CA DMV is b**tf*ck*ng me

The big day> time to register the IM Roadster.

First thing I got it added on to my insurance. No problem

Next it's on to the DMV.

Just a short history of the car and what happened today at the DMV>

I Bought the car from a Jersey guy who bought it from a CA girl. So the car WAS at one time registered in California. I'm the 3rd owner so CA was its first home. There is some sticker on the door jam saying it was inspected in CA.

I also had a statement from the New Jersey DMV saying the car had a 60' 1.6 engine for smog guidelines.

The rub> IM title says it's a '91 with no mention of the motor. The car was originally sold as a roller OR 'coach' ie no engine/transaxle. The lovely DMV girls didn't care about all that. They said it had to pass '91 smog. NO WAY that can happen with the dual port. NO cat pretty much meants it won't get close.

So after 2 hours in line and an hour of disfunctional bantering with no end in sight I finally told them I would smog the damn thing.

Total 3 hours in there I did walk out with updated paperwork. I have 1 month to come up with a smog certificate OR a Smog Referee's approval of the motor. Then I will get my plates and tags..whew.

I just bought this car and I want to sell it already haha. Anyone want to buy a nice IM Roadster? I'll toss in a complete CHICO Drivetrain and a bottle of Jack' for your trip to the DMV

Patience, Barne. Breathe ... We have ways of dealing with these hiccups.
Roughly a billion happy Speedster owners live in California.

Twice that many dead Bugs are properly titled and lying around outside of California junkyards ... Not that THAT route has ever been tried as a last resort.

SB100....

angela

Angela has it right SB100, some may still be available for this year Here is the link.

http://dmv.ca.gov/vr/spcns.htm

If it has a new crate motor that may also be an issue. There is a ton of good info on SB100 on californiacaterhamclub.com and usa7s.com. I'd be surprised if there are any numbers left but in a down economy who knows. They used to get used up in hours on the first business day of the new year.

yeah I'll give that a shot. in the meantime it's got nice leather, alpine stereo, new cocos', new shocks, new tires, MINT body etc... and once I sell it I'm giving all the money to steve for an SAS

Dude, it took me about three months to get mine registered. Fortunately, I was able to drive on temporary tags. Others have waited months to drive at all. You have a great car. This too shall pass. If you order an SAS, you won't be driving for a lot longer.

CA DMV has been pretty consistent with its registration policies and has offered SB100. So let me repeat what has been said above - SB100. Is there some reason that this will not work on your car?

barne.
Sorry to see that you are having so much trouble with the DMV.

While you were at the DMV did they ask for the VIN or did you give them the VIN? If not, there may be some hope for you getting it quickly registered as a VW.

In Calif., cars that have not been registered in the state for more than 5 years usually drop off the DMV records. If your VIN is not in the system and you didn't give them the VIN when you went in (which would put it back in the system) you might be in luck.

Even if it is still in their system you may be able to do a lien sale on it. In that case, you would have to pay the back registration, but the process is pretty simple.

I can give you the contact information for someone who can look into it for you and she only charges a VERY modest fee and can do it all for you. In Fresno, she is know as the "queen of the DMV."

So you do have some options. Check to see if there are still SB100s available. Check to see if the VIN is still in the system.

Last resort, go back and carefully read between the lines on Cory's post.

Call the Bureau of Automotive Repair in Sacramento which administers the SB100.
The woman I spoke with was extremely helpful. The local BAR inspectors for the SB100
were also very helpful. When I returned to the DMV with all paperwork in hand they still
balked (due to lack of experience and knowledge) so I gave them the number of the
lady from the BAR in Sacramento to explain it to them. Your local DMV in the Tahoe area
will probably also had little or no experience with the SB100 process.
Make it to a sunny Pismo this year with the SOC!

yup calling the Bureau first thing. AND yes the DMV could not find records of the car ever being in Cali. They looked vert confused. First they wanted to send me over the CHP..but I'd have to make an appointment..haha...then I somehow talked them out of that..

We'll def be doin the SB100 deal. Teh big problem is the long wait at the DMV..just to tell them to call the BAR..It might be awhile till I get time off at work to do that..so the car will sit

Is the VW VIN on any of the paperwork they gave you? If not, you have a good chance of getting it registered as a VW for around $150, which includes the "queen of the DMVs" $60 fee. No DMV inspection and she doesn't need to see the car either.
If SB100s are not available, you won't be able to get one until next January. Also, if you intend to sell the car, having it registered with an SB100 title is not a good selling point, because other states don't know how to deal with it and the buyer will run into the same problem you are currently having.
VW title is the best way to go.

