Did you know that Va has its DMV on line?  And that you can get wait times by checking their web site at each office?

Not bad for us Rebels, eh?

Virginia is for movers... I mean, Lovers.

Virginia is for movers... I mean, Lovers.

See you soon!

The torture continues! Found out that my GOOD car, the 3-year-old Chevy Venture van, the one that is supposed to be in good condition, has a brake cylinder that needs replacing. $170 for the new cylinder. Can't get it passed without the repair. With inspection sticker: $250. For the good car.

I am really not excited to take my little Geo Metro into the shop to get it inspected. It may cost me more than the price of my car. T-minus 30 minutes and counting...

RUNNING TOTAL: $250

Okay, here is the update. My '95 Geo Metro was a wash. Inspected but completely unpassable by the State of Maryland. Here's how the actual conversation went, over the phone... (names have been changed to protect the innocent)

Me (not his real name): Hello?
Bob: Hi, this is Bob from Auto...
Me: Okay, do I want to ask?
Bob: Let me start by saying, we have a Dodge Shadow here at the garage, in pretty good condition, with 120k miles on it, for $1500. We also have a Dodge Neon with 110k miles on it, better shape and good body condition, for $3200. Now, do you still want me to tell you about your car.
Me: Oh my, is it that bad?

It's good that Bob had a sense of humor about it, but I could see that the conversation was spiraling out of financial control.

The Metro's shopping list:
Cracked windshield,
worn wiper blades (I'm thinking, okay so far...),
bent hood,
left front fender rubs against the drivers door,
driver door handle replacement,
single side view mirror hanging on by one screw,
exhaust pipe clanking (no news, I knew that...) against the fuel line (oh!),
holes worn in bottom of trunk where it had been hit from underneath (what?!), and
exhaust pipe being held away from fuel line by coat hanger (wha?!?!).

Cosmetically, he added, please remove bumper stickers from rear window (one in extreme upper left and lower right, not obscuring vision), and
drivers seat needs replacing - positioning is sprung and forced into a slight recline.

So, yeah, it's a great old car. Bob told me probably $1500-$2000 to get it up to Maryland's strict standards. Let me remind you, this car just came from Texas where it passed inspection with nary a blink of the eye.

But then, to add insult to injury, I still had to pay the inspection fee! I hoped they'd spot me the $80 as a thank you for the entertainment.

So now I have to go to the MVA tomorrow and get our van's registration and title, as well as our drivers licenses. As far as the Metro is concerned, though, its tags don't expire until February. Guess who'll be driving a deathtrap for the next four months?

RUNNING TOTAL: $336

Guess who'll be driving a deathtrap for the next four months?

Well, yeah, but you've been driving said deathtrap for much longer than that. You're only now more aware of the risks involved...

Ignorance is indeed bliss. Sometimes.

Sounds like the shop was more worried about selling you a lien sale car they were stuck with instead of taking care of yours.
Remember the state motto of MD: If we can tax it we will!

Okay, thus ends my saga.

Went to MVA (Motor Vehicle Administration) yesterday to get licenses and plates. Got lost twice, first time showed up at an emissions inspection station. Showed up at the actual MVA at 4:05, realizing that they close at 4:30. Had birth certificates, lease agreement, old licenses, and two proofs of residency (bills, etc., addressed to us at our new house). Got through licenses in ten minutes, no problem. Except $46 for myself and spouse, each, for a five year license. Wife asked why I didn't smile; I said it's because we're not done yet. Went to write a check for the licenses. Problem: the checks had our OLD address on them, not our "current address".
"Oh, we can't take that check; it doesn't have your address on it."
As if we were trying to pull the wool over their eyes or something. So by now I'm livid, but I actually anticipated this, and brought a book of newly-imprinted checks with our Maryland address on it. Music swells, I write the check, birds fly down from the rafters...

Now for the fun part: got to the title, registration, and license window. First of all, we are paying on our car, like about 99.99999% of America. The MVA should assume this, but they don't tell anyone that you need a copy of your title from the lienholder before they can issue you a new title in the new state and mail that to the lienholder! BWWWAGH! So I call my auto loan place, on hold and through the awful voice response for 15 minutes (by now it's well after 4:30, and the counters are vacating...).
They agree to fax it to me at the MVA (EXTREMELY nice of them). As I am waiting for the title to arrive, I have to fill out several more forms. They take the title (hot off the fax machine) and... ummm... compute the blue book value of my car?
They proceed to charge me Maryland state SALES TAX for my car! I already bought my car! In Texas! Last year! Paid Texas state sales tax for my TEXAN CAR!!

Remember the state motto of MD: If we can tax it we will!

So they rolled up the sales tax into the two-year registration for the van. $232 for the pleasure of getting lost on under-construction Maryland roads.

FINAL GRAND TOTAL: $660

And the Metro is still licensed in Texas. Welcome to the People's Republic of Maryland.

FINAL GRAND TOTAL: $660 And the Metro is still licensed in Texas. Welcome to the People's Republic of Maryland.

Ouch!  I think I will stay in the Free Commonwealth of Virginia!

come back to texas
the bush twins want you back
blue bell wants you back
willie nelson wants you back

we have dmv online here in calif.too,At least online everything is in English and I do not need an interpreter for 5 different languages so make my thoughts known to the many "colorful" people that insist that I learn Japanese, Vietnamese, Farsi, Spanish, Yugoslavian, Chinese and several unknown dialects to PAY for the privilege of driving in AMERICA.

everybody has to pay, baby. but seriously, you must not go out a lot if those are your feelings about living in california. maybe you'll be happier in utah or wyoming. by the way, who speaks "yugoslavian"?

by the way, who speaks "yugoslavian"?

Grgurich.