9 Month Road Trip, but I need a car!!

Hi all,

I'm in the UK and am in the process of pulling together a trip of a
lifetime starting in July this year. I'm planning to spend about 9
months travelling all over the states fulfilling a child hood dream.
I've got most of the things I need sorted (any tips as ever would be
cool), but the one loose end I have is actually getting around. I've
considered renting, but for the length of time, I'm angling towards
buying. Problem is I can't seem to get any sense on things stopping
me from buying, such as registration, insurance etc. Is there a good
no nonsense website which will tell me how to go about buying and
insuring a car when I have no fixed location? Can someone out there
provide me with some guidance? All help appreciated. If I go to a
car dealership with a big wodge of cash can I drive away?

"robindotadams" wrote in message
om...
Hi all,

I'm in the UK and am in the process of pulling together a trip of a
lifetime starting in July this year. I'm planning to spend about 9
months travelling all over the states fulfilling a child hood dream.
I've got most of the things I need sorted (any tips as ever would be
cool), but the one loose end I have is actually getting around. I've
considered renting, but for the length of time, I'm angling towards
buying. Problem is I can't seem to get any sense on things stopping
me from buying, such as registration, insurance etc. Is there a good
no nonsense website which will tell me how to go about buying and
insuring a car when I have no fixed location? Can someone out there
provide me with some guidance? All help appreciated. If I go to a
car dealership with a big wodge of cash can I drive away?

Without a permanent address and a US driver license, I think your chances of
getting legitimate insurance for a purchased automobile is pretty slim.

"robindotadams" wrote in message
om...
Hi all,

I'm in the UK and am in the process of pulling together a trip of a
lifetime starting in July this year. I'm planning to spend about 9
months travelling all over the states fulfilling a child hood dream.
I've got most of the things I need sorted (any tips as ever would be
cool), but the one loose end I have is actually getting around. I've
considered renting, but for the length of time, I'm angling towards
buying. Problem is I can't seem to get any sense on things stopping
me from buying, such as registration, insurance etc. Is there a good
no nonsense website which will tell me how to go about buying and
insuring a car when I have no fixed location? Can someone out there
provide me with some guidance? All help appreciated. If I go to a
car dealership with a big wodge of cash can I drive away?

Interesting dilemma. First of all, you need to know that you pay sales tax
on the vehicle in the State and County in which it is purchased, so you want
to find a place that has minmal sales tax. Doing a quick Google search it
says that Delaware, Oregon, New Hampshire and Montana have none.
Therefore, I would make my purchase in one of these places. However, they
may require residency in order to purchase tax free.

Contact your embassy in New York and find out what you need to buy a car
here. Is a travel Visa enough? Or will you need a Residence. Here is a
tip. Many people who travel in recreational vehicles FULL TIME in this
country establish residency for the purposes of taxation through companies
designed just for that purpose. There are some in Texas, Florida, and S.
Dakota. I don't know what type of documentation you need to do this. But
it might be worth looking into if you need to establish residency for
insurance or to purchase a car.

Yes, a dealership will let you drive away with the car you buy. Usually, no
questions asked if you are paying cash. The problems start when you have to
get them licensed and titled. Most government agencies have ONE WAY of
doing things and they are woefully incapable of thinking outside the box, so
to speak. I expect that your Embassy can help you smooth out the rough
edges. But whatever you do get COPIES OF LETTERS and anything in writing you
can to back up any information they give you. You will have to prove
yourself over and over again to disbeliving individuals. Trust me, it isn't
going to be easy.

DIVa

On Tuesday 23 March 2004 05:07 pm, Peter L wrote:


"robindotadams" wrote in message
om...
Hi all,

I'm in the UK and am in the process of pulling together a trip of a
lifetime starting in July this year. I'm planning to spend about 9
months travelling all over the states fulfilling a child hood dream.
I've got most of the things I need sorted (any tips as ever would be
cool), but the one loose end I have is actually getting around. I've
considered renting, but for the length of time, I'm angling towards
buying. Problem is I can't seem to get any sense on things stopping
me from buying, such as registration, insurance etc. Is there a good
no nonsense website which will tell me how to go about buying and
insuring a car when I have no fixed location? Can someone out there
provide me with some guidance? All help appreciated. If I go to a
car dealership with a big wodge of cash can I drive away?

Without a permanent address and a US driver license, I think your
chances of getting legitimate insurance for a purchased automobile is
pretty slim.


Sure he has a permanent address -- in the UK.

He doesn't need a US license. His UK one would most likely do, but an
international one would be best.

As for insurance: His UK insurance company should cover him while in the
US with a rider on his original policy. This is what I do when I drive
my personal car into Canada or Mexico etc. for any extended trips.

Check with the US State Department (or "local" US Embassy) for more
info.

--
Stefan Patric

Stefan Patric writes:
He doesn't need a US license. His UK one would most likely do, but an
international one would be best.

No such thing. The so-called international license is just a translation
of one's real license into different languages, and valid only when
accompanied by the real license. It is therefore irrelevant when
traveling between English-speaking countries.
--
Mark Brader, Toronto | "Gadgetry abounded everywhere, almost all of which
| he could justify." -- Robert Asprin

"Stefan Patric" wrote in message
news:YYa8c.4936$pd1.2005@okepread04...
On Tuesday 23 March 2004 05:07 pm, Peter L wrote:


Sure he has a permanent address -- in the UK.

