TFS Idiots

I lease my Tacoma. Shortly after I leased it I put personal plates on it. I decided I wanted to put those plates on another vehicle that not through TFS. So I called my local DMV and told them what I wanted to do. She said call your leasing company and have them write a release letter and then submit that with your new application. Happens all the time. So I called TFS this morning. They told me since they owned the vehicle I was not allowed to place personalized tags on the vehicle. I said it already has them on it! Oh shit storm ahead! He asked me who approved that? I did it through DMV. I said all I want to do is place them on another vehicle that I own. Is that financed with us. No it’s not! The answer is no. I just want a realease I’m going back to straight up tags. Nope! I would have to pay off the lease before they would listen. I asked for the pay off. He then asked why did it want the pay off! I’m paying it off. You have to finance it through a dealership. No I’m not! This is why I hate manufacturing sponsored financing. They suck at everything! I guess I can go back on line and put TFS SUXS! I want the verbiage that I had on the plates. Anyone know of a work around?

 

I have never heard of that. Honestly it sounds like the DMV is the problem. You should be able to change plates on any vehicle. Financing only has to do with the title/lien holder.

You can transfer previous tags to the TFS vehicle which makes me think it has nothing to do with that.

 

Don’t phone call, it’s best to go in person. You should be able to swap plates for a fee, financing has nothing to do with plates.

 

Exactly this. These clowns are stuck in their own circus.

 

It’s leased through TFS. Which I swore up and down I would never do again as I had so many issues with the last lease we had through Subaru.

DMV said they do it all the time. Except TFS is the the owner in a lease case and they own the rights to the tag personal or not.

So DMV said just have them sign the rights of the tag over to you. She said people do it all the time.

So I called TFS this morning. At first they said no personalized tags. I said it already has them. I just want you to release the tag so I can own it. That’s when he asked how I did the tags in the first place. I’m like oh shit! He put me on hold and said the only way to release the tag was to pay the lease off. Then they would talk.

So I asked what the pay off was. He asked me what did I want with that. I’m paying it off and will never lease another @&$%# car from them. And this was why I hate leasing. These dopes have you by the short hair. I had to sue Subaru on my last lease.

I’m afraid to make waves at the DMV for fear of being stuck and not able do anything. Those are bigger village idiots.

When I lease prior from Chase to Subaru chase sent me a letter releasing the plates and I put them on my leased susbaru. Done.

So this makes me think it’s a TFS deal and not a DMV deal?

 

Ok, so go to your credit union or bank and do a traditional car loan. Then do what the crap ever you want with those plates.

 

Unfortunate however....Registration is confiscation by proxy. If the existing plates were lost, damaged or stolen they would have to give permission for another set of tags but that’s not the case here maybe talk to a supervisor at TFS to get the matter resolve in your interest since you are a paying customer!

 

As if you have a choice if you’re gonna drive. Why worry about something you can’t control? Just live life the best you can and forget the rest. Sorta like politics. Do your part, forget the rest.

 

Not this shit again.

 

Who’s worried?...I deal in facts and not clichés...call it what it is.

 

Ok......

 

thats total bullshit....they own it like the bank does on any financed vehicle...You as the registered owner can do what ever you want with registration tags....go in person to DMV and dont tell them it leased.....that is total bullshit from the DMV and lease company

 

That's the dilemma he's not the registered owner...the vehicle is leased and the existing tags are in the leased company's name...he's needs their permission to change the tags... to tags that are registered to him. It's a miscommunication between the OP and TFS because the tags he wants to put on the leased vehicle are in HIS name can't do that because he's not the registered owner of the leased vehicle....he's just a tenant! He's needs to sign over the tags that are registered to him over to TFS then TFS will provide permission to change the tags. Its a leased vehicle the equity rights stay with TFS that includes the tags.

 

Its not bullshit. He is just borrowing the vehicle.
Going to the DMV and not telling them it is a lease will not work, because it will be labeled in the database as a leased vehicle. The DMV knows its leased, as well as the insurance agency, so sure, dont tell them, its o.k., they already know.

 

well, i stand corrected then.......with every vehicle i have ever had, i had to pay for registration and tag fees......the vehicle was registered in my name but the lease company owned it.......if i get into an accident, the registered owner is responsible, not the lease company.....

 

The elephant act starts when TFS finds out he has been doing mods to it...

I had a TFS loan, not a lease, and even with that, my service manager warned me when he saw that I got rid of the OEM Tonneau cover and put a shell on it (he sold the truck to me and I went through TFS). He said I should pay it off then I could play with it without any possible issues. I paid TFS off through a credit union loan that was only .01 % over TFS’s rate and have since done quite a few mods without issue.

 

I dont really understand whats going on here. Is this some weird rule specific to the state you are in? Here I can put whatever plates on my car, lease or finance doesn't matter. My car registration shows my name, I just don't have the title, the bank does.

Why does the finance company decide what plates you have on it? Do they own your plates too?

 

They have to keep documentation on the plate numbers - they hate it when the repo guys pick up the wrong car!

I had a roomate once that swapped his plates to throw off repossession because he was “holding” his truck until they accepted his lemon claim. What he did wrong was to illegally swap with a different car he owned that was stored in the garage- they figured it out anyway and ended up taking it.

 

Notifying them of plates is one thing, having to "get permission" seems different.

 

What Pine State said! I also leased from TFS and put 'vanity' plates on without any hassles what-so-ever. I was never asked by my state's DMV for any release from TFS, albeit everything was done on line.