Buy from dealer in OH, pay OK sales tax, 30 day temp reg, paperwork to WV DMV, register in WV. There is no "sale transaction" once you get to WV so there is no duplication in WV. There are of course reg fees, title fees, fees for fees, etc.

The swap a plate is an option but could get ugly. Emphasis on "could".

Plus I don't think a reputable car dealer would let you escape sales tax ---because it's the law. Not saying everyone follows the law, but....

Plus if you follow the law, you'll pay sales tax but get the 30 day tag which comes with a 30 temp registration.

Plus I believe the law states that they can't let you drive it off the lot without proof of insurance; I wouldn't think your insurance company would cover it unless you went the legal route. That may vary among states, not sure. But you would not be covered should the unthinkable happen to you.

Plus, if the title makes them state the selling price, WV DMV may ask for proof that you paid OH sales tax.

Plus, yes, my mind usually can find almost every permutation of worst case scenarios much faster than I can type them.

Maybe I should sell extended warranties on cars.....

Seriously, not doing this to scare you, just laying it out there. Legal costs a bit more but sends you home in a legally registered, already insured, easy to register car when you get home.

Oh, don't forget to do a title search before you leave home if you haven't done one already. If the title has problems you'll have a **** time getting it retitled (& registered) to you in WV


Ooops there I go again.

And no need to be polite asking about the compression test. I don't give a **** if they mind. Politely TELL them you ARE doing a compression test. And ask to see it on their lift at the other location if it is nearby. Can't hurt, but bring your ramps.

 

1. I emailed someone at the WV DMV, and they said that an OH dealer would issue me a "non resident" title, and give me a temp tag, charge no OH sales tax, then when I get home, I can register the car in WV, paying sales tax at the time.

2. I planned on buying insurance before I made the trip, or at least contacting my people to let them know what's up, that way they can just fax an ins card to the dealer upon purchase. While I have driven vehicles home uncovered, I don't want to attempt a 250 mile return trip without coverage, especially in wintertime.

3. You aren't scaring me, I was asking for more info about the legal route(s), not necessarily for a way around it(them), and I greatly appreciate the info...

4. I've never heard of a title search, how is that accomplished?

5. I will ask again to see the underside of the car before I depart, and will do a compression check when I get there(or they will with me watching). I would really rather know all this beforehand, so that I don't drive 500 miles round trip for nothing(two vehicles, 20 mpg each, $2.25 a gal average)...

 

1) I was close
2) good good good in the area
3) You're quite welcome
4) Get them to pull the CARFAX report (at their expense) and email it to you ASAP.
Not sure if the title history is in there; someone else can surely comment yay/nay.

Just for yucks I went to
https://www.nicb.org/theft_and_fraud_awareness/vincheck

and entered your VIN
It has not been reported stolen or totaled

You can go to National Motor Vehicle Title Information System: Research Vehicle History

and order your own report for a fee. Interestingly they state carfax is not approved by them b/c they only provide results to dealers. (?) Not sure if carfax report is enough but start with that asap and make them send it to you and see if it makes you comfortable enough.

5) An easy way to see the underside of the car is to have them put it on a lift and snap some phone pix and email to you. ASAP. Just plead the "I wanna know the condition of the whole car before I drive 500 mi."

Just point out gently that you wouldn't be asking all these things if you weren't extremely interested. Any used car dealer already should have a carfax pulled for every car on their lot.....

Do the compression test yourself. Those are the only numbers I'd trust.

 

I spoke with the dealer this morning, and he agreed to get the car on a lift and snap some pics. I will call him this afternoon and give him a cell number to send them to, he couldn't take it down when I first called...

 

Be picky. Be very picky.

I really do rest easier knowing I have a back-up to my main ride. Yes, it's more $ to insure and maintain, but we've been in the situation where more than 1 vehicle has been down for repairs and had to borrow a car to go to the parts store. I think at that time we had 3 and they all tore up at once. Yay.

However it plays out for you, I hope you get a heckuva good deal and really like what you choose to do!

In TN, when we moved here and transferred titles/tags to here, we didn't have any tax trouble. The only out of state vehicle we bought was from GA and when I took in the title I just had to pay TN sales tax. Was not an issue. However, TN is probably easier to deal with than many states. It's a whole lot easier in the long run to just do it legally than have potential issues.

 

I am gonna be picky...

No pics of underside- No sale

Fluids all over bottom of engine- No sale

SES light trips during test drive- No sale

Shaking/squealing/misc- No sale


Here's how I see it- I am trading two perfectly good, mechanically sound, rust free Fords for one Saturn of unknown origin, and I know, for a fact, that I am getting burned when you look at book values alone. My vehicles combine for about $3500, and he is asking the classic $1999. Now, it appears nice but, as Derf reminded me, anything could be wrong, and I KNOW I'm gonna have to start carrying oil around with me, the car will use some, as they all do. I am also going to be using this for DD duty as well as it being my baby, so it must be reliable, and it will have to need nothing immediately, other than fuel, or I can't afford it...

