preperation for flying out-of-state for GVR4 questions!

[stealthtt24]

hey guys so im taking some advice and I MIGHT be going to get me a green vr4 in kentucky for 5k. anyways i have questions and would like your experiences, do's, don'ts all that garbage!!!

- will be going one way, cheapest flight, having a few days off work, ask him to pick me up from the airport (30 minutes away) then see the car

-getting lots and lots of pictures beforehand, and doing my homework

-how do i register a vehicle out of state? i know i can get temporary insurance cards but what else should i bring for the ride home? (other than- directions, cell phone, money, credit cards, cd's)

im driving back from the tip of kentucky to orlando florida, any idea how long that will take? theres no one around independence that could check the car out for me for a lil paypal is there? thanks guys appreciate ALL feedback!!!!!!

 

[Eighty9TSI]

Hmm, bring a toolbox, bring a toolbox, bring a toolbox...oh yeah, bring a toolbox.

It wont cost you anything to put it in your baggage, or make a complete seperate package out of it, just make sure you check it and seal it up RIDICULOUSLY good, and lock it!

Compression tester, 10, 12, 14, 17, 19, 21, 24 mm sizes, in every socket, and every wrench, assorted screwdrivers, spark plug puller thingy mabob (plug retriever or some crap like that is the real name), pliers, dikes, voltmeter (dont wanna drive back on a bad alternator)...thats all I can think of right now, more will come to me, oh yeah, twine (metal twine) that you can ghetto rig a part if you need to, maybe a test light (to test circuit continuity), Duct tape (seriously).

You dont know jack about this car, or how it behaves, maybe the slave cylinder will go out on you on the drive back? Maybe the alternator? With the above tools you can seriously nearly rebuild the entire car from nuts and bolts.

I dont know how handy you are with the above tools, but you will soon, since you are now going to be owning a GVR4.

Ill post more If I can think of any, and www.mapquest.com will tell you how long it will take to drive back.

Good luck!

 

[Jason G.]

If you want, I have a decent "roadside repair" toolbox I can lend you. I also have a few spare parts; alternater, coil, CAS, MAS, a couple fuel pumps etc.

I think you're alotted a certain number of days from the date of sale to register it. Not 100% sure.

 

[Hertz]

Get the phone numbers of other members along your route. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif Maybe get AAA just in case you need a tow.

 

[holeshotmoe]

Ditto on the phone #'s of other members. They would be your best source of info and expertise if you were to have a problem. But, for $5K, unless it's a race car, it better be more than "up for the trip". $5K is serious money (for me anyway) so I would expect serious help from the owner in the form of letting you use his KY plates to get it home, or carting you around to the state motor vehicle site to get temp plates for out of state use. I bought one that way a few months ago. It was only 4.5 hrs away but it was basically pictures and phone calls though. My seller let me use his plates to get the car home then I fedex'd them back. I only paid $1500 for mine so you should get 3x's that level of support in my eyes. BTW, NY state has both in-state and out-of-state temp plates. The out-of-state plates are so a non-NY resident can buy a NY car and drive it back to their home state. Recommend you inquire about that same thing in KY. Other states may not offer that type of temp plate. Good luck.

 

[stealthtt24]

thanks guys, ok i have AAA some im good there. ducttape is a def. hell yes i was thikin bout that. toolbox i will load up on sh*t i have one but it might not be big enough. compression tester is another yes. def getting some numbers of memebers but i dunno where i should start with that /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif . yea it better be up for the trip but id rather have a bunch of sh*t than no sh*t.

jason- i might take u up on that. ill pm u if i need your help thanks!

anything else on registering out of state or in kentucky? should i make a thread asking for ppls phone numbers on my route home and asking if anyone can check out the car for me? thanks mark!

 

If you can, upgrade to AAA Plus if you don't have it. Do it soon as it takes 5 days. They will then tow you 100 miles up to 4 times a year. In theory I can make them tow me 400 miles with it in a bind /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Anyone is welcome to my phone number who is coming through Denver, just drop me a PM.

