New To Bc, Plating A Ghia.

[Batan]

Long story short, I have (finally) moved from Saskatoon to Vancouver. My Ghia is still stored with family back there and I will be bringing it out here this spring. It's a 61, with a well running 1500 single port out of a 66(I believe, I forgot). I restored it for daily driving, the car drives great and needs more less nothing. It's been to GCVW two years ago and was a blast going from and to Sasktoon. It burns some oil(I think it's got a stuck ring) but it runs so good, I do not want to mess with a good thing and occasional puff of blue does not bother me. According to PO, it's been rebuilt but I have no proof of that. All that said, I was wondering what is everyone's advice on how to plate it/insure it here? My daily is a 92 GTI and I'm planning on driving the Ghia 2/3 of the year or so.

Here are some pics:

[BUSDADDY]

Nice looking car, To register it in BC you have to get it inspected (usually around $100), and if you live in the lower mainland it needs to pass aircare at least once for collector plates. You may be able to borrow an engine for the aircare test if yours is tired.

[Batan]

Nice looking car, To register it in BC you have to get it inspected (usually around $100), and if you live in the lower mainland it needs to pass aircare at least once for collector plates. You may be able to borrow an engine for the aircare test if yours is tired.

I know about the inspection stuff, my daily driver GTI has been inspected and plated. However, I did not discuss the Ghia at that time and I'm getting it in May so I thought it's time to ask around and see what's the best way to plate it.

[silas]

regardless of what kind of plate you put on it, every vehicle that is brought from outside of bc needs to pass a bc vehicle/safety inspection. after you pass this inspection you can insure your vehicle here in bc and you are exempt from aircare for the first year. below is a copy of the inspection paper that the shop will use when they inspect your car....



i went through all of this when i bought my 64 beetle in seattle and brought it up here to get inspected & insured. for teh inspection, i took it to the shop i worked at at the time. the owner frankie knows his stuff and inspects vehicles all the time. just so you know, it's his license on the line so he isnt going to turn a blind eye...but he is more than reasonable and very honest when it comes to his work. the inspection is under $100 ($75-$80-ish). i highly recommend going there. even call him when you get a chance and explain your situation. tell him silas recommended him.

frankie @ autobahn imports
1721 main street, vancouver
phone # 604-873-3858

as far as insurance, i'm pretty sure you're eligable for collectors plates if your car is stock, you have another primary means of transportation, and you only plan to drive the collector insured car so many days per year. call your local auto plan agent and they'll fill you in.

good luck, keep us posted, beautifull ghia, and welcome to bc!!!! B)  

[AirCooledRules]

All is correct other then, you can drive it as much as you want as long as its not to work/school. There is no mileage restriction, you can drive it 24/7 if you please.

[Batan]

All is correct other then, you can drive it as much as you want as long as its not to work/school. There is no mileage restriction, you can drive it 24/7 if you please.

That's great! I'd be pleasure driving it anyways.

As I said earlier , I already inspected my GTI so I know about the procedure.
I don't need a blind eye either, the Ghia drives, steers, brakes and runs great. What I did with the GTI was I found a VW guy at a shop to inspect it even before I came to BC. I was not asking him to turn a blind eye, I just wanted somebody who will not pass the car just to make $$$. We all know that shops do that.


That said, I know all about the inspection as I have gone through it here as well as importing cars to Sask. I was wondering about the insurance and such. Does anybody know what to Collector plates and insurance cost for such a car as the above Ghia?

[silas]

As I said earlier , I already inspected my GTI so I know about the procedure.

my bad....sorry about that  . i re-read your post after i replied and didnt feel like editing my speil.

I was wondering about the insurance and such. Does anybody know what to Collector plates and insurance cost for such a car as the above Ghia?

i cant help you there but if someone doesnt pipe up here a local auto plan agent can fill you in about costs & details.
 

[bwaz]

I'd guess $200-$300 for the year, my 68 beetle convertible is about that. I'd also be aware that if you don't make it known to ICBC that you have the car, they'll try and ding you for sales tax when you do bring it into the province, after a certain amount of time with you being here. Check into that with ICBC!
b.waz

[AirCooledRules]

They cant ding you with sales tax, he owns the car, and has owned it. He just didnt bring it with him when he moved here.

