Finally!! My very own truck!

Deb and Ed M wrote:

KD4UPL wrote:
If I understand correctly you have a used car lot and just "borrow" a truck to use for camping? I presume running dealer tags on it while camping? From what I know from my family in the business it's not legal to use dealer tags for that purpose. There for moving vehicles around between lots, test drives, and service. Test drives don't include hauling a camper.
I'm happy you get to go camping but, coming from someone pays all the legal obligations of vehicle ownership:taxes, tags, and insurance on my truck, I don't have a lot of sympathy for your situation.

Michigan's dealer rules are different. My demo is perfectly legal for me to use however I wish, with a dealer tag on it. If I want to give a car with a dealer plate to my daughter - that's legal, too.

Here's the wording from the Michigan Sec'y of State's site:
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Proper Uses of Vehicles Bearing Dealer Plates Include:

Employees, servants, or agents of a dealer may operate a vehicle owned by a dealer for any purpose, provided that the vehicle is not a "service vehicle." This group of permissive users includes the dealer, full and part-time employees, and authorized agents. Examples of proper use of dealer plates on vehicles include:

Dealer-owned vehicles being driven to and from repair facilities, storage lots, and other locations where vehicles are being held prior to sale.
Dealer-owned vehicles being moved to locations where they may be bought or sold.
Dealer-owned vehicles driven by employees, servants or agents, or family members for any use except as a service vehicle.

There is no time limit upon the use of a vehicle with a dealer plate for persons described in paragraph 1 above.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Strangely, if I want to put a dealer plate on a tow truck - THAT is illegal. But I can drive my camper to Oregon and back. THAT's OK.

Furthermore, as the owner of the business, I pay taxes up the ying-yang; my fleet insurance is over $6,000; the dealer plates cost $$; and we have to be bonded. Not to mention all the $$$$$$$$ tied up in our inventory (which we OWN, it's not borrowed). Oh - and I generally work 50-hour weeks.

Getting away in my camper is the perk for putting up with all the above foolishness ;-) (Provided nobody buys my truck at the last minute....LOL!)

The dealers in the area where I worked, knew me by name. Because I was very observant and careful in the enforcement for Dealer/FOB/USA/Temporary Tags for the time to issue a permanent Plate. When a sales person escaped a lot without putting a tag on, and then crossed my path I always gave them an option, get someone to bring out a proper plate, or receive a ticket and the vehicle would be towed. Also, any person having these dealer tags must pocess applicable insurance for THIS plate and thus the vehicle it was displayed on.

My rule of thumb for those with Out of State Plates on their car, while they were going to school in Colorado was;

Officer: "Hi, I see you have a dealer plate on your car. How much are you asking for it?"

Driver: "Uh, My dad has a dealership and I am using it here while going to the University."

Officer: "Could I see your DL, Reg, Insurance and Student ID with the current semester endorsement."

Driver: "Oh! Sure, just a second." A few minutes later they handed me the documents.

Officer: "Thank you. I will be issuing you a citation for improper use of Registration and failing to display this state's license plate."

The rule was that if a parent wants to have a vehicle in their child's state of higher education, they then need to register it there. While attending an accredited education institution they could possess a DL from their home state, but still subject to points assigned in the issuing state with or without a DL in that state.

If they were traveling through the state, I was working in, camping or otherwise and were not stumped, but answered my first question. They were good as gold.

b