California DMV

[hogbob]

I RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2005 DIESEL MOTORHOME IN ARIZONA.
WHEN I REGISTERED IT IN CALIFORNIA THEY DID NOT HONOR THE
ARIZONA TITLE. INSTEAD THEY INSISTED ON GOING WITH THE
VIN NUMBER ON THE CHASSIS WHICH PUTS THE MOTORHOME AS A
2004 MODEL YEAR.

HAS THIS HAPPENED TO ANYONE ELSE? IF SO, WHAT DID YOU
DO THE GET THIS RESOLVED?

THANK YOU.

[wny_pat1]

Go back to the California DMV with all your information, including their new title. Print out a copy of this: RVIA Multi-stage Manufactured Motorhomes. With all your information in hand and a copy of the RVIA information in hand, ask to speak to the DMV office supervisor and ask her/him if your title can be amended to show the correct final stage manufacturer and final date of manufacture. If that does not work, well, you are going to have to make a trip to the state capital main DMV office. Contact RVIA Government Affairs (703-620-6003) with your problem and they might intercede for you! Good luck.

[Popsie]

The manufacturer's Certificate of Origin establishes the model year for a motor vehicle and may not coincide with the year that the chassis was built which is coded into the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). If you get a copy of the Certificate of Origin, the DMV just might retitle your RV.

How to obtain certificate of origin.

[cochise49]

We've bought several motorhomes over the decades. All in California. In all five cases, the motorhomes and operator manuals were '82, '01, '02, '05 and '14. The chassis manuals were all for '81, '00, '01, '04 and '13. CA DMV registered them as '82, '01, '02, '05 and '14, using the RV company's year. VIN's were for the chassis'. Motorhome model years start sometime around June while chassis years begin in August or September. Point is....the two years seldom coincide. If you were to order a '14 motorized RV from the factory today ( March) you probably have a better chance of getting both years the same. As depreciating assets, we never consider our rigs an investment. It's the cost we pay to do what we enjoy.

[jdog]

The motorhome vin# tells what year the motorhome was built, what year the frame and engine are, and what year the motorhome is. The frame does not have a vin#. The frame has a serial #. The year of the motorhome is determined by the year it was built and the year model info in the vin # provided by the manufacture. The frame year is not used to determine the model year. You sure you didn't buy a 2004 model and not a 2005 model? If you really want to know do as I did, call the manufacture and give them the vin# so they can look it up to tell you the year model. They will also send you a letter telling you what year model it is. Then you can show the letter to the DMV as proof of model year.

[Executive45]

So, this begs the question....did you PAY for an 04 or an 05 in ARIZONA....:h

Perhaps you can get a refund from the Arizona dealer.....doubt it though....good luck....Dennis

SORRY I DIDN'T POST THIS ALL IN CAPS....!!!...:B....Dennis

[Earl_E]

I think that's pretty common, not only on MH's but trailers. Most states don't even look at your existing title, they just go with the VIN. And VIN's are often a year older, depending on when the RV was made.

[ol_Bombero-JC]

Trackrig wrote:
The only time it's a problem is when selling a used MH to an inexperienced buyer, or one that just hasn't paid attention before. You tell them that you're selling them a 2005 model and then they start looking at the registration, or other paper work that says 2004 and the buyer starts thinking you're messing with them.


Bill

".....and the buyer starts thinking you're messing with them (him)."

Kinda like.......

You bought new tires and the date codes were 2 years old.
(Maybe you accepted them that way - hey they were inside on a shelf - or, maybe you didn't check)

Three years later you're selling your RV.
A savy buyer checks the date codes of the tires advertised as "almost new" - and sees they are really 5 years old and probably due for replacement.

"....and the buyer starts thinking you're messing with him."

Save your paperwork.

BTW, OP - If you bought a new "leftover" 2013 car or truck in January of 2014, it's still a 2013.

It is what it is..:W

~

[tsetsaf]

SO IS THIS THE ALL CAPS THREAD ;)... I would be happy with that situation. They want to register it as older that means lower fees.

[time2roll]

AT TEN YEARS OLD ALREADY I WOULD NOT WORRY TOO MUCH ABOUT THE ISSUE.
WHEN YOU SELL AND CLAIM IT IS NINETEEN OR TWENTY YEARS OLD I DON'T THINK IT WILL MATTER MUCH.

[More_To_See]

So would a bank loan you money on the Coach build year - or on the Chassis year appearing on the title? Wouldn't they have to go by the California title in this case?

[Trackrig]

The only time it's a problem is when selling a used MH to an inexperienced buyer, or one that just hasn't paid attention before. You tell them that you're selling them a 2005 model and then they start looking at the registration, or other paper work that says 2004 and the buyer starts thinking you're messing with them.

Bill

[Desert_Captain]

I think you may be searching for a solution for which there is no known problem (the government does this a lot). :B You will pay less in registration fees on a unit that is technically one year older. My 2012 C sits on a 2011 E-350 chassis and I could not care less, the coach is still a 2012. :C

[Trackrig]

Yes, the year difference on motorhomes is very common.

Let's say the chassis is built by Freightliner in Sept, Oct, Nov or Dec of 2012, but the MH maker Fleetwood doesn't get the body built on it until maybe Jan, Feb, March or April of 2013 and they built it to the 2013 model design - they're going to call it a 2013 vs the chassis mfg having built the chassis the previous year. That's the way it is and nothing anyone can do about it.

It is possible for the chassis builder to make the chassis early in a year, deliver it to MH maker who turns out the finished MH in the same year.

Bill