Collector Car Status Need letter from BMW NA or AG input?

[Marc@schnell]

Hello everyone

I am applying for Collector Car status in my state, and in order to be approved I must have a letter or some sort of letterhead written proof that the 1M is a limited production car.
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All applicants must submit evidence from either the manufacturer, a recognized car club (on
letterhead) or collector organization that the vehicle applying for Collector Vehicle Status was
issued in a limited edition quantity or that a limited quantity of the original production run
remains.
---
I have done some research online with no results, do you think if I give BMW NA a ring they can supply me with some proof ?

Thanks Guys hope everyones holidays were fun!
Marc

[mariodiniz21]

I'm not sure the 1M is a limited production car, as quoted in the bmwmregistry :

"Was the 1 Series M Coupe considered a limited edition model?

No, for most markets BMW M delivered as many 1 Series M Coupes as its restricted production capacity could supply and sales were not limited to a specific pre-determined number. However, there were a few notable exceptions: Production was limited in the UK to exactly 450 examples and each one was equipped with a numbered plaque inscribed with "One of 450," while France received just 100 examples, each with an individually-numbered plaque."

link : http://www.bmwmregistry.com/model_faq.php?id=53

[Dackelone]

So I take it you trying to import a non-US spec car into the states?

[Southjersey128]

Does the insurance company know anything about cars or are they just bean counters? You should tell them about this thing called google. I would try getting in contact with someone through the dealership.

[Marc@schnell]

No guys i have my 1M its a US Spec car performance center pickup etc, anyway im trying to get collector car status. But i need some type of letter from BMW stating why its a collector car. I figured because only 740 (give or take) were built for NA this would be feasible.

As we all know its short production and hard to capture unless you jumped fast
http://www.autoevolution.com/news/bm...012-43862.html

[robertm]

Might have more luck reaching out to BMW CCA

[Adam135]

Originally Posted by Marc@schnellwerkes.com

im trying to get collector car status.

Why? What is the point?

[Dackelone]

I am still a bit confused. Why do you need a letter stating collector car status?

For insurance purposes? IF your insurance company is giving you grieve... I would call around to some of the insurance companies that cater to collectors or rare cars.

[Marc@schnell]

Originally Posted by Dackelone

I am still a bit confused. Why do you need a letter stating collector car status?

For insurance purposes? IF your insurance company is giving you grieve... I would call around to some of the insurance companies that cater to collectors or rare cars.

Here is why per the state


Initial Application Process

Any application for Collector Vehicle Status processed after September 1, 2007 must be
approved by the I/M Support Unit. This can only be done by mailing your request to the Motor
Vehicle Commission, Collector Vehicle Status, I/M Support Unit, 225 East State Street, P.O.
Box 680, Trenton, NJ 08666-0680.
All applicants must submit evidence from either the manufacturer, a recognized car club (on
letterhead) or collector organization that the vehicle applying for Collector Vehicle Status was
issued in a limited edition quantity or that a limited quantity of the original production run
remains.
The applicant must submit an Application for Collector Vehicle Status, Form SS-66. This
document can be obtained either at your local motor vehicle or down-loaded directly from the
MVC Webpage at http://www.state.nj.us/mvc/About/Forms.htm.
The applicant must provide proof of limited use insurance: declaration page or insurance card,
which indicates the limited-use status of the vehicle.
Photographs of the vehicle must be provided and include the following views: straight on views
of front end, passenger side, driver side and rear end of vehicle.
After MVC’s review, the applicant will receive either an approval letter to be used to purchase a
Collector Vehicle Voucher or denial letter stating the reason(s) why the voucher was denied, or a
request for additional information.

[Dackelone]

I still do not understand. ?

Once you get this: "Collector Vehicle Status" what will it do for you?

You say you already have a 1M. So what is there to gain? Is this for insurance purposes? Or what?

[Artemis]

Originally Posted by Dackelone

Once you get this: "Collector Vehicle Status" what will it do for you?

