So wondering how this works. I am from Massachusetts, going to be spending some time on a ship in Florida. I want to get like a $2000 beater for my time in Florida, but I definitely want to get insurance. So how does one do that or is it to hard.
You can probably insure your Florida car through your insurance agent at home. Many people in Mass have winter homes in Florida. You cannot register a car in Florida unless you are a Florida resident, so it is easiest to register your car at home. If you buy a car from a Florida dealer they issue 30 day paper plates which will give you time to register in Mass and get your Mass title and plates… If you can get access to a dealer auction (thru a friend with a dealer’s license (in any state)) that is a good way to buy a car. Florida also has auctions that are open to the public. There are many consignment sales lots in Florida. I have had good luck buying cars on ebay. Watch out for rusted out cars from the northeast being sold as “rust-free Florida cars.” Many dealers in the northeast dump rusted out cars in Florida. There are no required car inspection stickers in Florida. If you can buy a cheap but good running car that will not pass Mass inspection due to rust, it might make sense buy it in Mass and drive it to Florida.
One problem with having a car in a different state is that many matters have to be taken care of in person and in the state DMV office. It can be a real nightmare if anything comes up. My friend gave me money to pay his registration while he was at sea. There was a small issue with the registration and I the DMV would not let me handle it on his behalf. So his car got towed due to expired tags and about 2000 in impound fees later they seized the car. That was a tough one to explain to him when he got back.
I can imagine that was indeed very hard to explain. My first question would have been: Why didn’t you drive it (or have it towed) to a private storage facility (before the authorities towed it)?
A limited power of attorney would have allowed you to do anything at the DMV that was needed.
[QUOTE=87cr250r;79649]One problem with having a car in a different state is that many matters have to be taken care of in person and in the state DMV office. It can be a real nightmare if anything comes up. My friend gave me money to pay his registration while he was at sea. There was a small issue with the registration and I the DMV would not let me handle it on his behalf. So his car got towed due to expired tags and about 2000 in impound fees later they seized the car. That was a tough one to explain to him when he got back.[/QUOTE]
How long will you be there? You say you will be on a ship. At sea or in port? Could consider just renting a car when you need it. You can use your insurance at home (make sure it is covered first) and get a car for about $30/day. No hassles with DMV, finding a car, storing it, unloading it when you leave (guess you could just abandon it). And, you get a nice car that you know won’t break down on you.
I used to live just south of Tampa. I bought a 500 dollar beater and did just what you want to do. I left it there for 3 weeks at a time. BUT this was pre 911 when terminals were pretty easy and accommodating. I would think you would have a harder time finding secure parking that wouldn’t piss off the landlord than actually getting it registered. Do you know anyone living in FL? All you need is an address for insurance and registration. Then you simply submit a ‘change of address’ when it is time to renew. You can even rent a PO box at one of those private post office companies.
I’m sort of jealous. Who do you work for that allows such time off to warrant a ‘liberty wagon’?
I ship deep sea, but will be spending a majority of my next tour sitting alongside the dock in Florida. So to register a car in Florida, just need an address? Interesting. I will have secure access to the pier, that will not be a problem.
I worked with a motorman years ago who lived in Ma also. He was coming down and asked if he could use my address to register his van. I said sure.
When he showed up he was crestfallen. He found out that the insurance was more expensive in FL than in Ma. Because he had so many points and accidents. So he gave up the idea.
I have heard that insurance is twice as expensive compared to Massachusetts… I guess I will just bring my own car down, but really dont want too. Sort of funny but my wife drives two cars at home. Truck for errands/dump/landscaping and on long trips takes a Jetta because its already paid for itself. I dont know, thought it might be easy to do this but maybe its a pain in the ass… Thanks for all the good inputs…
The insurance cost will depend on where in the state. Insurance for Miami will probably cost a lot more than insurance for Amherst, Mass. Insurance for Dorchester or Roxbury will probably cost a lot more than for Cedar Key, Florida. I found that I was better off to register and insure my Florida car at home.
By the way, rent a car option is out… Freaking taxi just out of port, to the rental place and then to get permission to get back into the port, PITA… I basically work 8-5, so at the end of the day sometimes just like to drive around, burn some gas etc…
Some rental car places will pick you up. I get rides from Hertz and Enterprise all the time. Hell, at APL in LA, I can leave my car at the terminal, and enterprise will come pick it up the next morning.
If you have a clean record look up in the yellow pages. Call an insurance agent in Tampa. They will quote you over the phone. Ask them about address/residency. At least that way you get an apples to apples idea of cost.
The auto insurance is WAY cheaper than Ma. As long as you are clean.
Friends with a winter home in a small town an hour north of Tampa pay much less for car insurance than they did at home. They had to get Florida licenses and show a utility bill to register their cars. Its also dirt cheap to register a car in Florida — no excise tax and about a 6% sales tax (if you buy the car there) — much cheaper than at home. They also like the Florida state income tax — ZERO. NB: All cars must have titles in order to register them in Florida.
I don’t know if they are still in business but during yard periods in Tampa, the deck crew would throw in and rent an old car from “rent-a-heap” or “rent-a-wreck”.
I carried the cook to pick up a car once. The salesman and cook were going over the car and documenting the dings. The salesman was explaining the “clean-up” deposit when the cook pointed out that the ashtray was missing in the old Cutlass. The salesman then handed him a planters peanut can…
Another thing to take into consideration is that Florida charges more to get a “new” tag. Recently when I went to register a newly purchased used car it would have cost me close to $400.00 to register a $750.00 car. I had an old tag so it cost me less than $200.00 out the door.
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