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Subject |
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Date Posted |
Forum
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RE: Licensing an RV in Montana
You are going to get a lot of misinformation on formation of an LLC please give Bennet Law Firm a call and they will email you all the information for YOUR situation. $1000.00 for Bennet to set up your LLC is the going rate. Keep in mind that not only will they set up your LLC but will be managing your LLC to ensure your Montana license plate and registration is paid and sent to you before expiration. Now your LLC will be established for the sole purpose of owning, aquiring and holding motor vehicles and will NOT be a business for profit LLC. You DO NOT need a CDL or pay any kind of Special Road Tax, Fuel Tax or other special taxes your motorhome will be the same as any other motorhome on the road. Some states out west like Colorado and California has been targeting THEIR residents LLC's as a way to avoid taxes. If you do not live in these states you have no worry. As far as being stopped by Law Enforcement just because you have a Montana tag is just another scare tactic, as long as you have proper registration and insurance you are good to go. I know motorhome owners that have their motorhome in an Montana LLC and their towed cars have registrations and tags from their home state which are totally different than Montana and they have never been stopped or questioned over a period of many years. Now insurance is another matter since you are insuring a vehicle held by an LLC with a "garage" address in another state. This is not a problem for most insurance companies but, make sure you tell them that the vehicle is in an LLC. I understand that insurance rates on LLC owned vehicles are a little cheaper when compared some high cost insurance states. So best advice, talk to a Montana attorney to get the true FACTS and see if a Montana LLC is right for you and your situation. I hope this information helps you in your decision.
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Buck62
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12/14/09 09:42am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: needs paint job
There are several companies that specialize in painting motorhomes. The articles I have seen state a full paint job will cost between $20,000 - $25,000. That includes the sanding prep and multiple coats and clear coats.
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Buck62
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12/14/09 09:22am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: 2010 diesel ful additive requirement
The added tank is for Diesel exhaust fluid (DEF). The Detroit Diesel website does a great job explaining what it is and how it works. The website is http://detroitdiesel.com/emissions/epa2010/. I have not seen any information on what it will cost a gallon but there is information on how many gallons of diesel can be driven per a gallon of DEF. Iam expecting to see when pulling into a truck stop and finding a DEF fluid fuel pump on the same island as your diesel fuel pump.
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Buck62
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12/10/09 07:53am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: References on Extended Service Contracts
horseylady,
Talk to a few service managers at independent RV service asking which ones they think work well. I had Good Sams CSP and they spend more time explaining why they would not cover items than paying claims. Look at the exclusions on all contracts, Good Sams CSP does not cover rubber hoses and rubber seals among their many exclusions. I currently have a "Supreme" policy provided by Prizm Insurance that covers everything with a few exclusions. I have been very pleased with the policy, I recently used it to replace my rear vision cable that had somewhere shorted out and the a new cable had to be run. My dealer determined 8 hours of labor to run a new cable. The insurance policy covered 6 hours of labor which was the shop rate. So my repair cost me $200 instead of $800. The policy has also paid out for a new step motor and control board. I have a 7 year policy so a few more expensive repairs and I will easily collect more than my policy cost. Keep in mind that I do not do any repairs myself, all repairs even minor ones are done by my service center. That's why I purchased a extended warranty insurance policy.
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Buck62
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12/02/09 03:27pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Roof leak, mildew/mold
Unfortunately the waviness in the ceiling is a sign of water damage and their is no easy method of fixing it. The correct way of fixing it is to remove the portion of ceiling and determine how much water damage there is is and repair it. Of course the other option is going through the roof which will be really expensive depending on your roof type. The bad part is trying to finding the same ceiling material to replace the section that you remove. The ceiling may dry out but the water damage will still be there.
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Buck62
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12/02/09 03:04pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: I-40 Detour West of Asheville NC
I took the detour the Monday before Thanksgiving following I-26 up past Ashville to I-81 down back to I-40 going into Knoxville. The NC DOT site says it is 53 miles longer but I think it was more. It is a nice drive, all highway and was not crowded when we took it. Not as hilly as I-40 but a few moderate hills that I just used the engine brake to decend.
