
08:35: they don't like the wording on my statutory declaration for ownership (it's been more than a decade and several house moves... I can't find the receipt). I write a new Stat Dec.
08:45: now the numbers don't match - my application forms use the subframe number, as does the blueslip. Engineering certificate uses the plate on the firewall. Cannot correct the error. No interest in walking outside and looking at the vehicle. Dead stop, can't process anything. License plates go back out to storage again. I remind myself I will not say bad words.
09:00: back across town to the workshop. Mechanic now has coffee onboard, and sympathy for my plight. Stops working on the long queue of cars and does another blue slip for me.
09:30: back to the DMV. The queue is now longer, but tolerable. New DMV person has more sympathy. Fill out all new paperwork. Fill out new Stat Dec. The magic license plates come out again.
09:45: DMV person turns a terrible shade of white, and calls in the supervisor. Long discussion, lots of pointing at my paperwork. Comes back and informs me that there is a problem with the engine, and they need to do an investigation. Is it stolen? Can't say, we just need to investigate. Magic plates go back away again. Please do not leave the building sir, we are contacting the Police.
11:30: Shouldn't have had a cup of coffee for breakfast. A man can only hold it so long, and it's not helping my impending sense of doom. Ask permission, then duck across the road. Come back to find the queue 50m out the door. Explain to the security guard (two security guards... at the DMV... the world has changed) that I was being served, and had to duck out to answer the call of nature. Get the third degree on who/what/where/when, then get waved inside. It would be easier to get entrance to the Pentagon than the DMV an hour before closing time.
12:00: Some questions arrive - when did I buy the car? when did I buy the engine? was it from the same person? can I remember any details? It has been more than a decade, and most of that information has been dissolved in local rotgut beer. I tell them what I can.
12:15: Engine is apparently stolen. Police have been contacted, awaiting their feedback. I'm wondering if orange will suit my complexion, because the way this is headed I'm going to Guantanamo.
12:45: RMS has closed, last of the customers being served. This is not looking good.
12:50: Police send back a report that the engine was stolen, but recovered. System was just not updated. All good. Magic plates come back out again.
13:00: Check paperwork, gently hold magic plates, and remove myself from the premises before something else goes wrong.

cheers,
Harv

 

Traded a Torino for a Falcon out of Georgia; no title of course; took six months for South Carolina to issue my title. Six months sitting doing NOTHING to the car just in case.... just accumulating parts for full V8 swap/upgrade to 5 lugs... SC will -do- their job, just slowly

 

Ah yes, the DMV, where PHD's in Red Tape are the norm!

 

Use a registration service.I tried the DMV with a Model A I purchased out of state nothing but problems. Used a registration service and it was so easy.

 

I'll ask again, what do theses registration services charge; or does it vary alot?

 

Probably depends on all that would be involved but IIRC I paid $185.00 which included the on site VIN verification, the paperwork, and the processing at the DMV. YRMV

 

Here's what I learned: Anytime you have an unusual title situation, use the DMV office that is closest to the state patrol inspection station. Because they are far more likely to have experience with your issue and know the proper procedures.

When I went to title my speedster, I visited a small DMV office in walking distance of my home. Easy, right? Got the paperwork and made an appointment for a state patrol inspection about 15 miles from home (long waiting list). Finally trailered my car to the appointment, the officer looks at my paperwork and informs me it's all wrong. Very nice guy, actually. He told me to go down the road to the nearby office where they knew what paperwork was needed. Of course I'd lost my appointment, but he told me to come back early the next day before they opened and he would deal with it. I got the papers, brought it in and he gave me a new VIN. I drove back down the road and filed it with the office. Done. I'd even had the sense to bring in my YOM plate, so we did it all in one go.

Remote offices are good for tab renewals, trip permits and simple transfers. That's about it.

