OT- Sugesstions for buying a used car over 300 miles away

that is not on eBay or from a dealer...but from an individual in central Florida. I want to drive down there and check it out, but I no longer have truck/trailer capabilities to haul it back and due to other commitments from SWMBO I would have to go by myself.

So the scenario I envision is likeing the car, making a deal, going to a Bank of Amerca branch down there and getting the guy a bank check ($20,000 range so cash not practical....this is not "Fast 'n Loud" after all) , then we go to his bank and pay off his loan and I get Bill of Sale paperwork from his bank that guarantees they will mail me the title soon.

But then what ?

It would be cool to transfer the tags from my car to the new one and drive it home, then have a car carrier specialist bring my little car back here after a few days. But who would actually drive my car on the carrier and would I have to have insurance on both vehicles during that time in case something screwed up with the car carrier ? (or my car sitting on the street for a few days waiting for same)

Or would be it really be safer for me to drive back in current car and have the new purchased one brought on the carrier ? To further complicate matters I have heard that Florida is so strict on sales tax that if I were to drive the new purchase back myself I would in theory owe Florida sales tax !! (which is out of the question considering SC auto sales tax is maximum of $300) But guessing that is a dealer thing and if vehicle bought from individual I just transfer the tags and drive the damn thing home, hoping I don't get stopped by the cops for something else.

Gawd, why is this so freakin complicated ? thoughts ?

plane ticket.... rental car/taxi

WILLEO6709 said:

plane ticket.... rental car/taxi

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Yeah I thought about that...but on such short notice a plane ticket would be rather expensive and until I drive this thing I don't know if I want it, plus the seller would tend to be less flexible on negociations if he thought I had gone to that much hassel and money blow to see his car.

Plus I despise airports....don't mind flying....but hate the BS necessary just to get on the aluminum tube.

The plane ticket, drive it back scenario is better for deals where you have already committed to buying the vehicle (like an eBay bid for example)

When I used to help my buddy a time or two going to the dealer auctions,
he would simply drag along a "wheel toter" type device, they are everywhere,
and I think U-Haul rents them.
It's a tiny little towbar, an axle with 2 wheels, and 2 pads to run the
towee vehicle up on, and straps to keep it there.

digger doug said:

When I used to help my buddy a time or two going to the dealer auctions,
he would simply drag along a "wheel toter" type device, they are everywhere,
and I think U-Haul rents them.
It's a tiny little towbar, an axle with 2 wheels, and 2 pads to run the
towee vehicle up on, and straps to keep it there.

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Your buddy probably had a pickup truck already wired for tow lights and brakes. In this case it would be a Mercedes SLK300 sports car towing a Mazda Miata sports car !! Seriously doubt either of those could be rigged to tow much or could pull the weight even if they could.

Plus your buddy probably owned the wheel toter trailer and avoided the hassel and expense of going to a U Haul. As as aside, I used one of those decades ago and It was the worst pulling trailer I've ever used (when empty) !

Milacron said:

Your buddy probably had a pickup truck already wired for tow lights and brakes. In this case it would be a Mercedes SLK300 sports car towing a Mazda Miata sports car !! Seriously doubt either of those could be rigged to tow much or could pull the weight even if they could.

Plus your buddy probably owned the wheel toter trailer and avoided the hassel and expense of going to a U Haul. As as aside, I used one of those decades ago and It was the worst pulling trailer I've ever used (when empty) !

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No it was a bog standard Dodge minivan.
And you can get the magnetic towing lights from....Gasp...Harbor Freight
for about $20.

Yes, he does own the tow bar. but I don't see it being "the worst towing"
it's not a full blown 2 axle "car hauler" trailer.

Wonder if taking a rental car to FL might be cost effective ? Presuming unlimited mileage rental, perhaps I could return the rental car to their FL airport if I bought the SLK, or just drive rental car back home if I don't ?

digger doug said:

No it was a bog standard Dodge minivan.
.

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A bog standard minivan is still way closer to being a proper tow vehicle than a bog standard SLK300 sports car !

Milacron said:

Wonder if taking a rental car to FL might be cost effective ? Presuming unlimited mileage rental, perhaps I could return the rental car to their FL airport if I bought the SLK, or just drive rental car back home if I don't ?

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I could see this working. A few phone calls should find you a one way rental possibility. For the distance you are traveling driving may be about as fast as flying.

Amtrak might be another option. It would get you to Orlando or Tampa.

Who owes you a favor?

Tom

Milacron said:

A bog standard minivan is still way closer to being a proper tow vehicle than a bog standard SLK300 sports car !

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Ahh here we go, changing the story to match the ending YOU want to hear.

I re-read your original posting where you clearly state "drive down there"
and make NO mention of vehicle.

FWIW I have read of your f-350, Mitsubishi cabover, Chevy van with liftgate,
and large boat with twin Detroits, as well as a Miata.

You'll get no more help from me, that's for sure.

Fly down, take your Miata plates and registration. Slap 'em on and drive home. In Ohio (which is not Fla or SC, of course) you have 30 days to transfer your tags. (Even if you're not going to transfer them, if you get stopped, you can decide you're going to.)