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Buck62
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12/02/09 02:43pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Battery discharge while towing
Most cars have a fuse that needs to be pulled since with the key in the accessory position there is a small drain from radio lights, lighted buttons ect. If I did not pull the required fuse on my toad it would drain the battery in about 5 hours. I installed a Toad-Charge and now do not have to pull a fuse or even make sure the radio is turned off. The toads battery is charged as I drive.
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Buck62
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12/02/09 02:28pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Licensing an RV in Montana
The IRS issue is a red herring. LLCs wholly owned by one person or a husband and wife do not file separate tax forums and are looked thru and included on the personal tax forums. I have three: one for the Motorhome and two for my two rental townhouses. The real issue is state law with regards to whether the Motorhome must be registered in a particular state. Most states have reciprocity laws that honor the registrations in other states up to a point. In Va where I am, the Montana LLC only has to register its Motorhome in Va and pay taxes there (sales and annual personal property taxes (based on county where garaged) if the Motorhome is located in the state for a "period of 6 months". The law does not indicate whether it is 6 consecutive or cumulative months. Worse case is cumulative so I will try to keep it out of state for more than 6 out of 12 months. The Bennett law firm in Montana gives you advice on these type of state registration issues particular to your state when you get their advice on setting up your LLC. Va is not on a witch hunt on this issue as far as I know and so long as my intent is to comply and I make a good faith effort to do so I firmly believe I will be ok. Note, it is a good idea to keep a low profile so I store my Motorhome in a storage lot out of view (mostly for security issues)and have my daily driver toad registered in Va even though I could have it owned by the LLC and registered in Montana. As they say even if what you are doing is legal you should try to avoid having to constantly prove it. In my state the sales tax on vehicles is 3% and the annual personal property taxes are by County and vary from nothing on an RV to 6 or more %. For example in my county it is 6% annually on half the market value - ouch! So long as you run your LLC with all legal requirements, conduct the corporate affairs like annual meetings and minutes and sign relevant documents as the LLC it would be very difficult for the state to pierce the corporate vail. LLC are a well known method of legally limiting liability and do not have to be run as a for profit business. Mine is in the business of providing vacation travel for the owners of the LLC. It all really comes down to state law on when you need to register a vehicle and that varies by state. The Montana LLC with a Montana registration on MH works fine in my state under current law IMHO. There is risk in everything and everyone's view as to what is acceptable risk is different. If your have worries then contact an attorney who specializes in this. For example:Bennett Law Firm in Montana. Greg (retired atty)
Great response Greg,
The IRS issue is more mis-information about a personal LLC that is set up only for purchasing and holding motor vehicles, boats, air planes ect. Since the LLC does not perform a business with profit and losses there is no tax issue. In SC there is also a 6 month or 180 days out of state requirement same as VA. It does not specify that the 180 days is cummulative or consecutive but, Bennett's reserach revealed that it has never been challenged in the SC courts since it was put on the books. The Bennett Law Office will provide your state's requirements and will KNOW what the issues would be for your state. DO NOT LISTEN TO THIS FORUM'S MISINFORMATION, CALL AND GET ACCURATE INFORMATIOIN FOR YOUR STATEFROM A MONTANA LAWYER THAT SPECIALIZES IN LLC.
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Buck62
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11/28/09 07:32am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Licensing an RV in Montana
I have seen several ads and heard much talk about establishing and LLC in Montana and purchasing an RV through that LLC to avoid paying sales tax in your home state. There are many web sites that offer this service. Can anyone give me some first hand information on this and any do's and don'ts.
Walter T,
Every time this subject comes up you will get a lot of misinformation and people's personal feelings. What you need to do is call the John Bennett Law Firm in Montana, their web site is www.bennettlawofficepc.com.
They will Email you all the facts and requirements for your particular state regarding a Montana LLC.
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Buck62
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11/22/09 01:13pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Montana LLC sales tax excemtion
Some state and local sales tax deductions may be available to you but only for a limited time, depending on how much you spend and how much you earn.
