Titles

[brainpause]

If you were to get stopped, don't argue.  you can explain it to the officer, but don't argue.  You'll end up with a ticket for sure.  if they write the ticket, just deal with it.....

as others have said, the best insurance is to pay for the tag and avoid any problems.

travis

Agree with Travis.

Without going into too much detail, on our recently-traded popup, the title was damaged. I went to register (and pay taxes and get license tag, etc.), but I was told over and over again that it couldn't be fixed. I went at least twice, I think 3 times, to talk to different people. Basic story was that I couldn't fix it. So, I believed it.

Now that I have traded it, the accepting dealer (appropriately) said they couldn't take the trailer in trade with a damaged title (it had been written on in the wrong places). And that I had to find the person whose name was on that title.

Now, my story is going to have a good ending. Turns out the fellow that owned it and had it titled lives nearby. I got a temporary power-of-attorney (through a simple signed, notarized letter) to go downtown Nashville and apply for a duplicate title on his behalf. I did so (on Tuesday, as a matter of fact), and he then signed the title over to me, as if selling it (we bought the trailer nearly 6 years ago). I have now paid taxes, title and license on the unit, and am waiting on the title that has MY name on it, so I can send it to the dealer. He already has it tentatively sold.

Over the past 6 years, I have done exactly what Travis suggested: I carried a copy of the law that said it didn't have to have tags, and also we carried the title with us in the truck. I also am not an arguer, especially with LEO's. I would have just suffered the consequences had I been ticketed, even though I thought I was doing the best I could. The lesson is that it can be fixed, especially if you can find the original person on the title.

I also must modify/add to a statement in an earlier post: If you register the vehicle, you must buy tags at least once. I had to buy tags for a trailer that I have already traded in. But I'm OK with that.

Larry

[cyclone]

We had to follow basically the same process Brainpause went through.  The only difference was that the original owner had never titled the camper at all--one stop and that was all taken care of.  Our dealer didn't care whose name was on the title, so we didn't transfer the title.  (We did pay all fees associated with obtaining the title and tags and got a notarized letter from the owner giving us the authority to trade in "his" camper.)  All of this was exactly what the dealer advised us to do.

We have tags on the current pop-up.  It costs $14.75/year for this.  Pretty cheap and worth avoiding potential head-aches.

[Crazy4Camping]

New York requires everything that a regular car has.  We had to register our new-to-us popup last year($215) and every year after that($21.50).  It also has to be inspected yearly, the sticker number having to be put on the new registration request.  Also, your TV insurance does not cover your camper.  We have amended our auto insurance and put the popup on there.  It isn't very expensive and anyone who thinks that their TV insurance covers what you tow, you better look into it.  Hope this info helps!

[AustinBoston]

Also, your TV insurance does not cover your camper.

This comes up again and again, usually from people who do not know what they mean by insurance.  The two main types of vehicle insurance are Liability and Comprehensive.

I assure you that in New York, your tow vehicle insurance covers the trailer for liability (when you or your trailer caused injury or damage) when connected to the tow vehicle.  For states requiring insurance, this is all that is required.  So if your tow vehicle is insured, you are legal (with one exception below).

What is rarely covered by the tow vehicle is comprehensive (includes things like fire, theft, or damage to trailer that is your fault or that was caused by an uninsured or underinsured driver).  No state requires comprehensive insurance unless you have a loan on the vehicle.

What is also never covered by the tow vehicle is anything relating to the trailer when it is not connected to the tow vehicle, such as when parked at home or set up at a campground.  Some forms of homeowners insurance extend to the trailer under these circumstances, but not always.

We have amended our auto insurance and put the popup on there.  It isn't very expensive and anyone who thinks that their TV insurance covers what you tow, you better look into it.

Always a god idea.  Another wise idea is to use the same insurance carrier and agent for all three - home, auto, and trailer.  If they get in a battle about who covers what, they end up just battling themselves.  This arrangement gives us a substantial discount on both our auto and homeowners insurance as well.

Austin

[Morin]

Va requires tags and yearly inspection if equipped with brakes the good side is that you can get permanent tags for a little more than yearly tags. it's the only way to go   :-()

Where do you go to get the inspections for these things?  I am not sure If I have had an inspection on mine...  I live in VA

[badabing67]

I go to the local automotive repair shop that does state inspections. They just check the lights and brake function, to check the brakes they pull the breakaway cable and i drive forward the tires lock up and it passes.