California Historical Vehicle - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

SonnyMorrow · #1 07-23-2018, 08:34 PM

Does anyone here have experience with registering a car as a historical vehicle in California? I'm contemplating registering my '84 300d as a historical vehicle due to the fact it rarely gets driven and from what I have read online, you pay a one time fee and after that you never have to pay the yearly registration fees again. I find that hard to believe, so I figured I would ask you all at PeachParts to see if that is true. And if that is not true, then I don't think the restrictions for owning a "Historical Vehicle" are worth it. (Can only take it to shows, parades, events, etc.)

But I personally think they look great and the text would definitely match my car.

Though I would hate to give up the original blue and yellow CA plates. What do you all think, keep the original CA plates or maybe try the Historical Vehicle plates?

Diseasel300 · #2 07-23-2018, 08:52 PM

If the plates have driving restrictions that would be a deal killer for me. I like to drive my car!

ROLLGUY · #3 07-23-2018, 09:11 PM

I think they allow the car to be driven to the repair shop. Maybe you have something that always needs repair?

There is a local auto repair place that has an early Camaro with Historical plates parked out front. It belongs to the owner. One day I asked him why he drives the car every day, and he said "I have not been able to fix that carburetor yet".

Mesalm · #4 07-23-2018, 09:29 PM

I like the original period appropriate blue and yellow plates that fit the car production year.

Mike D · #5 07-23-2018, 10:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ROLLGUY

There is a local auto repair place that has an early Camaro with Historical plates parked out front. It belongs to the owner. One day I asked him why he drives the car every day, and he said "I have not been able to fix that carburetor yet".

Ya know, if the car was a M110 with a Solex 4A1, I'd believe the excuse!

ROLLGUY · #6 07-23-2018, 10:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike D

Ya know, if the car was a M110 with a Solex 4A1, I'd believe the excuse!

Yea, your right. There is not much on a 300D that needs to be repaired everyday.

vwnate1 · #7 07-24-2018, 09:23 AM

I'd never let go of those blue & yellow plates .

The DMV has a very informative web site that will answer your question correctly .

97 SL320 · #8 07-24-2018, 09:35 AM

Limited use is the trade off.

An old car in regular use is still consuming road resources and should be licensed as any other car.

eight88 · #9 07-24-2018, 09:51 AM

I can't speak for California, but in NJ when I looked into several vintage car insurers for my '85 300D, they all severely limited the amount of driving allowed, or else the insurance would be void.
While the individual insurer web sites were helpful, it was especially when I called them and spoke with them in person that I learned how restrictive their insurance policy is. So at the very least, before going the official vintage designation route, you may want to see whether vintage car insurance suits your intended use of that beautiful '84 MB.
In the end, I went with my traditional car insurer, but because I won't be putting a lot of miles on it, that lowered the premium a little (although NJ car insurance is expensive!)
And as for registering the vehicle in NJ, as it is a vintage diesel that the motor vehicle agency cannot test for emissions any longer, it is now registered as vintage and no longer needs to go through the usual inspection and NJ state registration renewals. It will keep its 1997 wind shield inspection sticker permanently since that was the last previous year that it was driven before becoming a garage dust collector for 20 years, then finally restored this year. What the state requires is that I maintain all of the car's safety and driving features, which to me sounded like an "honor" system.

Clemson88 · #10 07-24-2018, 09:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ROLLGUY

Yea, your right. There is not much on a 300D that needs to be repaired everyday.

I would be comfortable telling them "Maybe the fuel filter needs changing because it has to be revved up to have any power."

I have a TN tag which reads 'CLEMSON.' 50 states, 50 possible tags. I asked and waited 10 years for the guy who previously had it to die or leave the state. I pay about 60 bucks/yr for it and I wouldn't give it up if they gave me a free tag for life.

SonnyMorrow · #11 07-24-2018, 01:17 PM

I went to the DMV this morning, and as it turns out the registration is only $20 cheaper than usual. After that, your car is seriously restricted in terms of driving. So what the hell is the point in getting these plates? I have read online that you pay a one time fee and you never have to pay the registration fee again, and that would almost be worth it to me. But I honestly think my local DMV was wrong about the fees as they had to call around and ask and still seemed a little confused when telling me the answer. Also the California DMV website isn't clear about the fees that entail for historical vehicle registration.

