LocostUSA.com

When I titled my CMC in Illinois last last year I paid the required $25 in tax, the can is over 10 years old and worth less than $15,000. Well about a month ago I got a letter from the state saying I owed an extra $1250 because of the value of the vehicle. I sent them a copy of the bill of sale and the wire transfer. That was enough to satisfy them that my $25 was correct. I could have also got the vehicle appraised but I did not need to go that far. It is titles as a 1957 Lotus 7 and looking at there tax table it would put the value between $25-30k, so you cannot blame them for trying.

Graham

Some states don't use the bill of sale, they use the book value. It's too easy to fudge the number on the bill of sale, I guess.

Was your car originally titled by a previous owner?

Is it currently titled as a "real" 1957 Lotus 7 or under Illinois' "custom vehicle" catagory?

Illinois has gotten real, shall we say, enthusiastic about going back to previously registered vehicles and trying to collect additional taxes. It seems that they don't follow their own paperwork process and make it up as they go. They can, and do, pull the title and registration if you don't get this resolved to their satisfaction. I'm glad you got yours straightened out. This story repeated is all over the Web in the Hot Rodding community.

Chuck

Chuck, the vehicle came with on Ohio title. It just said 1957 Lotus 7. I have no problem with what they did, I am impressed they worked out a real 1957 Lotus 7 is worth more than $15,000. I did not want to get into the "it's not a real 1957 Lotus 7" game. A copy of the bill of sale resolved the situation.

Graham

Yeah that can be a tricky situation and tough to know when to fight it and when to just "go along." The danger of fighting it is that they'll start looking closer at the car and could decide - rightly or wrongly - that it's obviously much newer than 1957, then potentially increase the fees because it's "newer." They could also decide to inspect the car where, given the situation, they'll likely be biased to find something "wrong" with it.

In California, I was so glad to get the special car exemption that I gladly paid what they wanted and kept my mouth shut.