Latest on Car Registrations

We now now have the Jeep Rubicon registered and plated, and we have the Chrysler minivan and 97 Wrangler  TJ registered and plates on hand.  Amazingly, Cec was able to obtain "CEC" personalized tags like she used to have in Nebraska, a feat she was unable to accomplish in Michigan.  I plan to get a ham plate, KY8T, for the Rubicon, but I did not have a copy of my ham license with me when I registered it.

Since Texas requires both front and back plates, our Michigan-bought vehicles are not readily equipped for a front license plate.  I had to drill out the front bumper (fortunately plastic) to install the front plate on the Rubicon.    It appears that more drilling will also be necesary on the minivan.  The 97 Wrangler has a steel bumper with a hitch receiver, which leaves no room for mounting a license plate and makes the drilling much tougher.  So today I ordered a receiver insert with license plate frame from J. C. Whitney.

The motor home is another matter.  The last time we went to the county clerk's office, we did not have a required weight certificate.  Texas registration fees are based on weight.  So I went to a farm chemical business at Trinity recommended by my builder and had it weighed after they assured me that the weight would be certified.  When we returned to the clerk's office there were two further problems.  First, the safety inspection station had omitted one digit from the VIN on the motor home inspection certificate, and they would not register it without a correction.  Second,  the weight was not certified as promised.

So back to the safety inspection station, and they filled out a new certificate without complaint.  Then back to the place with scales.  This time they told me contrary to their earlier assertion that they do not certify weights but that they'd never had any problem with it.  Problem is that they are in Trinity County, and I am registering in Walker County.  Different people, different standards.  Although I sometimes invoke my "yell and scream" warranty, I decided to let it drop since it only cost $5 and they were sincere about not having any problems in Trinity County.  So now I have to go to the Pilot truck stop at Huntsville to get a certified weight.  But now I have to unhook the rig and get it out of a muddy area.  We decided to let it ride until spring when we have to move the rig again.  When the house is complete, we can unload the rig and pay a lower registration fee.  It might be worth the wait.

I also stopped by the Walker County Appraisal District today to claim my homestead exemption.  For non-Texans a homestead exemption is a fixed amount that is deducted from the tax value of the property on which you reside.  They needed a photo ID, but the driver's license office confiscated by Michigan license.  All I had was a temporary paper license without a photo.  Fortunately, they accepted the photo on my Costco American Express card.  That card had gotten us out of a couple of fixes, including getting Cec on a Continental flight last year when she had temporarily misplaced her driver's license.