Anyways, I will be keeping the original blue and yellow CA plates on the car.
The plates have been on the car for 34 years and as a result the front plate is looking pretty beat up from all the years of rocks flying into it. The rear plate still of course looks brand new. But is there any way to get a fresh set of these with the same license plate number? I would still keep the original ones though.

DeliveryValve · #12 07-24-2018, 02:03 PM

I would absolutely keep the blue plates regardless even if the Historical plates is a good deal. Something about the period correct and originality appeals to me. It makes me kind of sad when I see a pristine blue plate car gets sold to another state and therefore will never be able to wear it's original blue plates ever again.

I've tried to restoring a blue plate years ago. I found that Ford engine blue was close to the background and School Bus Yellow from the Kyrlon Farm line was close for the numbers/letters.
If you are able to roll on the yellow, it would be the original procedure. But I just sprayed mine.

.

barry12345 · #13 07-24-2018, 03:01 PM

Cheaper insurance and some states fee costs. Yet if you ever are in an accident situation during unauthorized use. Insurance may not work.

The industry should be called Teflon based. Lay a claim on them and they try to stop it sticking to the best of their ability.

I do not know if it is still in vogue. I used to call them and ask them to cover a new acquisition over the phone. Until a person in the insurance industry warned me not to do so. He told me get a liability slip from them before driving the car. They have been known to deny a person called in. When an accident has resulted in that circumstance.

There is one classic car insurer that allows a little more leeway. Even then there are still restrictions with their coverage. I did manage to get with negotiations. A lower rate from my insurance provider one time for an old car. Based on the vast majority our use was with our newer cars.

They would not continue providing it after the first year for no reason I created.. Just an internal decision by them. It was a normal type policy very heavily discounted.

I have never really looked into it but there is some form of policy that covers basically the driver in any car he uses if he has a lot of vehicles.

This makes a lot of sense to me as a person cannot drive more than one at a time anyways. Although those same cars would have no coverage with another driver. Basically it is insure the driver rather than the cars as they do now in all cases I know of. A ridiculous concept if you think about it. I have never seen a car in a court case.

Really even upon superficial examination. People say I am insured. Where if you drive my car and I have no insurance on it. You are not and would be fined. Although if I gave you permission in the event you had an accident with it. I probably could be held liable.

An insurance company is doing a song and dance number over the claim regarding a break in some time ago we experienced. I just asked them this morning to use a little common sense. In settling it. I doubt they will.

SonnyMorrow · #14 07-24-2018, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeliveryValve

I would absolutely keep the blue plates regardless even if the Historical plates is a good deal. Something about the period correct and originality appeals to me. It makes me kind of sad when I see a pristine blue plate car gets sold to another state and therefore will never be able to wear it's original blue plates ever again.

I've tried to restoring a blue plate years ago. I found that Ford engine blue was close to the background and School Bus Yellow from the Kyrlon Farm line was close for the numbers/letters.
If you are able to roll on the yellow, it would be the original procedure. But I just sprayed mine.

.

I definitely want to keep the original plates now, but it just occurred to me that these plates could very well be the car's second pair. The original owners bought the car in Germany and imported it to CA in late '84. And from what I understand, they drove the car in Germany before shipping it over. So I am wondering if the car ever had German plates. I would contact the original owner but she is very sensitive about the car, and I'm not sure I would want to bother her.

Anyways, I'd be hesitant on restoring the plates as I wouldn't want to mess them up. But do you think somebody is out there making these plates still? And I could purchase ones with the same license plate number and color? I Googled around but I honestly couldn't find much. I'm sure it wouldn't be legal, but who could ever tell if they are on the vehicle.

ROLLGUY · #15 07-24-2018, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SonnyMorrow

.............................
Anyways, I'd be hesitant on restoring the plates as I wouldn't want to mess them up. But do you think somebody is out there making these plates still? And I could purchase ones with the same license plate number and color? I Googled around but I honestly couldn't find much. I'm sure it wouldn't be legal, but who could ever tell if they are on the vehicle.

Restoring them is the only way. Even if you could get someone at your local prison to stamp a set out for you, it would not be worth the "red tape"

. The holes can be filled, and the dents removed. Then a nice coat of paint, and they would look as good as new. I had a friend restore my front plate, and it turned out great. Mine did not have holes (where they should not be) in them, so he just removed the dents and polished the paint. The rear plate just got a polish and wax.