VIN# ID confusion

[Curtis Dowds]

I bought a 2021 (previous owner thought it was a 2020) Dynamax DX3 KD34 with a California title that listed the Freightliner chassis as the RV VIN#. I need to register it to my Montana LLC but Montana won't register it on the basis of the Freightliner "make" (FRHT) that's on the existing California title which I now have in my possession, UNLESS a police officer somehwere (with a badge) will sign a document saying that it's an RV and not a chassis and these are the respective VIN#s.

It's crazy but I paid for and have stored in my possession an RV I can't convert to a title under my LLC or register. At the same time Forest River / Dynamax swears that another VIN# is the real VIN# for the RV (chassis and house) but that RV VIN# is NOWHERE that I can find on the RV. Specifically, the VIN# Forest River is claiming is the real VIN# is not on the driver's side door frame where, on one sticker, the chassis VIN# is described as the RV VIN#. Also, the equipment list that the original owner was given shows the the Freightliner VIN# as the RV VIN#. It's complete chaos. You would expect better from Forest River

CA cops won't sign the document period but when I do find a cop that will sign (either in neighboring states or all the way to Montana) I need to be 100% certain what VIN# actually applies to the Dynamax DX3 KD34 I paid a lot of money for and really like. Had 6,200 miles on it! Basically new. But can't put on the road again until I figure out what to do about the VIN# and find a cop willing to sign the Montana form (MV95). Any suggestions from readers. If Forest River is following these threads, what on earth is going on with your VIN# stickers???

 

[B52Bombardier1]

Here in Louisiana, this would be handled with a Louisiana State Police form called the "Affidavit of Physical Inspection" to make changes in a vehicle title, change the VIN, check t make sure its not stolen using their National Crime Information Center computer system, etc. This is a free service and you then carry the form to the DMV and they make the required changes . . . for money, of course.

Call the Montana Highway Patrol, or better yet, pay the precinct a personal visit. Maybe do the same with the California Highway Patrol before you head out.

Rick

 

[Curtis Dowds]

Here in Louisiana, this would be handled with a Louisiana State Police form called the "Affidavit of Physical Inspection" to make changes in a vehicle title, change the VIN, check t make sure its not stolen using their National Crime Information Center computer system, etc. This is a free service and you then carry the form to the DMV and they make the required changes . . . for money, of course.

Call the Montana Highway Patrol, or better yet, pay the precinct a personal visit. Maybe do the same with the California Highway Patrol before you head out.

Ric

 

[Curtis Dowds]

Thanks, Rick. Unfortunately, I'm in very South County San Diego in California where they're not nearly so accommodating. No Highway Patrol, no local police, no DMV. Nothing. Going to have to drive it without a completed title out of state to get the Montana MV95 signed, worst case next summer (after I return from a long trip in Europe) all the way back to Montana. That would be about 1,000 miles!! The error on the CA title was apparently made when it the vehicle was first titled and registered in CA. How CA DMV could make such a mistake I'm trying to wrap my head around. Frustrating but I have it stored, I hope safely, until I return from this long planned trip.

 

[Rosy]

Thanks, Rick. Unfortunately, I'm in very South County San Diego in California where they're not nearly so accommodating. No Highway Patrol, no local police, no DMV. Nothing. Going to have to drive it without a completed title out of state to get the Montana MV95 signed, worst case next summer (after I return from a long trip in Europe) all the way back to Montana. That would be about 1,000 miles!! The error on the CA title was apparently made when it the vehicle was first titled and registered in CA. How CA DMV could make such a mistake I'm trying to wrap my head around. Frustrating but I have it stored, I hope safely, until I return from this long planned trip.

There's no police in San Diego?

 

[Curtis Dowds]

Sure, police everywhere in this state They won't sign the document. I have no idea why they won't sign. Just won't. Maybe they don't like me isnce I've complained once or twice over 25 years. Who knows. The local police are ..... (use your imagination). Really, not what you would call servers of the community! The Highway Patrol (state highway police) says absolutely no and drive it to Montana!! In those words basically. There are some cases where local cops in CA did sign but the agency in Montana won't give me names and without knowing exactly who, when, it's just a crap shoot to head off with a big RV. I've been told someone got a signature in Lake Havasu in Arizona. I'm heading there first if a call to the local police there in July gets a thumbs up, otherwise Vegas where my brother lives. If both those strike out, it's a long drive to Montana! It's really crazy. The lesson is, read your title word by word! The Chinese guy who was new to the U.S. (owns a company that makes security and surveillance cameras for the U.S. market and whose English wasn't perfect) trusted the California DMV which called a Dynamax a Freightliner, really unbelievably when you think about it.

 

[Knobs]

If you are telling the CA authorities your WHOLE issue, including Montana, you're making this too complicated. You never want to make a government bureaucrat's life complicated. You won't like the result.

My suggestion is to deal with CA on CA issues only and leave Montana completely out of the conversation.

Work with CA to get the CA title corrected. As far as CA would know, you have to correct the CA title since the VIN is incorrect. Period. End of problem (as far as CA bureaucrats are concerned).

Once you get a good CA title, then do the deal with MT.

 

[Neemer]

It’s interesting to me that Montana won’t accept the Freightliner VIN. Unless I’m crazy (which is in some debate), there is no Newmar VIN…serial number/coach number, yes, VIN, no. My Newmar is registered in my home state as a Freightliner.

 

[J&JD]

When I registered our new Dutch Star on a Freightliner chassis the local California DMV person looked around the coach and would only register the vehicle after she found the metal VIN # plate attached to the Freightliner chassis. She didn’t care who made the rv itself. Interestingly, the registration certificate says 2017 Newmar, not Freightliner.

 

[MemoriesByTheMile]

On the Renegade SuperC we drive, the VIN is the Freightliner chassis VIN.

The camper box on the back that renegade added is not a VEHICLE. Yes, Renegade has a serial number for their build, but the vehicle is registered as a Freightliner in Montana.

When it was purchased, we had a cop in a southeastern state sign the Montana form. It was no big deal. But realize that California is different.