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OT: Registration fees for vintage (near vintage?) cars Posted by MI-Roger [Email] ![]() ![]() |
Well, it is that time of the year again where I need to write a check to the State of Michigan for three postage stamp sized vinyl stickers to affix to the license plates of our Saabs. My wife, bless her soul, stood in line for over 90 minutes at the Secretary of State Office last August when we registered our Viggen for the first time so I was blissfully ignorant of the apparent registration fee aberration for our cars.
The 2008 9-5 Aero costs more to register than the 2006 9-3SC. Ok, it is newer and cost more new so this makes sense - even though we bought the 9-5 used for substantially less than the new car transaction price on the 9-3 and the State knows both these costs.
The real eye opener is the fee for the Viggen. Its registration fee is 70% GREATER than the 9-3! The car is twice as old, was purchased used for less than 25% the cost of the 9-3 new, and is only driven for pleasure use during 6 months of the year. Sure its price new was a staggering $46K back in 2000, but the Sales Tax papers filed with the State will show it sold for only $6800 last year.
I checked for pricing of antique/vintage vehicle plates but vehicles so registered cannot be driven on public roads in Michigan except during the month of August. Say what? Why pay for a vintage license plate if the mere presence of such a plate means the car can't be driven on the roads? If you can't drive it on the roads, why buy a plate?
Just my rant of the day. Do other states have such irrational pricing of vehicle registration fees? I do know that some states had fees that exceeded $1,000 per vehicle 25 years ago so I shouldn't be complaining too much about the ~$170 that Michigan wants for the Viggen - except that tying the plate fee to the vehicle's price when new loses logic as the vehicles get old.
->Posting last edited on Sun, 11 May 2014 16:12:56.
_______________________________________ Saabs owned: 2008 9-5 Aero Sedan, sold at 227K miles 2006 9-3SC 2.0T - Wife's daily driver 2000 Viggen Convertible - Sold May, 2022 1964 Quantum IV Formula Car - Retirement project 2000 9-5lpt Sedan, sold at 318K miles
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