 

[stealthtt24]

thanks pivvay but i do have triple a plus and im goin ky to fl but i appreciate it. and will do on that tow thing /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

you'll probably be just fine. The more tools you take, the less likely things are to break /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif haha

My trip was 1700 miles total to pickup mine and aside from adding oil it didn't have a problem.

 

Chris, you can't do the 400 mile thing with AAA plus /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif The best they would do for me was give me a $50 credit towards the cost of the extra miles. My car went 138 miles and the bill was $80 with the discount. I think they charge $3.50/mile for the overage miles.

 

[stealthtt24]

well some good news on the car. its only had 2 owners his dad and the original owner. they are 20 minutes from cincinnati and they would be willing to pick me up. its green with 119k on the clock and he said the interior is an 8 out of 10. leather no cracks or anything and outside is great other than a small dent on the hood and a lil scratch below the drivers headlight. mechanically said its good other than a small leak in the steering? he said you could pick it up and drive it to texas if i wanted to right now.

then he told me if i wanted to buy the car id just come up there, he'd sign the title and write up a bill of sale and id drive it down with the plate on it and then register it when i get here. plus id have temp insurance cards. hes gonna send pics in the next few days but looks like i could be picking up my first gvr4!!!

 

[powerplay]

Congratulations on being the proud owner of a VR4! Sounds like everything is falling in place nicely. Good Luck and have a safe trip home.

 

[holeshotmoe]

+ news on using his plates. SO MUCH EASIER. Have fun.

 

[Jason G.]

Cool. Now we'll have more then 2 around here. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

Quote:
Chris, you can't do the 400 mile thing with AAA plus /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif The best they would do for me was give me a $50 credit towards the cost of the extra miles. My car went 138 miles and the bill was $80 with the discount. I think they charge $3.50/mile for the overage miles.



Yea I know they won't technically do it. But i'm thinking if you are really stuck and creative you might be able to get them too. Even if they won't the first free 100 miles is pretty good. Usually more than enough distance to tow to another galant member's house for help. Haha.

 

Research what the state of Florida will want before you go.

For example, in Texas, they won't just take the signed out of state title.
They'll also want a title application, signed by the previous owner.

Other tips, some probably duplicated. Some safety checks for the long
drive, some check to make sure your not buying a lemon.

o Check the compression
o Do the "bounce test" on the suspension
o Jack up one wheel at a time, one hand on each side of the tire, and
push with one hand, pull with the other. Looking for loose lug nuts
or worn bearings. Run fingers over the rotors ( make sure they're not
hot first ... ) and check for hills/valleys.
o Check for uneven tread wear
o Pull the dipstick and radiator caps and look for foamy signs of coolant
in the oil or vice-versa.
o Open the valve cover and smell / look around. Burnt smells or obvious
sludge indicate an owner that doesn't change oil much.
o Test drive extensively. At a minimum, get it above 80 on the freeway
for a while, with lots of acceleration and hard braking. Check for
overheating, alignment, brake problems,etc.
o Feel the lugnuts and wheel centers after driving for excessive heat.
( bearing issues )
o Check for a decent spare, jack, and lugwrench.
o Bring duct tape just in case. Great for unexpected hose leaks, at least
to limp you to the next exit. Beside basic tools already mentioned,
think about packing water, oil, baling wire, maybe some quick-set jb weld.
o Easy to forget, but check the wipers and windshield washer. Sucks to
find out they don't work well at the wrong time.
o Lights, blinkers, etc. No need to get a zillion tickets on the way home.
o Before you buy, tell the guy you're going to lunch or the bank or
whatever. When you come back, check for oil spots or other leaks/drips.


Good luck. I drove a 1965 GTO from Denver to Dallas. No problems. Then
after I got home and sold it to someone else, the c-clip in the rear end
cut loose and the tire/wheel/axel came almost all the way out. Phew.

 

[G]

Pull the dipstick while the car is running, & look for white smoke. if you see some, don't buy it for more than $1000.00.

 

[stealthtt24]

well guys today is the day!!!!! im leaving around 8pm and wont be back till bout tuesday at 4pm at which time ill have to hurry to a friends bday dinner so pics wont be up for a few days wish me luck!!!!

 

[joec]

Good luck!

 

[Hondasi88]

This post was very helpful because i might be doing the same thing soon