There are a ton of shady smog places all over Los Angeles. This is like, not even a thing. Just walk up and look them in the eye and tell them the car HAS to pass smog. It shouldn't cost you more than an extra hundred bucks or so.

Ah, Colin cut right to the chase and 'uncomplicated' a problem with clear simplicity...much as Alexander 'untied' the Gordian Knot!

MY SB100 car was not a pre '73 VW pan car and a water pumper to boot. It would never pass smog for technical reasons but that isn't the point. Once passed by the BAR it will never have to to pass a smog test. According to the BAR inspector at the time if I received notice during yearly registration billing just take it back to them for a signature. However, they thought it would only be a result of a clerical error if I ever had a notice to have a smog test.

yeah it's time to find that greasy Russian Smog tech on the south side

This car is a tube frame IM, so it is not a VW VIN. pan to register as a pre-smog VW. SB100 registration in Californis is not that hard to accomplish. It laso adds value to the car when the process is completed as then the car is smog=reg free forever and easily sold in California with title transfer made simple. Dave Obrien got his car SB 100 registered a few years ago. He drove around on temp stickers while awaiting completion of the process. He knows the whole drill on this issue. I will contact Dave and see if he will give you the scoop. Playing cute with registration and smog tests can get real ugly on you real fast. Do it once, do it right.....

Yes please I'll do anything to get er' done. i've got a temp sticker for a month..Any one got a # handy to call in Cali?

http://www.bar.ca.gov/70_SiteWideInfo/indexContactUs.html

thanks I'm all over this tommorow

Ediot Klowns...that's the CA DMV. It turns out the first mouth breather errr' I mean DMV lady read my VIN wrong and when she ran it there was no records of my car ever being in CA...

and the whole time having a CA SB100 sticker on the doorjam WITH THE PROPER VIN!!!!!. Somehow she didn't think that sticker/VIN was legit. Hell I didn't argue 'cause I'd never dealt with SB100 before..doh. She had insisted I had to 'redo' my SB100 with a Smof Ref'appointment..SHE WAS SO SURE OF HERSELF! Sent me packin'..

Well the Smog Ref (on the phone..didn't have to drive or anything) figured that she'd messed up the VIN (1 instead of an I) and pulled up the records in seconds. Car was last in CA in 2010 with full lifetime SB100 status!!!!!!! Hell yeah!..

I jumped in the bugger and raced to the DMV. 15 miles down the freeway just hiballin' it...took like 10 minutes to get there.....

.. BIG LINE but not too many green carders'...No problem waited it out and within 90 minutes most of the people there bailed...always happens folks have to go back to work or whatever.

Once my # was called it took all of 5 minutes (and a smarter girl) to finish the paperwork!! Unbelievable! (can you tell I was emotional?)

Of course I'm overjoyed. Got my plates/tags/insurance. My IM is officially on the road.

As far as the DMV/State of CA goes I figure they owe me about 4 hours of my life back for being incompetent. 3 the first day and at least 1 the second visit. Time is money but the older you get it's more like time is just that...time.

Congrats, man. Must feel good to have it all legal.

oh yeah. ripped off the red temp sticker right away. fresh plates..nice

Woooooooo Hoooooooo!! On the road...

Oh the CA DMV owes you some time back do they? Get in line. Or better yet, don't waste your time and drive your IM instead.

Congratulations. You picked a great time to buy one of these in CA. It's just getting perfect.

Yeah, DMV folks can sure be aggravatin'. Here in SC, one lady wanted me to fill out a form to apply for a new VIN. It had questions on it like "How long is your mobile home." Yeesh!

Soooo, how long IS your mobile home?!

Maybe she meant something else entirely ;-)

I'll never tell...

But the point is, you ended up getting it registered!

yup that place is evil. makes you feel angry and want to go out and buy shells for that 12 gauge over the mantle..

ok I'm better today. I ended up not hurting any of the dmv ladies. ..took the high road. Sometimes sh*t happens for a reason. Never fails you gotta jump through hoops to get the prizes

I'm excited for the future though. the car's going to be awesome once dialed...I predict boss and bitchin fun this summer cruising the shores of Tahoe.

too bad it's raining here in the Sierras. No matter... I'm not driving it anyway for awhile. It's goin on blocks for a complete brake and suspension refresh

To be followed shortly after with the new motor/t'axle