Featured Auto Sales Screech to halt

Looking at my state's list of Essential Businesses allowed to remain open, I see automotive service and maintenance, but not sales.

Though today (late this afternoon) is the first day they are required to be closed, so our forced closures can't yet show up in any sales reports.

 

The dealer that sold me my Prime is open for sales and service. Odd. Service I can understand.

 

most everything screech's to a halt

 

I purchased a new-to-me vehicle a week ago from a private seller. That vehicle is now useless, as the DMV is "closed until further notice" and I can't get a VIN inspection, title, or plate. Who's buying cars they can't use? Nobody. Well, except me

 

you can drive it, the cops are all in hiding

 

Maybe in Boston, they're swarming all around here.

 

no casinos to protect

 

Shouldn't enforcement be suspended until those services are restored?

What about your vehicle insurance carrier?

 

In our state the dealer submits the information electronically and prints or writes out a temporary plate. They also do the required safety inspection.

 

Yes, if purchased from a dealer, a buyer gets a 30-day plate. What happens when the 30 days are up and the DMV still isn't open?

It seems clear to me that the DMV and law enforcement aren't really discussing this with each other. I haven't purchased an insurance policy yet. What's the point if I can't get a plate?

 

I'm going with the idea that as long as your vehicle operations are less dangerous than an infectious disease, you aren't going to catch hassles.

 

Up here you don't roll off the lot without full, permanent plates, registration, and insurance. It's easy too.

The American system doesn't make any sense to me.

 

Which American system? We have 50+ to pick from. Automobiles are regulated at the state/territory level.

Also, which lot? If you sell a car to your neighbor, are you on the hook for doing all that?

 

The financial consequences of an uninsured crash are far greater than the law enforcement and judicial consequences of driving without a registration, even when DMV / DOL is not closed. I'd be willing to run one of those risks during this level of national emergency, but not the other.

Getting insurance also documents a good faith effort to comply with legal requirements, which should go a long way towards getting off (completely or are least easily) during eventual court proceedings for a violation, should you be cited, possibly even directly from an officer who pulls you over for said violation.

Everyone has to deal with workarounds and accommodations for these very unusual circumstances. I'd be surprised if my local police would be concerned much about this right now, especially if I could show them a recent bill of sale and proof of insurance. The bigger issue is whether or not the insurance agent would write new insurance when registration is not available. Mine would have a 30 day grace period based on other covered household cars, but that doesn't help folks would don't have another covered vehicle or carryover coverage from a previous car.

 

Just to make myself clear... I am NOT operating this vehicle until I can get it legally titled and registered. It is parked in secure storage and isn't going anywhere until it has a legal plate on it. In Nevada, at least, (and maybe other states) there is NO legal requirement to carry an insurance policy on a vehicle that is not operated on public roadways.

At whatever point the Nevada DMV returns to operational status, I will obtain an insurance policy, followed by all the appropriate paperwork.

 

Just get an insurance policy and drive it. If a police officer pulls you over and you tell him your story he'll size you up as being the good guy that you are and he will understand and walk away

 

Showing a proper bill of sale and proof of insurance ought to go a long way towards this. S/he should already know that DMV is shut down.

 

CA DMV is giving people 60 days to register, renew, etc.