A funny thing happened to me on the way to the DMV

Well, not exactly on the way to but more like on the way out.
When I arrived to register Olivia, I came with a 2007 title in my hands.
When I left the DMV, it was with a copy of a title application for a 2005 vehicle!
The lady behind the counter told me that my VIN number was for a 2005 vehicle and would not accept the fact that my original, dealer supplied title showed 2007.
Now, it is correct that it is a 2005 shell but it was not completed and titled until 2007.
Do I have any ground to stand on fighting the DMV on this?
Does it matter?
I am afraid the value of our coach has just been knocked down a couple of notches because of this.
Cheers,
Ronald

I know that each state can treat it as you found out,I think that Teschner should have never issued a MSO later than 2006 with a 2005 shell.I think the only way to make it a 2007 is to title it in another state like Montana,I know that they don't care.This discussion of shell verses coach year has been discussed many times here and the converter has a lot of latitude,I know of a 2003 Vantari that was sold as a 2007.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ronald Hiemann

Well, not exactly on the way to but more like on the way out....
Do I have any ground to stand on fighting the DMV on this?
Does it matter?
I am afraid the value of our coach has just been knocked down a couple of notches because of this.
Cheers,
Ronald

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Taking on the DMV is a no-win proposition. They hold all the power and have unlimited time and money on their side of the equation.

If it is that important to you, follow Jack's advice and title the bus in a more "forgiving" state. However, if you title it as a 2005 in your home state, it may be much more difficult to register it as a 2007 elsewhere.

Good luck...

Get back to the DWV and cancel the registration you just did as there is a mistake. Tell the DMV you're going after legal counsel to rectify this issue.

Request a dup MSO from Teschner and rerun the title in a friendly state as Jack says. There is no way your taking the hit on this probably a 6 figure foo-pa.

Take (BoatersAl) and (jack14r) advice and talk to somebody in main office of the DMV .

Alek

Ronald,

You could have the same problem in Montana. I registered my first Prevost, a 97 Marathon, in Montana and they refused to accept the title as a 97 and insisted it was a 1996. Even with Marathons help, I couldn't make any progress. The only thing they would would accept was a vehicle inspection by law enforcement and I was able to do that, confirming it was titled a 97 through the DMV. Montana then accepted the inspection. I canceled the Montana registration a short time later when I learned that many states were buying the Montana registration date base and coming after people domiciled in their home state.

So, unless your state will accept a vehicle inspection confirming the VIN number matches your original paperwork, you may have just taken a two model year hit.

Ronald,
I do not think you have taken a hit like you might think. By definition, the business of conversions consists of models from one year being used in subsequent years. If the facts could be ascertained, I believe there are many coaches on the road that have a two year differential. The value of the coqach does not come from the state DMV but from the year of title from the converter. I admit that you should have been made aware of the differential when you purchased the coach. The realization of whether or not a "hit" exists will be determined whenever you sell the coach and there are many factors in your favor to assist your value....the date of construction and first dates of delivery. In my situation, I have a September of '98 model shell and a late December of '98 year of title when it was delivered(sort of the reverse of your situation). My shell was used for '99 year deliveries. Normally, If I would have a '98 year of title, it could have been a '97 year of construction. I can think of one twin slide coach of our group right now that is a two year differential and no one has ever thought anything of it in all of the conversations we have had about the coach. You have a great coach.
Pres

With all due respect to the Pres., none of that matters when it comes time to sell. He will be selling an 05 instead of an 07 and the buyer won't care about any explanation when it all comes down to money. Maybe Ken or Steve will jump in here from a coach sales perspective, but a 2 year shift in title year would have me spending less. Of course if I had the Pres's money, it would be a non issue!:p

Morning Ronald - I have a couple of terminology questions - You said you had a 2007 "title" - Has the coach been previously titled in another state, or are you referring to the MSO, manufacturers statement of origin, issued by Teschner? Second, have you already completed the "title application" while at the DMV ? If it has been "titled" in Florida, as a 2005, I'm not sure if there is any way to have it reversed, but I am going to be at our local DMV office tomorrow to pick up some completed title work, and I will ask for help ( beg for mercy ). I'm afraid I have to side with Truk, rather than Pres, on the value issue. I have a 1996 Marathon that was supposed to be titled as a 1998, according to the Marathon MSO, but was originally titled from the Prevost MSO. NOBODY is buying my explanation, and offering me '98 prices for it!

Give me a call, or stop by,

Ken

This issue with the year of the coach is going to be around as long as a new shell of a certain year (according to the Prevost VIN) is completed and titled in a subsequent year by the converter.

I remember a screaming match between a buyer and the seller of a coach when the new owner found his DMV was going by the Prevost model year and not the converter model year. It got ugly and there were words like "sue", "lawyer", "damages", etc. being thrown around. Ken is on the front lines and knows some buyers are cognizant of how some coaches are registered as a model year that might be two or more years different than the chassis model year. Others are not and when they find out after the fact that their 2006 pride and joy is recognized by Prevost as a 2002 they go crazy.

We have joked and played with people's heads about the cost to join POG and the reality is the $100 is one of the best investments a potential buyer can possibly make. I am not suggesting a coach registered as a 2006 on a 2002 or 3 chassis is worth less, but I am suggesting potential buyers are better equipped to make good informed decisions if they join POG and tap into the collected knowledge before they buy a coach and then find out the hard way they don't even know what they don't know.

Here is my free advice to Ronald.......You can let this gnaw at you and rob you of the joy of owning such a fine coach or you can accept the fact your converter took some time to create the motorhome you have. The only time the length of time in service, the chassis model year, and the year on the title or registration counts is if you intend to flip the coach and buy another. At that point you have to accept the fact knowing buyers are going to be more interested in the coach's value to them than an arbitrary birth date. The people who are never satisfied unless they beat the seller into submission on the price will use any excuse, including the model year, so if it is not the age of the coach that gets them to offer low ball prices it will be the fact there is some obscure defect thaey can use to try to "steal" the coach.

Don't let this bother you. It is what it is and unless you now don't see the value in what you paid you still have a coach you can enjoy immensely.