Bus valuation

[Eapster]

I live in Washington state and just purchased a 1969 Dodge short bus. Went to the licensing department and they want me to provide the value of it. Does anybody have any idea where I can go to find this information. I know it is going to be hard to come by. Kelley Blue Book doesn't go back that far and neither does some of the more popular ones use for trucks and autos. The Cellar put $100 down on the title as a sale price but Washington state has a law now that says you must pay tax and Licensing according to the value not the sale price anymore. Can anyone help me with this? Or has anyone had a similar problem here in Washington state. I'm not interested in what other states do, only in Washington State.

[Twigg]

Originally Posted by Eapster

I live in Washington state and just purchased a 1969 Dodge short bus. Went to the licensing department and they want me to provide the value of it. Does anybody have any idea where I can go to find this information. I know it is going to be hard to come by. Kelley Blue Book doesn't go back that far and neither does some of the more popular ones use for trucks and autos. The Cellar put $100 down on the title as a sale price but Washington state has a law now that says you must pay tax and Licensing according to the value not the sale price anymore. Can anyone help me with this? Or has anyone had a similar problem here in Washington state. I'm not interested in what other states do, only in Washington State.

You can't get any kind of official valuation ... and KBB, etc, are not "official" anyway.

You can present them with auction sale prices of a number of similar vehicles, establishing a pattern, and take the average.

If WA has a way to establish "value", then they need to let you know what that is.

[TrailLifeBill]

What I would do is have the bus weighed (would be handy to know that anyhow), and find out what scrap metal price is for that weight. Tell the DMV that, since it is that old - and not a "collector's item", that the devalued price is $100 over scrap price. See if they would go for that.

[Eapster]

Thanks for the reply

[o1marc]

I'm with TLB on this one. salvage might be worth a bit more than the $100 you paid. Our local yard is at $6/100lbs, what does it weigh? Hard to get an accurate evaluation on it because all the rest of them have already been scrapped.

[turf]

try your insurance carrier, if its on a policy, it probably has a value

[ACamper]

I also agree with TrailLifeBill, get the weight and calculate the scrape price.

If they ask you if it has any "upgrades" "improvements" "extras" = NO Just an old 1969 truck.Unless it needs a bed and water tank to be an RV. lol

[Eapster]

Have an insured it yet