salvage vehicle/non op in ca (2009, auto, brakes, best)

[steel7]

I was in a auto accident last jan & my car (90 Tbird) was totalled by the at fault ins co. I recently received my registration renewel & it said nothing about a salvage vehicle. I paid my $68.00 expecting my car not to be a salvage vehicle but i was wrong. Yesterday i get a letter & forums from the ca dmv stating that i must re-register my car & obtain a salvage title. The dmv wants $175.00 in fees plus i need a brakes/lights inspection ($100.00) plus i need to replace rt.headlight, turn signal lens & header panel (used parts @ approx $150.00 plus labor). I dont want to repair car. Can i put a non op on the car (18.00) & receive the remaining $50.00 back even though i paid the registration fees till 8/10 ? I dont plan to drive & repair car for awhile.I may just part it out. Had i known the car was going to be a salvage vehicle i would of just got a non op on it & not paid the registration fees. The dmv can be brutal but they wont be getting anymore money out of me for this car. A salvage certificate is $18.00 & i must surrender the plates. The car runs good but the damage exceeded the value of the 19 yr old car. I hope im not out $50.00 but i may be screwed on this one. The dmv doesnt like to refund money especially this year.

[filmsniffer]

Best bet is to ask the DMV itself...I'm sure CA DMV has a help line.

[steel7]

Originally Posted by filmsniffer

Best bet is to ask the DMV itself...I'm sure CA DMV has a help line.

I did some checking & i may be out $68.00 & still have to pay $18.00 (salvage certificate) & surrender plates. Ill call dmv this week to find out whats going on. I will NOT give them anymore money for this car. I should of checked first before i sent them my hard earned money. Whats strange is my tags expired 8-8 & i got pulled over by the police on 8-11 for tinted windows. The policeman did run a check on my plates & never said they were expired. The dmv received my payment on 8-3-09. According to the dmv my application is imcomplete & until fees are paid & inspections done they will not issue me a operating permit. The "total loss" laws need to be changed in ca. My car runs great & is a 1990 ford. $175.00 in due fees is utter BS. They are NOT getting it from me.

[M3 Mitch]

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