Holy crap! That pisses me off!

SVreX wrote: In reply to eastsidemav: I don't think so. Came with an old tag. But expired trailer tags are the norm in GA. Generally, you won't even get pulled over for it. What if this had been a classic collectible sitting in a garage for several years? Or a parts car? I can think of lots of reasons a vehicle might not be registered and I might want to buy it. Doesn't mean I should have to pay the other guy's taxes.

I guess I'm not clear still:

Did the trailer have an expired tag when you purchased it? Yes or no?

This is idiotic, but it's the same as a property such as a house. I'd imagine there is an opportunity for a vehicle title company? Either way, it's dumb.

SVreX wrote: I just bought a used car trailer. Previous owner had back taxes due since 2014. Apparently GA has a neat little law- if you buy something from a tax deadbeat, YOU have to pay his back taxes. What a stupid law. There isn't even any way for a buyer to know that a vehicle has back taxes due. How does the State get away with charging someone for someone else's taxes??? Good thing it wasn't a $30,000 or more vehicle.

I bought a 62 Continental in GA when I still lived there. I had the police run the VIN, not stolen no funny business etc. All good.

Fast forward 3 years, I sold the car and the new owner contacts me back a week later saying he's going to SUE me because the car had a Towing or mechanics lien on it (with no title since it was 50 years old at the time). Apparently the guy I bought the car from sold it to me without paying a shop so they filed for the lien and it was granted AFTER it was already registered in my name. The state never contacted me but they told the new owner.

Long story short, I contact the original shop and explain what happened, I paid the dudes $180 bill and they dropped it with the state so the new owner could register it.

Such a nightmare. GA used to be a great place for registering cars, especially old cars but it has gotten markedly worse in the last 10 years.

I can get a homebuild registration on that trailer here in FL ... I'm looking for a cheap car trailer ... wanna get out of your situation?

I didn't read through the full thread, but the same thing happens in CA for cars (back registration, etc)

The standard operating procedure is to run the vin/plate through the CA system before purchasing - a free service here (probably the same in GA).

I can understand when you transfer the title the state going back to the seller saying "Hey, we know you sold your thing for $x, we want that money" But going after the buyer, thats bullE36 M3.

Have Prepaid Legal service by chance? I have it as a benefit through work, and other than the occasional ticket I usually forget about it.

This sounds like an excellent opportunity to ask the seller to pay up or let PPL folks pester them.

z31maniac wrote:

SVreX wrote: In reply to eastsidemav: I don't think so. Came with an old tag. But expired trailer tags are the norm in GA. Generally, you won't even get pulled over for it. What if this had been a classic collectible sitting in a garage for several years? Or a parts car? I can think of lots of reasons a vehicle might not be registered and I might want to buy it. Doesn't mean I should have to pay the other guy's taxes.

I guess I'm not clear still: Did the trailer have an expired tag when you purchased it? Yes or no?

Yes.

Assuming the tag that was on it was for that vehicle.

Why does it matter?

SVreX wrote:

z31maniac wrote:

SVreX wrote: In reply to eastsidemav: I don't think so. Came with an old tag. But expired trailer tags are the norm in GA. Generally, you won't even get pulled over for it. What if this had been a classic collectible sitting in a garage for several years? Or a parts car? I can think of lots of reasons a vehicle might not be registered and I might want to buy it. Doesn't mean I should have to pay the other guy's taxes.

I guess I'm not clear still: Did the trailer have an expired tag when you purchased it? Yes or no?

Yes. Assuming the tag that was on it was for that vehicle. Why does it matter?

Because you didn't do your due diligence.

Should you have to pay someone else's tax? Of course not.

Was it your responsibility to determine there were no issues before the purchase? Yes.

In reply to z31maniac:

Give me a break.

I bought it from a dealer. Again, not that it matters.

And I don't think you are listening. Out of date tags on trailers in GA are NORMAL. I'd say 80% or more.

It's a pathetic law. Please don't try to blame me.

Once upon a time, our forefathers turned Boston Harbour into an oversized cup of herb tea because their government was taxing them unfairly. They risked their lives so we could be here today.

Now, we give answers like "They do it 'cause they can", or "Well, they DID provide a service", or "Yeah, my state does that too", or "You should have done your due diligence".

Seriously? We are a weak and pathetic people. Our government sucks because WE ALLOW IT TO.

I guess that's it for this thread. Anyone want to talk about Hitler?

SVreX wrote: Now, we give answers like "Well, they DID provide a service".

I think this part is from my comment, but I was making a point about something different (a used SHOPPING MALL vs a used trailer). I also said 'kinda', trying to convey that it was a weak argument to begin with.

To be clear, I don't think the govt provided any service in your case.

