Today, I wished I had bought a Toyota

[ASmartMan]

What a Day

Went to do all the paper work today, I started @9:30 am and just got home now.

A little detail before I go on with my story, in my state (because insurance is optional) the dealer will inspect it (and place the sticker on the car) and put a 20 day temporary plate on you car for when you pick it up.

OK now for the story

Got the paper work together and noticed the dealer put my month of birth as February not January as it should of been.

OK so I call the dealer they were very sorry and are going to give me a free oil change for having to drive 30 miles in each direction to get the correct DOB and correct sticker, I get there and get the corrected paperwork, only to be told I'd have to come back for the sticker, once I have registered the car. The dealer said "the state watches inspection stickers very closely and would not allow 2 inspection stickers be assigned to 1 temp plate".

So Yep you got it, 2 round trips (120 miles) to get the corrected paper work and an inspection that has the proper month on it (we get our cars inspected in the month of our birth here).

OOHH but hold on boys and girls were just getting started I talked about the beginning and end of the day, lets talk about what happened in the middle, once again a little back ground is need to follow this part of the story.

Where I live you can register a car at the town hall as long as you are not applying for a vanity plate, where I did, I had to go to the town hall and the state DMV, now for the story.

I go to the town hall to start the registration process, inform them I'm getting a vanity plate, and after 5 phone calls to the state DMV (because the VIN # kept coming back as invalid) I finally got the needed paper work (My state had a record of the car because it was used and the owner lived in the same state as I do) and was off to the DMV.

I get in LINE at the DMV, finally get to a teller, and say I want a vanity plate, I tell her I want FORTWO, she checks it and says it's available and we start the process, only to be held up by that Vin # problem again, once resolved I get a paper plate (metal plates arrive in about 2 weeks) and I head home.

I get home show my wife I was able to get FORTWO, she laugh, and said read close, the plate and the paper work said FORTOW, my heart sank (giving the day I was having).

Went back to the town hall (figuring I would have to start the process over again) only to be told the DMV can take care of this, so off to the DMV I go.

I get to the DMV (it's now Friday afternoon) and the line is out the door, I'm at the front of the line and let a few people go a head of me ( I was waiting for the same teller), I get to the teller and say "remember Me" she said "Yes" and I explained the problem, I said I don't know how we got here but I want FORTWO not FORTOW, she said "No problem" I went WOW then asked "How Much" (remember there is a line of people behind me waiting and the first 5 rows can hear every word) she said "No Charge", well I grabbed the bars and shook, saying No Charge, I've never been to the DMV for no charge ( this caused a minor roar of laughter behind me that actually brought a smile (small but a smile none the less to the stone faces) of the tellers.

In the end, I still got FORTWO as a vanity plate and the paper work nightmare is OVER, time for a beer, later all.

ASM

[SmartCard]

Whew, glad your troubles didn't have to do with the car! (the "I wish I had bought a Toyota" led in) Techinically any of those things (well, maybe not the fortwo vanity plate) could had happened with any new car purchase.

Glad your paperwork nightmare is over and the you still have the car!
(did you get to drive the fortwo those 120 miles? ......if you did, see it wasn't all bad!)

and speaking of beer....that sounds good!

[ASmartMan]

SC

The vanity plate and the VIN # problem was the Smart car ONLY problem and you are correct this could happen with ANY new/used car purchase, but for all that could go wrong to actually go wrong, I still can't help but wonder if it is an omen, and by the time the day was done I put 200 miles + on the Smart (my left elbow is sore from resting on the non padded door frame/arm rest).

OOHH and to ALL who are thinking about getting a gray model, it only has 17 numbers in it's VIN and you insurance company as well as you DMV wants 18 this was the reason for the problem (VIN wise), make sure you get ALL the paper work from the seller.

AC has room temp down to 72 (outside 97), belly has 3 beers in it, Life is wonderful, life is grand Hee Hee Hee.

ASM

ps. I filled the car to the max today so we'll let the mileage test begin, but remember temps are in the 90s this time of year here so all mileage will be with AC going full blast.

[SMART]

AsmartMan,

I am glad to hear that the hard work paid off and I am willing to bet that getting the FORTWO plate early on was a great decision as that vanity will only become more valuable as time goes on. Well, be sure to post up pictures when the plates come in and I would love to write a front page story about it!

Talk to you soon,
SMART

[a2jack]

ASmartMan.

Funny story. Love the plate that read "FORTOW".

Good luck on your new Smart for two.

A2Jack

[ASmartMan]

Smart

Will do.

a2jack

Yes, it is funny (now), and was funny soon after I had 3 beers in me, but trust me it wasn't fun going through it

Well spent the weekend detailing it, I used the same 63% carnauba wax I bought for my Z3 on it, but it was hot and and set up VERY hard, it literally took me all day to get it off, but again now that it's over, it was worth it.

OOOOOHH Ill put the post on hold for a picture.

The sun had just set, with out a tripod unsteady with out flash, with flash makes picture dark, but pictures none the less.

ASM

[canon1753]

At least you can buy a fortwo. I live in one of the states that border you...(hint to the west of you And you can't get a gray Smart there. Good for you and have fun!

[John_in_CCTX]

Any way to tell if my '00 Cabrio is G + K, or what?