I took the day off to get some things done. The first thing on the list was to get Betty registered. I went to the Tax Office up in McKinney and learned I wasn’t able to transfer the title because it was never transfered from a previous owner. They explained that I could get a bonded title, but I’d need to go to the TxDOT office in Carrollton. I get there, take a number, wait, talk to someone, fill out paperwork, wait, and finally I have all the paperwork I need for a bonded title. Now I need a bond.
The same building where TxDOT is at has 3 surety bond companies, so I walk around and get quotes from all of them. $150 later, I’ve got a title bond in my hand… back to the Tax office in McKinney. When I get back there, they were amazed that I was able to get all that done “in only 4 hours”. They were going to charge me sales tax on the NADA value of the car, which was around $11000 because NADA considers a car that old a classic, and assumes that it is restored. Texas has this new assumed value tax law, and this car was not in their system, so they reverted to the NADA value. So they expected me to pay $460 tax on a car that is worth about that much! How stupid is that! After talking to a supervisor, they said I can either produce a bill of sale or get an appraisal and they will use that value.
I contacted the previous owner, and he is going to send me a bill of sale, so maybe next week I’ll have some license plates. I feel pretty beaten. (4.5 hours and 1/2 tank of gas, still not able to get Betty on the road)
