Most "Old Car Friendly" States
 

Article on old car friendliness I received in an email from Hagerty.

https://www.hagerty.com/articles-vi....0_Weekend_News

The methodology used consists of classic car registration, usage restrictions, inspection requirements, taxes, road quality, traffic and weather.

May affect our decisions on relocating in retirement...

I currently live in the most old car friendly state in the country - despite it's shorter driving seasons.

We have been contemplating moving to Tennessee - but Tennessee is ranked #45. I was looking at income tax savings, a longer driving season and the music and sports scene in the Nashville area as pluses.

But the usage restrictions have me worried about not being able to enjoy my old cars:

I'd appreciate hearing from any TN members about this aspect of old car ownership and driving in TN. If this is the way it really works - would it make more sense to just get regular plates?

linky-no-worky!

I was taken back by this part of your post, and wanted to read further in order to get some context:

I cannot believe that a person would be penalized for driving an older vehicle... I could see it if it was registered purely as a "classic car" for insurance purposes - but otherwise...

California is, surprisingly, very "old car friendly."

We have ours registered and insured as a regular vehicle. Lately 'I've been driving it every chance I get, like to work and back, etc. I don't want any hassle with the insurance company or the government. Classic car insurance and the plates that go with them are cheaper here, but they are for a vehicle that's seldom driven. I believe that this was the gist of that excerpt that you posted, which explains that you will be forced to get regular plates if the classic plates are abused.

/\ ok, thanks!

The link: here.

TN isn't as old car unfriendly as you'd think. The driving season is actually quite long, the only issues are rain is a real thing and in the last 3-4 years the state has taken to tossing salt like crazy on the roads any time it hints at snow despite it not needing it. The snowy season in the eastern part where I live tends to be from late November to early March, with snow falling maybe 5-10 days total that entire time and rarely lasting more than a few days. It's not unheard of to have a warm Christmas and have the last snow on Valentine's Day.

Safety inspections and traffic? Sure, depending on where you live. AKA if you live in Nashville or Memphis. Those places aren't the majority of the state. Where I live outside Knoxville, nothing. No emissions testing, no safety (it shows!). Traffic isn't horrid at all except at rush hour on the interstate through town. If you're moving to TN, unless you are getting a good paying job I seriously doubt you're moving to Nashville or Memphis anyways.

Registration fees? Totally depends on what county you live in. Some counties have a "wheel tax" which adds a certain fee on top of the county registration fee (which is set by each county). For example, counties like Dickson where my in-laws live, registration will set you back almost $100/year per car. Where I live in Roane county, my old cars are $28/year (and ANY car is). Sure, there's antique plates that get you a one time fee and the various restrictions, but with as cheap as registration is on cars where I live, why in the world would you want to bother with antique registration on a car you plan to drive regularly? I've got a coworker who has like 10 cars and all of them have antique plates and he daily drives them all and hasn't been hassled, but I don't need that headache and worry. I've NEVER seen a need for antique plates where I've lived but I know some people get hung up on them.

Titling cars is ridiculously simple. Go to the court house for your county and head to the county clerk, talk to the ladies at the desk, and it gets done in minimal headache or hassle. I had a car I got out of KY that had no place for the buyer to sign to transfer, in California or Texas that would have been a major red flag and the DMV people would have thrown their hands up and rejected it. TN? The lady just said "oh, let's sign it 4 or 5 different places and they'll surely accept it" and we did, and the state did. No inspection of the car or verification of any kind. I brought a handwritten title from 50 years ago in and rather than get upset, the lady thought it was quaint and just processed it normally (after we deciphered the handwriting). Bill of sale cars are the same way, they'll help you out if you go in politely and ask. Or maybe it's just me because I'm cute and polite?

Anyways, if you want to move to TN, don't let that article scare you.

I just tagged a 66 GTO conv. with the Tennessee Antique tag. Prior to this I've always used Tennessee regular tags. And still have on my other vehicles. This tag is offered as a choice. The tag does have restrictions, but not draconian. Here they are. The vehicle must be over 25 years old and a non modified engine and body. Can be used for participation in, or transportation to and from, club activities, exhibits, tours, parades, and similar uses as a collector item. Can be used for general transportation on Saturdays, Sundays, and federal holidays. Can be used on any day for the purpose of selling, vehicle testing, or obtaining repairs to or doing maintenance on the vehicle. I don't see myself being too restricted with my Antique tag. And the tag cost was about $34- and it's a one time payment. Also fuel prices in Tennessee are about fifty cents cheaper a gallon than they are in the Northeast too. I personally do not see Tennessee as an unfriendly state for our old cars.

