Parting with Lil-RED... MAYBE

Granny

Granny

One day at a time...
Joined
Jun 12, 2007
Location
Cabarrus County (Rimertown)
The Cabarrus County Tax Collector's Office sent me a bill this morning for personal property tax on my little red 1974 CJ-5 (alias: Lil-RED). It seems that Lil-RED's last birthday has changed both his status, and his value. He is now considered by our county government to be an antique vehicle, and they have suddenly (sight unseen) stated his value to be $10,600. Over the years I have been asked more than a couple times if Lil-RED might be for sale, and if so, how much would I take for him. He really was never for sale, and I never gave much thought as to how much I would take for him. BUT, now that he has been given an official value I might have to think a little harder on that one. So, if any one should be looking for a fairly clean CJ-5 I just might be persuaded to sell him. Of course since our government never puts an accurate value on anything I will have to adjust the price accordingly. Using $400 toilet seats as a pricing guideline, I would reluctantly accept $15,000 for Lil-RED. Oops, almost forgot, the top & doors would cost extra. :huggy: :driver:
 
Well damn...that musta been a good little smack to the face. I wonder how they will screw me when my rigs are deemed antiques. Right now, the county says my 77 250 is worth roughly $850 and only charge me about $8 in taxes...oddly enough, it's been appraised and has full replacement through Hagerty for 25k. And my 79 Bronco is valued about the same by the county, but Grundy says it's worth 8k. Can't wait til the county gets a hold of that info and screws me over with no lube.



Out of curiousity, what were you paying in taxes for lil red? And what are you paying now? If you don't mind me being nosey.
 
It's been under $10 for quite some time, but this year they want about $70.

I called the tax office and they want me to send a photo so they can see that it isn't a restored antique. I don't know how this is going to work out as the jeep is in pretty nice condition.
 
Lol, get a picture of another one. Thats a total hunk of junk ;)

aimage.jpmagazine.com_f_10964364_w750_st0_154_0810_02_z_junk_jeep_stash_flatfender_cj.jpg


They might buy it, chances are they are retarded anyway.
 
Blaze said:
^ do that
I personally think property taxes on vehicles is bullshit anyway, but that's just my opinion.
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I would try that, but maybe not a pic of one in that bad condition lol

I agree the taxes are bullshit, they were quite the surprise after I moved here and got a bill for 269 in taxes after I had spent 205 to get plates and register my jeep :shaking:

thanks for this thread though, I think I "forgot" to pay my taxes this year :lol:
 
Don, don't go selling Lil-Red because it will cost you $60 extra per year. Just appeal the value. If the county doesn't budge, I still wouldn't sell just cause it will cost $60 extra bucks a year.
 
VortecJeep said:
Don, don't go selling Lil-Red because it will cost you $60 extra per year. Just appeal the value. If the county doesn't budge, I still wouldn't sell just cause it will cost $60 extra bucks a year.
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Relax Matthew, Lil-RED's not for sale. This was just a BS post. :)

I am going to send them a photo like they asked, but I have already made up my mind if I have to go to pay a lawyer and take it to court... so be it.

I really like the other suggestions, and the picture! :lol:
 
Only issue with the picture (besides it being a completely different CJ) is that in the background are about 3-5 other vehicles, they might try to get you for that if you sent it in.
 
My M715 has been valued by Lee county at $300 since the day I titled it. I was registered previously by NC Forest, and that's the value the state had on it already. A couple of years ago, it jumped to $3k. Last year, so did my '73 CJ5 (they've had it stuck at $500, the official minimum, for probably 15 years).

I went down to the tax office...counter person said they figure that if anything that old is still registered, it must be collectible (her words) and more valuable, and that their "standard value" would be raising up over the next several years. BS. Oh, and yes, you can appeal it, if you think the real value is less than the figures they use. Can't do it with just pictures, you have to have an "approved" appraiser do it ($$). And it has to be re-appraised every couple of years.

Bend over.
 
I bought my wife's 05 Trailblazer back in 05 for $17,700. Two months later I got a property tax bill on $26,500. I filed an appeal, they didn't give a damn. Took three years before my tax value got lower than what I paid for it.

Assholes.
 