Speculating on a higher resale value ? Trying to get a lower insurance premium because you're supposed to 'collect' and keep low mileage.

[EINSER M]

Originally Posted by Marc@schnellwerkes.com

Hello everyone

I am applying for Collector Car status in my state, and in order to be approved I must have a letter or some sort of letterhead written proof that the 1M is a limited production car.
---
All applicants must submit evidence from either the manufacturer, a recognized car club (on
letterhead) or collector organization that the vehicle applying for Collector Vehicle Status was
issued in a limited edition quantity or that a limited quantity of the original production run
remains.
---
I have done some research online with no results, do you think if I give BMW NA a ring they can supply me with some proof ?

Thanks Guys hope everyones holidays were fun!
Marc

hey marc dont forget to file for california took ok bud?

[E30 Racer]

For insurance, check with Hagerty. Good rates and coverage. However, collector insurance does have a number of important restrictions, so you need to be sure you know what you're committing yourself to.

I had collector plates for one of my E30s in Ohio. The ODOT was pretty easy to convince the car was indeed a collectible. What did it give me? A different plate with higher annual registration costs and some operational restrictions. Not much incentive, IMO. I now have historical plates for the car...another new set of plates, but only a one-time registration cost (no more annual renewals). *That* makes the changeover worthwhile.

[Powerbeast]

I dont think BMWNA will be helpful in this matter. I dont think it is a collectors car.

[Dan Parker]

Collector car = Pimp forum status?

[eeghie]

"Unlimited but hard to get" is (was) the official BMW M distribution summary.

[///BYU]

Hello Marc,

Good luck on your quest. I hope it works out for you. It can't hurt to try BMW NA. I don't think you'll get anywhere with a call or e-mail to the general info desk. You'd be better off trying to track down a specific individual you think might be willing to help out. That said, I still think it's a long shot, but there's no harm in asking. At best you might get a letter stating the total production number for the U.S. and that it was only offered as a 2011 model year vehicle. I don't think they'd say "limited production" - but depending on your state, you may not need that. The number alone may be sufficient.

Another option might be to go through BMW CCA, again trying to find a specific person you think might be able to help.

Lastly, you could pull together a lot of the press articles about the 1M, about how special / rare the car is and put together a little book for the state authorities. That might convince them, even if you don't have something on formal letterhead. It sounds like they're looking for documentation they can rely on, not necessarily a specific item.

In all cases, I think it's a long shot, but worth trying if you're motivated, which it sounds like you are.

I actually would have loved to have collector plates for the following reasons, which are specific to my state:

• The plate would look awesome on my AW 1M.
• No requirement to run a front plate.
• Sales tax would have been $90 vs. $3,000+ (6.5% of the actual purchase price or fair market value).
• Registration is non-expiring, and the registration tax would have been $25 one time vs. hundreds of dollars each year. In my state, the annual registration tax is based on the value of the vehicle and how new it is, so newer, expensive cars cost a ton to register every year. I should not get started on this topic or I may go off on a tangent about how (a) you have to pay the entire tax even if you move out of state a month after you register (no prorated refunds) and (b) because I did European Delivery, the clock on my annual registration started ticking 2 1/2 months before my 1M ever entered my state. But I digress...

Unfortunately, as great as it would be, the 1M doesn't come close to qualifying in my state because (1) the most lenient definition of a collector vehicle is that it has to be 20 years old -or- "at least ten model years old and with a body or engine style of which not more than 500 were manufactured in or imported into the United States in any model year." Even if the time factor weren't an issue, the 1M was still produced in too high a quantity to qualify as a collector vehicle in my state.

And then there's the part about the vehicle being "owned and operated solely as a collector's item and not for general transportation purposes." I guess I don't qualify there, either!

Anyway, it would be awesome if it worked out for you. Hopefully you live in a state that is more car-friendly. Let us know what happens!