Blokko Posted January 7, 2017 Share Posted January 7, 2017 My colleague has just agreed to buy an MGC from a guy in Montreal. It is being kept in storage up there until May, at which point the plan is to bring it back South of the border. With the import paperwork all sorted, how would he go about transporting it? The seller wants to put it in a trailer and drive it up to the border, for my colleague to then take it from there. My colleague prefers the idea of driving it back, but the seller isn't keen on this. Is there any good reason why it shouldn't be driven back to Boston on the Ontario plates (with the tags being returned by courier)? Apologies in advance for the dumb question, but as a Brit with no knowledge of how these things work I was hoping / assuming that it is a scenario that readers of this site may have come across before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coffee break Posted January 7, 2017 Share Posted January 7, 2017 I would guess the present owner knows the car well enough to say it isn't a good idea. Any number of systems may need some sort of service before an extended trip considering the age of the car. +25 years old Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian7 Posted January 7, 2017 Share Posted January 7, 2017 No disrespect to the seller intended, but he'd be crazy to exchange car for cash and watch it drive away with his tag still on it, as he'd be responsible for anything that happened, including an accident that hurt (or worse) someone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Croc Posted January 7, 2017 Share Posted January 7, 2017 (edited) I agree with Ian! I would not do it if I was the seller. Also driving it across the border on someone else's tag - I suspect that would cause monumental red flags when they run the tags at the border as part of the checks. It was bad enough when I crossed in a rental car twice. In an ideal world you would take the import paperwork approvals to the state DMV and get a tag/registration, fly up there and throw it on the car and drive it home. Thats not going to happen under this scenario since the import approvals would not have the entry stamp yet? If they are complete then just get the MA tags and fly them up there for the drive back. However, MA will probably not tag the car until it is in the country because the paperwork is probably not yet complete? I would grab a trailer, drive up there, pick it up and with the bill of sale, proof of payment, etc, lob in at the US border crossing, show the car purchase paperwork, fill in the import forms, pay the 2.5% tax and then trundle it home on the trailer with the freshly stamped import paperwork (received at the border) ready to be titled/registered at the DMV in MA. Pre-approval prior to turning up at the border is not needed - you can do it on the spot. I know a few people who have done it this way and they have all said it was a smooth process at the border ranging from 0.5 to 1.5 hours to get everything done. It is a lot easier and cheaper than getting a commercial carrier to do it. Edited January 7, 2017 by Croc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoz3 Posted January 7, 2017 Share Posted January 7, 2017 He should be able to get transport tags from his local DMV in Mass, he should check with the DMV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrmustang Posted January 7, 2017 Share Posted January 7, 2017 No disrespect to the seller intended, but he'd be crazy to exchange car for cash and watch it drive away with his tag still on it, as he'd be responsible for anything that happened, including an accident that hurt (or worse) someone! +2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blokko Posted January 8, 2017 Author Share Posted January 8, 2017 Thanks for your thoughts on this. I agree that the best route here is to trailer it back, but my friend had this romantic notion of driving it back with his wife (and he also doesn't want the expense of hiring a tow car as well as a trailer :smilielol5:). The car in question is in very good condition and as I understand it has been used extensively since the comprehensive rebuild - so you would hope that it would be good for a 270 mile drive (but you never know what might crop up with an older car I guess....) I'll pass on your thoughts about the possibility of it getting tagged ahead of the drive home, but hopefully he will see sense and either get his leased Ford Explorer set up for towing or he'll just rent a tow car or truck as well as a trailer. http://www.usa7s.net/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=12120&stc=1 http://www.usa7s.net/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=12121&stc=1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lotusman1951 Posted January 8, 2017 Share Posted January 8, 2017 Get AAA+ tow insurance and drive-the tow is good for 2-300 miles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wemtd Posted January 9, 2017 Share Posted January 9, 2017 - beautiful car. I think this is an excuse for a drive back to the border this spring (VT rt. 100 was a beautiful drive in my Se7en). Does he really want to drive in this arctic weather with all the salt on the roads? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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