using friends car in the USA

Hi.

I am going to be visiting a friend in California for a month. I can

borrow his car and would like to drive it around a couple of
states.
What do I have to consider should I do this? Insurance?
Registration
documents? Title?

It is a cheap car and I am on a budget so I only
require the
barest minimum to drive about legally for up to a month.


Many thanks for any help! :-)


--
Posted via http://britishexpats.com

laconic wrote:

It's up to his insurance, as long as you are a properly liscensed driver
there shouldn't be any issues. Age might be the only consideration...

On Wed, 21 Apr 2004 13:10:09 +0000, laconic
wrote:


Hi.

I am going to be visiting a friend in California for a month. I can

borrow his car and would like to drive it around a couple of
states.
What do I have to consider should I do this? Insurance?
Registration
documents? Title?

It is a cheap car and I am on a budget so I only
require the
barest minimum to drive about legally for up to a month.


Many thanks for any help! :-)

First let me offer the caveat that laws differ from state to state, so
maybe someone from California is the best person to answer. Better
yet, your friend could call the company which insures the car to see
what the rules are. That said, the following rules have been true in
the states where I have driven.

Normally your friend's car insurance would cover occasional drivers
other than those written on the policy. The major exception would be
people living at the same address as your friend, as it is assumed
that these are "regular", not "occasional" drivers.

You would need to have your own driver's license, which you should
make sure is valid in California. (Most states allow tourists to drive
for several months with their own license.) You would also need to
show the registration of the car if you are stopped, which would be in
the name of your friend. You would have to explain that you borrowed
the car from your friend. If it's an old car, you will probably have
no problem convincing the police of this. Otherwise, you may want a
signed and notarized letter from your friend stating that you have
permission to use the car.

The title of the car is only needed when it is being sold. The
registration shows the ownership.

For an old car, the most important insurance is liability insurance,
which reimburses any third party who may be injured by the car while
you are driving it. If you have an accident or otherwise cause any
injury with the car, or if you get a ticket for any violation
considered dangerous (such as speeding, unsafe passing, etc.) you may
very well cause your friend's liability insurance rates to increase
substantially for as long as five years. You should be prepared to
reimburse your friend for any extra expense that you might cause.
There will probably also be a deductible to pay if an insurance claim
is made.

If the car is old, there probably is no fire/theft/collision insurance
on it. You should be prepared to reimburse your friend or replace the
car if anything happens to it while you are driving it. Borrowing a
car may cause bitter disputes as to what's owed for damage or whether
or not it was your fault. You and your friend should have a frank
discussion of what your responsibility will be if anything happens to
you, the car, or any other person or property damaged by the car.

If the car isn't being used at all by your friend, maybe it isn't
insured or registered. This would be an entirely different matter. The
car would have to be registered and insured. If your friend has
another car, it would be much cheaper to have your friend register and
insure it, as a second car usually doesn't cost anywhere near as much
as the first car. (You, of course, should assume the additional cost.)
He probably wouldn't have to name you as the driver, because you don't
live at his address.

However, if your friend isn't willing to do this, you will have to
"buy" the car, perhaps using your friend's address to register it. You
will probably have to pay California sales tax and have the car
inspected. You may need to get a California driver's license as well.
All of this could run into money and also consume a week or more of
your time.

Recently my husband and I helped my daughter and her husband to move
from Connecticut to Indiana, stopping in Michigan on the way. They
have two cars, and they shared the driving of one, while my husband
and I shared the driving of the other. We drove through a number of
states and crossed the Canada/USA border twice. We both have Italian
driver's licenses and the car was registered in Connecticut in my
daughter's name. The first time we were about to cross the border, it
occurred to me that we might have a document problem. I told my
daughter to get into the line in front of us and to explain that the
car behind her was hers and was being driven by me, with an Italian
license. On the second crossing, we were ahead of them, and the border
agents accepted our explanation with no hesitation.
--------
Barbara Vaughan

My email address is my first initial followed by my last name at libero dot it.

I am going to be visiting a friend in California
for a month. I can borrow his car and would
like to drive it around a couple of states.
What do I have to consider should I do this?
Insurance? Registration documents? Title?