Needless to say, I'm on guard...

 

As far as the oil useage goes, just bump the weight up to 10W-30. That'll help some.

 

I finally did that.


check out http://www.aa1car.com/library/oil_viscosity.htm

Where's Unc when you want to talk oil?

 

Bonestock,

On your guard is exactly as you need to be.
Key hint: Bring along a code reader that can read the status of the I/M Monitors. What are I/M Monitors, you ask:

What are I/M Monitors?

I/M (Inspection & Maintenance) Monitors test the operation of emission-related systems or components and detect out-of-range values. The vehicle may have to be operated under certain conditions to complete an I/M Monitor test. Currently, there are eleven I/M Monitors defined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Not all monitors are supported by all vehicles.

These I/M Monitors are:
I/M Monitor Definition
Misfire Misfire
Fuel Sys Fuel System
Comprehens Comprehensive Components
Catalyst Catalyst
Heated Cat Heated Catalyst
Evap Sys Evaporative System
Sec Air Secondary AIR
A/C Refrig Air Conditioning Refrigerant
O2 Sensor Oxygen Sensor
HO2 Sensor Heated Oxygen Sensor
EGR Sys Exhaust Gas Recirculation System

A monitor status of ''''Ready'''' means that the required driving conditions for that monitor have been met and it passed.
(the PCM runs checks on these systems --some can trigger almost immediately, some of the exhaust ones can take 25 to 50 miles before the PCM collects the required amount of data to decide if some things pass or fail.)
A monitor status of ''''Not Ready'''' means that the required driving conditions for that monitor have not been completed or it did not pass.

When someone clears the codes on an ODBII car, it erases any stored (hard or pending )codes and it ALSO resets ALL the I/Ms to Not Ready

A monitor status of ''''N/A'''' means that the vehicle does not support that monitor.

The stuff I typed in is the not bolded (unbolded?) text

So the VERY FIRST THING to do is turn the key to run, don't even start it up, read it for codes, and check those I/M monitor statuses (stati). If all the non-N/A ones read "Not Ready", then someone cleared the codes after it was last parked or close to that time.

If that is the case, you can either walk away OR drive it a minimum of 50 mi on the test drive to see what code(s) pop up. Cat Con efficiency I believe is the one that takes the longest if someone is trying to hide it. This COULD be a worn out rear O2 sensor which runs about $100 or it could be the car itself. Don't know till you have someone test the cat or you replace the rear O2 sensor and the code goes away forever.

If you get this kind of code, you can severely leverage them on price--but it's a gamble. Rube and Unc can tell you more about clogged cat behavior than I, who has never experienced said phenomenon.

Be weary of EGR codes -- cleaning or replacement and port cleaning often fixes issue, sometimes doesn't, then is a bitch to deal with.

100-200 (oem) replacement cost.
_____________________
Hell, I know I'm a pessimist, but we both know he's not "holding" the car for weeks just for YOU. If it's that great a deal on that great a car, why is it still on his lot? AND if you're getting hozed on the swap value of the deal......+500 mi

Is it REALLY worth it?

Check out the pics and we can discuss I suppose........hell...post em here

.

 

I wonder if I could rent a scan tool that would check the I/M monitors... I don't think my UG reads their status... If I drove up there and anything was amiss, there would be no price leverage, but NO DEAL HOWIE(slams box down over button)!

Reason being, the guy that I bought my Taurus off of has some new stock, some of which seems interesting, one is a 2003 Saturn(some model or other), with a 5 speed... Currently needs a coolant leak fixed, but he sells them 100% operable, meaning he's gonna fix it... Quoted me like $1200 for it... Now, if it's really an 03, it's either an ION or an L series, but I've seen him get the year wrong before(quoted my Taurus as a 98), so he may in fact have an S-car...

Obviously, this seems the better deal, cause I could probably just trade one of my vehicles for it, and sell the other outright when no issues pop up... But I also have to make concessions for my mother, who needs a car worse than I, and she would love an 03 ION, but maybe it'll be an LW200, and she won't want it...

Now, the only issue I have with an S series is the tranny, specifically it's predicted reaction to me driving it in snow... Generally, when there's lots of thick snow, I have to spin the ***** off whatever I'm driving to get out... As in, floor it and row upward through the gears like I'm drag racing, often associated with wheelspin in excess of 70 mph... Now I know that's not an orthodox way of doing it(and not the safest or easiest on your car) but it has worked well for me in the past, but we all know that the first time I do that to an MPx trans, it's gonna eject its diff pin and then I'll be hosed... So I wouldn't complain at all about getting an ION or L series...except the timing chain oiler/tensioner... It's like a 30 dollar part, and supposed to be easy as pie to change, but I can find NO INFO on doing just the tensioner... Damn, where's RJ when we need him?