Seriously, I'm looking at all the registration stuff that I'm going to have to do when I move, and I'm just in shock that you Marylanders actually put up, and / or voted for this crap?

I mean, seriously? Here in Florida, we don't have any emissions testing, there is no property tax on cars that you own, there's no excise tax for when you buy a new car (just normal sales tax), there's a nominal registration fee, and you can pay ahead on your registration for up to 2 years. We also only require 1 license plate (in the back). If you want to, you can even cut the roof off your car and drive around, and no one will pull you over as long as you have working taillights and headlights.

In Maryland, it looks to me like I have to get an annual inspection, as well as multiple 90-day vehicle inspections for the first year. If I was to buy a brand new car in MD, it looks like not only will I pay the 6% interest, but that I'd also pay an additional 6% excise one-time tax. So if I bought a $100,000 car, I'd end up having to pay $12,000 in taxes just for the right to buy the car?

There's all kinds of other crazy stuff...


And what drives me the most nuts... is that I'm going to have to pay some f**king schmuck at a gas station $50 dollars to tell me that my car is safe, when in actuality, I could run laps around this guy in terms of mechanical skill.


Damn, what am I getting myself into. I think every person should be forced to live in a Communist state like Maryland, just to get a taste for what kind of crap happens when you let taxes and "fair share" arguments go too far. What's ridiculous is that all of this mentality here is probably to help the poor... when in reality, laws like this actually hurt the poor significantly. If I was just a kid trying to make it on my own, at 18, 19... and probably had a beater car... how in the world could I be expected to pass emissions testing, or pay these ridiculous fees?

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Todd

Any mechanics in Maryland here that can help Todd out?

quote Originally posted by 82-T/A [At Work]: If I was just a kid trying to make it on my own, at 18, 19... and probably had a beater car... how in the world could I be expected to pass emissions testing, or pay these ridiculous fees?

They expect your parents buy you a BMW

We have similar inspection laws it seems here in Mass, but the actual enforcement isn't all that intense.

[This message has been edited by Xanth (edited 07-18-2011).]

Some places have some pricey fees for stuff.

I think it cost about 650.00 to get my last Fiero registererd and plated.
The previous one (a few years earlier) cost around 230.00.

If you're going to the DC area, everything around there is nuts. Not recommended for gearheads AT ALL. You will hate it there. It sounds like the property and excise tax policies of VA have made their way across the border to MD as well, except MD has higher sales taxes to boot.

Why are you moving to Maryland? Job?

Jim

LOL!! You REALLY think we would have voted for that? REALLY???
Wecome to the land of free flowing taxation. One of the reasons I wondered why you wanted to come here. Vehicles in Md need a one time inspection when you register them in order to get a title. I believe, since you already have a title, you just have to pay registration fees to get tags. The only inpections after that are emissions, every two years. Not sure about the excise tax on top of sales tax, but that sounds wrong.
I'm really not sure about transferring a car registration here from another state. Never done it. Dealing with Md DMV can fe FUN!!!
I have my Fieros registered as historic too. No inspection, no emissions tests, lower registration fees.

Welcome to Maryland!!! Wait until you get a load of our property tax rate!!
Doug

quote Originally posted by 82-T/A [At Work]: Damn, what am I getting myself into. I think every person should be forced to live in a Communist state like Maryland, just to get a taste for what kind of crap happens when you let taxes and "fair share" arguments go too far. What's ridiculous is that all of this mentality here is probably to help the poor... when in reality, laws like this actually hurt the poor significantly. If I was just a kid trying to make it on my own, at 18, 19... and probably had a beater car... how in the world could I be expected to pass emissions testing, or pay these ridiculous fees?

No, the mentality is to "keep you safe." That cannot be argued with because "it's for your own good."

Young people should ride the bus, Comrade, and learn to enjoy the fruits of the Worker's Paradise!

Thanks guys, I appreciate the responses.

quote Originally posted by jimbolaya: Why are you moving to Maryland? Job? Jim

Yeah, I don't want to mention the company name, but Maryland is like the medical haven of the United States. A LOT of tech jobs up there in the medical field.

quote Originally posted by Zeb: No, the mentality is to "keep you safe." That cannot be argued with because "it's for your own good." Young people should ride the bus, Comrade, and learn to enjoy the fruits of the Worker's Paradise!

Damn, hah... well.. I rode the bus all the time when I was a teenager, going back and forth between home and CompUSA when I lived in Northern Virginia.

I remember in Virginia when I tried to get my first car registered. It technically was not my car, so the Fiero is still "MY" first car. It was an 84 Toyota Corolla that I shared with my brother. We couldn't register it the first time because the horn didn't work. Then when we went back the second time, they wouldn't pass us because there was a dent in the rear quarter that was bigger than the size of someone's fist. I wish they had told me the first time.


We actually had emissions testing here in Florida when I FIRST moved down here in 1996... but after two years, they determined that since we were a peninsula, that it was really Texas's problem since the wind would carry our crap over to them, and not our problem, so we eliminated emissions testing (hahahah).

Welcome to our Federal system of government, where each State makes its own, often different rules and regulations.

quote Originally posted by FieroRumor: Some places have some pricey fees for stuff. I think it cost about 650.00 to get my last Fiero registererd and plated. The previous one (a few years earlier) cost around 230.00.

My Fiero, with standard plates is going to cost me $41 to renew this year. No excise, no emissions, nothing.

I'm going for historic plates on the Fiero this year since I only drive it once every few weeks anyway.