And yes insurance will be $200-$300 for the year. SUPER CHEAP.

[Batan]

They cant ding you with sales tax, he owns the car, and has owned it. He just didnt bring it with him when he moved here.

And yes insurance will be $200-$300 for the year. SUPER CHEAP.

Cool!

There's a tax catch though(dammit!), since I could not insure it in SK without living there, and I left the car there stored with family. I legally sold it to a family member for a dollar (you can do that with family according to law) and he put insurance on it and stored it. I'm buying it back for a dollar. I'm not sure how to play that one out...they can tax me on that dollar! :wacko:  

[Bruce]

They may get you on the tax since you \"just bought\" the car.  If you show them you paid $1, they will reject that and charge you tax on the market value.  If you have an old registration from SK from before you sold the car to your family member, that should fix the bastards.

You may have some trouble getting collector plates for your car.  There are only a few specific modifications allowed, like disc brakes, and radial tires.  Your lack of bumper overriders, chrome body trim and silver painted wheels may disqualify you, depending on the knowledge of the guy that reviews your application.

I'm sure you know you will require wipers for the inspection (and for your new home's weather!)

[westcoast-paul]

nice ghia!  

[bwaz]

I'd question the \"he owned before he came here\" line, otherwise people would be flocking to Alberta to buy a new car without sales tax, then try to register it here saying I owned before. I had an old beetle that I left in alberta and moved here. I was not insured in my name as it hadn't been on the road. When I tried to do it here, they wanted to charge me tax. I had to go the motor vehicle branch in Edmonton, register and insure it, cancel the insurance the next day just to show it was in my name when I got it here. Pain in the rear, but that's the only way they would accept it as mine.  

[Batan]

I'd question the \"he owned before he came here\" line, otherwise people would be flocking to Alberta to buy a new car without sales tax, then try to register it here saying I owned before. I had an old beetle that I left in alberta and moved here. I was not insured in my name as it hadn't been on the road. When I tried to do it here, they wanted to charge me tax. I had to go the motor vehicle branch in Edmonton, register and insure it, cancel the insurance the next day just to show it was in my name when I got it here. Pain in the rear, but that's the only way they would accept it as mine.

Well, I can't do that because I can't insure the car with Saskatchewan insurance if I'm not a resident. Dammit, I did not think this would be an issue but I guess it will.
Should I just go to my insurance agent and ask him? :wacko:  I should have the old registration somewhere though...

No overiders and chrome trim affects the Collector plates? What a crappy setup!
Wipers are taken off for aerodynamics!  

[bwaz]

Do you have a BC license yet? If not, you're still a resident of sask! Before you go to all the trouble, go to an Autoplan dealer, find someone who looks like they know what they're talking about and ask the question. You don't have to go back there to buy or transfer anything if they give you the answer you don't want to hear!

[AirCooledRules]

I did not notice the lack of chrome trim. This could disqualify the car but it depends on who looks at it. Most of the people at the Collector office dont know as much as they should.

And actually you can have modifications, like Empi wheels or Dual carbs and such as long as they are Period correct.

[Batan]

Do you have a BC license yet? If not, you're still a resident of sask! Before you go to all the trouble, go to an Autoplan dealer, find someone who looks like they know what they're talking about and ask the question. You don't have to go back there to buy or transfer anything if they give you the answer you don't want to hear!

Yes I do, I moved here in August and had that done already.

And having a Sask license does not qualify my for the insurance, I have to have an address there. Originally I wanted to get the storage insurance there but could not so I \"sold\" the car to brother in law, as per SGI(sask insurance) agent's advice(a really good guy).

[Bruce]

And actually you can have modifications, like Empi wheels or Dual carbs and such as long as they are Period correct.

No you can't.  Empi wheels or aftermarket dual carbs are an instant disqualification.
 
The only cars that can get collector plates with mods are pre 59s.  Then you must have lots of mods, not just wheels and some trim difference.  Besides, this topic is about a 61 KG that has minor mods.

Along with the incorrect points I listed above, you are also missing the rear deck lid script, and door top chrome trim.  Steering wheel needs to be white.

You can try to apply as is to see if it gets past them.  If not, you will have to unmodify the car.