If you bought it from a dealer you are being weak and pathetic. Drive straight back there and raise hell! (how does a dealer get a trailer? They have to buy it right? Meaning they should have to pay all the back taxes before selling it on?)

In reply to Robbie:

Who says I didn't?

Doesn't change that the law sucks.

SVreX wrote: In reply to Robbie: Who says I didn't? Doesn't change that the law sucks.

Nope, it doesn't change the law. But if enough dealers had angry customers returning trailers and demanding refunds (or even better, if enough dealers were getting stuck with the back tax bills themselves) then you might have an ally in this.

So what did the dealer say about this?

In reply to Robbie:

He reimbursed me. Why?

In reply to SVreX:

Sounds like you should be angry with the dealer as well, then (as you probably are). I bet this law is NOT new to them, but they are ok selling trailers with no mention and then they reimburse only the folks to come back to complain. What about people who just pay the man (likely people who don't read/speak English well are hardest hit by this trick)? That's all dirty profit for the dealer.

Bad law, probably, but the dealer is definitely using his knowledge in a predatory fashion.

reimbursed you for the whole trailer or just the tax bill?

Man I love Florida. You crazy northerners and your taxes....

Why is taxing (paying registration) seem like such an over reach here? I don't understand. We pay to drive (or tow) our vehicles on the roadways. This is how that's paid for.

The dues are attached to the vehicle, that's why the new owner has to take care of them. Imagine if they stuck with the old owner. The trick would be to never pay your registration and then just "sell" it to a friend or family member every couple years to make the dues go away.

Tom Suddard wrote: Man I love Florida. You crazy northerners and your taxes....

I love Florida too, but I just returned from vacation and you guys have the highest number of crazy mothas per capita in the US. 'Florida Man' is a thing.

Seriously EVERY time I have fueled within 50 miles of Tampa I've been panhandled at the gas pump. I'm from Tennessee with only high school Spanish...some brothas tried to panhandle me in Spanish so bad I had to call them on it. Tampa and the rest of S. Florida, get your E36 M3 together.

But I digress.

As for nothern apologists....I agree that this is bogus taxation and they're just used to it. An individual shouldn't be responsible for someone else's delinquent tax burden. That's just common sense, right?

SVreX wrote: In reply to z31maniac: Give me a break. I bought it from a dealer. Again, not that it matters. And I don't think you are listening. Out of date tags on trailers in GA are NORMAL. I'd say 80% or more. It's a pathetic law. Please don't try to blame me.

Sorry, snowflake. Due diligence, don't like it when the high and mighty attitude gets thrown back your way.

And you got reimbursed. Where is the confused.jpg image?

Maybe this is one of those threads Evan was talking about.

Toss the tags....Claim you built it yourself.....take pic's....have it inspected if necessary.....voila new to YOU....no??

In reply to

Why is taxing (paying registration) seem like such an over reach here? I don't understand. We pay to drive (or tow) our vehicles on the roadways. This is how that's paid for. .

The problem I have is that the taxes are not proportional to the use. Once I'm a registered vehicle owner and paid a registration, I've paid my share. If I buy another vehicle, or two or three more- I pay full registration for each one, despite the fact that I can't drive more than one at once. Then add in gas taxes, sales taxes, etc. I have no problem paying for services, but this is mostly a cash grab.

On the original topic, here in CA the back registration fees follow the car. You would have to assume that any car not currently tagged has back fees unless verified. Not a deal breaker, but something that needs to be negotiated during purchase. There are lots of perfectly running cars here that are pretty much worthless as street vehicles due to back registration, and usually end up being scrapped.

That said, a dealer selling a trailer with back registration is very shady, unless they were to disclose and deduct the amount. Most people here would check on a private sale, but not think twice through a dealer.

I actually understand a sales tax. You bought something, you pay tax.

Eh, it's not that simple. The problem becomes apparent when you've bought 60 cars over the past 15 years and the state wants you to pay sales tax based on a 'standard presumptive value' where part of the presumption is that the car is running when in fact the vast majority of cars you buy are broken. So the state asks you to pay sales tax on a value that's at least triple what the car is worth when it doesn't run. It definitely adds up. So even a sales tax leaves a LOT of room for berkeleying things up.

The net effect of a dysfunctional system is that once cars go below a certain value the government transactions get blown off and the title gets lost or otherwise screwed up so lots of cheap cars go from cheap to effectively negative value because it would cost too much in time money and hassle to get it legal again. Which of course has a disproportionate effect on poor people who get roped into a bunch of escalating fines until they have legal trouble just because they and the two previous owners couldn't justify dumping money into title transactions on a car that was almost worthless to begin with. Oh, and it affects me too!

SVreX wrote: Doesn't change that the law sucks.

I'll tell you the same thing I'm told whenever I come here to bitch about something that pisses me off.

"What are you doing about it?"