What's required? - Registering a PD4106 in California as a motorhome

lostagain · December 02, 2016, 04:40:11 PM

When driving for Brewster's, and other companies, we always called buses buses, or cars, like train cars, trolley cars and elevator cars. To this day, I still call my bus "the bus". I suppose I should call it "coach", since it is for sleeping and dining, but old habits are hard to break. I should have a sign made up for below the driver's window: "private bus".

JC

usbusin · December 02, 2016, 05:05:27 PM

BCM = ?

"USBUSIN" is the license plate I had on my "bus" err coach.

Iceni John · December 02, 2016, 08:33:24 PM

Quote from: usbusin on December 02, 2016, 05:05:27 PM
BCM = ?

"USBUSIN" is the license plate I had on my "bus" err coach.

In England a bus is only for urban or short-distance use, and a coach is for long-distance or express use. (Or if you live in Buckingham Palace your coach is gold-plated and pulled by horses.) You can have a bus with coach seats in it, or a coach with a folding power door so it can get the bus grant. And an RV is a caravan or a camper, which may or may not be coach-built. I used to work for a moving company that had coach-built pantechnicons, but they weren't juggernauts . . .

John

digesterman · December 03, 2016, 05:30:23 AM

Quote from: RJ on November 29, 2016, 07:11:00 PM
NAME?? -

1) Cancel your CHP appointment. You don't own a commercial bus, you own a 35' diesel pusher motorhome. You don't want a commercial inspection, all you need is a VIN verification, which can be done by a DMV employee (that's who did mine).

2) Go to a different DMV office, taking the bus and it's WA registration with you (BEFORE you start demolishing the current interior!!), along with your bill of sale and other related paperwork.

3) Tell the DMV technician that you need to transfer your "motorhome's" registration from WA to CA. As was previously mentioned, DO NOT USE THE WORD "BUS" or you'll be back in the rat hole you already are in. CA does have a classification as "MH" for motorhome - that's how my MCI is listed on the registration/pink slip. Always use the words "motorhome", "diesel pusher," or "coach" as you talk about your '06.

4) GMC put the VIN in two different places - on the dash plaque riveted to the dash above the handrail and fire extinguisher door in the entryway, and, as was previously mentioned, inside the exterior compartment underneath the driver on the side of the spare tire well. My MCI also has a short VIN, and I had to remind the DMV employee who was verifying the number that my coach was built before the mandatory 17-digit VIN program began in 1980 - you probably will have to do the same. The correct VIN for your coach will be PD4106-XXXX (with the "Xs" representing the last digits of your coach's VIN - which is actually the sequential production number, btw.) If the dash plaque is missing, you'll have to convince whomever's doing the verification that the one downstairs is the only one that's on this coach. (I've heard that the VIN is also stamped inside the tunnel in the first baggage bin, but I've never been able to confirm this rumor.)

5) GMC did not provide their buses with odometers until the 1977 FMVSS went into effect. Since you bus predates 1977, it never had one unless someone replaced the OEM speedometer. Most bus companies used a hubometer on the RR wheel to track mileage of their units, but even those often got swapped out, sometimes due to tire size changes, sometimes to correspond to the installation of a new powertrain. So the mileage on your coach is "unknown", unless, of course, you do have a working odometer.

6) If you do get static from the clerk, politely ask to speak to a supervisor. Continue to be polite, but firm. Since the coach is already registered as a MH (which is should show on the WA title), there shouldn't be an issue, but if there is, keep escalating your request for a supervisor right up to that particular office's manager if you have to. If they say you have to get the VIN verified by law enforcement, politely remind them that the DMV is also authorized to verify VINS, so please ask for the individual in the office who's been assigned that task to accompany you outside to complete that requirement. They may balk, or try to pass it off with some excuses, but again, be polite, but firm and escalate up the supervision ladder.

7) When you do complete the registration, be sure to thank the DMV employees for their help, especially since this was one of the more unusual transactions which required additional steps to complete.

I had to go thru the same hoops when I registered my MCI in CA after buying it in NH. In my case, the office (Clovis, CA) was very accommodating, and the employee who verified the VIN was so excited to do so, he asked for a tour of the inside - then wanted to know how he could find one for himself and his family! Had to chuckle at that one!

One other tip - next year handle your renewal either by mail, internet or at a Triple A office! (Unfortunately you can't initially register an out-of-state vehicle with AAA. . .)

FWIW & HTH. . .

PS: Here's a little-known thing you can do when registering a vehicle in CA if you'd like to have it go to another family member should you pass away, without them having to go thru a huge hassle transferring ownership. Simply add their name to the registration/title under yours with "TOD" in front of their name. "TOD" means "Time Of Death" and is completely legal and simplifies the ownership transfer immensely. This was shared with me by a Triple A DMV technician, and he even showed me the place in the internal handbook where the instructions on how to do it were found. It's one of the things the DMV's done right, but hardly anyone knows anything about it!

Good Luck!

