JP007

iTrader: (3)

Contacted Wisconsin DOT and asked if I have a Hobbist Plate am I still required to have a catalytic converter? They said No! If you have the Collector Plate you must have the CAT still installed on the car as that is the way it came from the factory.

JP / Rhinelander, WI

Looks like 91 RS will be getting major improvements.

CamaroZilla

thats good to know, i was gonna get collector once my 89 is finaly running, but the cat is long gone. looks like hobbist is the way to go. how much did those run you?

88 350 tpi formula

iTrader: (9)

honestly I see way way too many **** boxes around now with hobbist and collector plates.. I have hobbist plates on my formula but the car is very clean. I think this will just be one more thing jerks are abusing

iggy89

iTrader: (3)

So far I been getting away with what I got. Have a h pipe system that dumps before the rear end with no cats. I have a hobbiest plate and I think I been able to get away with it so far because of it. I did have a cop follow me a ways down the street when I had the temp plate on. I think he checked the plate and found out it was hobbiest so he turned after a few blocks.

Also nice to see someone else up in this nick of the woods.

Confuzed1

iTrader: (4)

EDIT: Just checked, and you're right! Here's what it says:

Types of hobbyist vehicles:
-Street modified vehicles
-Must be at least 20 years old.
-May be modified from the original manufacturer's specifications.
-Can still be recognized as the original year and make.
-Are typically known as "hot rods" or "street rods."


Looks like I need to start thinking about switching from "Collector" to "Hobbyist" plates soon....

JP007

iTrader: (3)

I wanted the Hobbyist plate but being as the car is 100% stock they made me go with Collector tags. I explained that mods were in the near future but no go from the DOT. I look at it this way if you have either the Collector or Hobbyist plate most times law enforcement doesn't look twice unless you are breaking some law. I agree that there is a lot of junk running these plates to avoid yearly registration and we see a lot up north. I have 3 cars all with collector tags and all are very Clean. Point being if the law wanted to be complete jerks they could enforce and make lots of people change to the Hobbyist tags as most collector cars have been modified. MY 70 GTO was run for years on collector tags all snorted up and never got nothing from law enforcement but a wave and a smile or nice car. Basically the state of WI just wants the $$$$.

Confuzed1

iTrader: (4)

Couldn't agree with you more....it's all about revenue.

My car was totally stock when I got the plates, and back then, you had to pass a "one-time emissions" test in order for you to get collector plates at all. So I did....and over the next few years I added a 400 and a blower! I've yet to get pulled over or messed with. Same with all others guys I know of. I see very few hobbyist plates around.

I wonder if you could've just told them you bought the car already modded? .....Of course there's a chance they could tell you they won't allow you to plate the car at all...

derekterbeest

I did hobbyist plates on my 83 z28 right away, but now I wish I had them on my 1966 Deville too. I would have got them, but I didn't have any regular auto plates on anything. The law that requires you have standard auto or truck plates in order to get hobbyist or collector plates SUCKS. I drive a company car and its not registered in my name so I need something with regular plates in order to register more hobbyist cars. I had my name on my dad's truck but it died and he sold it. Now the Caddy is running auto plates with horrible exhaust leaks and running really rich. Ticking time bomb for a ticket...

red rock

iTrader: (2)

I'm not sure, but i thought with hobbyist plates, your limited as to when you can drive, such as only on weekends?

derekterbeest

The only driving restriction in Wisconsin for hobbyist or collector plates is that you can't drive in the month of January. (you can get temporary tags if you have good connections though...)

HankL69

iTrader: (1)

It is hard to say that the state is just out for the revenue when these plates (collector or hobbyist) is the best deal you can find anywhere. I have probably saved a couple thousand bucks over the last 20 years with 2 collector cars registered . I agree with those who see abuse. Very few 20 plus year old cars are totally stock. I don't have a problem with slightly modded cars with collector plates, but when yoyu see street rods with them it makes me wonder why the State Patrol doesn't pull them over. Also, when you see an old pick-up with collector plates cruising neighborhoods on garbage day you can be pretty sure they are just using the system.

derekterbeest

Its a great deal unless you switch cars all the time. Don't they charge like $150 to transfer one of those plates to a different vehicle?

red rock

iTrader: (2)

That, and for us shallow minded, the colors are just plain ugly.

derekterbeest

For my White and Gold car, green and yellow doesn't clash any more than blue and red haha. The transfer thing is another reason i didn't find a way to get hobbyist plates for my Caddy. I don't know if I'm going to own the car for more than two years, it might not be worth it for me to pay for hobbyist. For the Camaro I've already got my moneys worth and i don't plan to get rid of it any time soon.

jimez1

I am just going to keep the regular plates on mine. Since the law changed no longer requiring cars 1996 or older to go through emmisons testing here in milwaukee. Save money on hobbyist/collector plates, can run w/o a cat and do not have to worry about the smog police. And can modify the car however you want without going against any restrictions the other two plates put on owning the car.

JP007

iTrader: (3)

Now that I have the Hobbist tag and 2 collector tags. No more registration. Saves money after a couple of years. Also my insurance for my 1 hobbist and 2 collector tagged cars 2 Firebirds and a Camaro cost $128 each a year for full coverage.

HankL69

iTrader: (1)

Another good thing about a collector plate is that you can get the same number on any other vehicle you own, new or old. Even a truck. Every vehicle I own has the same number (folowed by a single letter)