Going crazy trying to get appraisal for $100 trailer!

Bought a jonboat and trailer 3 months ago for $130 TOTAL. Been a whole new experience getting this rig legal. Can't get the boat out of my backyard because, since the trailer doesn't have a title, the State of Illinois requires that I pay a bond for the trailer. But before I can get a bond, they want me to get an appraisal of the trailer's value.

I'm sure the trailer could appraise for $100. Maybe. It was thrown in as part of the deal.

But how do I get an appraisal when I can't move the trailer? Anyone ever have to deal with something like this?

Anyone know someone that would do an appraisal based on pictures or video?

That's just crazy!

Do they seriously want an appraisal? It's a boat trailer for crying out loud!

If I got pulled over on the way to an appraiser, I would explain the situation. Someone has to have some common sense!

wasilvers said:

That's just crazy!

Do they seriously want an appraisal? It's a boat trailer for crying out loud!

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Why, yes. Yes, they do. They need it appraised so they can have me get a bond for 1.5 times the value. I'll end up putting up the bond in cash since I haven't found anyone willing to do a bond for less than $100 fee anyway.

I won't even tell you about my desperate attempts to extract the faded VIN number from the trailer, since, if I can't, they are going to send the State Police to my house to stamp one on there themselves...

And have I mentioned the required pictures?

This year or last, Illinois came up with a whole new set of rules on registrations--at least where you can't provide clear title. Everyone says I should just say that it is a homemade trailer, but I cannot attest to that--not worth it to me. But my, how they tempt a man.

How about putting an ad on craigslist in WI for a trade of trailers? You get one with a title, and the guy up here could care less. Might have to give him a case of brew for the trouble, but it would keep you from having to post bond on the trailer.

An idea anyway.

chrislrob said:

Everyone says I should just say that it is a homemade trailer, but I cannot attest to that--not worth it to me. But my, how they tempt a man.

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Or you could just paint it and call it homemade, maybe add a piece of wood to it so you can say you did some work on it. If that's all it takes, I'd go that route.

Can you talk to the guy at the junk yard? Get a junk title for a little cash 20 bucks or so then flip it back into the system? Just a thought. Or if the junk guy has a trailer with a number pull that number. I love junk guys.

Can't you just tell them it's home made?

wasilvers said:

chrislrob said:

Everyone says I should just say that it is a homemade trailer, but I cannot attest to that--not worth it to me. But my, how they tempt a man.

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Or you could just paint it and call it homemade, maybe add a piece of wood to it so you can say you did some work on it. If that's all it takes, I'd go that route.

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That's what I'd do! :twisted:

I would just claim it as homemade anyways... by the time you pay for appraisal, title it, pay for all the minor and not minor fixes to get it road legal, you might as well spend the same ammount of money on a different trailer..... :idea:

In OH we have to take a slip from a certified scale to the BMV to get it registered. How do you legaly go get it weighed without allready being registered and having plates?

I'd just hook up and go to your appraisel. I plan to goto the truck stop to get weighed. I have moved my boat 2 times on my trailer without a registration and no trouble so far.

Do you have an update on your situation? Did you get an apprasil? Did you registar the trailer & get a plate? I'm in the same boat (no pun intended), I live in IL & bought a boat & trailer off the side of the road in WI, registared the boat in WI but cannot bring it into IL b/c the trailer does not have a plate. I got the same run around about the bond after an appriasal, but I cannot find anyone to apprais the trailer for less then the worth. I found this website and might try to see if they will take this as an appraisal but the whole bond process seems daunting.
https://www.nadaguides.com/default....50637&l=1&w=24&p=38&f=5693&gc=mr&gtc=tr&any=0

My other thought was to try and find the guy I bought the trailer from to have him sign a bill of sale. The only reason they need the trailer apprasil is so they know what to tax you.

Thanks

Hey guys, the trailer is not a motor vehicle. therefore, there is no tax charged in Illinois. Tell the Secretary of State its a trailer under 3000 lbs and go with a bill of sale or title. They will make you re-title the trailer for like $85, but the appraisal thing sounds unnecessary. I did mine 2 years ago with no problems.

dyurisich said:

Hey guys, the trailer is not a motor vehicle. therefore, there is no tax charged in Illinois. Tell the Secretary of State its a trailer under 3000 lbs and go with a bill of sale or title. They will make you re-title the trailer for like $85, but the appraisal thing sounds unnecessary. I did mine 2 years ago with no problems.

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Sometimes this stuff is far over thought #-o

Illinois recently changed the way they title home made trailers. It must be inspected by the sec of state police. It must never been titled before.

lckstckn2smknbrls said:

Illinois recently changed the way they title home made trailers. It must be inspected by the sec of state police. It must never been titled before.

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Yep.

I'm not complicating it--they are.

I have to swear it's never had a vin. And the state police are going to come and put one on there. Now, granted, I can't SEE the vin or I'd tell them what it is, but still.

I'm not really afraid of moving it--I just haven't found anyone to appraise it yet. I want to use the NADA guide, but rules say I have to have pics of front and back covers and relevant page so I can't use webpage. And the guide costs $60 to order.

Hey...anybody out there want a few bucks in their paypal account to send me a pdf of 3 pages of their nada guide? That would take care of my appraisal.

You will have to let us Illinois guys know how this goes. I have a small utility trailer that needs a title.
What part of Illinois are you from?

That's whacked out. State of Maryland, three pictures gets a title and VIN placard, inspection paper get's it tagged.

Homemade Trailers

Homemade trailers may be titled and registered by submitting an Application for Title to the Administration with two photographs of the vehicle taken from side and rear angles. If the application is approved, an assigned VIN (serial plate) is issued. It must be affixed to the vehicle and becomes the identification number used in all future transactions.


The fee is like $50 out the door...

Jamie

Illinois more messed up then NY, who would have believed it! In NY you got to do the scale thing is all. I wont buy anything without papers, not worth the hassle.

Yeah. I'm in IL as well. Motors without a title in IL is no big deal since they don't title them here. It's just boats and trailers. I know the law recently changed in IL on trailers due to to many being called homemade when they weren't and stolen trailers. That just makes it difficult for everyone. It's easier to get a boat title than a trailer title in IL. I think this is due to the fact that the boat is through the DNR and the trailer is through the Sec. of State office. IL makes so many things difficult.

I'll keep you all updated on this. Right now, family matters are keeping me jumping. It is also my wife's travel season at work. She'll be in L.A. until Thursday. That leaves me at home in the evenings with my 2 y.o. boy every night this week.

Seriously considering just buying another trailer. Same difference, but I can register it right away.