SabrToothSqrl

Looking to pick up a 08 LTZ since I can't wait any more for the 09 to drop in price.

My question is.. how do I 'legally' drive it home?

I've bought cars before, but I wondered the 'real' process.

Basically my bank (PSECU) which I LOVE, cuts the person a check w/the VIN on it, etc.

I take the check to the person (cashier's check, so same as cash), and 'get' the car.

But, usually the person I am buying it from has a loan on the vehicle. (so they don't have the title).

One car I paid cash for $600, he had the title, so I picked up the car and the title.

But, this is 400 miles one way, so if I go down w/the 'cash' and pickup the car; they need to pay off the loan, get the title, then mail me the title so I can mail it to my bank...

BUT; how do I get the car back?

Toss the plate from my current Tahoe on the new Tahoe, and just hope not to get pulled over? (I would call my insurance co ahead of time)

trailer it? U-haul doesn't have a trailer big enough for a tahoe (the wusses) (I have an excursion at my disposal for towing)

so.... what do u guys do when buying a car, used, far away, not from a dealer?

the last one I bought; I mailed him the check ahead of time; but he didn't have time to get the title, so I drove it back w/an old plate, oddly enough from my last jeep, and didn't get pulled over!

Registration, inspection, plates, etc all take time, i'm not avoiding those fees, but I can't hand over a $30,000 cash check and just 'leave'... if I hand it over, I'm taking the Tahoe...

thanks for any help, I live in PA, so PA laws would mostly apply...

in2pro

You need to find out who holds that title and get them in the loop that you are buying it.

73shark

Do the transaction at the bank that holds the title. That way you can get the lien released and the title signed over to you. Get a bill of sale which you can show if stopped for no plate(s) on the way home.

SabrToothSqrl

sounds like a plan! thanks for the ideas

MDTAHOE

Bill of sale or not you must have a tag on the truck. You need to go to mva with the vin # and get a thirty day tamp tag. Regardless if you just bought it it must have a tag or you will get a ticket

in2pro

In the state of Texas, when you sell a used vehicle you have the right to remove the current plates, it forces the new owner to immediately register the vehicle. This is a new law passed for 2009, it keeps the previous owner from getting cited for parking tickets, getting your door kicked in by SWAT at 3am and any number of things that could be pinned on you until its re-registered....
Now I don't know off the top of my head what the buyer is supposed to do...
but I'd bet its along the lines of what MDTAHOE said...

K9SAR

I don't know about Pa laws but i just bought my Tahoe in Ga it was private sale and got pulled over driving to the tag office (for no plates) and the officer said all you need is the bill of sale and you need to have insurance (which i didn't have, i got lucky with not getting a ticket) on it before you drive it home. So in Ga all you need is a bill of sale and insurance but you don't need a tag (but you might get pulled over more likely).

SabrToothSqrl

it was also suggested by my friend who is a cop to just leave the old plate on it for the drive home, then mail it back to the previous owner......

it shouldn't be this much of a pain in the *** to buy a car. I want to do it legally; but I can't just take off work, so if I pick it up Sat afternoon, most likely the DMV will be closed...

Anyone else hate our bloated, wasteful government..?

73shark

I'd druther put one of my plates on it and take my chances if it's just a short drive. Definitely wouldn't use their plates for the aforementioned reasons by In2pro.

in2pro

True story,
back in October of 07, my 97 Tahoe was totaled by the insurance company, but still ran and was drivable. the Insurance company gave me my money and took the vehicle, I figure its headed to a chop shop down in Mexico. Fast forward to September of 08, 2:30am I get a hard knock on the front door, I answer it with a locked and loaded 9mm behind my back wifes backing me up with a bat, its the police....holstered but ready.
I plainly set the gun on the dinning room table and invite them in, not a word is said about ti but they stand between it and me.
They ask me if I own a white Tahoe.. yes... what's the license plate number...BWxxxxx (my new 07 Tahoe not my old one) They ask me if I know a young lady about 14 years old by the name of Hannah Westall. I'm huh? what no, do you need me to ask my daughter if she knows her? There like no, but ask if there is any one in the house other then my family. We say no.
They leave. The next day my wife and I search the web and find the missing and exploited children's web site has a listing for runaway Hannah Westall.
Turns out she is missing form San Antonio a town about 90 miles south west of here, last seen in yep you guessed it... a late 90's white Tahoe with my old license plate....
Never again will I leave a license plate on a vehicle.

Similar incident happen to me back in the early 90's when I traded in my old car, the dealer never re-registered it and the new owner racked up about a dozen parking tickets, guess who they were looking for to pay those tickets...yep me again, thou they told me that if I no longer owned it, not to worry too much as who ever went to register it when it was time would get the bill no matter who it was...

I checked the missing / exploited site and the file has been pulled so I'm guessing she was found/ recovered.