Anyone bought and driven a car in the USA?

[cosmicvette]

Hi guys,

I was just wondering if any of you have bought and driven a car while in the USA.

I may be doing this and was just wanting some info (like how to get insurance and compulsory insurance for registration etc etc).

Thanks,
Cosmic

[RHD.68.l89]

Yep, Did it back in '91. Couldn't find an insurance company which would cover me so drove with out insurance.
It was only three months..........;mmm and I never paid that parking ticket, still got it with all the documentation that goes with the car.

I thought I saw a post about getting insurance a couple of months ago. Either that or one of our club members said something about it at a meeting.
I would also like to know more as I am planning a trip for '09.
I will ask at the next meeting.
:x

[cosmicvette]

Thanks for the reply.

Other than the insurance, did you transfer the registration into your name while there, and how did you get license plates/tags for the car, or did they stay with the car once you bought it?

Basically I want to know what I have to do before driving the car away.

;42

[RHD.68.l89]

I had the pink slip signed over. Silly thing was the car was in the wife's name and the husband signed it. When we got back to LA we had to go back to get the wife to sign it. We did go to the equivalent of Vicroads to get it transferred after the wife signed.

So we drove it around for three months with incorrect pink slip and no insurance. AND we did get pulled over twice. The cops looked at our "old style" paper licenses in three pieces (Before laminated credit card type) and let us go on our way, shaking their heads. We did get the car searched at one stop cause 2 Aussies in a California licensed 68 Bonneville coupe in the middle of America must be trafficing drugs.:p

That was the good ole days......

[69 DIRTY RAT]

you need insurance to get rego & you cant get insurance so you cant register your car! The title can be put in your name but thats all. It is illegal to drive an unregistered/uninsured car but like with RHD.68 the paperwork to book you is very complicated and most police will let you go or give you a warning "if I see u again...." BUT there is a good chance u may not be let go and end up in court!
How long do you intend on staying? If your going for a while then you may be able to get a social security card, then sit the driving exam and driving test then have an address then get insurance then rego then drive! but another catch is - to get the social security you will need an address. Thats how you would do it legally!
You could call some of the major US insurance companies to see if there is some kind of overseas visiters insurance....but remember they employ lowly paid people so most of the time the operators dont know about it or couldnt be bothered looking it up
I guess you'd be ok for a few days but dont push it into weeks!

[Ausrs]

do what someone i know did IF you are there for a short time buy the car and ask them to leave the car ubder their insurance for the time you will be driving the car in the USA !if it costs you a few dollars it is well worth it !

[Vette Obsessed]

Originally posted by AusRs
do what someone i know did IF you are there for a short time buy the car and ask them to leave the car ubder their insurance for the time you will be driving the car in the USA !if it costs you a few dollars it is well worth it !

But wouldn't that leave you in a situation where if something happens and the car is a writeoff youre at the previous owners mercy that they will do the right thing and pass on the insurance payment to you?

[69 DIRTY RAT]

It would have to be a very trustworthy friend! Sounds like a disaster waiting to happen!

[Ausrs]

Originally posted by Vette Obsessed

Originally posted by AusRs
do what someone i know did IF you are there for a short time buy the car and ask them to leave the car ubder their insurance for the time you will be driving the car in the USA !if it costs you a few dollars it is well worth it !

But wouldn't that leave you in a situation where if something happens and the car is a writeoff youre at the previous owners mercy that they will do the right thing and pass on the insurance payment to you?

no more of a disaster than if you hit a car in t he usa with NO insurance i would guess !

[nifty]

dont forget travel insurance...mate went to cali last mth for his brothers wedding,was only going for a week,fell down stairs and broke his ankle....(too much amber fluid) cost his 600US$ for xrays and they woudnt plaster it...suffered for a week and got it fixed in aust.....

[ozpont]

... been to the US now a few times..(57) and injured once.. treated in emergency treatment in San Jose for 4 hrs.. cost.. cheap.. about US$600.

    ALWAYS have travel insurance...   (I get mine via //www.zuji.com.au & if need to extend it just do it online in real time.)

    ... been pulled up about probably 5 times.. respectable borderline breaches.. once where I picked up a Caddy Limo in LA (at the Airport) for a customer, met the seller at the airport... inspected the car / paid for it and then straight away drove it up to San Fransisco.. got pulled up along the way as the current tag on the rear plate was gone.. the car just .. just.. out of rego.. but the cop tuned into the true story of transporting the tank for export.. and gave the green light..
     Another time in the N.E. US.. picked up a all expenses paid  job driving a Ford Lincoln from Toronto canada, crossing at Windsor/Detroit and onto LA in 5 days... pulled up at a roadside stop..... show Aussie License and Canadian Rego papers.. and a few questions and on the way.. Both were not ordinary stops for them I guess...
     Many small town county cops are not so accommodating. State cops seem more proffessional in my observations.
     
    YET.. another friend..  I was his company ..  (AND FOR TOURISTS.. watch out for this..(we went over the Mexican border for another look around & relaxing Sunday afternoon watching the 3rd world go by.. .. as we finished about 8pm... we were thru the 1mile walk from Revolution Bld to the US border check point... just before the re-entry pedestrian ramp a Mexican sproker  offered us a plastic cup of Corona (beer) for a $1.. and as i don't drink .. I had a coke.... Andy grabbed one, pretty quiet time of night...we were not drunk or yahooing & ok dressed...... we then walked up onto the overpass bridge 100 yards before the US Customs checkpoint.. there seemingly waiting for us... was a bunch of tackless looking Mexican police waiting to stop us.. searched us and called the paddy wagon after preparing to arrest Andy for Drinking in a public area.... we ended up bribing them.. for around US$200 and walked free.. it was that or be in a Mexican jail for 3 days and ripped off anyway. What keyed us up was they instigated the line about "special immediate payment".. if that helps...!!! (no receipts available.. sorry.. "TRUST US" !!):x

   
     AUSRS was talking about arrangments for use of the sellers insurance.... to contact his insurance company and nominate you as the extra driver for the next few week/s.. all legit..  and yes I did have faith in the seller... not something EVERY deal could command... but i feel its VERY VERY important not to close a deal untill the full deal is sealed.. this way you get their willing co-operation. There was no cost, just a sweetener for a willing seller to help the willing buyer BUY and not cost the seller anything, just makes it suitable for both.

[L71]

My 2 bobs worth, been to the states 50-60 times can,t remember, always bought cars there , last time i lived there for just over a year , every state has different laws , eg in California when i bought corvettes the original tags ( number plates )
always came with the car , and stayed regoed , when in Baltimore ( Maryland ) whenever you bought a car the owner had to take the tags , so basically you bought it unregoed , i left there over 6 years ago , and if i remember correctly i had to put it in my girfriends name to get new tags , and i could only get insurance for up to 3 months after that you had to have a permanent address,so i just kept changing insurance companies ,  i was always buying cars ,even old camino,s most people i know who came over and spent a year driving around the states all bought cars , you bought and old 76 chevy cutless supreme for $400 and when you finished your trip you would just leave it in the airport carpark , much cheaper than renting a car, so i,m sure theres someway of still doing it , but then again , the worlds gone isurance crazy now , so who knows