Thoughts on registering a car as an antique?

"JayZAyEighty thinks C4+3=C7" (jayzayeighty)
07/13/2014 at 00:22 • Filed to: None

I picked up paperwork to register my car as an antique at the DMV on Friday, but the limitations are a bit imposing: if you break the parameters of an antique car (found +250 mi. from residence, used daily), you get fined a decent chunk of cash and have your car kept off the road for 5 years. That's nuts, but insurance savings and not having the need to do emissions testing is a big plus. I'm not completely sure how the C4 will be used, but do any of you guys have experience in such matters?

DISCUSSION (30)

blacktruck18 > JayZAyEighty thinks C4+3=C7
07/13/2014 at 00:25

C4's are meant to be daily driven. Register it normally and drive that shit.

Alex from Toronto > JayZAyEighty thinks C4+3=C7
07/13/2014 at 00:26

I would just register it normally its not worth the risk. Best being safe than sorry

JayZAyEighty thinks C4+3=C7 > blacktruck18
07/13/2014 at 00:29

You're right. I've ordered $500 in parts to make it run better, and it has 133k on the clock anyways... it should pass inspection with a good going over, and I don't have to worry about racking up too many miles.

nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul > JayZAyEighty thinks C4+3=C7
07/13/2014 at 00:29

Register it as a recreational vehicle. I have full coverage on my car (drive a work truck during the week) and pay like $40 a month with Allstate. I think my only restriction is like 4k miles a year or something

IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK > JayZAyEighty thinks C4+3=C7
07/13/2014 at 00:29

I've heard many people who claim to have registered cars as antiques and then drive them around but in my mind it isn't worth the risk. A car doesn't need to be registered as an antique to get classic car insurance though, which is typically way cheaper than regular insurance. Check out Hagarty or some of the other big ones, you can probably save some cash.

stuttgartobsessed > JayZAyEighty thinks C4+3=C7
07/13/2014 at 00:29

Why can't it be more than 250mi from your house?!? that makes no sense. What if you got invited to Pebble Beach or Amelia Island or Villa D'Este? You'd be fined for transporting you car across the country? Bullshit.

JayZAyEighty thinks C4+3=C7 > Alex from Toronto
07/13/2014 at 00:29

Probably the best option. I don't have to stop myself every time I want to take a road trip or get to some good driving roads.

aberson Bresident of the FullyAssed Committe > JayZAyEighty thinks C4+3=C7
07/13/2014 at 00:31

i'm getting antique tags put on my spider for 3 reasons

1. only have to pay 1 $50 fee when you buy the tags

2. exempt from yearly inspection

3. cops around here don't give a shit about the tags (i see antiques getting DD'd and used as work vehicles all the time)

really all that matters is how your local police deal with it because i know of some areas where the cops will hound antique cars looking for anything that might be wrong

JayZAyEighty thinks C4+3=C7 > IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK
07/13/2014 at 00:31

Good point; that's probably the route I'll take, since the car is only worth something to me if I can really drive it when I want to!

JayZAyEighty thinks C4+3=C7 > nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul
07/13/2014 at 00:32

Thanks for the advice. I'll definitely consider this as an option.

JayZAyEighty thinks C4+3=C7 > stuttgartobsessed
07/13/2014 at 00:33

They secretly know I have a C4 Corvette and feel that I would ruin those events. But that's very true!

Vince-The Roadside Mechanic > JayZAyEighty thinks C4+3=C7
07/13/2014 at 00:34

Do it.

JayZAyEighty thinks C4+3=C7 > aberson Bresident of the FullyAssed Committe
07/13/2014 at 00:36

Good point. I'd say that 90% of cops in the area are pretty big douches, so that'll be something to take into consideration, but the savings and convenience are definitely nice! I have no doubt that the engine is able to put plenty of carbon in the air when it is so inclined.

DancesWithRotors - Driving Insightfully > JayZAyEighty thinks C4+3=C7
07/13/2014 at 00:36

My Fiat has antique plates (in Tennessee) and I dailied it, without problem.

IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK > JayZAyEighty thinks C4+3=C7
07/13/2014 at 00:37

Also what year is the C4? In most states aren't 25+ year old vehicles exempt from emissions?

