MacX, I think you are making the a more complicated thing out of it than it really is. All the State of Texas is concerned about is getting their 6 1/4% sales tax. However, you need to get this done before you spend money on it because then it will appraise for more and you will have paid 8 1/4% sales tax on the parts. The vehicle you have pictured should easily be appraised at less than $1000. You do not need to take it to a licensed inspector...
It probalby sounds like I am making it complicated, 'cause I am so long winded... My comment about an inspection was in reply to phillip: in his NC bond title process, the state sent someone out to verify the serial number on his paperwork... in Texas, a pencil tracing of the serial number is accepted in place of a VIN inspection form.
I very well may end up going through Lawrence title... But for the moment, I've got all my ducks in a row to land the bonded title myself, except the appraisal... The "find someone with a dealers license" part of your instructions is right where I am at...
Have a call into my sister in Goldthwaite, but I'm guessing they must be camping or something cuz I havent heard back... I'm hopeful her brother in law has a dealers license and is willing... Also waiting on a call from my insurance agent...
TxLaTx's response is proving to be right, though. Before I posted, I guess I thought there would be lots of Stovebolters that had dealers licenses, and that one of them would look at the picures and say " no problem... send me the form..."
But now that I think about it, if I was a dealer, I'd only respond like that if I wanted to open the floodgates to non-stop requests for "will you appraise my truck..."
Anyway, I'm grateful to you for your help... The info about lawrence and to ITS were sources I had not yet come accross... Plus you jogged me into thinking outside of just looking in Frisco and on the internet for an appraisor.
It's pretty clear that I'm not making direct contact with an appraisor through here, though. Sure would have been nice if the regional title office had used the same "book" as phillp's from NC. This office wouldnt budge from requiring an $18,000 bond without an appraisal... The sales tax wasnt the issue. That would be based on the "bill of sale" amount. It's strictly the liability of if a dispute comes up, the state is insulated from having required too low a bond amount. So without an outside appraisal, they dont take the applicants word for condition, and just go with "average NADA retail".
