Antique plate pros and cons?

[TNMGB]

I am just now beginning the process of getting through emissions here in TN and wonder what your opinions are on antique plates vs. a regular one. I know that I would only have to get through emissions the one time and never have to deal with that again and would be limited to about 3000 miles per year (if you don't have to be inspected again, how do they know anyway). I'm not sure of the cost either but I'll find out.
Any ideas on which is better and why?
TN

 

[Steve_S]

If it's like California, you can't use your car for anything but special events and driving to and from them. I prefer the unlimited useage of standard plates personally.

 

[aeronca65t]

NJ has three choices.
Standard, Historic and Classic.


With Historic plates, you are limited to "events only" and daytime only. Total miles per year is 2000 max. No vehicle inspection is required ever.
With Classic plates, you can drive anytime, anywhere but must bring the car to the state inspection station once a year to verify mileage (again, 2000 max). No emission inspection ever, or anything else, just a mileage check.

 

[snoop]

When I got my antieqe tags for my 65 I never had to get it inspected or anything it cost me $50 for registation the first time and i will never pay that again. In PA you cant drive them at night,or as your everyday car but you could take it to work like 3 times a week. not to manny police officer even know exacly what the restriction are.

 

[Joe Reed]

I have antique plates on my car - almost everyone in the Memphis club does. You're only supposed to drive the car to club events, etc., but that's pretty much universally ignored. I don't know of a single person who has ever been ticketed. About $35 for a permanent tag is nice!

If I were using the car as my only car, or daily driver, I'd stay with the regular tags. I'll drive it to work occasionally or nice days, but it's mostly used for weekend and evening cruising. If I ever get stopped, I'll just explain that I'm laying out a rally for next month's club event!

Even if you get busted, the only penalty in Tennessee is that you can't apply for an antique plate again for 5 years...

 

[TNMGB]

Thanks, Joe! since this is only a fun car and I work from my house, I can justify putting antique plates on it...after all, isn't a pleasant drive a "special event" in and of itself? I called our Vehicle Registration Office today in Nashville and the woman there said I would be fine to get an antique tag and just keep it under 3000 miles. Do they ever check on that??? Since we don't have state inspection and you would never have to go through emissions again, how would they ever know?
Thanks...
TN

 

[DART]

Another thing to check is whether, in TN, you can use plates from the year of manufacture after you have registered the historic. In MD, I can mount a set of '62 MD plates as long as I have current historic plates (stowed in the car) to show the car is registered. And the year plates have to be in good condition. I found mine on Ebay for $20 or so last year.

 

[Geo Hahn]

Just to compare states... Arizona allows year of manufacture plates as the plates the car is registered with. Only restriction is that it not be a number/letter sequence currently in use. You obtain the plate and they register it with that number. Problem was finding someone at the MVD who would believe they really had a procedure for it. Some refused to even look in their manual even after I told them what page it was on.

===================

If homemade license plates are criminalized, only criminals will make license plates.

Oh, come to think of it -- that is who makes them.

 

[jaybird]

I went with standard plates, because I knew I would be driving the bejibbers out of my B and didn't want any restrictions. Insurance wasn't any cheaper with 'antique' plates and I didn't want the mileage limitation...considering I put 2000 miles on the B in 5 months. And that's over winter in STL! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/devilgrin.gif

 

[usasma]

Just FYI, in Connecticut the car must be 25 years old for antique plates. No limits on mileage - that's determined by your insurance.

 

[Joe Reed]

In TN, using regular plates from the year of manufacture isn't an option.

Believe me, they'll never check your mileage. Since you never, ever have to re-register, they wouldn't have the opportunity.

 

[Bruce74B]

[ QUOTE ]
When I got my antieqe tags for my 65 I never had to get it inspected or anything it cost me $50 for registation the first time and i will never pay that again. In PA you cant drive them at night,or as your everyday car but you could take it to work like 3 times a week. not to manny police officer even know exacly what the restriction are.

[/ QUOTE ]

Interestingly enough, things do change with these rules. The lastest in PA is that you may drive the car "occasionally" which is further defined as "about one day per week". Now with 24 hours in a day and 52 weeks in a year, if I drive my antique less than 1,248 hours a year, that is one day per week /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif My local police agree with my reasoning on that too LOL

Oh,you may also drive it at night if you have working lights.

In 33 years of driving, I have never been challenged by a law enforcement officer on this though /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cowboy.gif

Bruce /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif

 

[MGretired]

When I was in NJ, they never recorded my original mileage on my first Antique registration, so they had no way to tell how many miles I drive a year. Same here in Idaho, TD & B are registered classic tags, but they never asked for mileage!!

 

[martyc]

[ QUOTE ]
The lastest in PA is that you may drive the car "occasionally" which is further defined as "about one day per week".

[/ QUOTE ]

Also interesting to note that the current PA rules for antique registration states that "“Antique Motor Vehicle” - a motor vehicle, but not a reproduction thereof, manufactured more than 25 years prior to the current year which has been maintained in or restored to a condition which is substantially in conformance with manufacturer specifications."

Now THERE's a judgement call! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[mlarnoldTR6]

In VA we are restricted to daytime and supposed to drive only to events, mechanic or " occaisional enjoyment". The real restriction on antique plates here is through your insurance. If you go with collector car insurance they will restrict your mileage and you can bet they will ask you to certify your mileage every year. Collectors insurance is quite cheap but if you think you are going to drive more than 2000/ yr I would get standard insurance. The historic tags will keep you out of the inspection station.