Sorry for the bad link. I cut and pasted from a post on another board - and apparently it didn't process right.

In case you missed that Ben linked the article in his post, this is right from the article:

https://www.hagerty.com/articles-vid...0_Weekend_News

TN is ranked 45th and the main reasons are the safety inspection (which I'm not worried about) and the limited use (which I am worried about).

Ben and Mike - thanks for your input.

We are considering the outlying areas near Nashville - we've actually looked at homes in the Mt Juliet area and Spring Hill back in March. Decided Spring Hill is further out than we want to be. Mount Juliet or similar range would be acceptable. By my standards, I would think I could drive my cars every month - just not every day of every month....

In MN, my collector car registration is a one time fee, but doesn't have the limitations that TN does. If tags for my old cars are under $100.00 per year or less, I'd go with regular plates so I'd be free to drive on week days for pleasure use. From the sounds of it, I'll save enough on my newer cars plates (I've paid as much as $500 per year on a new car) to pay for my old car plates.

Gas prices seemed pretty close between my area of MN and the Nashville area, so that's no big deal.

We might be taking another trip over Labor Day to do some more investigating of properties and what summer weather is like in the Nashville area. I've only been in TN one other time (for the Bristol night race in August of 2000).

It's ranked 49th (only Massachusetts was ranked worse...

Why?

CA scored 427.5 points - much higher than MA with 260. But about half of MN's 840 points (out of 900 possible). MN's biggest knock is the short driving season - which knocked 35 points off it's total.

I lived in Memphis for about a year and a half, what I observed while living there. No tags for dump trucks, or light duty trailers. I never did find out what the deal is that dump trucks don't have to be plated.

In Memphis the lawn care guys never have lights on the rear of the trailers, if the lights are still on them, they never work because they never hook them up. No one in Memphis uses turn signal for any reason, including the cops. They also don't bother to slow down when it rains and drive right on top of each other. Lots of pileups at rush hour on the loop around Memphis.

Tags were cheap enough when I was there (1999-2001) registration was pretty easy for my out of state stuff, they aren't really ridged on inspecting VINs. If I remember correctly they just used the info off the title paperwork.

Lots of people didn't have insurance when I was there, that could have changed though.

https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/dvs/Pag...spx?pageID=616

Champ, we really do have similar limitations.

How scarce is a non-oxy fuel in TN?

I think they should have factored in parts availability and just general hot rod culture.

Having lived in So Cal for a number of years, it’s easy to hate on the stupid 76 and later rules. But dude, there is no Craigslist like Southern California Craigslist when it comes to hot rod parts.

Add to that, So Cal is steeped in early hot rod culture. There are lots of cool car people, museums, and famous spots.

No inspection in Alabama

no mufflers on some vehicles
no bumpers
no hoods
Lots of broken windshields
no license plates
no foolin

might not even be
DUIs the way liquer bottles get littered and stood up on the road at traffics lights


there are speed traps and the radio station will let ya'll know where & when

From the link: Minnesota does not have a mileage restriction for collector class vehicles. Collector vehicles are to be operated only as a “Collector’s Item” and may not be used for general transportation. Generally driving to and from collector events (shows, parades) is acceptable. Check with local Law Enforcement for more specific issues.

It may be up to the discretion of a law enforcement officer, but my experience is that any pleasure driving is acceptable, and you can get away with taking it to work every once in a while on sunny Fridays in the summer.

I've only personally known of one person who got caught - I had a neighbor back in the 1980s who was running classic plates on her rusty 1970s Oldsmobile. She was driving to work one day in January when she got the ticket, so it was pretty obvious. :)

Sounds like a great place.to live.

From Hagerty's ranking:

Which is what I've experienced in my collector car usage in MN since 2005.

What your link states:

My two daily drivers are my general transportation vehicles.

My old cars are for pleasure use as collectors items. This is concurrent with my local law officials opinions - they've told me I can't use my collector cars for every day driving, but on a nice sunny day to go for a cruise just for the pleasure of driving - go for it.

