Is Your Car Too Fat?
 

I haven’t registered a car in a dozen years and don’t think Massachusetts has any odd fees. But New York has a fee if your car is fat??

What is this DMV mystery fee?

Dear John: I recently renewed my car registration online.

I received the renewal, which was for two years, and a listing of the charges. The annual fee for my car is $33.25, which came to $66.50 for the two years.

The total charges, which are listed as “additional fees and charges” without explanation were $136.50 — an extra $70 over the registration fee.

I went to the local DMV office to inquire about this. One worker said she didn’t know, and a supervisor said she wasn’t sure but it must be taxes. But she didn’t know what taxes.

I hope you can give me a better explanation for these extra fees. D.M.

Dear D.M.: First, there’s the fee for living in upstate New York rather than in the big city. And then there’s the fee because they knew you would ask about the extra fee. And there’s a tax because they knew you’d reach out to this column.

There’s also the convenience fee for doing it online, which is not refundable just because you had to go to the DMV to ask about the online fees.

Seriously, I reached out to the DMV in Albany and was told “the registration fee can vary based on the weight of the vehicle. We would need more information to be able to answer your reader’s question.”

In short, your vehicle is probably too fat. NYS is worried that it might ruin its fine roads.
Hope that helps. New York is really a “pay-it-and-shut-up” state.

Did you wide body your car?

i cunt a4da car... :(

:1orglaugh Good one!

i recommend using lowCARb fuel.
also, when you drive, make it always a minimum of 45 minutes, around 40mph, that's good CARdio.

There are many weight based states...you lived in one yourself when you were in NJ...

I've lived in NY most my life. Just change the blinker fluid and no more weight fees.

this is true and also these days if you have a V8 you have to pay more too.

Maybe you should get this thing?

Yup, Its fat, fat as fuck.

Who lived in Jersey? I lived on Long Island. I’ve never heard of a weight based state. They limit weight on older bridges around here but never heard of states doing that. I’ll look it up tonight

is that going on in the US now? I think it's been a thing in some Euro countries for a while

https://blog.consumerguide.com/wp-co...2.06.08-PM.png

https://blog.consumerguide.com/gas-guzzler-tax/

I thought you were from NJ or lived there at a point in time. Perhaps it's someone else on the board. LI is part of NY therefore you're on a weight based registration as well.