# Expired temp tags - advice on what to do



## bta80 (Dec 12, 2003)

I live in NC. I bought a CPO vehicle from Open Road BMW in NJ. On 6/7 I took delivery and was given temporary tags valid for 20 days (until 6/27). It's now 6/30 and still no permanent tags.

Here's the timeline:

6/7 - Took delivery of car, 20 day tags issued
6/19 - Wrote CA asking for updates on plates (8 days until expiration)
6/19 - CA says he'll check first thing on 6/20 and wants another copy of my insurance
6/20 - I provide copy of insurance (7 days until expiration)
6/23 - I ask for another update (4 days until expiration)
6/23 - CA says he'll check
6/25 - Ask CA for another update (2 days until expiration)
6/25 - CA says, "Should be on it way to you! I just got an email confirming there done! "
6/27 - I write CA asking for tracking number since I still haven't received them (0 days until expiration)
6/27 - CA says he's checking
6/27 - CA says, "You can still drive the car! I hope the plates will arriving by saturday [6/28]". CA doesn't provide a tracking number.
6/27 - I request that another temp tag be fedex'ed to me
6/28 - CA says he's sorry but there's a delay with my plates and "It will be a least another week". Doesn't respond to temp tag request.
6/30 - Manager calls today to say that there was a delay. NC DMV should have the paper work now but it might take them the rest of the week to issue the permanent plates. He says he cannot issue me new temp plates because NJ won't let him issue another temp tag. He suggests I call NC DMV and see if they can do anything
6/30 - I call NC DMV and they say there is no record of that VIN being submitted for registration and that they can't issue me temp plates without a title or without a record that the registration is being processed.

So now I have a car that I can't drive and I am completely frustrated after hounding the dealer for updates for more than a week. I also never received an explanation as to why my tags went from "complete and on their way" to "delayed another week". I'm hoping someone here might have some additional suggestions. I really don't want to drive a car with expired plates. I live in a very low crime area where the police have lots of time to concentrate on expired plates and stickers. Any suggestions?


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## NASA43 (Jul 19, 2003)

I don't understand why the state of New Jersey won't issue another temp tag. When I purchased my car in 07 from Nalley BMW in Atlanta, it took about 6 weeks to finally get the paperwork sent to my DMV in Alabama because they were using a third party title company in Illinois (I think it was Illinois). However, the finance person at Nalley handling it sent me a new temp tag as well as a letter explaining the delay (I needed the letter to get my car onto Redstone Arsenal).


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## bta80 (Dec 12, 2003)

NASA43 said:


> I don't understand why the state of New Jersey won't issue another temp tag. When I purchased my car in 07 from Nalley BMW in Atlanta, it took about 6 weeks to finally get the paperwork sent to my DMV in Alabama because they were using a third party title company in Illinois (I think it was Illinois). However, the finance person at Nalley handling it sent me a new temp tag as well as a letter explaining the delay (I needed the letter to get my car onto Redstone Arsenal).


I had a similar experience with a different car I bought in VA. The VA dealer issued me additional temp tags twice while I waited for my permanent VA tags. That's why I was so surprised when Open Road said that in NJ they couldn't do that. I guess NJ is just strange like that?

The dealer just sent me a tracking number a few minutes ago. It looks like a FedEx tracking number, and if it is, the package isn't even scheduled to arrive the NC DMV until tomorrow at 10:30am. So it's very likely I'll go until next week without plates.


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## sch (Jul 17, 2007)

New Jersey link:

http://www.state.nj.us/mvc/Vehicle/TemporaryRegistration.htm


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## MikeMidd (Jan 27, 2008)

NC, eh? Shoulda gone to Flow BMW. Kidding, of course.

Is there any way you can get temp tags from North Carolina? If they said they can't do it until they get the paperwork, is there a way they can process that tomorrow (once they get the package) so you can get temp NC tags, and then wait for the metal ones to arrive?

Another question - and this is a little risky, of course - is how obvious the expiration is on your NJ temps? Some states literally put the date in huge block letters, while other states don't. If you drive the NJ ones and have some kind of paperwork to back up that hte car is yours, I'm wondering if you are close (at least) to being safe.


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## bta80 (Dec 12, 2003)

MikeMidd said:


> Is there any way you can get temp tags from North Carolina? If they said they can't do it until they get the paperwork, is there a way they can process that tomorrow (once they get the package) so you can get temp NC tags, and then wait for the metal ones to arrive?


Hope so - I'm going to give the DMV a call tomorrow after it arrives.



MikeMidd said:


> Another question - and this is a little risky, of course - is how obvious the expiration is on your NJ temps? Some states literally put the date in huge block letters, while other states don't. If you drive the NJ ones and have some kind of paperwork to back up that hte car is yours, I'm wondering if you are close (at least) to being safe.


NJ puts the date in huge block letters. It doesn't even have a temp tag number that's legible from any distance - it's just the date in huge letters.


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## Fahrvergnugen (Mar 1, 2008)

I'd tell the dealer to give me a set of dealer tags. That's bullspit.


