Question re temporary plates when buying a car
 

So I have a few good leads on cars right now, and the plan is to narrow it down, get a PPI and then fly down, drive back. I've got most of the logistics figured out, but one of the cars that I really like is presenting some logistical challenges.

Here's the scoop: Car is in Hawaii, and the owner is willing to ship to the west coast US. LA probably makes the most sense... nice destination, cheap flights, and I like the idea of starting my roadtrip in a warmer climate.

Here's what I'm trying to figure out:

1) the car would be purchased in Hawaii with a bill of sale issued there, and then I'd pick up the car in LA. So how do I get temporary plates for the drive home? Do I get them in California? Do I need them at all, or can I scoot across the US with the original Hawaii plates, a bill of sale and an insurance card/letter from my insurance company?

2) If I had the car shipped from Hawaii to LA, I'd want to have it in LA a few days before I arrive just to avoid any delays, snags etc. Would the car just sit in a safe yard, or would I need to hire someone go pick it up and store it for a few days?

All the importation to Canada stuff seems pretty straighforward, it's these initial steps that have me a bit baffled

Any insights would be greatly appreciated

for what it's worth, the current owner is suggesting I just hightail it across the US on his Hawaii plates, no temporary plates needed. Maybe that's how you 'mericans do things down there.

that's how ive always done it. not legal, but never had an issue. i've driven cars cross country with the previous owner's plate and a bill of sale/title with me. if i would have gotten pulled over, i probably could have just told whatever state cop that indiana doesn't issue temporary plates. not sure it's something that every state does. when i sold my BMW, i let the kid keep the plate on the car until he got home. he sent it back to me in the mail.

california is ghey about stuff like that, though. im sure there are fees, taxes, etc here. im going to re-register my car in Indiana come spring time.

a hunnert or two in fees wouldn't be an issue, but I don't want to pay taxes that I'll just have to file for refund and then chase for months.

Would CA even issue a temp plate/registration to a non-resident?

Jake, Cali does not offer temp plates. You can get temporary registration, but that's usually for cases where a car does not pass smog and gives the owner time to fix the car. Normally, the pin slip is signed over to you and you send a portion of it back to the DMV and they send the you (the new owner) a new pink, registration and plates (if needed) with your info.

I know you said the car is coming from Hawaii, but... In general, if a car is being sold here in Cali and it has run of the mill plates (generic/random #'s), the plates stay with the car and get registered to the new owner - assuming the car is being registered in Cali again. If the plates are custom (vanity), they stay with the person selling the car. Last time I bought a car from a private party and was pulled over, all I had to show at the moment was the bill of sale. I did not even have the pick slip yet, as the previous owner had financed the car through a bank and I had yet to receive it.

I have no idea how Hawaii deals with plates. You may want to ask the seller what would happen if the car sold to another Hawaiian Would the buyer keep the plates, assuming they are not vanity.

Good luck!

Great info, thanks. They aren't vanity plates, and what you are saying jives with what he is suggesting; he signs it over, leaves the plates on the car, and I drive cross country with the plates, bill of sale and MY insurance. I'm cool with that as long as it doesn't land me in jail. Or if it does land me in jail, just for a night.

I'll also have to figure out the logistics of picking up the car @ Long Beach. Not sure if it has to be picked up right away or if they will store it until I arrive.

I *just* missed out on a car in Philadelphia that would have saved me a lot of these headaches... although I'm starting to warm to the idea of a cross-country blast. I'll have 7(ish) days, 9 tops.

I know AZ has temp plates. We needed them big time this trip, got in a small wreck, and I got pulled over.

Check with your local DMV. Here I can get temp registration and insurance (Gov issued). All you need is a copy of the bill of sale and a copy of the title.

If you drive on his plates (or is it the cars plates in Hawaii?) you technically are driving with no registation as the car is yours as soon as the bill of sale is signed. A local LEO might not care about the registration as much as the insurance (which you have covered). Ask your local DMV for a temp registration and your good to go. Leave the Hawaii plates on and say Aloha a lot on the drive home. :)

You're not going to jail,you might get held up for a bit but no cop is gonna want the hassle. Carry the bill of sale, leave his plates on and play stupid.

Have the thing shipped. Seriously, why make life more of a headache than it is all on its own?

I had my 944 shipped from Long Beach to Boston for $900. It would cost you more than that in gas, plane fare, hotels, etc. AND no risk of things going sideways.

My last moving trip, my moving truck got rear ended on a lonely stretch of wide-open I-10 freeway with nobody else on it. Guy fell asleep at the wheel and slammed into the car trailer hauling my 911 - tore the thing right off the truck, mangled the moving truck, did about $25k worth of damage. I spent two unscheduled days in Tuscon transferring about 20,000 pounds of crap from one moving truck to another - with no help. On a sprained ankle. Fun times.

My point is that "adventures" like this can go from fun to utterly hellish in the blink of an eye. Don't make it harder on yourself. Do the smart and simple thing and have the car shipped.

FWIW cars do not fare very well in HI with the salt air - has it been checked out thoroughly for rust/rot?

Good luck!

The "correct" and perfectly acceptable procedure here in NC, is to take one of your existing plates and put it on the car. You're covered by your insurance, you have a bill of sale, and it's your plate (also have the corresponding registration) when/if they "run it". I checked with my ins. agent prior to driving my 911 500 miles home from NJ. Sounds like a fun x-country trip :)!

Beware of state taxes. Some states require you to pay retail tax for temporary licencing. This can then be claimed in your home state as paid due to reciprocal agreements. It won't cross the Canadian border however so you may end up paying twice. That is why I shipped my Pcar from Florida. Shipping was less than the double tax payment. I could have driven it with the PO's tags but insurance was an issue.

Ian

"Transit Tag" get it in HI.

Jake,

All I can say is: it must be one heck of a car for you to go through all this!
R5 turbo, perhaps??

Sorry I can't add anything useful, my friend.
A very Merry Christmas to you and the family.

Best
Les

Arizona does it over the internet. You go online, grab the plate (believe 3 or 30 days) then print it out and drive.

Never a problem and cheap... $1 for the 3 day version.

If you have AAA club, they provide registration services. I thought it was nationwide until I encountered Nevada....different world there.

Anyways, be a good idea too see if CanadaAA has a reciprocal agreements and get a transit trip pass. They are free. Keep it in the car and make the mad dash to Canada-eh.

I won't ever be in HI, so that won't work. And getting a transit slip up here won't work either... I need to have the car to have cleared customs before I can register it.. . I think..maybe I'll double check that. And check the CAA too, that's a good thought.

And as for rust, yeah, going to have it checked out before I do anything. Car just recently had the top end done and has leakdown #s, so not sure if I'll do that over, but I want someone to check it out inch by inch, and dbl check the awd system. Unless another car jumps out at me in the next week or so, I'll be getting a PPI in the first week of Jan and then shipping it to LA right away. I'm a bit pressed for time if I'm going to make this work.

And yes, it would be cheaper/easier to have the car shipped... But I'm overdue for a vacation, and WAY overdue for a fiasco.

Les, for all the love in my heart I can't find a decent Renault anywhere. The car is a 1990 Carrera 4 with under 60k miles

See if you can get a temp. tag from Hawaii. Just ggive the seller a copy of your proof of insurance.
When I brought back a truck from North Carolina the dealer had a temp. tag waiting for me when I picked up the vehicle.
It may be cheaper and easier to ship the car home, and save the road trip for the summer.

Make sure you have title on hand, bill of sale, proof of coverage / insurance and drive that sucker home. If you get pulled over present all.

Once you get to the border- well, that's your deal.

rjp