Antique plates?

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Fort Knox

Fort Knox

SILVER Star
10 Year 15 Year
Joined
May 30, 2006
Threads
74
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3,116
Location
Durham, NC
Has anybody considered getting antique plates for their older Cruiser? The reason I'm considering it now is because I got my property tax bill for Durham County and they've changed the assessed value on my Cruiser this year. Last year it was assessed at $560, so that's all I had to pay taxes on. This year, it was assessed at $9,000. It seems Durham County is re-valuing older vehicles based on the premise that if it's that old, and you're still driving it, it must be a classic, and therefore worth more money.

I was told by someone in the tax department at Durham County that I can appeal the value by taking pics and spelling out why it shouldn't be valued that high, or I can register it as an "antique" and then, by statute, it can't be valued at more than $500, which seems odd to me, but she sent me the documentation. Only problem is, in order for it to be considered an "antique automobile" for tax purposes, it must satisfy all of these conditions:

1. It has to be registered with the DMV and have an historic vehicle special license plate.

2. It is maintained primarily for use in exhibitions, club activities, parades, and other public interest functions.

3. It is used only occasionally for other purposes.

4. It is owned by an indivitual.

5. It is used by the owner for a purpose other than the production of income and is not used in connection with a business.


Now, my Cruiser is not my daily driver, so I could certainly argue that it is used only "occasionally" for purposes other than those in #2 above. Of course, "occasionally" seems open for interpretation, and difficult/impractical to enforce. On the one hand, I think it'd be kinda cool to have antique plates, but I don't really like the thought of anybody limiting my use of my Cruiser for any purpose I wanna use it for, even if it's unlikely that it would be enforced strictly.

What are your thoughts?
 
My 45 has those plates. It never gets driven that much a year so it is fine for me. It also has to have special insurance on it. Mine is thru Parish Heathcock.
 
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That is a bunch of crap! It is just your county's way of pulling more money out of your pocket. Personally, I would fight it just on the basis that it is BS. They are doing it because they think that they can get away with it, if you go along, they are getting away with it. If you do not fight, you get what you get.

Many years ago when I lived in PA my township decided to pave the streets in the developement I lived in. They decided to replace any curb that needed it at the same time and decided to charge the homeowner for the curb replaced! Well according to my deed my property ended at the begining of the sidewalk. I did not own the sidewalk, the 3' of grass strip and the curb.

Long story short, I went to the township meeting and stood up in front of hundreds of people and fought back, refusing to pay for something that was not mine just because they wanted to suck money out of my pocket. They put a lean on my property. I went to the tonwship and informed them that my attorney would be in touch and that when it was all said and done they'd all be living in Stanleyville. I explained that by leaning my property they were hampering how I do business and that they knew that they were charging me for something they really had no right to. I won, they lifted the lean, removed all charges for curb on my property and sent me a written appology. The rest of the sheep, all but a few others, they paid.

Stand up for your rights, you just own an old truck, period.
 
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bravo.... stanleyville sounds like my kind of place ! :D

I tried with mine, not for tax purposes but cause the cool black and yellow 77 tag I sought out.
Turns out there is a mileage cap as well to those requirements above. Not sure if its a guilford county thing or not. But yes, between having to have it insured as a specialty antique (more$$) and a 3k miles a year cap, it didnt work out for me.

Looking at that new and revised list #5 would count me out too

I dont see why yours in your situation would not satisfy those requirments in every way. Besides I dont see an antique vehicle fraud task force out much these days. Who is to police this new BS that they have brewed up? So as long as you are always on parade and dont put any business decals on her I say you are beyond golden.

However If you werent interested in the plates I would definatley send documentation requesting revaluation of the vehicle. Send them 10 adds of stockish unrestored 77 40s under 3k and a crapload of rusty photos. ( i have some if you need :D)

nothing like the man pinching your pennies when he found he spent too much of his own money
 
Yeah, it does piss me off a bit. I'd like to have the sweet '77 plates, but I'd rather not pay specialty "antique" insurance. I don't put near 3k miles a year on the 40, so that part wouldn't be a problem, and like you said, it's not like Durham police are out chasing down people with antique plates that *gasp* drove it to work TWICE this week anyway.

So, the only real sticking point for me is the requirement to buy antique insurance instead of regular. Plus, if I go that route and something happens to it on my way to work, would the insurance company give me any crap about paying for it?

I think I'm gonna just see if I can get the value down a bit.
 
I considered the Antique Auto plates, as I think they're lifetime, but didn't know about the insurance. I didn't really care for the design of the antique plate. I haven't noticed an increase in Wake County's taxes on my '74 but I do like looking at my registration stating in bold red lettering, "No Inspection Needed".

I have found 3 consecutively numbered 1974 NC license plates, but they're green and white, not the yellow and black that everyone's interested in. But then again, one of my cruisers is... green and white...:D
 
Check with State Farm... I am going to do the Antique plates on the Jeep, and get it insured as such, and my insurance will only be half of what I'm paying now...Plus I will have full coverage. I asked the agent if it would be covered if I bashed it on a rock?? He assured me it would.
I just have to get it cleaned up a bit so he can take pictures.
It could be a difference in NC and SC, but it shouldn't be that much.
 
Well, they agreed to my reduction in value to about what I paid for the Cruiser 10 years ago, so I'll probably go that route, but may not rule out getting the antique plates one day.

Thanks for the input fellas!
 
Just got my first renewal notice for Dozer with "NC Inspection Not Required" in big red letters!!!

:D :D :beer: :D :D

Ramon
 
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