Getting the bus home

[Slow Rider]

Greetings and Felicitations,

I was wondering, what do you do to get your bus home when you buy it?  I mean did you get all your paper work before you went to pick it up? Did the seller let you use the tags on the bus to get it home?  Did you get a transit type tag from the state where you purchased?  Clue me in.........

Ken

[vaunter]

i dont reccomend it bit i purchased my bus with 4 year expired tags and got in and drive it home as is
proper way is to reg it or at a minimum go to tag agency and pay the $15 for a 1 way from place of purchase to destination plate

[HarLee]

Hi Ken - I got all the paperwork and took it down to the DMV and registered it as a moter home and took the plates and proof of insurance - stuck them in my suitcase - stuck them under a Greyhound and went to OkC and put the plates on the bus and took off - all legal and Mine - Harry

Worked for me 

[HighTechRedneck]

HarLee did it the most correct way.

I got the 3-day transit tag in the state I bought mine in and put up handwritten "Not for Hire" signs in a window on each side. The first couple states I went through I stopped at the entry checkpoint to see if I needed to get transit passes from those states and they said it wasn't needed since I had one for the origin state and had a bill of sale with me.  After that I stopped checking and drove through about 6 more states and got it home without issue.  Once home, I converted the title to motorhome, got plates and insurance and all is good.

[H3Jim]

I got a 21 day temp registration from New Jersey and drove it back to Cal.  I had the temp pass call it a motorhome. I didn't stop at any checkpoints.  It had 50 seats in it when I left, but by the time I got to Cal I had unbolted all but 4.  I'm not sure if I needed  to or not to consider it a motorhome.  No one chased me down when I passed the wiegh stations.  A texas troooper got neck strain from trying to read the pass on the windshield as I drove by.

[Barn Owl]

From California to Virginia with the original Cal plates and bill of sale with no problems.

[Dreamscape]

When I bought ours I went and got insurance at the previous owners agent, then to the Ohio DMV. They gave me a 30 day temp tag, as the coach was titiled as a motorhome I had no problems. Ohio just signed off on the title and away I went. I still stopped at one truck scale not knowing any differance, he just waved me by. Probably laughing too.
All legal, I felt good about that.

Happy Trails,

Paul

Dreamscape

[WEC4104]

I flew from PA to Calif with my new tags in my suitcase.  I had completed the title transfer and obtained insurance (with towing coverage!) prior to the trip.  Although my 4104 was still wearing valid Calif plates that the previous owner left on it.

WEC4104

[tekebird]

different states have different rules.

contact the DMV for the state you are buying in, some allow use of the old plate till experation and the prior owner is responsible to tell them they sold the car.

some have transit/temp tags

others have nothing and you will need to register it somewhere.

Most ins companies also allow you to purchase a vehicle and drive it on your current insurance........this allows for Impulse buyers to drive the vehicle home rather than the hastle of dealing with that on the road......State Farm allows this.

[belfert]

My insurer only has an insurance grace period for cars and the like.  RVs are not covered unless specifically added to the policy.  I found this out at the last minute and had to scramble to get insurance.

Brian Elfert

[Runcutter]

I'm with Doug (tekebird) - check with the appropriate states (purchasing and home state).  I couldn't find the straight refernce on the Texas DMV web site, so I went to the State DMV resolution office.  They told me I'd need to register in each state for a transit pass, etc.  Couldn't transport anything except my suitcase. 

Then, went to the County office (who actually handles annual registration).  They gave me all the paperwork requirements, checklists, etc. - but we couldn't get plates until the vehicle had a Texas inspection sticker.  Bus was in New Hampshire, so that wouldn't work.       

Since we were purchasing the 4107 from a dealer in New Hampshire, we figured the dealer would have a solution - he did.  He got us 20-day NH temporary plates and a NH inspection (don't forget the inspection).  Since plates were valid, and we had all, repeat all the paperwork, went in and out of Canada, then returned to Texas.  I'd already insured the vehicle on a separate policy, and made sure I had the Canada insurance document.

So, this raises a question.  Since dealers do this all the time, is it worth contacting a dealer (originating or terminating state) and paying a small fee, to help walk you through the minefield?  State DMV's only know one phrase, "No, you can't do that."   Dealers, though, know how to make it work since their business relies on it.

Arthur Gaudet   Carrollton, TX

     

[captain ron]

Took the tag off of my Blazer since Florida has only one tag for car, truck, trailer and RV.  Flew to Michigan Paid the guy and took off.
First problem and service call in Michigan city, went to Elkhart to get checked out the next morning spewing oil every where because service call guy pinched valve cover gasket and bent the stiffener that the screw goes through and had the whole rear of my bus covered in oil. Left there and tranny broke in half in Bowling Green, Ky Towed to KW dealer(big mistake) and pulled plate and flew home. Flew back 3 weeks later to bus not being done. (they told me it was on phone) Drove back and forth from Nashville for 4 more days. Finally bus done with bill $2000.00 more than quoted. Argued,Paid and Then was told I might want to check my steering. It was locked up. 3 more days fixing that and driving back and forth from Nashville. Drove home in bus. 

[ArtGill]

I decided to go look at some of the coaches at ABC in New Jersey.  Well just in case I went to my insurance agent and made arrangements for insurance just in case I might buy a coach.  I also went to my bank and got a $10,000. bank check, just in case.  After driving all night the bug bite and I made a deal on a NJT Eagle 20.  ABC bus called my insurance agent and activated my insurance, took my bank check and a personal check for the balance.  They issured me a cardboard tag taped to my windshield and I head home.  In my opinion getting the insurance is easier and more important than tags.  The fine aren't nearly as bad.  And heaven forbid you have an accident.

Art

[oldmansax]

Seller of the bus let me drive it home on his tags. Very nice folks!

[Melbo]

I got the guy that I bought it from to deliver it to the front of my house.

I could then go about getting everything done at my leisure.

It was already licensed as a motor home when I bought it which made it much easier.

Melbo