In TN, to get antique plates, you are required to sign an affidavit as follows:

They have gone to great lengths to describe what constitutes legal use, which sure seems to me that anything else is illegal.

For the relatively inexpensive regular tags in TN, I'll just put regular plates on and be happy knowing that I don't have to worry about being stopped and fined and penalized for improper use, if I move there...

I understand your reasoning, but does your car have enough insurance? I have agreed value with my antique policy, not sure I can get that without. If your car was to be totaled, would the ins. co. look at it as an old car worth $100?

That might be about it.

Often, you just need to get an appraisal done on the car before you get insurance, provide a copy to the insurance company and pay the premiums for a regular insurance policy on the car. Then the car is covered as a daily driver at the value of the appraisal.

You just aren't going to convince me that states in the rust belt are better than states with a 12 month driving season and no salt.

I will admit I base a lot of my opinion on acquisition though. I like new projects, so I would give heavy preference to states where you are way less likely to see rusted out frames.

Montana is old car friendly, yes. That is the Ying. The Yang is May-Oct old car driving season. Even new car friendly here. You can rip the cats off a new car, smash the front so it has no lights, and still drive it! Road worthy can sometimes only mean duct tape. (to the sound of banjo's playin')

Yea and they’re very solid as well.

South Carolina DMV is a pain in the ass as are all DMV in every state. No restrictions on mileage or usage. Low insurance premiums and property taxes are about 12 dollars a year. You either have to have a title from your transferring state or a recent bill of sale from a state that doesn’t require titles. If you get antique plates you have restrictions but I have never actually seen a set except at the police academy. We don’t salt the roads only sand and it very rarely snows deep enough to make driving a problem. Ice in the mountains is a danger but unless you live up there you got no business driving on those roads in the ice anyway cause there is nothing up there.

Hmm ... Maryland my Maryland is ranked 39th - score 555. The 'occasional use' clause in Historic registration makes it easy for me to drive my '69 Chevy truck almost every day, which I do.

Laws are one thing. Enforcement is another. I have found that as long as the vehicle does not look like a hunk of junk the cops don't care. Drove my historic tagged '69 GTO with 1969 period tags for years. Being baby blue those tags stuck out like a sore thumb on a shiny bright red car. Got pulled over for loud exhaust and bad blinker. Never a word about the Historics.

Few months back I was sitting in my truck at a red light in a busy 6 lane intersection when a State trooper pulled next to me. Tapped his siren to get my attention. Thought to myself, oh great. Here comes the ticket. Nope. He was having a nostalgia moment and wanted to ask about the truck. Light turned green and we continued to talk for about 30 seconds. Nobody behind us honked.

Also ... July 1st two years ago wording in the MD law was changed to specifically rule out commercial vehicles. Primarily because some companies were populating their fleets with 25+ year old trucks since they required no inspections, safety of otherwise.

PA the best State, there are old cars, trucks, tractors, engines, of all kinds in almost every other garage and shop in my area alone. Car related events every weekend, sometimes having 3 or 4 to choose from. There’s even cruise in’s on week nights.


Of course the best reason to be here is I’m here. :oogle: :pound: I think Champ should come here. :D :humble:

I looked at Georgia and something jumped out at me immediately that I know is wrong, unless it was changed this year.
It shows that Georgia requires a title for cars 1962 and newer. I have registered at least a dozen vehicles without titles in Georgia. In fact, they won't even give you a title if you request it for an older car. All you need is a BOS signed by the registered owner. Doesn't even have to be notarized. I've taken them in there on spiral notebook paper.

I don't blame the article writer though...the Georgia DMV site indicates that the car has to be 1962 or earlier to be excused but I don't understand why it says that... In fact, I just got my renewal in the mail for a 1980 Datsun Z car. I've never had a title for it.

I did find a new looking 1969 tag for my GTO back 6-8 years ago. One time $15 antique vehicle tag. The lady at the counter noted that there were a few restrictions, but honestly, who's going to keep up with that....or care?

I think your plate should say.....#1-MONKY :D;)lololol.

Sorry MA, PA is the 39th ranked state for old cars.

Too restrictive on usage:

I've been in PA before. It's not a bad place, just not a place I want to live.

