fastduck

Folks always talk about buying a car out of state then driving it home. How do you legally do it? I just found out that the AZ temp permit that I intended to use for a car purchase in Boston is not legal. Even the Pcar dealer in MA says he can't even issue a "drive-away" permit. Unlike everywhere else in the F.ing world. I may need to ship it $$.
I guess I've been lucky previous times with the "illegal" AZ tag . . . but those were short trips.

thx. for solutions . . .
John

Speedtoys

You do it with the signed away title and an insurance card in your pocket.

Then register it when you get home.

dr bob

The temp permit from your home state is as valid as you showing up with a set of legitimate plates and tags. The Good News is that the Boston dealer is not an Arizona Registration cop.

Recommended Procedure: Call the local AAA flatbed service when you are there to pick the car up. Have them load the car at the selling dealer, drive it off their lot, and unload it for you in a nearby parking lot with adequate space. Once it's "not driven" off their property, the selling dealer's perceived "responsibility" is satisfied. Everyone is happy. Drive your car home with that tag.

FWIW, I usually "forget" to hang the transport tag in the window when coming from another state. It's a red flag (literally, at least in Cali colors) for LEO's along the way. I can beg forgiveness from said LEO's. Worst case, stick it, folded to hide your personal info, in the bottom right corner of the windscreen.

Travel safe!

Speedtoys

AAA can often now days refuse to tow a car that is no longer registered. Went thru that here in CA.

But really...have title, and printed new insurance, and you'll be fine.

Transport tags went away for the most part with computerized connected states.

The only times I see them, they look hand written on cars you SHOULD be pulling over for many reasons.

hwyengr

It takes a little faith in the seller, but for my last long-distance purchase I had the title in hand before going out to pick up, so I was able to bring the permanent plates along for the drive back.

chart928s4

As a resident who recently did the reverse (bought a 928 in CT and drove it home) I have a little experience in this area. See this incomprehensible web page for the actual Massachusetts laws:

http://http://www.massrmv.com/Regist...dVehicles.aspx

The Commonwealth has some very particular ideas about how things should be done. Your dealer is correct: The above basically states that you need to register and insure the car in MA if you buy it here and want to drive it off the lot.

Cars without license plates in Mass. will definitely be pulled over and you will get a ticket and maybe have to bail your new purchase out of the impound lot on a ramp truck. (Don't ask how I know) With due respect to Speedtoys, it is not like California where the DGDG.COM plate will do it.

I don't know about Rhode Island or Connecticut laws but maybe you could have the car flatbedded there instead of a nearby parking lot.

Good luck! And post some pictures.

UncleMaz

Just take your newly acquired title into AZ DMV. Title and register it there. PM me for details. Michael

fiatrn

In some states, you need the car to be there in REALITY to get a set of license plates: in CO for instance you can't register a car until it has been physically emissions inspeced and had the VIN verified. I'm not sure about AZ, and could not easily tell from the AZ motor vehicle website. But this might be a good idea for you:

"An Arizona resident who does not have complete documentation for issuance of a title or registration may apply for a 90-day registration. This registration allows operation of the vehicle while obtaining additional documentation. It may be purchased at any MVD or Authorized Third Party provider. The fee is $15. When complete documentation is submitted, vehicle license taxes will be calculated, for the full year, back to the date of issuance of the 90-day registration."

Perhaps this 90 day registration will be enough to get the car home.

Adk46

[50 sets of rules for each state]^2 = 2500 different situations, many with Catch 22's.

Insurance is vital, and proof of same. Have proof you own the car, and that you're doing what you say you're doing.

If you can get your hands on the keys, get in the car and drive away. Perhaps you get them by subterfuge, e.g., from the flatbed driver before loading. But it's your car. It's the dealer that will get in trouble; are they going to call 911? Seems unlikely, but you can park it next door, walk back, and check.

