FlatMaster

Since I moved to Alabama in Jan, I haven't used the car. Haven't even thought about it, thus the battery is dead, is in need of an oil change, and has some electrical problem which would kill a new battery. I need to get this car fixed up to move in a few weeks.

My problems are...

No insurance,
Expired PA registration,

Will a garage work on a car without proof of insurance or a valid registratioin? I can't renew the registration out of state and I need to take the car to the Alabama DMV to change title and registration, which is impossible now as it is not functioning.

As you can see, cars are a pain. I hope to actually sell the thing after the move.

Anyone else need to do something similar before?

Artkansas 

The mechanic shouldn't care about your title. You can have it towed in.

You may be better off though to just sell the car now, as is and take whatever loss. Moving a car hundreds of miles to sell it makes no sense. You can rent a truck or get an ABF or PODS container to put all your stuff in. Then rent a car in Alabama for a few days till you get settled.

When I moved to Arkansas, I tried to bring my beloved Falcon wagon with me. But as I was getting it ready to roll again, the starter broke and the rear power window froze in the open position. At that point there was too much to fix and too little time. I left it with my ex. She sold it for what I paid for it.

Foofy

Have you considered renting a moving truck/van? That's what I'd do. Of course you still have the problem of getting it from one place to another if you want to sell it, and being able to get the most money for it in working condition.

I'm not in the same state as you, but no garage has ever asked for my insurance or registration. At least not that I can remember. I have no idea if they're supposed to. Maybe it's one of those don't ask don't tell kinda things.

FlatMaster

Well, the move would be entirely within the car. Don't have much stuff. And besides, I assume I would get more selling a working car than (busted car + repairs)

FlatMaster

Well, with the electrical problem, I'll need to take it to volvo. They might be by the book.

Artkansas 

It's called cutting your losses. Can you be sure that the Volvo will get you reliably from where you live to where you are moving to once you've fixed it up? And the repairs may end up costing more than you could reasonably expect to get from the car.

I suspect that even a Volvo dealer will be happy to pull your car off the tow truck and fix it. Long as it is legally yours, and old registrations will attest to that, they should be happy. Insurance and registration is a street issue.

Smallwheels

This is a simple problem. What is the car worth now as is? What are the prices of the repair, registration change, insurance, and the cost of the move via renting a van? What is the estimated value of the car in working condition? What is your time worth to get all of that done?

Put the math together and decide which is the path of least resistance.

Years ago I made a costly mistake with a piano. I left it in my home state because I intended to have it restored. The piano was put in storage in Louisiana. I moved to Montana. The piano restoration company was in New York city. My thinking was that for me to move it to Montana and then to New York and back would be more expensive than shipping it to New York from Louisiana and then to Montana.

Time passed and things changed. I eventually sold the piano in Louisiana for just over $300.00 more than the storage fees for several years.

My point is that you should make your decision about the car quickly and act on it. Spending money and time on repairing a car for a future sale might not really be worth the trouble if you intend to sell it soon after it is working.

rnorris

These are your biggest problems... don't know about Alabama, but driving without insurance is illegal in many states and the expired registration gives a cop a nice reason to pull you over.

I agree with several others here - it's best to sell the car now.

Roody

You could junk the car then use the $25 you get from the salvage yard to rent a u-haul truck. No net cost to you at all. And very little hassle.

I'm moving in a couple weeks and plan to use a u-haul truck. I'm also paying some old guy with a pickup to haul away the big trash items. It's cheaper than paying the city to pick the stuff up at the curbside.

Robert C

If you wil not be usng the car at the new locatoin then selling it and renting may be a better option. What it comsdown to is, if you sell it, how ong do you estimate t wil be before you have need to purchase a car again?

As a general rule, there is no cheaper car than the, paid for, one you have. Even if it needs a $2000 part X, can you really expect to get a replacement with a new part X for $2000. You can, almost, not ut the amount of oney into maintenance and repirs that match the monthly cost of a new car.

So, if you expect to need a car aain in the next six months to a year then get it licensed and insured (some states will only issue a temporary license if it is not running; but they will give some piece of paper to make it legal to drive it).

