I've heard that Montana is rather, uh, loose, when it comes to registering vehicles. I saw this, over the weekend, in Tennessee.
No VIN plate, but there was a hand-engraved plate affixed to the A-pillar saying something about "substitute part". I should have taken a picture of that. 
time to get a PO Box in Montana...
Nice car. I have always liked those.
From what I understand, the rules at quite lax and the registration is a flat fee regardless of what kind of car it is. In Arizona your registration fees are based on the new car cost, so we see a lot of RVs and exotic cars here with Montana plates.
The big key here is no sales tax. Their registration fees are a lot higher than say Texas but they don't have to pay the 6.25% sales tax. The flat fee is based on the age of the vehicle. So your multi-million dollar classic ferrari is only $61 a year to register there. Also, there are no inspections and you only need a PO box to register. Companies will create an LLC for you based in Flathead County in Montana and then the car is registered to that LLC and not you. Basically it's a way to try and beat the Tax man.
That R34 is illegal irregardless of the state it's registered in but that is a whole different story.
Ah, ok. Thanks, bmw88rider. I figured it was still here illegally, but what about that outfit that was federalizing them, for about 90 grand? Rex Motorsports?
There is no certification from the NHTSA and EPA to import legally any Skylines other than the R33 with very tight controls and inspections. It's so common a question it's on the NHTSA's website:
http://www.nhtsa.gov/cars/rules/import/FAQ%20Site/pages/page10.html
In reply to RealMiniDriver:
Motorex. They crash tested R33s to make them legal per DOT and then started importing R34s under the same standards, they got busted and all the cars had to be exported or crushed.
There are a couple elise's and a lambo I've seen at our cars and coffee that have Montana plates in VA. Figured it was some sort of tax dodge.
moparman76_69 wrote: In reply to RealMiniDriver: Motorex. They crash tested R33s to make them legal per DOT and then started importing R34s under the same standards, they got busted and all the cars had to be exported or crushed.
True to a point,
they did more bad things than you point out.
The government didn't make the ones already in be returned, those are actually here legally.
The VIN plate you saw, did it say something like "SUBSTITUTE FOR U.S. VIN: _____ SEE 49 CFR PART 565" ?
If so, probably a Motorex car. To be more sure, look in the door jam for a label that will say "Manufactured by Nissan, Imported by balahblablah" with the GVWR, GAWR's, and the tire pressures.
That may be a rare legal one.
Just because a state lets you slap a plate on it, doesn't mean NHSTA/DOT/EPA will let you keep it.
Apexcarver wrote: The VIN plate you saw, did it say something like "SUBSTITUTE FOR U.S. VIN: _____ SEE 49 CFR PART 565" ?
Yes! That's what it said.
Flight Service wrote: time to get a PO Box in Montana...
IIRC, you actually need to set up a corporation there, the corporation owns the vehicle, you own 100% of the corp. There are companies that specialize in doing this.
People in CA do it not just to avoid sales tax, but also to avoid the annual 2% "vehicle license fee". Registration on a $100K RV can be $2K.
Also see a lot of exotics here in Las Vegas bearing Montana plates. It's $2600/year to register your Bentley here.
EvanR wrote: Also see a lot of exotics here in Las Vegas bearing Montana plates. It's $2600/year to register your Bentley here.
Aw boo freaking hoo, I pay $200/yr road tax on each of my cars which are collectively worth less than the paint on that Bentley's hood. And I know tax-dodgers who use a shell company to cut that bill down to a quarter of its size, but I don't do it. What's their excuse?
In reply to codrus:
I imagine people in CA do it to avoid smog inspections as well.
Apexcarver wrote:moparman76_69 wrote: In reply to RealMiniDriver: Motorex. They crash tested R33s to make them legal per DOT and then started importing R34s under the same standards, they got busted and all the cars had to be exported or crushed.True to a point, they did more bad things than you point out. The government didn't make the ones already in be returned, those are actually here legally. The VIN plate you saw, did it say something like "SUBSTITUTE FOR U.S. VIN: _____ SEE 49 CFR PART 565" ? If so, probably a Motorex car. To be more sure, look in the door jam for a label that will say "Manufactured by Nissan, Imported by balahblablah" with the GVWR, GWAR's, and the tire pressures. That may be a rare legal one.
RossD wrote: Just because a state lets you slap a plate on it, doesn't mean NHSTA/DOT/EPA will let you keep it.
There is about 400,000 people in the state. Let them try to find you. You can get permanent plates after so many years (5 I think.) Paper trails are thin in Montana.
GameboyRMH wrote:EvanR wrote: Also see a lot of exotics here in Las Vegas bearing Montana plates. It's $2600/year to register your Bentley here.Aw boo freaking hoo, I pay $200/yr road tax on each of my cars which are collectively worth less than the paint on that Bentley's hood. And I know tax-dodgers who use a shell company to cut that bill down to a quarter of its size, but I don't do it. What's their excuse?
No excuse. Rich people use things like shell operations in another state to dodge taxes and fees all the time. Why? Because they can. That's why they are rich people and we are not. We have a conscience.
Interestingly, I was at a PCA meeting tonight and a guy there had a brand new Cayenne with Montana plates. I asked him why and he said he buys and sells high dollar cars on the side. He set up an LLC in Montana in order to avoid sales tax. So he drives around with Montana plates all the time.
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