[Batan]

No you can't.  Empi wheels or aftermarket dual carbs are an instant disqualification.
 
The only cars that can get collector plates with mods are pre 59s.  Then you must have lots of mods, not just wheels and some trim difference.  Besides, this topic is about a 61 KG that has minor mods.

Along with the incorrect points I listed above, you are also missing the rear deck lid script, and door top chrome trim.  Steering wheel needs to be white.

You can try to apply as is to see if it gets past them.  If not, you will have to unmodify the car.

Why the hell does steering wheel need to be white? Missing script disqualifies it?
Wait a second, this whole Collector plate seem way more anal then I thought. That colour is not the original one, nor is the interior colour. Does that matter?

And, in case the Collector plate thing is out of question, that still leaves me with the question on what's the best way to insure it to make sure I get the right value out of it if something happens.

[Bruce]

A 61 KG originally came with a white steering wheel, yours isn't.  That is a modification.  Your car was also delivered with the Karmann Ghia script on the deck lid.  Yours has been removed and the holes filled for a custom look.
The whole purpose of collector plates is give special status to cars that are completely stock.  Restored or in very good original condition.  The thinking is that if your car is stock, you are treating it like a \"collector\" car.  In other words, not driving the hell out of it.
In many cases, finding the correct original parts can be difficult.  They think that if you go to the extreme to have the correct parts, you will be treating your car better than if you're just trying to keep it on the road with Crappy Tire parts.  The purpose of collector plates isn't to give people cheap insurance for junk cars. (note, I am not saying your car is junk)
They may decline you on the colours.  They aren't too knowledgeable on VWs.  V8s, they have experts.  I have heard of one guy who was declined because the colour of his valve covers on his 60s Mustang wasn't the correct shade of blue.  People who have collector plates have been known to install their aftermarket alloy wheels.  Anybody can report you for this violation, the result is that ICBC will inform you that unless you swap the wheels back, your insurance is invalid.
If you let the car degrade a bit so the paint job is dull, or you get a small tear in the upholstery, they can cancel your insurance.  I read the result of a court case where a guy had an early 70s convertible Buick.  He rented the car out for a movie, was missing an interior window crank, and had a tiny tear in the convertible top.  There was a claim and ICBC denied his claim.  He took it to court and ICBC won.  The guy had to pay out over $20k.

[Batan]

A 61 KG originally came with a white steering wheel, yours isn't.  That is a modification.  Your car was also delivered with the Karmann Ghia script on the deck lid.  Yours has been removed and the holes filled for a custom look.
The whole purpose of collector plates is give special status to cars that are completely stock.  Restored or in very good original condition.  The thinking is that if your car is stock, you are treating it like a "collector" car.  In other words, not driving the hell out of it.
In many cases, finding the correct original parts can be difficult.  They think that if you go to the extreme to have the correct parts, you will be treating your car better than if you're just trying to keep it on the road with Crappy Tire parts.  The purpose of collector plates isn't to give people cheap insurance for junk cars. (note, I am not saying your car is junk)
They may decline you on the colours.  They aren't too knowledgeable on VWs.  V8s, they have experts.  I have heard of one guy who was declined because the colour of his valve covers on his 60s Mustang wasn't the correct shade of blue.  People who have collector plates have been known to install their aftermarket alloy wheels.  Anybody can report you for this violation, the result is that ICBC will inform you that unless you swap the wheels back, your insurance is invalid.
If you let the car degrade a bit so the paint job is dull, or you get a small tear in the upholstery, they can cancel your insurance.  I read the result of a court case where a guy had an early 70s convertible Buick.  He rented the car out for a movie, was missing an interior window crank, and had a tiny tear in the convertible top.  There was a claim and ICBC denied his claim.  He took it to court and ICBC won.  The guy had to pay out over $20k.

Ok, I stand corrected since calling them [anal] was an understatement of the century. :lol:
BTW, the holes are not shaved, in fact, the declid has been changed and I had the shop redrill the period correct holes(since it's a newer lid with welded holes). This is between us so ICBC does not find out! LOL


That said, collector plates or not(you make it sound like it's more trouble the it's worth), if I plate it regular and something happens, will they screw me over? I had regular plates on it in SK and after talking to the agent I know pretty well, he said that SGI treats it fair if something happens. Fair as in not like a 40+ year old car but fair market value for it.
Also, now I have the newly raised issue of out-of-province sales tax.    

