How to Buy a car from a different state?

[raadhi]

All,
I have never a bought a used car before. But now I'm buying one from a private owner in NJ (and I live in PA). Can somebody explain in few words how this transaction would work? Do I need to buy it in NJ and then get transferred to PA or I can directly buy from it in PA (if the car is registered in NJ)? Any help will be appreciated.
Will the current owner have to go to DMV with me. Note that the seller is as clueless about the procedure as me.

Thanks

[Nanotech9]

he hands you a signed over title...

you then take it to your DMV with your stuff filled in adn transfer the title.

[sho.gun]

Oh man... my friend bought a 2001 BMW M3 on Ebay from Texas and he ran into so many problems. First of all, the car only had 2000 some miles, and California considers it to be a new car, not a used one. So now either he has to drive an additional 4000 miles and register it, or do some paperwork with a car dealer in Texas. Nice car though I must say.

[EvilHorace]

1 year ago I bought a highly modified car on Ebay from a guy 1000 miles away from me. I checked out his referances as he does alot of deals on Ebay (stereo hi-fi stuff but I could at least get an idea about his honesty, integretity) then I did a Carfax on the car and it checked out. Ideally what you should do when buying a car w/o seeing it is to actually get your butt on a plane and go see it in person first, before sending ANY cash but I was trusting in my deal and when I eventually flew out to drive it back, I wasn't dissappointed.
What I did was send him the money, he sent me the title so by the time winter wasn't too bad at the end of march, I had my title (In my name) insurance on it and a plate transferred to it as well.
It was a fun adventure. I flew to Boston, the seller picked me up and drove to his place about 2 hours away, I then packed up my new ride and drove it home (2 days, stopping about 1/2 way).
Now, I could have been ripped off but I thought I had enough reasons to trust the seller and I was right, I wasn't let down and got the car I was looking for (A highly modified, HP Mustang, nothing stock except the interior).

The best advice I can give you is that if you're looking for a unique car that you're not likely to find locally and it's not local, (before giving the seller any money) spend the extra cash to fly there and inspect it (or have it inspected by someone in that area, like a local dealer) if you're not mechanically inclined enough to know what you're looking at.
I wouldn't consider the Ebay option unless you're either getting a great deal or it's something you can't find locally.

BTW, you can see my newer "toy" car at "my homepage" WWW below Soon to get a new Pearl white paint job.

[shoeish]

What did you have to give for your mustang, and what kind of HP does it have EvilHorace?

I, too, bought my car off of ebay from 1100 miles away. A highly modified mustang, nothing stock except interior. :-) I flew there, checked it out, handed him a cashiers check, he handed me the title, and I drove it home.

---you may have to copy and paste this link for it to work, geocities is stupid---
http://www.geocities.com/shoeish/

Only one problem since. (headgasket).

[Dave_7]

Somewhat out of the blue... but... I think EvilHorace is the best name that I've seen on Got|Apex.







Dave.

[EvilHorace]

It's my old QW (Quake 1 multiplayer) name that I've used online ever since as it's unique, no?

I won't devulge my $$ involved in my 'Stang because it's an addiction and I already have more in it than it's really worth (although I think my intial price wasn't bad considering the major stuff done by the seller), especially after it gets stripped down to the metal and repainted pearl white, going in this thursday. Let's just say it's not going to be an in-expensive paint job.

The specs are all on the WWW (homepage) link provided but the 351 crate engine is dyno'd at 385HP by Ford Motorsports (engine spec url linked from that page too) PLUS I then added a 150HP NOS system too and it's scary with the NOS. I havent raced it yet, the only times I've tested the NOS is getting onto the freeway which puts me well above the posted speed limits.

Initially, I too would have just flown out with a check but my problem then was that I spotted it for sale in January, he claimed to have other possible buyers and I wasn't about to try driving it back through snow (bad winter driving conditions) although when I did go get it, the roads weren't exactly nice then either. I should have waited a couple more weeks but I was getting anxious to bring it home.

[shoeish]

I won't devulge my $$ involved in my 'Stang because it's an addiction and I already have more in it than it's really worth

Welcome to the world of modded cars. More money in then they are worth.

So, is the crate engine the same one they put in the 2000 cobra r with the fuel injection and all that? I'll bet it runs nice without the NOS.

That is the nice thing about a supercharger instead of NOS... there is no on/off switch or limited power. Its all there, all the time, as long as you want, and the bottle will never run out. NOS, however, costs very little to install for the gains it gives

[EvilHorace]

Not sure about the Cobra R but it's definately the same as what's used in the reproduction versions of the original Cobra 427s as I've seen many of them at car shows. They use either the 351 or stroked 408. Mine's also carbed and although a blower would be nice, it's about $2,600 minimum for my carbed engine so I'm not YET rushing into that. The NOS system was cheaper and its stock HP isn't bad for street use as is.

[shoeish]

I'll bet driving around in a car with 385hp from a naturally aspirated motor is sweet. I'm making about 550hp at the crank, but I'll bet without spraying you have every bit of horsepower as me up until 2500-3000rpm... and more at throttle positions less than 75%. Not to mention the fact that you have much, much more low end spraying the funny stuff.

Get that baby dynoed and post some results, I would like to see them.

What kind of mileage you get? I get 12-14 in town and 20-22 on the highway.

[EvilHorace]

I will get the car dyno'd one of these days (summer). It does like gas, 9.5 city and 17 freeway.

BTW, I see you're from Laramie. I went to school at the U of Wyo WAY back in '75-'76 for 1 year where my main concern became skydiving, rather than school. We use to jump near Longmont, CO every weekend.
That's also where I bought my first car, a '62 Volvo P1800 and no, I don't still have it but it was fun in its day.

I miss hiking in the somewhat local area snowy mountains and Vedawoo (sp?). I have many pics of those places.