Buying long distance and shipping the car

[B20z]

There are so many clean cars available in FL. As always due diligence is required. Next time I need a used car I'm going back to visit and I'll keep looking until I have something to drive/trailer back up. Shouldn't take long. 5 years in the north and the cars look like trash under the hood. Never again.

OP, I also encourage you to lay eyes on the car before buying.

(Being in NY, I'll have to pay the sales tax cash grab when I re-title it here. Still worth it).

 

[cptbarkey]

Buying a car and having it shipped is a rich person problem, rethink your priorities.

 

[JOD]

Originally Posted By: CKN
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Maybe your "trip permit" allowed the dealership to let you drive it out of state? IDK?


You know, I'm not exactly sure. The dealer from whom I bought the car did a lot of online sales--including out of state, so they were pretty on it as far as the paperwork. I gave them the check, they signed the car over to me and I drove it home. I was actually stopped on the drive home, because the trip permit wasn't visible through the tint on the rear window. The cop looked at it, looked at my license and sent me on my way. Note that this was 8 years ago, so I'm not sure if things have changed.

The private party purchase is one I made a couple of months ago, and that was even more simple. I gave the guy the check, he signed the title over to me, we did a bill-of-sale and I drove home. I had a trip permit with me, but since he left the plates on the car I didn't even put it on the car. I paid tax on it once I registered it in WA.

 

[CKN]

Originally Posted By: JOD
Originally Posted By: CKN
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Maybe your "trip permit" allowed the dealership to let you drive it out of state? IDK?


You know, I'm not exactly sure. The dealer from whom I bought the car did a lot of online sales--including out of state, so they were pretty on it as far as the paperwork. I gave them the check, they signed the car over to me and I drove it home. I was actually stopped on the drive home, because the trip permit wasn't visible through the tint on the rear window. The cop looked at it, looked at my license and sent me on my way. Note that this was 8 years ago, so I'm not sure if things have changed.

The private party purchase is one I made a couple of months ago, and that was even more simple. I gave the guy the check, he signed the title over to me, we did a bill-of-sale and I drove home. I had a trip permit with me, but since he left the plates on the car I didn't even put it on the car. I paid tax on it once I registered it in WA.



The million dollar question is-does the title change upon his signature or upon the registration event where ever that takes place? Nothing personal-but I don't know if I would want someone driving a car "still registered to me" if his signature on the title isn't good enough. That's a legal question. Could be dependent on the state you are in at the time,should something happen.

 

[JOD]

Originally Posted By: CKN


The million dollar question is-does the title change upon his signature or upon the registration event where ever that takes place? Nothing personal-but I don't know if I would want someone driving a car "still registered to me" if his signature on the title isn't good enough. That's a legal question. Could be dependent on the state you are in at the time,should something happen.


Well, at least for personal transactions, there's a "release of liability" that the previous owner signs and submits at the DMV. The seller didn't actually know this, so I gave him the link and he filled it out online. So, between submitting that online and the signature on the title, I think that would be enough to protect you if the buyer runs over a fire hydrant or something... CA has this, and WA does as well (I've sold a car to a guy out of state and filled this out myself).

 

[eljefino]

Originally Posted By: CKN

The million dollar question is-does the title change upon his signature or upon the registration event where ever that takes place? Nothing personal-but I don't know if I would want someone driving a car "still registered to me" if his signature on the title isn't good enough. That's a legal question. Could be dependent on the state you are in at the time,should something happen.


I bought a car, here in Maine, that was still florida titled. Florida titles have a little "tear off" on the bottom that gets the buyer's info; the seller can keep this tear off and turn it in to the DMV to absolve himself of liability. Even without tear offs the seller can (should?) photocopy the title all filled out and the bill of sale.

On page 1 someone thought they could get as a buyer get the title with just a down payment, if so, they'd have a fool for a seller. All cash, then title, in person, with the car there, would be the only reasonable approach.

I've gone down to NC a couple times to buy rust free cars. I researched ahead of time and they issue temporary plates to out of state residents. They don't charge sales tax on a private sale. GENERALLY if the selling state and buying state both charge tax, you only pay the higher tax, but this would only be a concern on dealer sales.

I had to show the title, BOS, and insurance to the NC DMV for my temp plate but I got to hold on to all this stuff to turn into my home state. If you're amazingly lucky your home state will let you run an old plate on a new car for a week, or your home state will let you get a "transit plate" type thing ahead of time without proof of ownership. (Maine does.)

Now, shameless self promotion.