I think that is how the state is trying to get all the stuff off the road that no longer needs in spection. I was paying $4 on one car and as soon as it hit the age that no longer needed inspecting the taxes went up $38 I was told kinda the same thing if its that old it must be a classic. I told the the county worker that I was poor and couldn't afford a new car she just smiled and told me the bill was $38 or it would have a block applied in the system.
 
60 bucks a year is still better then having it smoged and then having to pay 250 dollars before the bleeping mechinc will let you drive away.

can you believe he called the cops on me! I was trying to show him how to change a tire, i swear thats all I was doing with the tire iron.

be glad you don't live in Philly.
 
OK, time for an update...

I took Lil-RED for a drive this morning and stopped by the world-famous "Pink Elephant" (alias: Cabarrus County Governmental Center") and visited the tax assessor's office. Lil-RED was appraised by one of their "agents" (or associates) and we supposedly have gotten the value down a little bit. They are re-sending me the tax bill so I won't make any definite statements yet. Anyway, the appraiser told me the state is the "big evil" behind this re-evaluation of older vehicles, not the county, but they are required to do it nonetheless (trivia for what it's worth). Lil-RED's stated value is now going to be $7,500. The agent said that was as low as they could go. My estimated tax bill will now be around $30 a year which I can't argue is far better than $70. I am still pondering the idea of pursuing this further, but I don't think it would be financially sensible to do so. That being said, if/when the new bill comes, and the tax has been reduced as stated, I guess I will most likely simply pay it and move on. Looking ahead to next year... Granny is a 1975, so I will probably be getting the same runaround on her, and I will have to do this all over again.

I was raised believing that taking care of your possessions, and keeping them nice, was a good thing to do. These days I wonder if maybe that's no longer such a good idea. :confused:
 
Granny said:
I was raised believing that taking care of your possessions, and keeping them nice, was a good thing to do. These days I wonder if maybe that's no longer such a good idea. :confused:
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Same here, but the apathy that's been bred in to many kids these days says responsibility isn't cool. Yet they're the same ones with their hands out while the government redistributes your money for being responsible. Maybe they just might correlate. Doesn't really make seem right to me either. Dependence begets more dependence.



Sorry...off my soap box now.
 
Dang Don, Glad I got rid of my antique RV!
Tax value on it when I sold it was $1500 LOL
I hadn't heard of any other counties doing this as of yet, but still have to wonder if the State is behind it. I mean more and more I see the State coming up with new ways to gain revenue.
It is a nice Jeep for sure, but it's not a $15K Jeep, be glad Darlene wasn't in it when they assessed it, or you'd really be way in debt on your taxes!
 
UTfball68 said:
Sorry...off my soap box now.
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If you considered that as being a soap box, I was right there with you, and I imagine many others were too! :)

upnover said:
It is a nice Jeep for sure, but it's not a $15 Jeep, be glad Darlene wasn't in it when they assessed it, or you'd really be way in debt on your taxes!
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Chip, don't you be saying things like that where she can hear them... life is hard enough as it is! :lol:
 
Bev wants her money. And she wants it now.
Me? I'm going to start shopping for anything made in 1975, then flip them next year when they're officially collectibles. :huggy:
 
Personally, I hope to be able to help motivate Bev, plus a few others, when the polls open next time. Hope y'all will join me! :)
 
Granny said:
Personally, I hope to be able to help motivate Bev, plus a few others, when the polls open next time. Hope y'all will join me! :)
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Right there with ya. Wish I could vote tomorrow.... I plan on telling them all :fuck-you:
 
The Conclusion...

I paid my tax bill on Lil-RED today. The new letter I received from the tax collector valued the Jeep at $5,500 and they charged me $34.84 in tax. I drove Lil-RED to a couple reputable used-car dealers and asked for their opinions. While they could not give me an accurate value estimate simply because their source of info doesn't go back that far, they both said, in their opinion, the Jeep would easily be worth that much, and they felt that if I were to place a for-sale sign in it asking for $6k it wouldn't be around long. These fellows seemed sincere, and were very pleasant. The general consensus was that I should just pay the $34.84 and be happy that I got it down that far.

That said, it's done. I expect the same scenario with Granny next year so there may be yet another edition of the tax collector story coming then. :driver:
 
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