Stewie Mac

Morning all,

Thinking about taking some time out, and part of the plan would be to drive around Western Canada / Western Seaboard for +/- 2 months. Rather than hiring a car, possibility is to buy something (like an old T-Bird ) and then sell it when we move on.

What's the scoop on running a car as a non-resident, with no fixed abode ? Especially thinking about insurance / plates / driver's license.

Would be v grateful for any advice / tips.

Ta
Stew

USAFAN

I think it can be done. I have many non-resident friends who own and drive a car, however, all have a US address.
So, you have to solve that "address problem", may be license on dealers address or hotel address.
Insurance: You will get the car insured. You don't have a SSN, so it will be a bit more expensive.
Driver's license: You can use your UK license, and you may also apply for an international driver's license (in the UK).

erik123

You don't need the int. dr. lic. because ti is basically meant as a translation in english of a foreign license and is no longer required in almost any country.

Gardyloo

You will need a US address to register the vehicle (cars are registered in the State where the owner is domiciled) and you will need proof of insurance. Neither is easy.

For insurance issues, see http://www.insure.com/auto/foreignlicense.html - a good discussion.

The flat easiest way to accomplish what you want is to have someone in the US acquire the car and register it in his/her name, (you reimburse them, of course) than add your name to their insurance policy as another insured driver (again, you repay them.)

eastwest

If you have a US Based "connection" I think that Gardyloo's suggestion is probably the most workable.

YVR Cockroach

Most workable but remember that your U.S. friend is open to legal liability for your actions. It'd work best if your connection has absolutely no assets that can be touched by U.S. courts.

gnaget

Some states don't require insurance. E.g. NH and also here in VA. However, in VA you have to post a $400 bond, which is much more than the cost of liability insurance for most people. You will be breaking the law once you enter a state that requires insurance. Some states are very strict and you can't get plates without an insurance policy at hand, e.g. MA. Here in VA you just have to sign a declaration that the car is insured to register it, or pay the bond.

VA is notoriously easy for foreigners to get a driver's license. There's a big stink about that because of 9/11. Hurry up before they change the law.

Stewie Mac

Thanks everyone for the advice - it all seems to be much easier in the UK !

My mum is an obvious connection in the US, but she's in NY, and we're really wanting to be on the West coast.

Hmmm... anyone know if it would be different / easier to buy a car in Canada, and then take it over the border (and how easy would it be to sell on when we get to El Paso) ?

Stewie

PS El Paso is kind of an arbitrary place to end up, but I'm a big Marty Robbins fan

USAFAN

No, it's not.
The insurance is a "problem" in the UK too.
Insurance asked me, if I have a british driver's license. NO! Got a sky high quote, 400% of the UK quote! That was the end of it. Rented a car.
To get a license plate in the US might be difficult, but it does not seem impossible to me. For instance, in Florida the dealer gives you an interim license plate for one month. I have even driven a rental car with such a plate. They may give you another one month plate for another month?!

gnaget

Do this. Find a car that you want to buy on the west coast. Pay the owner or dealer who signs over the title. Fedex it to your mother and call and arrange the insurance in your mother's name. (You want to get a quote first of course for the type of car. As long as you are not part of her household it should not surcharge the insurance if you drive it -- regardless of license.) Then she goes and gets the NY plates. In Mass the insurance agent will get plates from the DMV for free or a small fee. Dunno if you need proof of insurance in NY when you get the plates like in Mass.

I did this in VA. Found a car in Boston. Paid the owner, got the title. Sent the title to my wife who went down to the DMV and Fed Exed the plates back to me -- went and picked up the car a few days later. VA's DMV is (was) efficient and you need no proof of insurance. A 2 min call added the new car to our policy effective immediately.

It would actually be very simple if your mother already has a car since you are only adding it to her insurance policy.

gnaget

One problem could be that NY requires emissions testing -- not sure about rural areas.

In my case, the VA registration was initially only valid for 2 months because it had to be emissions tested. But that could be enough for you.

You have to research what happens in NY after you obtain the vehicle. Don't worry about safety inspection -- that will only be enforced within NY state. They might tell you that it has to be done within X number of days. It's only something that affects your registration because that will be enforced nationwide.

YVR Cockroach

As for buying a car in Canada and importing it into the U.S., it's easier in some jurisdictions than others (depending on how you get the car in). Officially, the car will need to conform with US DoT (perhaps NHTSA too) and U.S. E.P.A. specifications for the year it was made. These stops would include emissions, high level brake light (1986 onward), speedometer (must be in miles primarily), bumpers, restraint system (seat belts, passive restraint, air bags, etc.) Can be a big PITA. You'll find EPA conformation stickets under the hood and DoT ones in the driver's door sill.

gnaget

Forget trying to sell a Canadian spec car in the US. He can buy and drive it in the US -- no problem. But he pretty much has to go back to Canada to sell it. Well, it's up to the buyer, I suppose, but good luck finding one.

jfe

You are coming to El Paso!!!

Let me be the first one to welcome you to the beautiful Sun City, that is if you end up here.

Be careful where you sell your car, stay away from those cheesy places in Alameda street, they will rip you off.

Drop me an email if you need any additional information regarding El Paso.

blondelatin

I don't know if laws have changed for UK nationals in the U.S., but they certainly did for anyone from south of Mexico... I owned a car in Miami for 5 years pre September 11. Non US resident (no greencard [until very recently, too late to salvage car], tourist visa only, 10 yr term, have had it for my whole life), but own an apt in Miami and hence have US "home" address and FL license.

Insurance co. rates sky high without a SSN (that would definitely apply to UK folks). I would have LOVED to post a bond instead, since I have a clean driving record, but they would not let me.

Worse, though: Immigration: Since Sept. 11, FL license can only be outstanding for the amount of time INS stamps/writes on your passport. Before, it was same length of time as for US citizens (4-5 yrs). Then it became 6 months, as that was max on my tourist visa for each visit to US. Then INS started giving me 1-2 day leeway on my "expected length of visit". I would say 2 weeks, they gave me 16 days... very hard to renew your license much less your insurance like that.

hope you Brits get treated better!!!

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[This message has been edited by blondelatin (edited 02-21-2003).]