Private party sales

Hey Veeky Forums, how does the typical private party sale go down?

Does the seller wait for you to get plates or do you drive away without them? Do you meet at the DMV parking lot, or is that illegal? What about street parking while the car is plateless and you are at the DMV?

How about buying from another state, I've seen temporary tags for non residents, in NY for example, are they worth it or is it better to just go back to your own DMV and drive back to get the car when the plates are ready?

What if they want to meet in public and just be done with the whole thing after they get the cash and hand over the title and remove the plates. Do you just have a friend wait there with the car or do you drive it plateless? I hear putting plates from another vehicle on the car is illegal.

I bought a car from a friend once and that was easy since the car just sat on the street next to his house while I was getting plates. Kind of nervous about buying from a stranger, I just want to be prepared and know the best practice.

In florida you can buy a temp tag for just this purpose, costs like $10.

Also no wait on plates since florida dmv's keep them in stock at the title office.

Yeah same in Jersey, they have plates ready to go at the counter.

How do you buy or sell a car? Do you meet the other party at the DMV?

In Minnesota the plates stay with the car when its private party sales

When I bought mine I used the plates from a friends car to take it to my house, then went to the DMV, registered it and changed the plates.

That makes so much more sense.

think a lot depends on the state, but if you have the title you can drive around a *bit*, really you should just be going to the MVD

my state the seller just signs the title and puts a price, the buyer can then leave with the car. I typically go right to a rapid mvd which gives plates right away

same in CA. You just need a bill of sale and get the title and then you try not to drive your car until the new registration and insurance kicks in

How much does it cost to register a motorcycle in FL? Is it $78 or do you have to pay the $225 initial registration fee? I found this online but idk if it's legit.

I don't want to go wait at the dmv all day to just find this out and not have the cash please someone who knows tell me.

The majority of people break the law when doing this. They just slap on plates from another car they have, drive it home, and hope they don't get pulled over. It's highly illegal and you will get fucked if you get caught. You can either have the seller drop it off at your house or you can tow it home. Some states have temporary plates, some don't. For example, Massachusetts doesn't honor new hampshire's temporary plates.

I feel like this is the best way as I have a set of old plates. But the cops are total dicks around here and it's illegal to use plates from another car.

Is it actually not a big deal and I'm just being paranoid?

Also yes I'm a dumb ass and forgot to crop out my name, enjoy doxing a penniless NEET with no friends.

>It's highly illegal and you will get fucked if you get caught.

Yup, I've heard this from so many sources online. It's keeping me from doing this even though most people do this. I actually sold a car to a mechanic on Craigslist, he looked like he did this sort of thing a thousand times, gave me cash and threw on some plates from out of state and left.

I feel like driving with no plates is more of a red flag to a cop then driving with plates from another vehicle.

i always just had someone drive the car i drove there to purchase the car really close to my ass so no cop can ever see the lack of plates

Hmm I guess that works if you're ready to purchase. I'll keep that in mind.

Drive home without plates if it's not too far. If a cop does pull you over, explain your situation.

still illegal but probably far less illegal than swapping plates.

and im pretty sure you will either get a warning if caught, just by saying you literally just bought the car and you are going to the dmv. and hell even if the cop is a cunt im pretty sure no plates is better than swapped plates fine wise

>it's illegal to use plates from another car.
I think it's illegal here as well, but I've been driving in this state for almost 2 years and never got stopped.
But the cops here are alright, so I don't know. Maybe ask the guy to drive the car to your place after you decide to buy it and give him a ride back home?

Ok I'll do that if I find something local or a seller who is willing to meet me somewhere close.

Any tips or experience when buying out of states?

Yeah I guess it depends on how motivated the seller is. It'd be a pretty shitty ride if I drove a hard bargain and they were feeling bad.

This, I've done this a bunch of times. Have done it interstate too, cops dgaf. Just make sure you have insurance, cops will def give a fuck about that.

Plates stay with the car, insurance follows the car and you're covered under the previous owner's insurance until you register and insure it or he cancels the insurance. You're liable for moving violations while driving someone else's car, but they're liable for things like parking tickets. Usually car sales are done at someone's residence because then only one party needs to hitch a ride.

Usually the way it goes down is you show up, meet the owner, look over the car, take it for a test drive, haggle over the price, exchange payment for a signed title and/or bill of sale, and then leave with your new car.

REMEMBER: always be willing to walk away from a deal. I've gotten screwed hard before by getting attached to a car that wasn't worth the asking price. Don't let that be you.

Thanks, I'll definitely make sure the insurance is up to date.

Thanks for sharing. It's best to get a ride with a friend to the sellers place right?

until they dont get it registered and you start getting parking tickets

I would never let the plates go with the car. they could run three red light cameras on the way home. i dont think people are thinking this through even if the law states otherwise.