Buying a car from private seller?

Question

I saw a car for sale online and I really want to buy it. I can buy it outright. The only thing is I'm stuck between buying the car now before someone else does and having to wait a few weeks before i can get insurance and tags. The reason for this is i owe some money to the state before i can get them to allow me to start driving. Is it possible for me to buy the car and put it in the driveway and not drive it for a few weeks until i can pay what i owe so I can get tags and stuff. Also the car is a distance away from me, so i would have to have someone drive it because I'm not insured yet.

Answer 1

Favorite Answer

Never buy a used car that you cannot test drive.

Answer 2

Have the seller bring the car to your house, then take their license plates home with them (if that's how your place does it).

Answer 3

you can buy the car and then have someone with a truck - trailer it to your place.  There it sits, a lawn ornament. "That is provided you own the land you live on".  If you are renting, then to the LL it looks like you are collecting junk.  Usually talking with the LL first clears up that issue. HE KNOWS "what is going on with your stuff" and is usually cool with that.

. Even if you do own the land, it is just cool that the neighbors know you are not a junk collector as it devalues their property.  A few weeks is no hardship.  Or you park it out back out of sight of the street traffic. So no vandalism happens.

Answer 4

You can insure it before you actually go and get it, ask them for the registration number and that's all you need. Offer a bit less than the amount they put online, it's deliberately in high because they know most internet buyers will offer a bit less. To make sure it's yours ask if you can PayPal a deposit, don't pay for the whole thing that way because you haven't seen it but a small payment in return for them keeping it for a short time and you get first refusal.