Fti25

Hello! I hope someone can advise me.

Last academic year I studied in the US and passed my US driving test, and bought and insured a car.

I left over the summer break intending to continuing my studies this Sept.

While I have been back in the UK I was able to get a place at a top UK University beginning this year, and have withdrawn from my US college. I intend to return to the US soon and collect my belongings and see my friends, this is not a problem.

The situation is that I still own my Car in the US, and the import tax and such is well in excess of 5k GBP, so realistically I need to sell it.

Its value is 8-10k USD trade, 13-14k retail. I have no qualms with letting it go at trade value given the amount I will be saving on tuition now I'm back in the UK.

Now the problem: How the heck do I get my car from the storage yard to the dealership I intend to sell to? I have the car insured under a storage policy, which I can reinstate to full collision cover, but should anything happen will my lack of a current US address make the cover worthless?

I have a few options as I see it:

1) Say nothing about the address being any different than It was previously, chance it on the 20miles or so to the dealership.

2) Have the car collected on a flatbed and delivered to the dealership, which I would prefer not to do due to cost, and I'd like to find out any problems that have arisen during storage that the dealer could hold against me beforehand.

3) Inform the insurance and use my best friends address, the address I will be staying at.

4) Pay someone else to insure themselves on the car and drive it for me, but I don't know anyone that can drive a manual transmission in the US.

Frustratingly, no dealers will come to see the car in storage, so I have no option but to move it myself in some capacity. Likewise I feel unable to sell it privately given that I'll only be back for 3 days, and I don't want the hassle of dealing with time-wasters and test drive legality.

I'm eager to be well and truly done with the USA, it has been nothing but a headache dealing with administrative issues without an SSN or citizenship. I hope someone can advise where I stand, and share some advice. Thanks.

Mummy in the foothills

Why not check out the car, run the engine etc while you are here and selling it, once you know it's running, Go to CarMax and talk to them about it, have it taken on a flat bed to them, they give you an offer on the spot and hand you a check. Tell them why it's on the flat bed ahead of time.

Fti25

Thanks, yes I had intended to use Carmax, although of course the only 2 Carmax in my city are the complete opposite end of town from where the car is stored.

The flatbed plan is a good back-up, but I'd prefer to be able to simplify it further.

cheers

What kind of a car do you have and which state is located?

Bob

Ask the insurance company? They might offer some kind of policy to cover it to a dealership.

Or ebay the thing, if you've got friends who could check it out for you, but that might be a hassle too.

Is the car still registered and got a valid inspection? If not, the tow option is probably the easiest and if you've got AA/AAA membership, could just call for a tow.

Fti25

Still registered, all good to go other than the concerns above.

Its a V6 Mustang, in Ohio.

Should also mention, I have the title/reg docs with me in the UK at present, and one of the Key sets, and being the college break I had no one around until now to retrieve the other Key set(stored in a friends apt.), so I was unable to act sooner.

Ebay thing is definitely a hassle, it 100% has to be completed while I am there, and preferably within a half a day to maximise the remaining time I have there for pleasure.

dbj1000

I think your perception of complication and expense in having it flat-bed towed is misplaced.

I had the misfortune of having to have my car transported on a flat-bed last week - it took 45 minutes to arrange a tow, and cost $60 to transport it 20 miles across Dallas.

Fti25

That's reassuring, I'll make some calls tomorrow and try and get some quotes. I had assumed it'd be considerably more.

Bob

Blimey...that is good going....it's usually a $80 call out charge down around Boston....and then anything up to $20 a mile....which makes AAA membership so nice

Awesome Welles

You think you are going to get fair market value from a Stealership like CarMax, when your car is delivered on what, in effect, is a tow truck?
Perhaps you are partial to ass-rape.

avanutria

I agree...appearance counts for quite a lot in these transactions. You don't want to arrive in anything other than full working order (and get it washed!). If you are staying with a friend when you go back I don't see any problem with using that for your insurance address - it is, after all, your place of residence, even if it is only for three days.

ottotheboar

If there is another large company selling used cars in the city it may be worth running it by them. There is a shortage of good late used cars at present with a some dealers raising their mileage limits on what they will buy in. On Midlothian Turpike in Richmond VA right now one company has a sign offering to beat the offer made by Carmax.

Fti25

Thank you everyone for your help.

I was just informed that someone very dear to me that I had hoped to visit on this trip has passed away today, so I'll likely be postponing or even cancelling this visit on this occasion.

In due course I'll be donating whatever the car fetches to the appropriate charity as a mark of respect.

ljaw2002uk

Why not put it on craigslist?

avanutria

I'm sorry for your loss.

If you are going to donate the value of the car, you may be able to donate the car itself and save yourself a lot of hassle. Many charities are set up to be able to accept vehicle donations, though not all of them are.