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## The BoatMan (Apr 2, 2002)

Ah, the issues with buying out of state and license plates. Dont even get me started. I was stopped by local police numerous times with my temp out of state plates. THe last time I was stopped I had to plead with the officer not to write me a ticket. He looked at the paperwork and said its against the law in NJ to be driving the car with temp plates with the time that had passed.

It has unfortunately soured the experience and I doubt at this point I will do it again unless the process has changed. I rather spend the day at the dmv then go thru that ordeal again. Its the only negative of buying out of state. Everything else was great. Good luck!


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## Mech_Man (Jun 2, 2008)

MikeMidd said:


> NC, eh? Shoulda gone to Flow BMW. Kidding, of course.
> 
> Is there any way you can get temp tags from North Carolina? If they said they can't do it until they get the paperwork, is there a way they can process that tomorrow (once they get the package) so you can get temp NC tags, and then wait for the metal ones to arrive?


I was just in the NCDMV tag office today, asking what I needed to transfer my previous car's (personalized) tag to my new car. I had just purchased it in SC, and it has a SC Temp (paper) plate that is good for 30 days.

I was told that I needed a Bill of Sale that shows the cost of the car, (to set the tax amount, I guess), and if I don't have the new Title, then they can still do it, but only if the new VIN has already been entered in the NC Dept Motor Vech computer system.

When the dealer sends in the Title request form, it goes to the state offices, where they enter the request along with the VIN. I don't know how long it usually is after that where you end up with the Title in your hands, but if the new VIN is in the NC computers, then you can do it. I was told that there wasn't a website or such were a non-DMV worker could go to see if the VIN had been entered.

I concluded that I would just have to wait until I get the actual Title. If this extends beyond my 30 days, I'll ask a week or so prior for another temp and see if my CA can do it.
The alternate would be to go every few days, stand in line, and ask them to check on the new VIN, until one day discover it had finally been entered.


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## bta80 (Dec 12, 2003)

Oddly enough - it may become a non issue after what happened tonight. As my wife and I were driving home from dinner, we got the following warning on idrive "Electrical system malfunction. Continued driving is not possible". Luckily we were almost home when it happened.

After a quick google search, we found a post about a similar problem on another 530xiT:
http://forums.e60.net/lofiversion/index.php/t54725.html

So I went back out to the car, opened the back up, and sure enough there was standing water in the back right corner where the fuses are. We had just had a downpour the night before and the car was parked outside while my wife was out.

So back into the shop it goes - probably getting towed there. Maybe we'll have tags by the time they fix it.

I'm beginning to think this car is cursed. Since we bought it on June 7th we've had the air pump fail, a window regulator need replacing, low oil warning, temp tags expire, and now this.

And if you're keeping score at home regarding my BMW misfortunes, my 330i was hit by a Lexus on Friday: http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=295206


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## Vitacura (Jul 22, 2005)

Ouch.. sorry to hear. Hope it will be taken care of quickly.


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## BIMMERUSAM5 (May 20, 2007)

Vitacura said:


> Ouch.. sorry to hear. Hope it will be taken care of quickly.


+1


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## Mech_Man (Jun 2, 2008)

bta80 said:


> Oddly enough - it may become a non issue after what happened tonight. As my wife and I were driving home from dinner, we got the following warning on idrive "Electrical system malfunction. Continued driving is not possible". Luckily we were almost home when it happened.
> 
> After a quick google search, we found a post about a similar problem on another 530xiT:
> http://forums.e60.net/lofiversion/index.php/t54725.html
> ...


I hate to say it, but you should do a little research into the applicable Lemon Laws. Mostly, so you know where you stand, and also so you would have some more leverage with the repair folk.

I had a 328i with leather seats. One part of the interior metal framework cause the leather to be rubbed. (It poked up kind of like an unbendable coat hanger). I had the leather panel replaced 4 times, and two more times had it looked at for a fix. I never got it, and the car aged out of warrantee. So I figured I'd just live with it. Now I realize that if I had threatened to go Lemon on them, I might have gotten it finally fixed for good.


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## bta80 (Dec 12, 2003)

bta80 said:


> Oddly enough - it may become a non issue after what happened tonight. As my wife and I were driving home from dinner, we got the following warning on idrive "Electrical system malfunction. Continued driving is not possible". Luckily we were almost home when it happened.
> 
> After a quick google search, we found a post about a similar problem on another 530xiT:
> http://forums.e60.net/lofiversion/index.php/t54725.html
> ...


Just wanted to update the thread in case a fellow 530xiT owner searches and finds this thread in the future. The dealer called today and confirmed it was the sunroof drain clog issue. They're following the service bulletin on it and making the required repairs. They don't think too much was damaged - just a few leads that will need to be replaced.

The service bulletin is discussed in another bimmerfest thread.

Still no permanent tags though. So it's nice to have a loaner we can drive while we wait for the tags. We're hoping the tags will come before they're done fixing the wagon.


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