Five Years with the Mighty Stratus!

[moose135]

Monday marked 5 years since I brought my little Stratus coupe home! She had all of 25 miles on the clock when I got her (about 5 of that was my test drive) and today the odometer shows 124,620. Yes, that's a lot of driving, being out of work with time to kill and interesting places to photograph will do that...

While I've had a few bumps along the road, on the whole I'm very happy with the Stratus - as all that driving will attest to! You've all seen her in my photos over the past 5 years, here are a few highlights.

Smith Point Park, all of 2 days old.
http://www.moose135photography.com/Cars/Where-in-the-World/Stratus1/93590858_sB56F-L-3.jpg

Visiting my old stomping grounds, Grissom AFB.
http://www.moose135photography.com/Cars/Where-in-the-World/JM20071111RoadTrip004/220660767_PZe6j-L-3.jpg

Stopping to see the Big Duck for Christmas.
http://www.moose135photography.com/Cars/Where-in-the-World/BigDuckHDR03/278265158_2Pxxa-L-3.jpg

You know this old SAC Warrior had to take a shot in front of the SAC Monument at the USAF Museum.
http://www.moose135photography.com/Cars/Where-in-the-World/JM20071110RoadTrip004/219755902_Vt54m-L-3.jpg

Sorry, you can't have one of those license plates!
http://www.moose135photography.com/Cars/Where-in-the-World/JM20080131Montauk003/256684839_U2gFx-L-3.jpg

The "beauty shot"
http://www.moose135photography.com/Cars/Where-in-the-World/JM20070703Stratus006/287852934_uigJi-L-3.jpg

[mirrodie]

Congrats! its definitely a sharp looking vehicle! I miss my two door but am graciouosly enjoying my upgrade to truck.


PS.....Enjoy your plates now..... Mustard yellow is making a comeback!


PS x2- Hey, we both have unintended aviation references to our cars....Stratus clouds and Pilot.

[Gerard]

>PS x2- Hey, we both have unintended aviation references to our cars....Stratus clouds and Pilot.[/quote]

We are on our second Pilot. My youngest son brought our first and kinda pimped it out inside.
Definitely not the Soccer-Mom SUV Honda envisioned. :)

[PhilDernerJr]

Love the plate, Moose!! haha

I'm not a Dodge fan, but I do lvoe your car as well. Quite a Moose-mobile.

[cancidas]

PS.....Enjoy your plates now..... Mustard yellow is making a comeback!
where do you see yellow plates? am i missing something?

[moose135]

where do you see yellow plates? am i missing something?

Coming in 2010:
http://media2.myfoxny.com//photo/2009/11/10/EmpireGoldPlate_20091110211123_320_240.JPG

DMV Press Release:
http://www.nydmv.state.ny.us/press/pr111009.htm

[PhilDernerJr]

Wow. I refuse to put that on my car. Not kidding, there is no doubt in my mind that the DMV is doing that to spike sales of custom plates. There is no way they can possibly be that stupid. STUPID.

[cancidas]

that is pretty damn ugly!

but this caught my eye:

...reduce the number of unregistered and uninsured vehicles on our roads...

umm, how? it also costs $25 more than a regular plate. glad mine expires in feb and not may.

[Matt Molnar]

umm, how? it also costs $25 more than a regular plate.
A few paragraphs later it explains that the new plates are compatible with some new big brother cameras being deployed at undisclosed locations which will alert authorities to passing cars that are stolen or are wanted in connection with a crime.

[lijk604]

ahhh yes...it's all about the money AND Big Brother is watching us more and more.

[mirrodie]

there is no doubt in my mind that the DMV is doing that to spike sales of custom plates.


That is what I am thinking too. But will custom plates' base color also change???

[PhilDernerJr]

I really hope not. I know it sounds lame, but even though my car is black, the blue and yellow thing would really throw off my whole car.

ALTHOUGH blue and yellow are ATA colors, which would match my vanity plate.....hmmmmm.

[T-Bird76]

Phil that's orange not yellow. I like our current plates far better then these, they looks 70s esque..something you'd find on a broken down Dodge ;)

[moose135]

..something you'd find on a broken down Dodge ;)
Hey, hey, hey, watch that! :wink:

I expect all the new plates, custom or standard, will be in the new colors. And really, it's a license plate, what difference does the color really make?

[cancidas]

I expect all the new plates, custom or standard, will be in the new colors. And really, it's a license plate, what difference does the color really make?
you're right, but they're just fugly. i'm sure that after seeing them on the roads for a few months it won't be that much of a shock when i have to put them on my exploder. reminds me a bit of alaska's tags.

[Gerard]

Actually didnt we have these same plates years ago?

[moose135]

Actually didnt we have these same plates years ago?

Not quite - from 1974-1986:
http://www.plateshack.com/newyork/ny74sample.jpg

Back in the '50s and early '60s, they used a similarly colored plate with black lettering.

[bluejuice]

The real ploy behind these new plates was just to raise money for the state as they are in dire straits. I believe when they announced it couple of weeks ago the uprising of the people cancelled the project or modified it.. Just go and try to renew license,registration or anything else at DMV and expect to pay big time....

[PhilDernerJr]

Someone was telling me that this was shot down, and we will NOT be getting new plates. But I can't find info. Anyone?

[Matt Molnar]

Someone was telling me that this was shot down, and we will NOT be getting new plates. But I can't find info. Anyone?
I think it's still a go. Paterson said something about killing it if the legislature could cut from the budget the same amount of revenue that the plates would bring in, around $120 million, but I haven't heard anything since then.