New 928 owner -- seeking advice for drive from California to Canada
 

Guys and gals,

I'm the proud new owner of an '83 928S and need some guidance from you experts. She's a one owner car from new until 2022, and has been in the hands of her current owner for the last year, I'll be owner # 3 of course. She's a bit of a time capsule of a car, and that was a large part of the appeal for me -- I think/hope that a deep cleaning inside, outside, and on the underside will probably be transformative:

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/19...omments-anchor

I'm contemplating driving her home (to Ontario, Canada) from California and wonder if anybody on Rennlist can tell me how practical a proposition this is with respect to permits etc. I can get insurance no problem, and I'll have a broker lined up at the border to help me with the export/import side of things, but how do I drive across the USA with plates/tags that won't get me into trouble if stopped by the police along the way? For example, can I get a temporary permit in California given the fact I'm a resident of Ontario? I'm pretty sure I cannot get a temporary tag in Ontario that would cover me for this drive, but perhaps somebody here has already encountered this challenge? Thanks for your advice guys.

Incidentally, if I do drive her home, the first stage of my drive will be down highway 1 so that I can visit Greg Brown's shop in Orange, at which stage I'll have him give the car the once over and take car of any items of concern. I'll also get the underside dry ice cleaned while down there since there's nowhere local to me that offers this service.

Any advice and tips will be happily received. Thanks all.

Nice looking car and an real adventure driving it home. A dream for every 928 enthusiast.

After the inspection from Greg’s shop my only concern would be snow on the way home.
A 928 on summer tires on ice and snow is dangerous.
The new Contis are a good invest from the pre owner.

Yes, that's also a concern for me, although she is on a pretty new set of Conti's rated for DWS and should, I think/hope, be able to handle minor flurries etc. if driven gingerly.

My advise would be to post this in the Canadian RL site where I am sure someone else has BTDT.
A long time ago I sold an Audi A8 to a buyer in Seattle from Toronto. I got him a Temp plate (paper) and with his insurance he had a SPECIFIC route to take the car back home to Seattle.
It maybe similar the other way around too (one registration will be good enough to get it to the Canadian/US Border Customs.

No summer tires on a drive thru what May include snow. I’ve been there. My car stopped moving, with rear tires just spinning. Yes I was rear ended, fortunately barely and only requiring a new bumper cover.
But experience finding a new bumper cover, shipped to you and getting in line at an excellent body shop who’ll paint whatever necessary to properly match. This process can take months.

Change all fuses, clean the grounds and buy some Relais from Greg.
I don ‚t know the US models, Greg will give you advice for the recommended first aid parts for the 2.000 miles? trip.

It would be a fantastic father and son ride, something to remember the next decades.

My son is 18 and he drove me Thursday in the 928 S 200 km on Autobahn, he was lucky and I an bad driver on the passenger seat!;)

Now he has a new plan, after university he has enough money for excessive test the residents in Dad’s barn.

I may have found the answer -- California DMV offer what's referred to as a "one-trip permit" as follows:

https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/vehicl...ating-permits/

"In lieu of California registration, you can get a one trip permit (for a fee) to move a vehicle, when unladen, for one continuous trip from a place within California to a place in or outside California or from outside California to a place in California (by the most direct route)."

I'd have to argue that traveling via Greg's shop in Orange was an essential part of the trip (for safety reasons of course), other than that I think I'd be covered.

Does anybody have direct experience of this one-trip permit deal?

Greg would have fainted if he saw my “new” 86.5 before I drove it home with my son from Hayward to central Maryland. See if he has time to patch what is high on the list (fuel hoses, …..) if he has time. He has a very busy shop.

Where is Hayward?
Germany is so small, I must buy a car in Spain for such a long trip.

Spitfire, make a road trip thread from your journey, maybe the folks here let you visit them!

As others have mentioned you can get a temp at the DMV, then drive it home.

There are a few shops doing dri-ice in Ontario. This one has even done a 928: https://byondzero.ca/ There is another shop in Burlington but I need to find out the name from the source that mentioned them to me.

Be sure to have your purchase documents with you all the time, that way if you happen to be pulled over you have proof of ownership. And don't speed too much. 8 mph over is generally OK but a temp tag in combination with speeding might be enough to pique the curiosity of a bored trooper. They keep their eye out for the unusual. A shark with a temp tag already fits the bill. If you do get pulled over, keep your hands on the steering wheel until the officer arrives at the window, be nice and do everything very slowly, even announcing what you intend to do ("I'm going to get the papers out of the glove box", etc). They're just as nervous as you are with all the monkey business that has occurred lately.

Defn keep an eye on the weather, as CO is currently getting piles of snow and it's moving across the upper midwest. Waiting a day to let the snow pass and roads open can be a great plan vs taking a chance and ending up in a ditch. All-seasons are OK but they're not miracle workers.

Good luck. It can be a great adventure.

If you know your going to be in snow then buy a full set of Blizzacks.
get a second set of flat wheels to put them on.

Before you take any road trip, or better yet before you drive the car,
I would strongly suggest that the car be returned to factory ride height.

Based on the BaT pictures this car is close to riding on its bump stops.
This will crush and destroy the bump stops.
Also the lowered suspension lowers the engine closer to ground,
and will greatly increase that chance you will damage the engine girdle, AC compressor, or alternator, or front spoiler.

I know the car looks cool lowered but for engine longevity and proper handling,
a factory ride height will work great for long distance road trips.
Plus it will be easier to unpack the fender if you do get into snow.

Oh I would also inspect the clutch release arm bushing,
and fit a new one before you go,
if the one you have has crumbled.

That'll be a fun drive. That was a great buy, at least on the surface it looked like it. When I bought my 78 many years ago, sight unseen (but looked at by a shark friend who knew what to look for), I flew out to VA from MT and drove it home. A couple of thousand miles, and a great trip. Had one hiccup, which turned out to be a loose nut on the alternator and was readily fixed. Anyway, it's a great way to bond with the car. Sorry I can't help with the paperwork/license issue. All I do is grab an old plate off the wall when I get a new to me old car, and drive it home until I register it properly. I don't recommend that, but it is what I've always done without issue.

I have done this with many cars. Enjoy your trip. Try asking the owner to leave his plate on the car( less conspicuous), or do the Cali. temp permit, your choice,and arrive at the border, and fill in the required forms yourself, a 15 minute job. Pay your Canadian dues, and you are on your way.
Keep as far south as possible, stay on the Highway 10, then head north, around Texas, towards the 81, if you Cross at 1000 Islands.
Good luck.

Hey there. Congratulations! .if it helps...full set of 928 Workshop Manuals are posted at www.9porsche.com