Make sure that the car's owner has liability insurance on it,
in case you're in an accident. Title and registration should
already be taken care of if he's the legal owner.

You'll need to have a valid driver's license, of course.
Take the registration and proof of insurance with you
(his insurance company probably gave him a wallet card
with the policy # on it); you'll need them if you're in an
accident.

Might not hurt to carry a note in your wallet from him
saying that you're using his car with permission, just in
case you're stopped by the police for some reason and
they wonder why you're driving someone else's car.


It is a cheap car

Be sure to check the basics before you leave so you don't
get stranded somewhere. Check the tire pressure, oil
and antifreeze and other fluids, belts & hoses, etc. (Most
places that do oil changes can check these things for you
if you don't feel comfortable checking them yourself.)

Also make sure there is a usable spare tire and tire jack,
and that you know how to use them. (If he's still got the
owner's manual, it should give instructions.)

James

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Remove "NOSPAM" from my address when sending me e-mail.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
-

"JamesStep" wrote in message
...

I am going to be visiting a friend in California
for a month. I can borrow his car and would
like to drive it around a couple of states.
What do I have to consider should I do this?
Insurance? Registration documents? Title?

Make sure that the car's owner has liability insurance on it,
in case you're in an accident. Title and registration should
already be taken care of if he's the legal owner.

You'll need to have a valid driver's license, of course.
Take the registration and proof of insurance with you
(his insurance company probably gave him a wallet card
with the policy # on it); you'll need them if you're in an
accident.

Might not hurt to carry a note in your wallet from him
saying that you're using his car with permission, just in
case you're stopped by the police for some reason and
they wonder why you're driving someone else's car.


It is a cheap car

Be sure to check the basics before you leave so you don't
get stranded somewhere. Check the tire pressure, oil
and antifreeze and other fluids, belts & hoses, etc. (Most
places that do oil changes can check these things for you
if you don't feel comfortable checking them yourself.)

Also make sure there is a usable spare tire and tire jack,
and that you know how to use them. (If he's still got the
owner's manual, it should give instructions.)

James

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Remove "NOSPAM" from my address when sending me e-mail.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
-

"Don Howe" wrote in message
news:5sxhc.185357$Pk3.183190@pd7tw1no...

"JamesStep" wrote in message
...

I am going to be visiting a friend in California
for a month. I can borrow his car and would
like to drive it around a couple of states.
What do I have to consider should I do this?
Insurance? Registration documents? Title?

Make sure that the car's owner has liability insurance on it,
in case you're in an accident. Title and registration should
already be taken care of if he's the legal owner.

You'll need to have a valid driver's license, of course.
Take the registration and proof of insurance with you
(his insurance company probably gave him a wallet card
with the policy # on it); you'll need them if you're in an
accident.

Might not hurt to carry a note in your wallet from him
saying that you're using his car with permission, just in
case you're stopped by the police for some reason and
they wonder why you're driving someone else's car.


It is a cheap car

Be sure to check the basics before you leave so you don't
get stranded somewhere. Check the tire pressure, oil
and antifreeze and other fluids, belts & hoses, etc. (Most
places that do oil changes can check these things for you
if you don't feel comfortable checking them yourself.)

Also make sure there is a usable spare tire and tire jack,
and that you know how to use them. (If he's still got the
owner's manual, it should give instructions.)

James

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Remove "NOSPAM" from my address when sending me e-mail.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I am not sure of the situation regarding a Canadian driving a US registered
privately owned vehicle in the US but there are very strict rules preventing
a Canadian from driving a US registered privately owned car in Canada.

It involves a long, long list of restrictions from Excise Tax to Vehicle
Inspection.

May be worth finding out if there is any such restrictions in the US.

In article ,
laconic wrote:

Hi.

I am going to be visiting a friend in California for a month. I can

borrow his car and would like to drive it around a couple of
states.
What do I have to consider should I do this? Insurance?
Registration
documents? Title?

It is a cheap car and I am on a budget so I only
require the
barest minimum to drive about legally for up to a month.


Many thanks for any help! :-)

You should contact your own auto insurnce provider about this
question and your friend should contact his insurance provider.