 

I try to avoid the local DMV in Springvale like the plague. All the shades are drawn, it's dark, poorly lit, time comes to a grinding halt, and it smells funny. Very depressing place to be; I kind of feel sorry for the people who work there. It's even worse than going to the laundramat.

 

I just did a title transfer in WI for the 32 Ford I just bought, did it online, paid with PayPal and took all of 10 minutes. There was a paper for proof of value that I had to sign along with the signed title that are mailed off to Madison, WI. Guessing a couple weeks it'll be back here in my name. Could not have been easier and no lines to wait in.

 

I have titled two cars and three motorcycles through the CA.DMV without any private service or paperwork...less is more. It is not complicated, just do the research and a little leg work.

 

I paid a $150 for vin verification and YOM license plates.

 

Every time,,,is short A to Q.
But super bad was one time,trying to get a new hotrod tidal,did what rules said,but every time he looked,found something wrong he said,went back with new more proof as asked 9 times,each time something didn't make guy happy{ was a total ass hole} at that point. I asked for all my paper work back{ at first he said no }"pretty sure he got idea,I was about to kill him slowly in his sleep" He gave me every thing back,I went away n did it all another way.

 

Here's one I'll always remember.
I tried to transfer the title on a motorcycle I bought from a kid shipping off to Iraq. The woman behind the counter wouldn't do it...because she felt the sale price was too low. I try to explain that is what I paid for it, but she wasn't having it. She gave me some paperwork that I needed to get the kid to sign, verifying the sale price. I left and proceeded to contact the kid. Of course, I can't contact him. By sheer luck I end up contacting his Dad and he tells me the kid is in Iraq. You can only imagine the ordeal I had getting the paperwork to him. I get it back months later, go back to the DMV, hand the paperwork over, this time it's a different woman behind the counter. She looks at it and asks me what this is for. I explain the whole mess to her and she says the other woman I dealt with was a trainee and that I should never have had to do any of this. She apologizes and processes the title...

 

Sounds like DMV was given more info than was necessary. A signed pink and registration was all that's necessary. The bill of sale from the aunt screwed it up. Yes, the VIN inspection was still required. DMV doesn't have a copy of the signature of a guy that died 60 years ago.

 

Hello,

When I got my Harley Sportster, I wanted to register it asap. So, the DMV said that I needed the paperwork, which I had, then take the driving/riding test. (Those days, the local DMV actually answered phone calls with valid information) The test included a parts test. Ok, so I knew what was what on the Harley and now someone was going to tell me the rules.

As I arrived at the DMV near our old Westside of Long Beach house, the line up in the back parking lot was short. Not too many motorcycles were waiting to get the test over. Since the testing person was not going to go for a drive/ride around the block on the back of the seat, the test was in the parking lot. The first thing was that I noticed the testing person did not know much about motorcycles. He asked me to point out the kick starter. Ha! good luck on an electric start Harley.

Now, I knew he had no clue and was reading a list from his clipboard. After pointing out the front brakes, the brake lines, the brake light and grips, he was satisfied I knew my stuff. Which he did not. But, now the challenge was the riding test. The whole back parking lot was empty of cars and was fenced off. So, he said to do some figure 8’s inside of the chain link fence parking lot. That was a good one.

As I got on my bike and moved forward, at the first turn and return to cross the center section, I put my foot down as I turned sharply. He immediately stopped the test. Why? He said motorcycle riders do not put their feet down when rounding corners, or sharp turns in any maneuvers. I asked him where he got that information and he gave me a stare that almost ended the test.

Jnaki

So, now I realized he was a novice in motorcycles and was trained from reading the instructions written by another DMV person who did not know motorcycles. When going slowly out in the desert around a narrow trail with rocks on either side, our feet were down helping get through the narrow opening. If not, one mistake and down we both go, possibly down the tight sloping trail. In street motorcycles, the same thing, when moving in a tight space, the feet or foot helps guide the heavy bike through the obstacles.