JayZAyEighty thinks C4+3=C7 > DancesWithRotors - Driving Insightfully
07/13/2014 at 00:38

Awesome, that makes me feel slightly more confident in them! There's really no way to gauge if a car is DD'd, and I doubt many a cop will pull you over to calculate how far from home you are. Still, there's always that dickhead with a badge who just wants to screw with your day (/5 yrs).

JayZAyEighty thinks C4+3=C7 > Vince-The Roadside Mechanic
07/13/2014 at 00:40

I'm going to camp out at the DMV. Hesitation is for spineless idiots!

JayZAyEighty thinks C4+3=C7 > IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK
07/13/2014 at 00:41

Ah, I thought that only applied if they were registered specifically as such. It's an '85.

IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK > JayZAyEighty thinks C4+3=C7
07/13/2014 at 00:43

Depends on the state I guess. Here in Texas all 25+ year old vehicles are exempt.

blacktruck18 > JayZAyEighty thinks C4+3=C7
07/13/2014 at 00:46

When I first bought my '93 it had 120K on it, I planned on using it for a weekend toy and driving my 99 Tahoe everyday. After about a month of DD'ing the vette I went to drive the Tahoe and the battery was dead because it was just sitting in the driveway.

Get some shit wheels and winter tires and drive it year round. One of my favorite memories in my '93 was cruising around in the snow one night with Mrs. blacktruck I think we did donuts in every uncleared parking lot in the greater Tacoma area that night. As we were driving home I saw a 4wd lifted Suburban in a ditch on the side of I5. I stopped to check on the people inside because from the highway it looked like it had rolled over (white truck in the snow at night/ weird angle/ roof looked smashed). After sliding/falling gracefully down the ditch to the truck and establishing that it hadn't rolled and everyone was okay the dude driving asked me if I could pull him out. The look on his face when I told him I was driving a Corvette was priceless. If you know what you are doing in inclement weather there is no reason not to DD it.

lone_liberal > JayZAyEighty thinks C4+3=C7
07/13/2014 at 00:51

I'm going to do it for my Camaro simply to save the money on tabs and since in my state it's the only way to be legal without a front plate. Early second gen Camaros look like shit with front plates.

JayZAyEighty thinks C4+3=C7 > IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK
07/13/2014 at 00:51

You're actually totally right about that. 25+ yrs means exempt from emissions testing, and the only disadvantage to regular registration on a car older than that is registration fees are not waived. Thanks.

JayZAyEighty thinks C4+3=C7 > lone_liberal
07/13/2014 at 00:53

That's probably a good idea. Early second gen Camaros look absolutely fantastic, but I can see how the styling would be disrupted by a front plate. Saving money on fees is really the only reason to go with antique plates, in addition to the fact that they look better than the stupid VA plates...

JayZAyEighty thinks C4+3=C7 > blacktruck18
07/13/2014 at 01:10

That sounds pretty awesome! Steelies and winter tires will definitely be next in line if I drive the car during the winter. Donuts in uncleared parking lots sound as fun as telling people in marooned 4WDs you're in a Corvette.

AM3R > JayZAyEighty thinks C4+3=C7
07/13/2014 at 01:24

as long as you can prove you have another car insured as a DD you should be fine. That's how it is in VA. Depends how much you drive, my friend has a plan that allows him to drive 10k a year although it's a little more expensive than usual classic car insurance. Still a fraction of insuring a normal car.

hike > JayZAyEighty thinks C4+3=C7
07/13/2014 at 10:29

My C4 has historic plates, but it really is just a weekend car so I have no worries about driving it to much or too far. Really only got the historic plates because it failed emissions

tromoly > JayZAyEighty thinks C4+3=C7
07/13/2014 at 13:22

Antique insurance on a C4?

quarterlifecrisis > JayZAyEighty thinks C4+3=C7
07/13/2014 at 16:03

Be careful with that. I thought about snow tires at one point, ground clearance is so non-existent that it could go poorly

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > JayZAyEighty thinks C4+3=C7
07/13/2014 at 23:46

Depends on state the state laws. In some states the difference is not just registration but also taxes and how insurance can classify your car. For me I ended up just doing my weekender under regular registration and managed to get collector car insurance due to the age with the only limitation that it has to be garage stored and max of 4500miles a year. Otherwise is then can be considered your primary vehicle and then rates go super high. As I only drive it on weekends it doesn't matter.

Stef Schrader > JayZAyEighty thinks C4+3=C7
07/15/2014 at 01:34

The track I usually hoon on is ~30 miles from my house, so...hehehe.