SEMA Takes on DMV!

[Zoom This]

I ran across this article a few weeks ago and thought some of you would be interested in it. It was in the latest issue of Popular Hot Rodding.

Bill

[Randy Rosenberg]

This is from SEMA (Nov '04):

http://www.enjoythedrive.com/content/?id=33586

[RedBarchetta]

It's about time. Better late than never. Several here were sending letters to SEMA around this time last year and they fell on deaf ears. Now that the Boyd Coddingtons of the world are getting rounded up, I guess SEMA is now paying attention. Good for SEMA!

-Dean

[hoppy]

It sounded like they are addressing the issue of title problems, but I don't get a sense from the article that they are working against the limiting of 500 SB-100 permits per year. In my opinon that would be a more important accomplisment.

[Ron61]

Hoppy,

As has been stated several times, what we need here is a one year amnesty with the Legislature suspending the 500 limit for that year, and letting all people with any kind of car that needs to be registered under SB-100/1578 go in and get it done. The DMV can't change the rules, and just training them to register the 500 cars isn't going to solve the problem as the back log of people needing one of those numbers grows every year. If after the Coddington Incident, SEMA is willing to finally get involved, they should be encouraged to work toward this first and not just streamlining the process for the 500 numbers. The state would gain millions if they would do this as all cars not registered under SB-100 weren't done so to beat taxes. That was the only way they could do it before. Some people did lie about the value of their cars to beat the taxes, but that is a small percentage. And the state could have an estimator to give them the value of each car during that year as people came in and applied. But with just 500 numbers, the outlying DMVs can't even get into Sac. to get a number for anyone as the lines are tied up 5 minutes after the DMV opens on January 2nd or whatever day it happens to be. Then when they can get in, the numbers are already gone.

Ron

[Turk]

SEMA is more interested in lobbying for loud mufflers and after market blowers than they are Cobras. It has fallen on deaf ears, too little too late perhaps.

TURK

[Ron61]

Turk,

I fear that you are right about that. But once the Cobras are gone then they can go after the street rods and other component cars. To bad more Cobras don't use blowers and then maybe SEMA would take an interest. However, I think that we will soon see this state make them illegal for street driving as they tend to stick up and block a little vision to the right side. I have already heard some talk of limiting them. Hope that was all it is, but with our state, who knows. Quick, get GM to put them on Hummers and sticking way up. That will assure they stay legal.

Ron

[Turk]

Don't forget they outlawed the 3 ounces of differential additive we used to put in our rear ends with limited slip.
No more!!

What is next? Vinegar?

[LURK]

Nope. Foie Gras

[Jamo]

Phuk SEMA

[Zoom This]

From the Pop Hot Rod article.

California's complex vehicle registration laws
have created confusion among state hobbyists
andthose charged with applying these laws at
the ground level. The result has been that certain
classes of hobbyist vehicles, representing a small
fraction of the 28 million registered vehicles in
California,maybe erroneously titled or registered.
"It is our sense that these vehicle owners are
simply struggling with the registration process,
which has little or nothing to do with avoiding
applicable registration fees or other requirements,"
said SEMA president and CEO Chris
Kersting. "They are simply victims of what
California DMVofficials have aptly described as a
'muddy' registration process."
SEMA, through its Government Affairs Office,
has made efforts in California and around the
country to simplify the process. The association
has been active in..,pursuing model legislation to
create titling and registration classifications for
street rods, custom vehicles, kit cars, replicas,
etc. to avert some of thesei ssues and concerns.
These cars are required to pay all appropriate
taxes and registration fees as requiredby law. To
date,the SEMA model legislation has been enacted
in Missouri,Illinois,and Rhode Island.
"We look forward. to working with California
state regulators and industry,including members
of SEMA's Hot Rod Industry Alliance(HRIA),to
achieve as atisfactory resolution to this titling and
registration dilemma,be it through legislation or
administrative remedies,"Kerstin added.
SEMA was founded in 1963 and represents the
$29 billion specialty automotive industry of 5,727
member companies. It is the authoritative source
for research,data, trends and market growth
information for automakers and the specialty auto
products industry.