Excellent advice and instructions 👍

Oonrahnjay · December 03, 2016, 09:27:12 AM

Quote from: Iceni John on December 02, 2016, 08:33:24 PMIn England a bus is only for urban or short-distance use, and a coach is for long-distance or express use. (Or if you live in Buckingham Palace your coach is gold-plated and pulled by horses.) You can have a bus with coach seats in it, or a coach with a folding power door so it can get the bus grant. And an RV is a caravan or a camper, which may or may not be coach-built. I used to work for a moving company that had coach-built pantechnicons, but they weren't juggernauts . . . John

I actually know that he's talking about ...

matzeinusa · December 12, 2016, 10:01:08 AM

Happy Holidays!
Ok. This is getting a little weird to me.
I got the VIN number verification done by the DMV and walked out with my tags and license plates and the motorhome (MH) registration since the last time we chatted here.
Last weekend I got a letter from the DMV that they want me to go to the CHP to do an "Age Verification" of the vehicle.
Has someone gone through that before?
What does CHP do for an age verification and what does the DMV need to get past that?
Is there an official registry of the GMC PD4106 VIN numbers and the year they were built?
Is there a country-wide history of VIN number registrations since that coach went from MI to WI to FL to WA and now to CA...
... based on some of the info I have on the coach.

Does anyone have a suggestion what to do in this case?
Thanks,
Matt

daveola · December 12, 2016, 11:51:59 AM

Quote from: matzeinusa on December 12, 2016, 10:01:08 AM
...walked out with my tags and license plates and the motorhome (MH) registration..

Last weekend I got a letter from the DMV that they want me to go to the CHP to do an "Age Verification" of the vehicle.

Did they give you any consequences if you don't do anything? You have the tags and plates, I have a feeling that someone got worried about the registration when they didn't recognize something. I've never heard of an 'age verification' for a vehicle registration in California, and neither has google. And I can't imagine they'd have records of PD4106 build years.

My experience with the California DMV and registering a number of odd vehicles matches RJ's advice. Persistence and trying again are the key. If you find someone who can't help you, keep confidently persisting that you are correct and they often change their mind about what can and cannot be done. Otherwise talk to their supervisor, or simply make another appointment and talk to someone else.

If I were you I'd call and ask why they need the verification and/or ask what will happen if you don't bring it in - for all they know the vehicle may be getting taken apart in a garage somewhere, it's not your job to have to bring it back to the DMV.

On the other hand, maybe they want an age verification because they can't believe that our old buses are still on the road.

daveola · December 12, 2016, 11:54:40 AM

Oh, and for the general question, for anyone searching in the future - I changed my bus (BU) registration to motor home (MH) registration in California, and the steps I followed were:

1) Remove enough seats so that you can't carry more than 10 people (otherwise it's a commercial vehicle)
2) Put in a futon
3) Put in a camping stove (kitchen)
4) Go to DMV and be persistent. After #1-3 it's a motorhome. If they really want a toilet, then you can 'install' a toilet just by bolting one to the ground - they aren't going to make you use it.

My bus was basically empty when I brought it to the DMV, and they were full of perplexed looks, but I held my ground - you *can* camp inside of an empty bus - and got it registered as MH.

luvrbus · December 12, 2016, 12:05:44 PM

Isn't the age verification done on behalf of CARB to exempt you from emissions in CA,I know of couple of people that had to do it

Dave5Cs · December 12, 2016, 12:59:59 PM

Matt don't you have a pink slip or title from whom you bought it from in the first place? It is on that title and has already been verified. The person who is doing this probably never saw a Vin so small and just can't believe what you told them. Show the original title you got it has already been done weather it is Cali or Washington the date does not change all of a sudden.
Also Like RJ said there is a plaque some where on the coach that will state the year generally with a tire size and PSi on it should have Vin or Serial number as they used to be called and the make and date it was Manufactured.
Dave5Cs

luvrbus · December 12, 2016, 01:10:15 PM

I don't recall ever seeing a year of manufacturing date on the manufactures tag on the older GM only the model and serial number

Oonrahnjay · December 13, 2016, 04:26:25 AM

Quote from: luvrbus on December 12, 2016, 01:10:15 PMI don't recall ever seeing a year of manufacturing date on the manufactures tag on the older GM only the model and serial number

In my old age, I don't remember when Part 575 (the NHTSA standard that required specific GVWRs, GAWRs, date of manufacture, and 15-digit VINs, etc.) came into effect but I'm pretty sure that it was about 1970 and most vehicles before that don't have a date on a label or stamping on the vehicle. But pre-1970 would be at least 47 years old and that would have to be old enough to stop the old women (BTW, there are old women of all ages and sexes) in Kalifornia, Comrade! from getting their panties all wadded in their crack.

Dave5Cs · December 13, 2016, 08:22:00 AM

Maybe so mine is 79 and maybe that is why it has Manufacturing date:SEPTEMBER OF 1979, ON IT. but regardless it should still be on the title.

luvrbus · December 13, 2016, 08:26:08 AM

Yea they do put the date on the origin of manufactures title so the year of manufacturing should stay with the bus it's entire life span

Oonrahnjay · December 13, 2016, 08:50:12 AM

Quote from: luvrbus on December 13, 2016, 08:26:08 AMYea they do put the date on the origin of manufactures title so the year of manufacturing should stay with the bus it's entire life span

Matt doesn't say that the letter says that he has to *take the vehicle* to the DMV or if he just has to show up in person with the paperwork. It kinda makes a difference. My omnibus had no "Certification Label" and only a 5-digit VIN. Since it was imported, NC DMV requirements were that the vehicle and VIN had to be inspected by an officer. He looked at the VIN sticker and the 5-digit number, said "this must be pretty old, huh?". I said 1976 year of manufacture. He said "OK" and started filling out the approval paperwork, although the Manufacturing Company on the VIN sticker and the Manufacturer on the title were different.