Cant put much stock in a ranking article that knocks 100 points off for states that require a safety inspection. Living in a state that eliminated safety inspections near 20 years ago, sure eliminating the yearly safety inspection freed up interruptions at independepent repair shops, but it also allowed an absolute sea of poorly maintained vehicles to run up and down our streets & busiest interurban expressways. Drivers with parts falling off their cars, totally worn out tires peeling chunks off & bouncing up at speed scuffing the finish on your vehicle. Road debris & a deluge of idiot drivers are exactly why l have no interest in playing the driver game with my Pontiacs.

The condition of roads criteria is also not that well thought out. Having driven all over my home state, there are many many fine condition roads, yet we have a "poor" notated for road conditions. As my state does not have the monstrous road resurfacing budget of a Minnesota or a Florida, sure some roads aren't in that good of shape. If the cruiser/ bug smacker realm was whatever I iived with my Pontiacs, I'm sure all across the state, I would have no problem finding different routes to drive on very nice condition roads. thus the road condition ranking is very arbitrary, all it does is rewards states with high gas taxes & monstrous road resurfacing programs.

Just change the points value on these two criteria and the results of the "rankings" are much different. The number 1 factor I'd take out of this "article" is how much does it cost in fees/taxes to register a collectible vehicle in this state or that. Some states, those costs are very high. Cost of living, whether a state has state income tax, high property taxes, climate, state beauty, all factors into where one might want to relocate. Each also factor into affordability & ease of owning from one to multiples of collector vehicles.

I hear that, I don’t really like it here either, but it is what it is. Mike has a very good position in the Company he’s at, his entire family is here, so here is where I’ll be staying. And yes PA is restrictive with cars. I’ve just come to accept it. I know this State is not high on this topic, but where I live the car hobby is hopping.

Hagerty usually has pretty well thought out and researched articles. This one pretty much sucked. Seemed like the author did some quick research from the parent's basement and blew out the article. Spent more time on graphics than content.

Question on North Carolina - he says that the car is taxed under property value. He gives an example of $167 .87 property tax every year based on a $10,000 value. So a $40,000 classic car has to pay $671.48 a year? Really?

I'm from California and agree that the state leaves classic cars alone. Author cites smog inspection for classics 1975 or newer - it's 1976 or newer for the few owners that might matter to.

Roads around here are pretty good, but somewhat traction limited. My request to have VHT applied in the intersections was ignored.

The one day a week usage is rarely enforced unless you're this guy who illegally has a PA Antique plate.

https://www.youtube.com/results?sear...oastal+highway

PA used to require pictures before they issued a plate and but unfortunately PA stopped that a few years ago.

I've driven my cars more then 1 day a week and have not had issues except for a few years ago where I had a now disgraced borough detective with a personal vendetta against me (his wife was my step mom's best friend and I told my step mom I saw him at a restaurant with a women who I thought was his wife, but my step mom told me that she and his wife were shopping together at that exact same time, thus they ended up divorcing because of what I said), as he knew me and my "Classic tagged" car at the time.

I've personally saved lots of money over the years with the cars being tagged with "Classic & Antique" as I haven't had to worry about paying yearly registration nor safety inspection on the Antiqued tagged cars.

Probably hard to compare apples to apples for all states... for example, in Arizona they listed the classic and historical plates available, but then mentioned emissions. If you have classic car insurance, you don't need to pay the extra $25 for a classic car plate, you don't need emissions, and therefore you can get 5 year tags for $60 (last time I registered). And you can drive with the top down year round on great roads, and there are car shows everywhere every weekend. I'd rank it a little higher than where it landed on the list. :)

It’s a typo it’s 1982. I’ve bought a ton of cars in Georgia even the tempest I am restoring now

Wisconsin collector plates, 20 years or older, must have regular plated vehicle, suppose to be stock and can't drive in January. My 69 GTO has headers 3"- 2 1/2" exhaust and a 2801 Summit cam. I have collector plates on every thing that is 20 years or older, one time registration. You can get an exemption to drive your collector vehicle in January if your primary vehicle breaks down. I drive my 69 all the time, drove to work for a week, drive it when it is raining. They also have a hobbyist plate for modified vehicles.

There are 100 counties in N.C. The tax rate varies and is set by the county you are registered in.