Towing Issues: Vehicle Storage Fee assistance/and or/ reimbursement, dmv web, newport beach ca

Question
I bought a car on Craigslist about a month ago for $750. Registration was paid current, but I procrastinated going to the DMV and switching the title in to my name. Got pulled over. Cop impounded car. Right off the bat, I am looking at over $488 in tow and release fees. Is there any way to either
- get my vehicle back and pay these fees over time?
- Dispute the impounding on any grounds?
- Basically get my car back without having to mortgage the house? Without my car I will surely loose my job! Please help.
Newport Beach, Ca 92662

Answer
Well you can always dispute the tow either in small claims court or if the local police have a hearings provision then you can do that.

But I think that since you had bought the vehicle (from what I understand here and think was happening) for the current tags so you could put off the "expensive registration fees" as long as possible, you did break some of the rules regarding transfer of ownership.  Those rules do have some penalties both money wise and if caught then you have the "criminal penalty) such as getting towed and not having access to the vehicle.

As far as paying the fee over time, I kind of doubt it as that would be up the tow company and the rules and laws they have to operate under when doing law enforcement towing.

Sorry but from where I sit I think you are out of luck on this as I can not see any "solid answers" here for you.  But if you want you can check out the California DMV web pages and see what you find in there about hearings on tows and all that.

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/vc/vc.htm