LEO in intervening states face the same 2500 scenarios as you do*. Any sort of official document is likely to pass muster, maybe even just a good explanation with an earnest expression of victimhood. A good faith effort will be helpful, even if it's not quite right in all 50 states.

Try not to look like a drug dealer, or "mismatched" to a Porsche.

You are driving an old unknown-to-you 928 from MA to AZ? You are already counting on being lucky. Being a little cavalier, transiently, with registration rules is relatively minor.

I'm having fun thinking about this on your behalf, but it might be terrible advice. I'm not sure I'd be brave enough.

*I bought a car in California, where if the plate is not custom, it stays on the car and is good for ten days. In California, for a California resident only? Was it good in the states I passed through on the way home? In NY where I live? I had no idea. Still don't, but nothing bad happened.

fastduck

Ha, no I'm being traitorous and picking up a 6spd CaymanS. And from a private party. So yes the issues are 10-fold especially because it's selling in MA. I might just suck it up and use Intercity. One of our club members almost had his new - used purchase impounded in NM doing the same thing I was about to, a temp AZ Reg driving cross country. I'm so angry this isn't trivial.

jstadter

Does MA allow the plates to remain with the car when it's sold? Having plates and all of the legal documentation may be enough to let you fly under the radar for your trip home.

My wife and I went through this last month when we bought a car in Indiana and drove it back to Texas. Texas makes it pretty easy because you can get a transit permit online that lets you specify the length of your trip and the stops you plan to make from the originating state to home. I was able to take the paper transit permit, wrap it around an old license plate and put packaging tape on it to make it waterproof. We were good citizens as far as keeping to the speed limit the whole trip and didn't have any problems.

One snag you may face with Intercity or any of the other reputable shippers is lead time. I've used Intercity to transport a muscle car from MD to TX and they were first class, but it took them 4 weeks to get my car on their schedule.

Gary Knox

Over the past 15 years, I've driven cars I purchased from individuals and dealers home to PA from: Oregon, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Illinois, Texas, Arkansas, Utah, and Rhode Island. Always took one of my PA plates from a current (or previous car), had the title and insurance in hand when I drove away. None of the dealers objected in any way. Usually, but not always very careful about lawful driving, but sometimes the accelerator pedal has pulled my foot to the floor!! Careful WHERE that is allowed to happen!!!!

Late last year, I was contemplating purchase of a car in southern CA. As usual, thought I'd drive it home. Being sold by a dealer, and he said IF I drove the car one foot off his lot onto CA streets or highways, he had to charge me full CA sales tax on the car!! IF I'd bought it, I'd have had it trucked to Phoenix where several friends live, flown there to pick it up then driven it home from using same procedure as above. But, found a nearly equivalent car 125 miles away with 35K less miles that was both newer model year and less $$ from a private seller.

Have the 928 shipped to David Chamberain's shop near Boston for a 'Post Purchase Inspection'. Give Dave a few bucks and drive away!!

Gary

Big Easy Sharkster

Try calling AAA in Mass. See if they can help. When I bought my 928 in Tampa and had to drive back to New Orleans, AAA in Tampa issued me a temp Florida tag (OK, it was 15 yrs ago).

BRB-83-911SC

In MA, the plates do not go with the car, and they don't issue temp tags. However, they do allow a grace period (10 days?) for completing the paperwork for transfer of an existing valid plate to a newly acquired car.

I bought my 928 in PA, took the plates from my 911 under the premise that I would be transferring those plates to the 928, flew to Pittsburgh and put the 911 plates on the 928 and drove home. I had valid insurance and a signed over title for the 928. From what I could decipher, I was within the law - at least in MA. I never did check with the laws in the states I drove through, but at least I had plates on the car.

This doesn't help you since you are buying in MA and going to AZ, but maybe AZ has a similar policy for plate transfer grace period.

jeff spahn

Same here. Even drove on camera controlled toll roads and never heard back. Same with my Iowa plates for that matter. Driven on toll roads and have never heard back from them.