Read here. (IRS.gov)
Well lucky for us it is classified as a property tax so we can claim it on our Federal return with our real estate taxes. The nice thing is that our vehicle sales tax is capped at $300 but, I would prefer to pay a 5-6% sales tax instead of an outrageous property tax every year which for us is like paying sales tax on our vehicles every year.
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Buck62
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11/20/09 01:03pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: RV Awning Mat Sale 9x12
I just ordered a 9X12 that was on sale for a $50 savings. They are great mats. I have had a 6X9 from them since 2000 and it still looks great with very little wear. I wanted the larger one just for the time we could use one since some campgrounds have a large concrete patio.
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Buck62
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11/20/09 08:07am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Montana LLC sales tax excemtion
How do people deliberately and knowingly cheat their home state out of rightly owed sales taxs and DMV fee's and feel good about what they're doing? It's wrong to do this! JMHO.
Happy camping!!! See ya'll down the road!!!:?
I agree totally, in SC we pay a 10.5% property tax plus the school millage for your school district on all motor vehicles, boats, RV's and airplanes. It is not uncommon for RV'ers to pay $3000 - $4000 per year as their property tax. There is a loop hole that states if you are out of state 180 days per year and you must be able to prove it you could have an out of state registration or LLC. Most large boat owners have their boat registered in the state of Florida. An article in our local newspaper a couple weeks ago was a story where a mega yacht owner (It was the largest yacht in the marina) and was a SC resident was found not meeting the 180 day rule and was assessed $375,000 for property tax. The enforcement of property tax is done by the county tax assessor, the local law enforcement could care less as long as you have a valid registration and plate. The property tax is assessed every year and only goes down a few dollars per year and is based on what they determine to be fair market value which is usually much higher that NADA. My motorhome property tax is $4000.00 per year and has dropped a couple of hundred dollars since it was new in 2006. Actual cost of my plate is around $30.00 but, you must provide proof of property tax payment before you get your plate. One other thing is that our school system is rated one of the lowest in the nation next to Mississipi and Alabama.
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Buck62
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11/20/09 08:00am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Montana LLC sales tax excemtion
Hayman2,
You are going to get a lot of misinformation on formation of an LLC please give Bennet Law Firm a call and they will email you all the information for YOUR situation. $1000.00 for Bennet to set up your LLC is the going rate. Keep in mind that not only will they set up your LLC but will be managing your LLC to ensure your Montana license plate and registration is paid and sent to you before expiration. Now your LLC will be established for the sole purpose of owning, aquiring and holding motor vehicles and will NOT be a business for profit LLC. You DO NOT need a CDL or pay any kind of Special Road Tax, Fuel Tax or other special taxes your motorhome will be the same as any other motorhome on the road. Some states out west like Colorado, Oregon and California has been targeting THEIR residents LLC's as a way to avoid taxes. If you do not live in these states you have no worry. As far as being stopped by Law Enforcement just because you have a Montana tag is just another scare tactic, as long as you have proper registration and insurance you are good to go. I know motorhome owners that have their motorhome in an Montana LLC and their towed cars have registrations and tags from their home state which are totally different than Montana and they have never been stopped or questioned over a period of many years. Now insurance is another matter since you are insuring a vehicle held by an LLC with a "garage" address in another state. This is not a problem for most insurance companies but, make sure you tell them that the vehicle is in an LLC. I understand that insurance rates on LLC owned vehicles are a little cheaper when compared some high cost insurance states. So best advice, talk to a Montana attorney to get the true FACTS and see if a Montana LLC is right for you and your situation. I hope this information helps you in your decision.
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Buck62
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11/19/09 06:58am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Even Brake Help!!
Hi,
I need to install Even Brake for 07 Suzuki Grand Vitara. I am not sure why I need to install Brake-lite Relay. The brake lights turns on when the engine is off and what's the reason for having the relay?
Thanks in advance.
M3 Rules,
The reason for some (most) cars requiring the Brake-Lite relay is that your brakes lites can come on with the ignition key turned on without starting the engine for towing. What will happen is that your motorhome will activate your cars brake lites and your Even Brake will also activate your brake lites when it pushes on the brake pedal. The brake relay disconnects your brake lites so they will come on only when your motorhome braking activates them. When your engine is running the car brake lites will function as normal. With the brake lite relay your car brakes will not come on when the engine is off.
