Da Royal Reaming

I'm already looking at going wheeling in the Jeep. Had an offer to go out this weekend, but I can't since I've just purchased a car I need to head over to the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles for a good 'ol doubled teaming. While I am forced to suck Lord Fairfax's dick, Gov. Warner is gonna be giving me an assreaming to remember.

In all seriousness, I estimate the total cost to register my used 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo to be $326.76.

Titling: $10
Sales tax (3%): $180
Registration: $29.50
Car Tax: $4.57 per $100 of assessed value on a $6000 vehicle (watch them try to assess me at a higher rate than I paid for it) is $274.20 minus my "tax relief (since we now know Warner lied and the state really is running at a surplus, shouldn't this dumb tax have been fully eliminated)" of 70% means I am out of pocket $82.26
Property tax sticker (they charge you to prove that you've registered your car and paid your tax): $25

Of course, that does not including the time I am going to waste standing on line at DMV (time I could better spend with my child (family values, my ass) or billing a client at my usual rate of several hundred dollars an hour). Lets call it an even $500 (assuming they get me in and out within an hour since I'll be there at 8:00 am when they open) that the state steals from me for purchasing a 10 year old truck that I just purchased for a measly $6000 so that I can earn a living to pay them even more.

Of course, the alternative would have been me spending that $500 at a local business getting the truck trail ready (and maybe putting some away to pay for my kids preschool this fall (not to mention a slight addition to his college fund), funds that would certainly be more efficiently spent in the pockets of the local outfitter's employees feeding their children, buying them clothes, etc (instead of being wasted by the corrupt and pampered asses running the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Anyway, I'll let you know what the total costs it (including time wasted at DMV) tomorrow.

Still, with any luck, after this weekend I can hit the trail and will never have to resort to this crap.