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Considering a Suburban Tow Rig
- Thread starter Richcz28
- Start date
Check the actual chart, that paragraph simply states which plates belong to people instead of being assigned to vehicles. For low-weight & passenger plates, we swap them between vehicles without issue. For heavy vehicles the state issues new plates. Not sure why they do it that way.
The tax chart goes up to 80k pounds.
That page says for heavier vehicles look at the back section (section G) for other plate types. I read that as, a truck over 8000 pounds cannot run light truck plates in your state.
Progressive was the only insurance who would provide insurance for the semi. I can drive up to the GVW of the vehicle up to 80k pounds incliding air brakes without a CDL. Some states like Ca have an RV licence for anything over 26k pounds. With my license in Co., I am good to travel the interstates, no issues, inspections or poirts of entry. What gives me the right to do this is, in the federal DOT standards it states, "the motor vehicle weighs 26,001 pounds or more AND used for commerce". This means getting paid.
I have stopped at every point of entry for each state I have passed through. All have said "have a nice day and be safe". Most have come out to take pictures and ask me about it.
My registration and smog test in Co was right at $1k a year. In SD, this year was $108. No smog test. Insurance went up to $204 a year. Driven under 10k miles a year. This is why I did not do the Chili Challenge in NM this year. I have to email pictures of the odometer to the insurance broker January of each year.
I had a discussion with a CDL instructor a month ago about this. After he told me I was wrong, I said prove it. He called me the next day to apologize. When he checked with the head of Co DOT, he was told the same thing I was told, by the same guy. Told me not to tell anyone because his school would lose about 30 students a year. They get a CDL to drive a deisel pusher. Not needed.
I have stopped at every point of entry for each state I have passed through. All have said "have a nice day and be safe". Most have come out to take pictures and ask me about it.
My registration and smog test in Co was right at $1k a year. In SD, this year was $108. No smog test. Insurance went up to $204 a year. Driven under 10k miles a year. This is why I did not do the Chili Challenge in NM this year. I have to email pictures of the odometer to the insurance broker January of each year.
I had a discussion with a CDL instructor a month ago about this. After he told me I was wrong, I said prove it. He called me the next day to apologize. When he checked with the head of Co DOT, he was told the same thing I was told, by the same guy. Told me not to tell anyone because his school would lose about 30 students a year. They get a CDL to drive a deisel pusher. Not needed.
I can't jump to a progressive or geico, because I was a stupid kid. They only like squeaky clean driving records. They even count accidents where the other party is found at fault against your rate in Mass.
The tough thing about considering new 3/4 trucks that are around, is they are all loaded with options. I only really see 1 ton trucks pop up as work trucks. All the 3/4 diesels by me are priced about 15-20k more.
The tough thing about considering new 3/4 trucks that are around, is they are all loaded with options. I only really see 1 ton trucks pop up as work trucks. All the 3/4 diesels by me are priced about 15-20k more.
2 things. If you read through section G, it will list the options that I mentioned above. The tax tables continue up to 80,000 pounds, they don't turn drivers away if they want to pay a higher tax rate.
Second, trucks are taxed based on the following rule "Vehicle weight plus the weight of any load you plan to carry." This means that drivers choose what level of tax they wish to pay. As backwards as it may sound, there are 8500GVWR 3/4-ton trucks running 4500 pound plates. If they ever exceed 4500 pounds they may get a ticket, but for someone in your shoes, there is no reason to pay for 13,000 pounds of truck when you're never going to have it anywhere near that weight. What's your realistic weight, 8000 lbs at most? You're not hauling lead ingots here, this is a crew cab with a future camper.
(I do know at least one Wisconsin driver who had his truck weighed by a policeman who didn't believe that he was within his weight limit).
2 things. If you read through section G, it will list the options that I mentioned above. The tax tables continue up to 80,000 pounds, they don't turn drivers away if they want to pay a higher tax rate.
Second, trucks are taxed based on the following rule "Vehicle weight plus the weight of any load you plan to carry." This means that drivers choose what level of tax they wish to pay. As backwards as it may sound, there are 8500GVWR 3/4-ton trucks running 4500 pound plates. If they ever exceed 4500 pounds they may get a ticket, but for someone in your shoes, there is no reason to pay for 13,000 pounds of truck when you're never going to have it anywhere near that weight. What's your realistic weight, 8000 lbs at most? You're not hauling lead ingots here, this is a crew cab with a future camper.
(I do know at least one Wisconsin driver who had his truck weighed by a policeman who didn't believe that he was within his weight limit).
They run the VIN at the registry. It's not like a choose your own adventure.
I don't doubt you. But since you've been challenging my understanding of my state's rule book I have taken the time to respond with excerpts from said rule book. Pretty near none of that applies in Mass or Maine. Different states have different rules. In Wisconsin we pay by expected weight, not GVWR. There is a difference. YMMV.
Bummer. Have you looked outside your area for work trucks? If you found the right rig in Ohio or Virginia it wouldn't be too hard to take a weekend trip. Some dealers will also trade around with other dealers to get you the truck that you want.
You need to stop flat tracking beetles around motocross tracks.
Rich maybe look into getting a South Dakota P.O. Box like someone else on here 
That whole registration thing sucks. What about ordering a work truck? Would you lose you incentive deals that keep it affordable?
That whole registration thing sucks. What about ordering a work truck? Would you lose you incentive deals that keep it affordable?
You should be able to tell the dealer the exact truck you want and they can locate it and do a trade. We do it all the time at my dealer. We brought a work truck up to Michigan from Tennessee earlier this year bc it was the only one we could find for the customer
You don't need a p.o. Box.. there is no residence required for out of state registration.. but I wouldn't know anything about that..Rich maybe look into getting a South Dakota P.O. Box like someone else on here
That whole registration thing sucks. What about ordering a work truck? Would you lose you incentive deals that keep it affordable?
My beetle got shipped up from PA and I lost a lot of negotiating power for it. I payed a couple grand over what I could have got a yellow or blue one off the lot for. This truck was cheap because I could walk onto the lot and negotiate for it, and it's a 2016.
If I order right now, it would be a 2017. 2017s don't have great incentives or financing yet. If I ordered a truck I would expect to pay 8-10k more for a similar vehicle.
If I order right now, it would be a 2017. 2017s don't have great incentives or financing yet. If I ordered a truck I would expect to pay 8-10k more for a similar vehicle.
Alan2smiley
I'm in the shop
A full width dully flatbed cube would have a lot of options.
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I would say SD is legit from a legal standpoint. You're not breaking any laws that don't actually stand. I say as long as you keep adequate insurance coverage (match what mass requires) you should be good to go. Especially if you're not driving it everyday, mass shouldn't harass you about out of state plates. I considered doing the same as Wade with my Semi. But mine would have to be able to work commercially from time to time so I chose to stay with CO TVW(total vehicle weight) plates
I'm not looking forward to showing up in MA next week sporting my CO tags in my little home town.... They seem to see EVERYTHING!
I'll poke at this too. And shoot for a shameless plug. Because I'm a picture whore sometimes.
I towed with this setup back in November. Got 14mpg's and kept pace at 70mph. Didn't strain the truck too much.
I towed with this setup back in November. Got 14mpg's and kept pace at 70mph. Didn't strain the truck too much.
Crappy night pic but mine also pulled 9k easy, big hills were 35mph not pushing it and 70 on flat it we wanted, I had to remind the wife more than once the limit is 55 towing!
Super happy how it towed..
