USATourist Community

Hi Mike

I believe I have read all your posts regarding buying a car in the US, and have found them extremely helpful. I do have a further question regarding this.

I am planning a 3 months roadtrip, and would really like to buy a car. This is to save costs and also to enable me to buy a classic American car.

I am arriving in LA and have family in the bay area of SF. Further to what I saw in one of your posts, can I tell the authorities they are my base/permanent house, and get registration using their address? If so, will I be able to buy the car by myself in LA and sell it by myself in NY without their intervention?

I appreciate your help very much!

If the family in California is agreeable, I believe you can use their address as your residence in California.  The ownership papers will be sent to this address.  If you have some problems with the police, such as a speeding violation caught by a camera, the correspondence would also come to this adddress.  I do not think this is a big risk, but make sure that the family in California agees to do it.

You will also need to find insurance in California.  All of the insurance companies first check the states' computer records for accidents and for driving violations.  Since you will have no record in the USA, some insurance companies will not sell you insurance.  Other companies may sell you insurance, but they may charge you a high price.

I think you can sell the car in New York as long as you have the ownership papers from California.