But, to this guy who was reading the instructions, he said, NO, I had to keep my feet up as I was doing figure 8 maneuvers. So, I did and now the test guy was smiling. I asked at the end of the test and had the approval seal on my papers if he owned a bike. No, then I asked if he rode motorcycles… No. so, how was he qualified to be the test instructor with “bike” knowledge? From his instruction booklet on his clipboard. 5 years of motorcycle racing in the desert, rebuilding plenty of motors and motorcycles with a vast knowledge of such builds was nothing to this tester person with NO knowledge, except for the written questions on his clipboard.

At least, it was the first and last test on the motorcycle. Every year since, even after we sold the Harley to a young couple to finance a new house purchase, I had a motorcycle tag or stamp on my driver’s license. I believe a class 4 at the time, but today called an M-1. It was on every renewal license application, until I no longer rode motorcycles and had them remove it. I did not want to take the additional test as the time spent in the DMV was long enough.

Note:

As I walked out of the DMV the last time, last year, for a license renewal, I walked in at 8:00 am and went right to the reservation window. I was asked to sit down in the empty row. Then in 3 minutes, I was up at the window filling out other papers, and took an eye test. In 5 more minutes, had my photo taken and I was paying the fee. Then, I was walking out of the door by 8:30 am.

When several women in the long lines trying to get into the DMV office asked me as I walked by, “How did you go to the window and finish in 30 minutes?” When I told them I had an appointment and that was the fastest way to get in and out of the crazy action in all DMV offices. They said that appointments were not available when they wanted to come in. But, I said yes, we all make adjustments to our own schedule. YRMV

 

Yeah, motorcycle BS at CA DMV has not improved...

 

Jeez. What a hassle. Good luck getting this squared away.

In NJ, you have to be selective which DMV you go to for old junk. I've found the Flemington Branch to be the best. If you are respectful and patient, more times than not they figure it out and get you what you need.

 

Did you lace the brownies?

 

The Cleveland, TN DMV office is full of very nice people who will do everything they can to make getting a title as painless as possible. If one of them doesn't know the answer, she will find someone else who does. Usually, common sense solves the issue. An amazing place.

 

Every state's DMV has access to the title requirement for every other state. it used to be in a big manual, I assume it's all electronic now. That said, it's best to research it yourself first. The SEMASAN registration and title page is a great resource: https://www.semasan.com/resources/e...gister-and-title-your-hobby-car-all-50-states It's best to deal with it before you put any time and money into the car, too.

 

If this is too far out for the Moderators, I apologize. It's not political in any way, but it is relevant to the bureaucratic B.S. I'm reading in these posts.

My oldest son, who was 18 years old, could not weld, did not weld but got a job as a "Welding Inspector" at the powerplant where I was welding boiler tubes, simply because he could read and match the pictures in the book with the actual welds he could see. He was smart enough to never attempt to fail any of my welds on appearance. And, no, I didn't get him the job,

 

I did so much business at my local that they usually looked at me and sent me to the dealer office... side step the learner's permits and ID cards and whining toddlers

 

I only go to the DMV (known as the DPS in Texas) for things driver's license-related. For things vehicle-related, I will only go to the county tax office.
In spite of what the Constitution says, at the DMV, you are always guilty until you're proven innocent. I've found that at the county, it's the exact opposite, and the clerks there have the mindset that it's their job to fix any paperwork problems and not automatically your problem. They seem to have the attitude as though if they can't wrap up a transaction on your initial visit, they have personally failed in their duty. And they are willing to accept the fact that "Handshake" deals are a common occurrence when buying or selling a jalopy.
Perhaps other states don't have a similar "county" option as Texas. ???

 

I have never had to take a riding test to register any of the motorcycles I have had, or even have a drivers license...

 

LOL no I didn’t

 

I paid $375 but $130 went directly to DMV. My car had been sitting in a field for 20 years and was last registered in the '70s. No paperwork whatsoever. From nothing to completely legal in about 2 weeks! Best $375 I ever spent on that car!