Slap a new battery in it (or charge the one you have) it will be cheaper than having it towed in most cases. Have it fixed (a slow drain is actiually simple to diagnose. An ammeter is put in the cable fro the battery, then the fuses are pulled one at a time. One of the fuses will make a big difference, then you have the faulty circuit identified). That is something you can easly do by yourself. It may turn out that the faulty circuit is somthing you are willing to live without for a while (like radio). If that is the case, just leave the fuse out.

If this is really the only use for it that you forsee in the next year, then you may be better off selling it.

Nycycle

SELL IT, RENT A UHaul

Nycycle

WOOPS, ROODY already done said that

lyeinyoureye

Is the OP only moving five to ten miles away?

Artkansas 

Perhaps. But he said that "It's entirely within the car". So perhaps it's from the front seat to the back seat.



By his inactivity on this thread, I assume that he has made his plans and is probably busy packing and moving, whereever that may be.

tsl

I'm moving at the end of the month too. I'm going the "big, burly men with a truck" route. I don't have to hassle with carrying stuff down one flight here, and up two at the new place. I also don't have to beg, bribe and cajole friends and family into helping, which also means I won't have to pay back a "moving debt".

Besides, I don't want to miss the Monday night ride. The movers are coming at 8am and should be done before noon.

Roody

I had the Two Burly Men & A Truck here the other day to haul away the trash that was left by the previous landlord when he walked away from the mortgage. They charged me $200 to take it all, and sweep the 2 garages and the basement.

Strangely, the truck guys offered to move all my belongings for $100--only half what they charged for the trash. I might take them up on it, since that's only a few dollars more than the U-haul plan would cost.

The U-haul truck itself is on special for only $20 + gas + 50 cents per mile.

Don't you hate moving? I sure do.

tsl

That's because they have to pay the tip fees at the landfill. The pawnshop and flea market have no such fees. And they'll make some money. "He's on a bike. He'll never catch us."

I used to hate moving. It was right up there with being flayed alive on my list of things I dislike. I've gotten over it.

I'm almost enjoying it this time around. Maybe it's because all that downsizing, starting in the mid-90s from a three-bedroom house with full basement, attic and garage to a one-bedroom of 450 SF now, means there's one heck of a lot less work involved. Anyway, I've got almost everything packed already. I've even had to unpack some stuff I didn't think I'd need until afterwards.

FlatMaster

Actually got the official news today. I think I'm going to get the car fixed. More expensive, but easier.

lyeinyoureye

U-haul it a total rip IMO. For the cost of a forty mile move I can afford to pay for registration, gas, and a couple months of insurance on my pickup, and that's assuming I can get the 50c/mile rate. Last time I used 'em they were 89c/mile or something equally stupid.

Roody

Well, I got the 50 cent rate, and I'm only moving three miles, and I don't own a pickup. So my cost will be less than 30 dollars, including gas. For a 40 mile move I guess it would be a little over 50 bucks. I don't think I could get registration, gas and insurance on a truck for so little.

lyeinyoureye

It's perty close depending on your location. Some places like LA were supposedly at $25/year or something, so depending on insurance $45 may be enough to register/insure a small pickup for a month. It really depends on location/move/the individual, so YMMV.

Roody

My move went well with the U-haul. Unfortunately, the friend who was driving it hit a low-hanging tree branch, and the agency charged me $50 for the dent. I didn't get the $14 insurance because I was only moving a few miles. So it goes...

It would have been cheaper to hire the two guys for $100. But I was happy to give my friends some money instead. I took everybody to lunch at McDonalds for about $40. I gave the two adults $40 each, and each of the two little boys who helped $10. They all appreciated it, and were happy with what I gave them.

It was a lot more fun moving with my friends, so I guess the money was well spent, even if it was twice as much. It gave the moving day a good karma feel that I hope will carry over into my new home.

FlatMaster

Just picked up the car. $600 total, but there was more work needed than I remembered.

Robert C

Think of it in terms of "new car payments." It was less than two months of payments on nearly any new car. One thing you might do, if you use it seldom, is to check into a "trickle charger" to keep the battery from becoming discharged.

Roody

Ha! You could have moved five times for $600.