Training the Best

Yeah, I had to do it. The plates from Virginia have expired, and besides that Virginia requires yearly inspections (also expired) and I'm not driving 1500 miles and 30 hours to get a Virginia inspection. Couldn't you imagine that? Getting all the way there and when you walk up to the counter they tell you your insurance card is expired? Wow, I would be pissed.

So I got my car inspected here in Texas (an hour long odyssey) and ventured down to the Nueces County Courthouse. I didn't get there until 4:40 and the place closes at 5pm, so I wasn't sure if I was going to get my tags today. I got to the window at 4:45 and the lady at the window pointed out that my insurance card said Florida on it and Florida's liability limits don't meet Texas's requirements. Game over? Hardly.

The lady behind the counter was really nice, but didn't have faith that my insurance company would be able to fax a new insurance card in time. I had faith. I'm not going to start doing commercials for USAA, but they are pretty damn good in the phone customer support arena. After a short telephone call and no wait time a fax was on the way.

Then yet another nice lady helped me out at the next window. I couldn't get over all this prompt and polite customer service. Does this happen in other states? North Carolina DMV is like the second layer of hell compared to this place. Just two quick forms and I was ready to pay up and get my plates.

The damage? $186! Twenty bucks for something called a "terp" fee, $13 for a title application fee, $90 for sales tax, and $50.50 for a windshield sticker! It's not even a cool sticker! It's just a colored piece of paper with some contact paper on the back of it so you can stick it to the inside of your windshield. It'll all be worth it when I don't have to pay state income tax anymore. Since my car is registered in Texas and Texas has no income tax, I can become a legal resident and don't have to pay North Carolina a damn thing! That'll put $193 a month back into my pocket. Yeehaw!

Notice the stickers in the lower right hand corner of the windshield. The $50 registration sticker is on top and the inspection sticker is on bottom.