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Buck62
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11/18/09 10:37am |
Dinghy Towing
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RE: A different kind of ant question
I've got a different kind of ant question. On two separate occasions, I popped something into the microwave to cook and when I looked through the window, there were a couple of ants running around in the microwave. This was at least 2 minutes after starting the microwave. One was on the side and one was on the bottom.
How come the ants didn't get zapped by the microwave?
That why they were running as fast as they could :B
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Buck62
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11/18/09 10:18am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Winterizing questions
Where I live we only get a couple of months Jan, Feb. where the temperature will drop below 32 degrees for a few hours and only for a handfull of nights but, the day time temperatures are always in the 50's. I blow out all the lines after draining the low point drains and put RV pink stuff in the toilets and drains. Since we use out motorhome all year long it is a quick way to winterize. If I lived in an area (originally from Mich.) that has a prolonged freezing period I would put the RV pink stuff in all the water lines, drains and water pump after emptying the water heater and all the holding tanks.
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Buck62
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11/17/09 09:32am |
Beginning RVing
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RE: Running rack on cat 3208T
No, running the rack is not the same as adjusting the valves.
The rack controls fuel injection-- adjusting is as much an art as a science.
You need to find an old timer at a Caterpillar dealership who works on them.
Lots of them still around in marine applications so may have better luck on the coast.
As always, Brett is exactly right. The fuel injection timing of mechanical engines is done by adjusting the rack which moves in and out to open and close the fuel injectors. Man am I feeling old.....
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Buck62
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11/17/09 07:57am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Tire Pressure Monitor
How many sensors have you had to go bad? I've had my TST, 10 sensor system on my 36' National and Saturn Vue for less than one year now.
I've sent two sensors back alredy and am getting ready to call them to replace another one. Leaking every time. This one has a small crack in the black plastic cover. I'm sure that isn't the issue but it would let rain and dirt in.
They have been great with their customer service, I have to admit but in about 4 months they will be out of warranty and I don't want to deal with the $50 charge if they are not going to last over a few months.
Anyone else had that many go bad. I've thought it might be me and the way I put them on but I try not to crank down on them. It seems they seal well after you get them seated and it doesn't take a lot of torque. I'm wondering too if I need something with a longer or deeper collar.
It has been a different tire each time too.
Any Ideas?
Just a follow-up to this post I made a few days ago. I got a call from the owner today who was very appologetic about my issues. I am totally satisfied with the response he gave me. They have agreed to replace any bad sensors with new ones and have extended my warranty one year. It don't get much better as far as response goes.
As I told him, I'm totally satisfied with the product except for the two sensors. I am more that satisfied that they do not intend to leave me hanging.
I know I sound like I work for them but it is seldome I receive such service from someone. DirecTV could take a lesson from them, but that's another story for another day and another forum.
Again, Thanks TST, for treating me like a person.
DakotaD,
I stll have my original sensors and do not remove them from the motorhome tires since we use our MH all year long for various trips. So far they worked great. You are right about TST's customer service, they are outstanding and will do everything possible to make their customer's happy.
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Buck62
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11/16/09 05:18pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Running rack on cat 3208T
Wow, I have not heard that phrase for many years since diesels went electronic. I hope rack adjustments are not a lost art. Now how about talking about TA and NA diesel engines, of course all current models of diesel engines are TA. Any Cat service center should be able to do this service for you, just look for the old guy in the shop.:) I would post this question to the Cat forum to get some feedback and recommendation for a reliable diesel mechanic. This procedure is not specific to Cat but, any pre-electronic diesel engine make.
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Buck62
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11/16/09 05:03pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Installing Sunguard Windshield Screen
I have the Sunguard Hi-Density 94% Sunscreens and they are great. I have had them for almost 4 years and they still are like new. I went with the stainless steel snaps for the windshield and side windows. The door window uses Velcro closures. As mentioned earlier they are easy to install just center on your windows and stretch the sunscreens tight across your windshield to mark your next hole for the snap.
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Buck62
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11/16/09 04:42pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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