Advice about Purchasing Cobra (DMV)

[jeddi]

Hopefully later this week I'll be purchasing a AC Cobra.
Before I buy it I would like the make sure everything is up & up and I know what I'm getting into.
It has the SB100 sticker in the engine compartment. The title says year model 0000 (year first sold 2007) and it's titled as a Specialty Constructed (SPCNS). It has the vin number, plate with tags and all. So I'm thinking it's good to go.
Is there anything else I need to worry about when it comes to DMV stuff.
Here is a picture:

[RodKnock]

Sounds good to me, but if you can acquire any of the original SPCNS registration and titling documents, plus the SB100 certificate, prior to purchase, then that would be even better.

[Road Snake]

Jeddi,

Pay your Cal dmv tax!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
that all.
Dennis

[PANAVIA]

Have the car professionally inspected prior to purchase, get it up on a lift and look underneath. --

other than that -- DMV on this is simple simple simple.

Steve

[John Martin]

You might want to check out other cobras to compare prices on cobra country

[tcrist]

According to the info posted earlier you will still have to do an SB100 in your name. The SB100's are not transferable if I read this correctly.

Copied and pasted from web site,

SPCNS Certificates of Sequence cannot be transferred to a different vehicle or reissued in someone else's name. The seller of a vehicle must provide the buyer with the SPCNS Certificate of Sequence along with the bill of sale and any additional registration documents. In addition, fees deposited in one year cannotbe held over for the next year's allocation of certificates.

www.semasan.com/main/main.aspx?id=62843

Of course I could be reading this wrong.

[jhv48]

That is not correct.

The sticker and the exemption go with the car to the new owner.

The sb100 exemption is fully transferable from one owner to the next.

[tcrist]

I understood that also but from that web site it says different.

We'll see!!

It says the same thing on the Ca. DMV web site
www.dmv.ca.gov/vr/spcns.htm

[wanab5150]

Says, "Can not be transferred to ANOTHER vehicle"......OK it's not........also....."reissued in someone else's name."...........It is not being "reissued", to ANOTHER name. The vin number can not ever be reissued to anyone either........they go with that car. You must get the sequence number paperwork from the owner (not just the sticker) along with a bill of sale.

I know of some that have used vin numbers from old mustangs etc. so they could use the year of the car on their registration, and those vin numbers were out of the system for more than 7 years. Many of those cars have found their way onto flat beds for "False registration" and "Ca. Tax Fraud". I would be concerned about the model year of 0000 on a 2007 special construction vehicle. My 2007 is registered as a 2007 Special Const.

If it remains a 0000, instead of a 2007, DMV has no way to devalue the car each year to lower the registration fees accordingly.

[Calbullet]

all SPCN have a year/model of 0000 and make as SPCNS

[tcrist]

So what you are saying is that owner 1 sells the car to owner 2. Owner 2 registers the car and owner 1 still has the SB100 in his name even if owner 1 does not own the car.

It states that owner 1 has to give the SB100 paperwork to owner 2.

Why would owner 1 have to give the SB100 paperwork to owner 2, if it is to stay in owner 1's name? That is what I do not understand.

As I do not have an SB100 (and don't need one "0000SPCN before SB100 even existed"), does the SB100 paperwork have your name on it?

[Got the Bug]

Not a problem. It stays with the car. One of our South Bay members bought a car with SB100 and had no problem transferring it.

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by tcrist

According to the info posted earlier you will still have to do an SB100 in your name. The SB100's are not transferable if I read this correctly.

Copied and pasted from web site,

SPCNS Certificates of Sequence cannot be transferred to a different vehicle or reissued in someone else's name. The seller of a vehicle must provide the buyer with the SPCNS Certificate of Sequence along with the bill of sale and any additional registration documents. In addition, fees deposited in one year cannotbe held over for the next year's allocation of certificates.

www.semasan.com/main/main.aspx?id=62843

Of course I could be reading this wrong.

Guys, they're talking about the original certificate itself, not the next owner's registration.

He's fine. No trouble whatsoever.

[tcrist]

Understood, but what do they mean by "or reissued in someone else's name"?

It is not clear to me why this is even mentioned on the DMV web site if it doesn't matter or mean anything.

[Got the Bug]

Originally Posted by tcrist

Understood, but what do they mean by "or reissued in someone else's name"?

It is not clear to me why this is even mentioned on the DMV web site if it doesn't matter or mean anything.

I think what they're going after is a situation where someone secures an SB100 sequence number, never applies it to the intended vehicle, and then tries to sell or transfer it to someone else. An SB100 certificate was on eBay for about a minute a few years ago.

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by tcrist

Understood, but what do they mean by "or reissued in someone else's name"?

It is not clear to me why this is even mentioned on the DMV web site if it doesn't matter or mean anything.

You just can't transfer, sell or reissue that original SB100 certificate in another name other than the original person titling the car. Once the car is titled and registered though, the original SB100 certificate is superfluous. Just a piece of history. A conversation piece.

[Mike Bartlett]

But remember everyone we are talking about the CA Department of Motor Vehicles so its all up to that particular person behind the counter as to how much hell they want to put Jeddi through due to their typical lack of knowledge.

You should be all good but the best of luck with those nim-rods. Its worth the DMV hell to finally own a Cobra. The good news is that they are getting more familiar with SB100, etc.

Mike

[jeddi]

When I called DMV the lady had no idea what I was talking about, so she did mention that you can't transfer ownership of the title. But she recommended that I call bureau of auto repair. The tech guy over there said that I should have no issue.

I haven't had the car inspected but I took a good look over and it's fine. They're such simple cars and that's why I'm buying it. The price is right too. I just need to change out the seats and wheels.

[tcrist]

Ok, Thanks guys.

[wanab5150]

Originally Posted by Calbullet

all SPCN have a year/model of 0000 and make as SPCNS

Mine is registered as a 2007 SPCNS. Maybe they changed it, but everyone's paperwork was checked and or changed by the DMV rep during pre registration outside before entering the building jan 2, 2007.

Fees are and always have been based on the year of the vehicle. If you don't mind paying the same fees every year, then registering it as a 0000 is fine. My fees have dropped a few $ since 2007. It's not much but I'll take it.

If their's an error by DMV on the year of my vehicle, where did you read it on the DMV site. I did my car in Folsom which is highly recommended in this area for having no issues.