Can you buy SC temp tags 'on spec' prior to actually having the title? I'm sure you can at a SC dealer, but they have more evidence of purchase. Could you maybe do it by fax & FedEx with someone back in SC?

Or, rent a Uhaul/Penske/whatever car trailer and whatever box truck they make you rent to tow it. It'll suck, but you'll have a Mercedes later.

Will it fit on the boat?

Chip

digger doug said:

Ahh here we go, changing the story to match the ending YOU want to hear.

I re-read your original posting where you clearly state "drive down there"
and make NO mention of vehicle.

FWIW I have read of your f-350, Mitsubishi cabover, Chevy van with liftgate,
and large boat with twin Detroits, as well as a Miata.

You'll get no more help from me, that's for sure.

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I make no mention of vehicle because I would think it obvious if I had a proper vehicle for towing purposes this topic would not exist. Only the Chevy Express still exists for that potential purpose but at 10 mpg not real inspiring compared to the 32 mpg of the Miata.

As an aside, for trips more than a few miles, those tow dolly trailers are only good for towing front wheel drive vehicles, which the SLK isn't. (you could disconnect the drive shaft in theory but I don't need yet another PITA)

Rent the smallest U Haul truck that they will rent a trailer for. Haul the Merc back home to do the licence, registration bs. What ever you do do not put the Miata plate on the Merc, If you get stopped and the plate and registration don't match the VIN on the car you are driving you will be in deep shit and the car will go to the impound lot till it gets $ sorted $ out $$$$$.

moonlight machine said:

Rent the smallest U Haul truck that they will rent a trailer for. Haul the Merc back home to do the licence, registration bs. What ever you do do not put the Miata plate on the Merc, If you get stopped and the plate and registration don't match the VIN on the car you are driving you will be in deep shit and the car will go to the impound lot till it gets $ sorted $ out $$$$$.

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Perhaps true of Ohio but in SC as long as you have the recently done Bill of Sale you can DIY a plate transfer without trouble. Still, I might contemplate Fl and GA rules in that regard...but I wouldn't worry about it regardless as I would just make sure I didn't speed in which case the chance of being stopped would be near zero.

Milacron said:

Wonder if taking a rental car to FL might be cost effective ? Presuming unlimited mileage rental, perhaps I could return the rental car to their FL airport if I bought the SLK, or just drive rental car back home if I don't ?

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Don -

I think this option is a good bet. Just call all the national brands. I'm not up on it any more - but depending upon what they have, who (location) owns it, etc. you can get wildly different capabilities from brand to brand. Worked in my favor in the past.

Dale

Milacron said:

It would be cool to transfer the tags from my car to the new one and drive it home, then have a car carrier specialist bring my little car back here after a few days. But who would actually drive my car on the carrier and would I have to have insurance on both vehicles during that time in case something screwed up with the car carrier ? (or my car sitting on the street for a few days waiting for same)

Or would be it really be safer for me to drive back in current car and have the new purchased one brought on the carrier ? To further complicate matters I have heard that Florida is so strict on sales tax that if I were to drive the new purchase back myself I would in theory owe Florida sales tax !! (which is out of the question considering SC auto sales tax is maximum of $300) But guessing that is a dealer thing and if vehicle bought from individual I just transfer the tags and drive the damn thing home, hoping I don't get stopped by the cops for something else.

Gawd, why is this so freakin complicated ? thoughts ?

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It isn't that complicated. AFAIK, SC has a similar mechanism to VA.

Either: One does the deal, files for a title and gets permanent plates - initially limited to 30 days AS IF they were temporary - until safety & emissions inspections are presented, then extended for the rest of the fee with nought but new corner stickers.

ELSE, when not yet titled(able) and only a valid Bill of Sale is to be had, one applies for a 'transport' permit, online, and prints it out.

This is not a temporary tag. There IS NO tag.

Ours goes in the driver's side rear window, is good only for a short time, has a specific start and end point for the trip.

SC may give you 45-day-valid temp tag that must be accompanied by a Bill of Sale instead.

That could work even better if you can order-it-up online from on the road and have a way to print it out.

As to 'movement', I would probably drive, first-go, in case the deal went pear shaped so I could drive home.

If the deal succeed, I'd drive the older car to the nearest airport or - close as you might be - Amtrack rail station, leave it in long-term parking.

Drive the new ride home, take air or rail back to recover the old one. Distance is too short, interstates too handy to mess with a car carrier.

Both cars need insurance. The overlap is cheap. Just call or email your carrier.
My underwriter automagically covers any new addition retroactive to date of acquisition, so long as I take no more than 30 days to provide the details to them.

I have also insured more than one car in advance that I ended up NOT purchasing. Small beer, the fees for a month's coverage. Very small.

If you're wife's not available, could you take your girlfriend?
Umm, I mean, someone else?

Chip

Chip Chester said:

If you're wife's not available, could you take your girlfriend?
Umm, I mean, someone else?

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Good idea...my concubine might be available