Registering A Vehicle on the Island,,,ugh!

Okay, here we go with another "saga in the life of Bill on the Island of St. Maarten/St. Martin.

I saw this 1986 Toyota Land Cruiser on the side of the Airport Road for a few months, neglected and in need of some, a few, ALOT of repairs. I spoke to the seller of the truck, a worker at Thrifty who was selling the car for a Medical Student who had gone back to Michigan a year ago, leaving his truck behind to be sold.

My first inquiry; the owner was asking $3000 for the 1986 Land Cruiser. I said, "yeah right, I don't think so." We needed a second vehicle now being that our schedules were different. I wanted a used, fairly good shape vehicle and most of all; RELIABLE! As my search continued for the criteria I was looking for, and seeing what people were selling, I said, "absolutely NOT"! I didn't want a new car or new truck and I didn't want to deal with Dealer Mark-ups! I'm Basic and my life is simple here in St. Maarten and why complicate it with a new vehicle?

I eventually e-mailed the seller directly and made him an offer..."$1200 for the truck as is and I'll take it away." My mechanic test drove it and said the turbo diesel engine was solid as was the rest of the truck and just "minor repairs would get this beast up and running." He was right. A month in the shop and this baby was purring like a little lion cub...

Now the Registering Part: Phil & I wanted to register the truck on the French side. While I was working, Phil was spending his days, yes days, going to the Dutch Police for authorization that the truck "was not stolen and we had bought it legitimately". (first stamp of ownership) Then off to the insurance to prove we went to the police for the legal authorization of ownership. (second stamp of approval) Then off to the French side. Technical control for the inspection, Pass...(third stamp of approval), almost there....right.....! Then the last stop for authorization to get the plates was a stop at one of the Sous Prefet's office for the legality of the vehicle from Dutch side to French side. Well, first day, Phil needed more sigantures. More running around. (not there yet), second day back to the Sous Prefet's office, "no, not acceptable". For some reason, Little Ms. Power Hungry at the Sous Prefet's office didn't believe we aquired this vehicle legally and she wanted to, get this; "meet the previous owner in person to ask him personally if he sold us the vehicle." So, we weren't going to fly Mr. Medical Student back to St. Martin for an interview with Ms. Power Hungry-Prejudice against Boys in Love, so off to the Dutch Side for Registering. First stop, Inspection, then to the Island Receiver's Office for the Official Papers saying I own the vehicle in question and to be assigned the number plates, then back to the inspection station to get the official Inspection Card with the number of the plate on the card, then back to the Island Receiver's Office to get the actual plates.....ugh! **Note: there is about 2 miles with ALOT of traffic between the Island Receiver's Office and the Inspection Center which took almost 2 1/2 hours to finalize the papers of this back and forth, back and forth.

Finally, it's official, I own the truck and driving it legally on the road. Not too bad for a week long project to Register One Vehicle. How I Love St. Maarten/St. Martin.....