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Inspection/Registration/Trade In?
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TJ18
Novice
Aug 15, 2015, 9:15 AM
Post #1 of 11
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Inspection/Registration/Trade In?
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1998
Ford
Explorer Sport (2 door)
v6??
~163k miles
Hey all,
I was living in texas for 3 years and just moved to missouri.
The car has an expired registration from 2014 and texas plates, I tried to get the car inspected today and the mechanic failed it and shot me a quote of 500 bucks to fix some ball bearings.
I am not sure what to do, money is tight and the car gets terrible gas mileage. If I can trade it in and get something smaller with better gas mileage I would but I don't really want to have a car payment unless it was small. On the other hand I have heard people in missouri regularly have their vehicles registered in Texas to avoid taxes. But I would then have to get the inspection in texas? Any advice would be GREATLY appreciated.
Thanks,
TJ
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Aug 15, 2015, 10:09 AM
Post #2 of 11
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Re: Inspection/Registration/Trade In?
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? You have "expired plates" from anywhere. Alone I don't think you are allowed to drive this on any public road like that and wouldn't get a Missouri state inspection sticker or even tested if that's what you meant it in the wrong state - why is that confusing you?
If you meant just inspected for what it would need to pass and bearings were found bad I can see that rejecting a vehicle easily.
You can check what rules and grace periods for each state at a site like DMV.com or .gov and find out what you require for each state and how long if you live there you have to legally drive on another states plates type thing.
I can't imagine more than 6 months grace with a valid registration to change to the new state's requirements and plates with insurance then you get the vehicle's "State" inspection for places I know - most like that.
If you have title (documents that allow you to sell it) now you could sell or trade for something else but as it stands this vehicle wouldn't be allowed on any roads as it is!
T
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TJ18
Novice
Aug 15, 2015, 10:20 AM
Post #3 of 11
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Sorry you will have to excuse my ignorance when it comes to this stuff.
But I appreciate the response, I don't think the tags (license plates) are expired. They don't have a date on them, but the registration sticker and the inspection sticker are both expired.
If I were to get it to pass inspection in missouri do you think I could register it in texas?
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Discretesignals
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Aug 15, 2015, 10:32 AM
Post #4 of 11
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You've been driving this around with expired tags and registration with bad bearings since 2014? Not smart.
Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.
(This post was edited by Discretesignals on Aug 15, 2015, 10:34 AM)
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TJ18
Novice
Aug 15, 2015, 10:47 AM
Post #5 of 11
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Well when I went to get the car inspected the mechanic said it failed because :
"both lower ball joints 3/4 inch play"
First time I have been to the guy so who knows maybe he was just trying to get more business?
So I didn't know it had this issue until today, the registration on the other hand had expired in Nov of 2014. I didn't get it re-newed because I had heard that in TX they were going to do without car registration in 2016...so I figured why waste the money for one more year?
I still have my insurance issued in texas so I guess I couldn't get it registered anyways in missouri.
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Discretesignals
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Aug 15, 2015, 11:01 AM
Post #7 of 11
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I wouldn't be surprised if the ball joints have play. That is common on Fords. If you feel that the first mechanic is wrong, then you should get another opinion. Driving around on expired tags and registration is a non moving violation, but because they have been expired for so long it could be considered a moving violation. You should check with the DVM as Tom suggested.
If all that is wrong with your vehicle is bad hub bearings and ball joints, it probably wouldn't be a bad investment to have those repaired instead of looking for another vehicle if your funds are low. By the time you make a down payment, qualify for a loan, go through all the paper work, and get stuck with a monthly car payment it will probably cost you more than to have the Explorer fixed. If you look for a used vehicle, there is always that chance you could get something worse than what you have, so make sure your mechanic checks it over before you go to buy a used vehicle.
It really is up to you, but I would have your mechanic do a full inspection of your Explorer to see if it is worth fixing. Being from Texas I am sure the body and frame are rust free, which is a big plus. If you can keep it going for couple more years, you can save money for something later on.
Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.
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TJ18
Novice
Aug 15, 2015, 11:39 AM
Post #8 of 11
(1789 views)
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I wouldn't be surprised if the ball joints have play. That is common on Fords. If you feel that the first mechanic is wrong, then you should get another opinion. Driving around on expired tags and registration is a non moving violation, but because they have been expired for so long it could be considered a moving violation. You should check with the DVM as Tom suggested.
If all that is wrong with your vehicle is bad hub bearings and ball joints, it probably wouldn't be a bad investment to have those repaired instead of looking for another vehicle if your funds are low. By the time you make a down payment, qualify for a loan, go through all the paper work, and get stuck with a monthly car payment it will probably cost you more than to have the Explorer fixed. If you look for a used vehicle, there is always that chance you could get something worse than what you have, so make sure your mechanic checks it over before you go to buy a used vehicle.
It really is up to you, but I would have your mechanic do a full inspection of your Explorer to see if it is worth fixing. Being from Texas I am sure the body and frame are rust free, which is a big plus. If you can keep it going for couple more years, you can save money for something later on.
Good advice, thanks a lot you guys. I will most likely get another estimate from a mechanic and try to get the car registered in texas with up to date tags.
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Aug 15, 2015, 11:40 AM
Post #9 of 11
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You had it checked and bad bearings were found in Missouri - right? Fine you can fix those in MO but the car whether expired or not isn't going to get a state inspection for safety and emissions and more for another state! Within a state you can find different things by areas what inspections you must do or not still. GA for example but not anywhere I know of can you drive an unsafe vehicle for checklist of possible reasons legally. Once Maryland had NO inspections at all but 100% of the time and 24hrs a day your car had to meet any inspections items all the time such that if lights were blown, bald tires and more were not up to par you got towed from that spot!
These things are state by state and within some states rules will change on how far they go or don't but is based on where the car is most of the time. You register, insure and if an inspection state do that for that location.
If you are a resident of MO now that's where the vehicle will need to be registered.
Each state has a web site for what you have to do. Insurance will be different for the place the vehicle is located and your driving record. I can't drive an uninsured motor vehicle where I am. It's known and no renewals will happen to that vehicle until it's know up to date.
The game changes so can't know all. Generally all states will honor if you own the car to let you get a new title for their fee and not pay sales taxes if you already owned it so many months or years in another state.
This is pretty primal to owning a vehicle sport. Driving a vehicle on a public road is a right not a privilege still that can be revoked any place I know of.
It's YOUR RESPONSIBILTY to know and comply with the laws of where you and the car will be. There were exceptions for some of it if going to college for example out of state you could keep a home address and I did that once. Bought another car 2,000 miles away and could register and insure it but not have the correct state's inspection sticker till it was back with the car.
If there are other technical things you can usually get exact detail on what you must do from an insurance company.
Repairs should be done anyway rules or not IMO,
T
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Discretesignals
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Aug 15, 2015, 11:41 AM
Post #10 of 11
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Let us know how things turn out.
Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.
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