Final Car Legalisms Completed

I registered the car today. It took two freaking hours, with 13 booths open. Other than the stagnant departmental progress, I was unexpectedly satisfied with the service. I walked in with a signed title and my DD 214, and had the proof of insurance faxed in; I walked out with a new title, registration, and Honorably Discharged Veteran plates.

I figured surely the title would be mailed to me and I’d probably have to get temp plates while I wait for my fancy, special plates to be made or sent. Alas, my luck was better.

I approached the desk and we negotiated the price. Evidently, the special military plates (Veteran, Purple Heart, medals, campaigns, etc) are all $50; she said it would probably come to >$300. I objected momentarily, as I had just shy of that in cash, they don’t take plastic, and there is no way to get an estimate of the price without waiting in line twice. Fortunately, it was only $150 with the extra special plate fee, taxes, etc; so I was happy.

What really got me was apparently they don’t require an odometer reading when the car is over 10 years old; which was fortunate, because the title read zero and the car is over 210,000. I was also suprised but happy about the fact that they didn’t require an emissions test.

I’m not privy to the reasonality behind the eschewment of this requirement, but I’m happy with it cuz the car sometimes leaves puffs of smoke behind. Not the “I’m gonna blow up” kind of smoke, just the “I’m burning oil and giving you cancer” kind, which at least leaves me believing it will get to work and back.

So the car is totally legal now. Tomorrow I’m having it inspected for major defects that will leave me stranded on the side of a major highway… Again. Then I can look into performance improvements, and maybe someday aesthetic improvements.

The previous owner was a flat-out liar:
- He said he owned it for two years. The title said it was purchased this July.
- He said it was free of major defects. it loses power going uphill, is missing half the interior, the brakes are worn, the left mirror is warped (How do you warp glass, anyway?), and it makes rattling noises like half the car is loose and being held together by the mud itself.
- He said he lived in Watkins, a suburb of a town near a suburb of Denver. He really lives in county, 5-10 miles from Watkins. On a private dirt road at the end of a public dirt road, off a state highway, far from town.

But that’s why it’s going to a mechanic. Time shall tell.

I made the initial payment to his dad and got a bill of sale and the key. I paid it off to his wife and got the title from her. I have never met the man I bought this car from. I’m beginning to wonder if he really exists… Mister Freaky-wierd living-in-BFE never-home cheap cars rich man.