Registration Angst

It's been about a year since I bought the bright yellow, 2002 Mazda Protege vehicle. It was time to renew the registration, but I wasn't getting any notices for it.  A Fastrak fee from for crossing the Crockett Bridge in the Bay Area was apparently delayed required two months to reach me.  So, upon investigation, I discovered I didn't have any registration for the vehicle at all. The point had escaped my attention.  So, why not?

Apparently, last year's sale to me had never been registered with the State of California.  So, I had to get proper registration.

I had to track down the previous owner.  I had his address and workplace, but not his phone number.  So, I started stalking his home.  I finally found him, and he readily signed off. (He thought he had taken care of the registration on the Internet. but apparently not.)

The effort to properly register the car required three extended visits to DMV and cost $584.  I still don't know why it cost so much, but at least finally, legally I now own the car.  

And now, time to take the vehicle in for mechanical repair!