Thanks to you for your previous descriptions of the process, I was able to go to DMV today and get my registration and plates with minimal hassle! Here are my main points/tips:
1. Definitely go online and
make an appointment. Check around the 3-4 DMV locations nearest you for the earliest appointment. At the Hayward DMV I was able to make an appointment last week for 9:00AM today (Tues). With my appointment I was in and out of there in
less than 40 min, including having to pull up my car for VIN verification. Without an appt you will probably wait for at least an hour.
2.
Smogged the car over the weekend for $45 before going in. Results were electronically sent to DMV and I had no issues with that.
3. CA sales tax was charged by Heuberger and added to my amount financed. Heuberger then cut a check back to DMV that I handed over to them along with the forms. Total fees for me was $2712. Which included the $2424 sales tax plus another $288 for 1 year of CA registration. If you need to pay some or all of that because you didn't have dealer charge that, then you can pay it at DMV with
debit card, cash or check.
No credit cards accepted!
4. Heuberger was nice enough to fill out and provide all the forms I needed, besides the smog cert. I did have to review it and fill out a few more things that they didn't. Almost forgot to fill in the Lienholder section for my bank that financed the loan, since I didn't finance through the dealer. Smartphone to the rescue, was able to look up and fill in that info while I waited at the DMV.
5. When the guy asked me when I brought it into CA, I said last week, within the 10-day reporting period under the law.
So my registration is current and charged starting with that date.
6. Despite having a verification form filled out by Heuberger, CA DMV won't accept that, they need to verify it in-state. So I had to pull my car around the back for them to verify, they read the ODO reading off the dash display, and checked the VIN off the front, under the hood, and behind driver side door. So best get it done before you go hog wild with the CF body parts LOL.
7. That's it, done! Gave me two plates and current reg stickers. Now whether to put them on now or pull a Steve Jobs and go as long as I can without, flipping off red-light cameras as I go...