[Bruce]

Don't bother asking the agents here about how claims are processed.  The agents that sell you the insurance are not connected in any way with the claim process.  They just sell you the coverage.

You can get an appraisal on your car to establish it's value.  Then with that, you can get declared value insurance.  Beware, they are not stupid.  If you try to overvalue the car at $30k, you aren't gonna get that if it is a write off.  There have been a couple of examples discussed on this site recently where more money than was expected was settled on.  Then there were others where the car's owner was not happy.

There are a lot of cars that are completely stock, or very close.  Many of these cars were being used exactly the way Collector insurance allows, so for those cars, the Collector insurance's restrictions wasn't an issue.  If you ask those people with collector plates, most will say the benefits are well worth the application effort.

I know of a mid 60s Beetle that was completely stock but with the wheels painted all black.  This was the only incorrect detail, however, the Collector status was given anyway.  Since then the wheels were painted the proper black and white for 2 reasons.  One, that's what the owner wanted, and two, to avoid any issues with the collector status.

[Cameron]

Hey Batan,
Go directly to the source for the info on \"collector plates\". Bruce is correct. Very few modifications are allowed for vehicles made after 1958.

http://www.icbc.com/registration/reg_spec_...eh_coll_veh.asp

[Trevor P]

I had regular plates on it in SK and after talking to the agent I know pretty well, he said that SGI treats it fair if something happens. Fair as in not like a 40+ year old car but fair market value for it.
 

I imagine ICBC is very much like SGI.
And no SGI WON'T give you a fair value for your vintage, collector, modified or antique car if it gets written off and you have no appraisal and stated value insurance. Just ask my friend who went though this on his 914 several years ago. In the end he fought it, and still got screwed by SGI.
If I were you I would get it apprasied and go for the stated value insurance. This collector plate BS in BC is stupid. Makes me glad SGI's process is so simple.

[Batan]

You can get an appraisal on your car to establish it's value.  Then with that, you can get declared value insurance.  Beware, they are not stupid.  If you try to overvalue the car at $30k, you aren't gonna get that if it is a write off.  There have been a couple of examples discussed on this site recently where more money than was expected was settled on.  Then there were others where the car's owner was not happy.

I'm not trying to fool them, I'm trying to find a way to get the car insured at a fair value, that's it. However, they usually are stupid, they're just stupid in the wrong direction.  :lol:
Seems like the appraised value is the way to go then.

That still leaves me with this sticky sales tax situation and the fact that the car would fail aircare due to that blowby.

And Trevor, yes indeed SGI has it simpler!

 

[Bruce]

That still leaves me with this sticky sales tax situation and the fact that the car would fail aircare due to that blowby.
 

Did you find an old copy of the registration?  That is all you need.  They just need to see a regi in your name, doesn't have to be current.  They are not going to investigate to see if you are the current owner.

A car with blowby won't necessarily fail aircare.  Their sniffers don't detect smoke.  Only if your car is blowing smoke at idle will they kick you out.  That's right, it is a visual test.

[Batan]

That still leaves me with this sticky sales tax situation and the fact that the car would fail aircare due to that blowby.
 

Did you find an old copy of the registration?  That is all you need.  They just need to see a regi in your name, doesn't have to be current.  They are not going to investigate to see if you are the current owner.

A car with blowby won't necessarily fail aircare.  Their sniffers don't detect smoke.  Only if your car is blowing smoke at idle will they kick you out.  That's right, it is a visual test.

NOw, that's good news. I think I do have a copy somewhere and the car does not smoke at idle.  

[67VERT]

sounds like some guy's are getting a little over board with this. The head of the Collector Plate program is very knowledgable on the European cars. He has been a judge at Pebble Beach for the last few years. Yes they are picky with the program. But they are not unreasonable with it. You can have period correct accessories on the vehicle.

Eliminate the confusion for yourself. Phone the program and get the answers you need direct. To apply for the Collector Plate costs nothing.

I have two motorcycles and one car licensed with Collector Plates. It is a reasonable way to insure and enjoy my vehicles, which is why I own them.

http://jake-penner.magix.net