Vehicle Registration Fees

[Wingnut]

Man ... I just got my renewals for all the vehicles (except the bike) for this year and wigged out. I don't know if I just didn't pay attention in previous years or what ... but man-o-man.
Do any of y'all have utterly ridiculous registration fees like they do here in Michigan? Where's the Michigan Militia when you need them?
I just checked the SOS website and found an article explaining how they calculate it. If the vehicle is newer than 1984, they charge you a fee based on the original MSRP. So my mini-motorhome, which I paid $5k for, is being charged as if it were a $40k vehicle. $132 for something that sits in the drive for 99.99% of the year.
The minivan - which I bought new and cost 5 times as much as the motorhome - costs me $40/yr less! And the pickup, which is pre-1984, costs me 1/4 of what the minivan costs. And which vehicle puts more stress on the road? Hmm ... the cheapest vehicle ... which drags trailers and heavy loads around.
I'm really curious if they have any rationale besides gouging as much money from the residents as it's possible to do.
/w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif

 

[Mosey]

"gouging as much money from the residents as it's possible"

I'd say that about covers it!

 

[cowboydoc]

It certainly is insane wingnut. In Iowa for my new 2002 F-350 it was going to be $890 just for a one year registration. Since I have my ranch in Idaho I just run everything through there anyway. In Idaho it's only $30 for two years!!!

 

[Jeff396]

Is this something new in Michigan? When I left in '92 I don't recall paying these high registration fees that were so common elsewhere. Of course with the punitive property taxes we had then, they didn't need it.

Since leaving Mi I have payed high vehicle registration fees in NC, AZ and SC. Last fall in SC I paid about $1000 to register my '01 Chrysler LHS and my '95 F350 2wd crew cab longbed powerstroke and my three older vehicles. The only thing that kept my sanity was that the '65 Vette, '64 T-bird and the '66 Triumph motorcycle cost me next to nothing due to their age. In addition. to add insult to injury, they ask you to estimate what you will be hauling for I think the F250 and above so they can zing you even more for that vehicle. I don't remember how much that added though as I told them about 8000 lbs. Gonna have to go change that as I still don't even have the trailer yet.

You gotta wonder why the auto manufacturers and dealers don't put a bunch of pressure on to get rid of this tax. Every now and again when I get the urge to sell the old Vette and buy a new one I am stopped dead in my tracks when I think of the registration fee I would have to pay on that baby! There's just something wrong with paying uncle sam more money just because you want to ride in a nice car./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Jeff

 

[Muhammad]

In NY registration is about $35/year regardless of the value of the car...

In AZ it's based on a depreciated MSRP... they take 16.5% off each year. A new $30k car would cost about $550/year to register. Five years later, that same car might sell for $9,000 but still cost $200/year to register, based on a value of $12,177. Depends on the car, of course. Take a Porsche that costs $80,000 new and 3 years later, is still worth $65,000... that would have a depreciated value for registration of $46,575... but how many of us have that problem? /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

For comparison... in NY, transportation costs are higher.. gas costs more, the roads destroy tires, wheels and suspensions routinely, and don't forget tolls. Outside of that, taxes are higher, health care is more, and most all costs of living are higher... for me, I think it will even out.

Compare Iowa and Idaho as Richard did, and that's another story. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[budman72]

Jeff, let me know when you're ready to get rid of the Vette in favor of a new one /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Figure this one out - I bought a 67 MGB a couple of years ago, KY wanted me to pay sales tax on book value of $7000 /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif I don't know where they got that number, but I would sell that baby today if I could get anything near that amount! As it was, the buyer and seller have to sign a notorized form stating the actual sales price and pay tax on that amount. But now that its time to renew the registration, they value the car for property taxes at $800 /w3tcompact/icons/hmm.gif. Cost me less than $20 for tax and registration.

Go figure

 

[MikePA]

In PA, they charge a fixed annual fee and not a percentage of the value of the vehicle. A car is about $50 a regular pickup is about $80. We also have annual inspections which run about $20, some car dealers even throw in free inspections for as long as you own the car. The $20 does not include any repairs the vehicle needs.

 

[Inspector507]

Mike,
Here in Ohio, our registration fees are about the same as yours. As long as my F250 Super Duty is listed as Non-Commercial, it costs me $75-80, and the SUV is about $45. We have no mandatory inspections except for the lucky counties that have an EPA E-check.
Depends on the county taxes though.

 

[cmsedore]

The registration fees aren't too bad for cars, but they get you more for pickups. The higher the max GVW, the more they cost. Still cheap compared to what others have mentioned.

-Chris

 

[Jeff396]

The car really needs to be sold but I just can't seem to pull the trigger. It's kinda hard to get much enjoyment out of a two seater with a family of four. My wife has only ridden in it about 4 or 5 times in the 4+ years we've owned it. I think it's value is somewhere around 53k. It's a '65 roadster with the 396 big block, 4spd Muncie close ratio trans, 3.70 posi, electronic ignition, power brakes, am/fm w power antenna, teak wheel, tinted glass, black exterior w/ saddle leather interior, factory side pipes, reproduction knock off wheels and a soft top as well as a factory hard top(coffee table). Tha black paint job is the best I've seen though it does have a few nicks here and there from use. The picture is from an article that was done on it in Vette magazine. If I get a check, it would most likely be gone/w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif

Jeff