He doesn't need a US license. His UK one would most likely do, but an
international one would be best.


Incorrect, the UK license is valid for a year without any international one
being necessary.

As for insurance: His UK insurance company should cover him while in the
US with a rider on his original policy. This is what I do when I drive
my personal car into Canada or Mexico etc. for any extended trips.


Its kinda hard to drive across the Atlantic, the water comes
in under the doors

Keith

(robindotadams) wrote in message . com...
Hi all,

I'm in the UK and am in the process of pulling together a trip of a
lifetime starting in July this year. I'm planning to spend about 9
months travelling all over the states fulfilling a child hood dream.
I've got most of the things I need sorted (any tips as ever would be
cool), but the one loose end I have is actually getting around. I've
considered renting, but for the length of time, I'm angling towards
buying. Problem is I can't seem to get any sense on things stopping
me from buying, such as registration, insurance etc. Is there a good
no nonsense website which will tell me how to go about buying and
insuring a car when I have no fixed location? Can someone out there
provide me with some guidance? All help appreciated. If I go to a
car dealership with a big wodge of cash can I drive away?

If you belong to any auto associations in the UK check with them, I'm
sure they have reciprocal agreements with org's in North America. Buy
a car in the States, dirt cheap there. We did that several years ago.
Also try http://www.horizonsunlimited.com which is a motorcycle
related list but they may be able to help
Cheers Ed

"robindotadams" wrote in message
om...
Hi all,

I'm in the UK and am in the process of pulling together a trip of a
lifetime starting in July this year. I'm planning to spend about 9
months travelling all over the states fulfilling a child hood dream.
I've got most of the things I need sorted (any tips as ever would be
cool), but the one loose end I have is actually getting around. I've
considered renting, but for the length of time, I'm angling towards
buying. Problem is I can't seem to get any sense on things stopping
me from buying, such as registration, insurance etc. Is there a good
no nonsense website which will tell me how to go about buying and
insuring a car when I have no fixed location? Can someone out there
provide me with some guidance? All help appreciated. If I go to a
car dealership with a big wodge of cash can I drive away?

See
http://info.insure.com/auto/foreignlicense.html

Bottom line is you need to register the vehicle and
to do that you need the following

Title to the vehicle,
a bill of sale, a valid driving license, proof of
insurance and adequate identification.

Be warned this last can be a killer. In NY State a foreign
passport with visa is NOT enough by itself,in practise
you need a green card as well.

In New Jersey a passport with valid visa is fine BUT
you need an ineligibility letter issued by the Social Security
Administration Office and the Social Security Exemption
Certificate Form (BA-4) available at any MVC Agency
and Regional Service Center Driver Conference Area

Most companies wont insure you unless you have a
US license and those that do will charge
higher premiums.

In short its bureaucratic hell it was bad enough when I
spent time in Ohio in the late 90's but since 9/11
its a nightmare

Keith

"robindotadams" wrote in message
om...
Hi all,

I'm in the UK and am in the process of pulling together a trip of a
lifetime starting in July this year. I'm planning to spend about 9
months travelling all over the states fulfilling a child hood dream.
I've got most of the things I need sorted (any tips as ever would be
cool), but the one loose end I have is actually getting around. I've
considered renting, but for the length of time, I'm angling towards
buying. Problem is I can't seem to get any sense on things stopping
me from buying, such as registration, insurance etc. Is there a good
no nonsense website which will tell me how to go about buying and
insuring a car when I have no fixed location? Can someone out there
provide me with some guidance? All help appreciated. If I go to a
car dealership with a big wodge of cash can I drive away?

Robin, I think you should plan to buy the car in Oregon since they have no
state sales tax, very reasonable license and registration fees and reasonable
insurance rates. What you need to do is go to one of those "Mailboxes, etc."
places and rent a mailbox, so as to establish an address in the United States
unless your own insurance company has a scheme which would allow you to
purchase, register, licence and insure an automobile in the United States.
Places like "Mailboxex, etc." also have forwarding services. You can plan to
keep that address for the 9 months you'll be in the States and have your mail
forwarded to the places where you'll travel. If you don't know the exact
address where you'll be in say a week, you can phone the "Mailboxes, etc."
location and have them forward any mail to say, your name at, "General
Delivery", Santa Barbara, California and then pick up the mail at the main
post office in Santa Barbara once you arrive there. Yes, if you pay cash for
a car you can drive it away provided you have a valid drivers license, though
nowadays most dealerships also require proof of insurance. Proof of insurance
is easy to obtain, you simply call the insurance company from the dealership
and have them fax a binder or temporary insurance card to the dealer. The
dealer will make a copy of the temporary insurance card so you'll have it in
the vehicle when you leave the dealership. Some dealers may not require proof
of insurance if you pay cash. But, it is better to get a Cashiers Cheque from
the bank because it is safer than carrying cash and is the same as cash in
the eyes of automobile dealerships. KM
--
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"Keith Willshaw" wrote in message
...
Its kinda hard to drive across the Atlantic, the water comes
in under the doors

Keith


Not only does the water come in under the doors, coral can cause severe
damage to tires and if water enters the engine compartment in sufficient
amounts, it can dampen engine performance considerably. KM
--
(-:alohacyberian:-) At my website there are 3000 live cameras or
visit NASA, play games, read jokes, send greeting cards & connect
to CNN news, NBA, the White House, Academy Awards or learn all
about Hawaii, Israel and mo http://keith.martin.home.att.net/