[evilbologna]

I got a pleasant letter from the town, threatening with a "massive" fine if I dont remove my vehicle from the property due to having no license plates.

For real? This is my first year in this town, never been an issue anywhere else. I dont live in an upscale neighborhood. My car isn't a rust bucket. Suppose its just a regular law eh?

The DMV will fine me if I dont surrender my license plates when I cancel my insurance. Its my winter car, only sees use for 3-4 months of the year. I refuse to insure it for rest of the year. Go figure...everyone wants money. I dont exactly understand hte issue, its not an eyesore and its in my driveway. Sure ignorance of the law is no excuse yada yada blah blah

 

[Iakayak81]

car cover, or see if you can get a 'variance' from the city

 

[bighammer]

Take the neighbor's plate. ;D

 

[dubtecv2]

So the DMV requires you to surrender your license plate when you cancel your insurance. The town you live in is threatening to fine you because you follow the state's law? I'd take it to court.

 

[evilbologna]

Take the neighbor's plate. ;D

Theres 6 cars in my driveway. 2 of them arent driven (my room mates project cars) and they all have plates on them. I could just take one of the front plates off one...

Its a beater car. I was planning on selling it this summer. Fix it up a bit and get some money for it. But now, I have the town demanding I move it within a few days. Ludicrous. I hate living in town.

 

[RandyO]

I have heard of such zoning laws, in my town, we are limited to no more than 2 unregistered vehicles, but I have found that it they run and drive, as long as out move them around parking them in different order and they don't sit there looking like a broken bone, then your all set

variance can be tough, you are requesting permission to break the law, even if what your doing is not objectionable

you should find your towns ordinances online if possible, if not, go to city hall and buy a copy, maybe even talk with the code enforecement or whoever sent you the letter

 

[evilbologna]

I intend to get rid of my the vehicle actually, just wasn't planning on doing it so soon. Has anyone donated a vehicle? It might jsut be more worth it to do that. Anyone familiar with this place or other car donations?

http://www.donate-car-for-charity.com/

I was planning on asking only $300 for my car. Its uninspected and needs tires, 1996 ford escort. So donating it for a tax write off might not be so bad.

 

[dubtecv2]

Try the Salvation Army. I've had good experiences with donating vehicles. They'll auction it and use their earnings to help feed the homeless/needy, pay for rehab for drug and alcohol addicts, and other important do-goods.

 

[frick]

I've donated a car to charity. It was really easy, they had a tow truck just come and pick up the car and gave me a form (make sure you get that), then later sent me info for my tax write-off. I picked a charity that would fix up cars and give them to needy people if the car was good for the purpose (otherwise it went to auction).

Depending on the state, you may be able to get full blue book value for a tax write-off. In CA a few years ago they changed how this works. You can only get the write-off value for how much they were able to get for your car if it was auctioned.

If you donate to a charity where they actually fix the car up and give it to someone needy, then you are able to write off full blue book value as opposed to the value (usually lower) they got for an auction.

 

[Coop]

They do the same thing here in PA. If you're car is not registered or inspected you can get hassled about it. Most areas are very lenient (like here in the country where I live). But in town I have known many people who have gotten letters. It's best to keep it under a cover.

 

[NeverEndingNinja]

Well, perhaps you should comply, just to avoid too much trouble, but at least point out that the DMV requires you surrender the plates when its uninsured. Maybe I'm wrong, but I thought it was your right to own a vehicle, insured or otherwise.


I will never live in NY.

 

[Regular_Joe]

I just got a new truck over in PA. I bet you could take that temp paper plate they issue over there and slap it on the car. Then it would look like a legit car from PA. Unless they did some serious checking they would never know the difference. It does have a date on it of 01/28/09 written with a marker, but that 01 could be changed to 04 in seconds. I am leaving for the weekend, so I am throwing it in the recycle bin by the garage door. If you want it feel free to come and get it.

 

[Whatever Dude]

+1 on the ease of donating to charity. I donated an old beater to the heart association back in the day. The tax deduction was worth more than my time for getting a couple extra hundred by selling it. They don't take any old junker though. They'll ask you some questions on the phone about its condition. Many organizations have a limit such as it can't be older than 10 years old or something like that.

 

[evilbologna]

Well I called to donate it. Be a few business days until towing company picks it up. Hopefully the town doesnt get its panties in a bunch by then. My reasons for leaving NY only increase...

 

[RandyO]

Well, perhaps you should comply, just to avoid too much trouble, but at least point out that the DMV requires you surrender the plates when its uninsured. Maybe I'm wrong, but I thought it was your right to own a vehicle, insured or otherwise.


I will never live in NY.

you do have the right to own a vehicle, just can't park an unregistered one outside, keep it parked in a garage or warehouse and your all set

 

[evilbologna]

you do have the right to own a vehicle, just can't park an unregistered one outside, keep it parked in a garage or warehouse and your all set

It is registered though. I think it is. I canceled my insurance like I do every summer for the past 7 years. Turned in my plates. Does that unregister my vehicle?

First year living "downtown" and I'm finding out all these lovely things. i.e. fire regulations...I belong in the countryside.

 

[DougZ]

We have some of the same type laws in NJ. Just throw some plates on it and it should be no issue. I had a truck, not on the road, for two years, but left the plates on it. Never had an issues.

 

[Zach]

We have some of the same type laws in NJ. Just throw some plates on it and it should be no issue. I had a truck, not on the road, for two years, but left the plates on it. Never had an issues.

Too late, I think.

Someone has noticed and probably complained. If someone in the town wants it gone, they will probably run the plated to verify.

I would imagine that turning in your plates does in fact unregister your car. In ohio it's the same thing, if it has plates, it has to have insurance.

 

[nevenelestate]

you could get insurance for a non-operated vehicle, i had that for my car the year i was in Korea and it was like $20 for the year, that way you keep the plates b/c it is insured, it also is better for your insurance record to have the car consistantly insured otherwise they're gonna think you're just removing it from you policy cause you don't want to pay for it. I prob wouldn't put your room mates plates on it, if they have already warned of fines then they'll prob check on it and if the cops run the plate and it comes up as the plate for the car next to it you're gonna have much bigger problems.

I bought my truck from a charity organization and they were great, actually that's how my room mate got his Lexus

**just noticed i reiterated the part about plate verification, sorry Zach

 

[evilbologna]

Yeah I was kidding about swapping plates. I know they will likely run it. Already called the donation place, just a matter of waiting for it to be picked up.