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Buying a new(er) car?

L

lwknives

May 6, 2012
332
2
#1
So, hopefully I'm going to be replacing my worn to bits 1989 300zx, with a shiny "new" 1991 300zx! It looks like its been very well taken care of so and has all of its service records (according to the ad). It has AC too! I have been driving a car with no AC or heat for 4 years now. I'm not gona know what to do with myself.

Anywho, a question for those of you who have purchased cars. How long do I have before my car needs to be registered? Will I be ok to drive it for a week or two while I wait for my pay check to come in so I can pay taxes and fees?
Would it be OK for me to put the plate from my other car on this car until I get it registered or am I better off driving without a plate?

I could just keep driving my heap for another two weeks but it will be hard to leave the shiny new car just siting there.:atoz:

I'm in Tennessee if that matters.
 
#2
lwknives said:
So, hopefully I'm going to be replacing my worn to bits 1989 300zx, with a shiny "new" 1991 300zx! It looks like its been very well taken care of so and has all of its service records (according to the ad). It has AC too! I have been driving a car with no AC or heat for 4 years now. I'm not gona know what to do with myself.

Anywho, a question for those of you who have purchased cars. How long do I have before my car needs to be registered? Will I be ok to drive it for a week or two while I wait for my pay check to come in so I can pay taxes and fees?
Would it be OK for me to put the plate from my other car on this car until I get it registered or am I better off driving without a plate?

I could just keep driving my heap for another two weeks but it will be hard to leave the shiny new car just siting there.:atoz:

I'm in Tennessee if that matters.
Click to expand...

You need to register it ASAP. Any time it isn't registered and you get pulled over, depending on the state, could range from a ticket to getting the car taken away.

Driving with the plate from another car on the wrong car is an even worse idea than driving with no plate at all.

If you're living paycheck to paycheck, a Z32 is probably not the best idea--I had one in very good shape that just about ruined me with constant mechanical problems, and working on that car is a bit more complicated to do correctly than on a 'normal' car. It was my dream car, favorite I have ever owned, but I couldn't keep up with the repairs.
 
#4
IPA said:
You need to register it ASAP. Any time it isn't registered and you get pulled over, depending on the state, could range from a ticket to getting the car taken away.

Driving with the plate from another car on the wrong car is an even worse idea than driving with no plate at all.

If you're living paycheck to paycheck, a Z32 is probably not the best idea--I had one in very good shape that just about ruined me with constant mechanical problems, and working on that car is a bit more complicated to do correctly than on a 'normal' car. It was my dream car, favorite I have ever owned, but I couldn't keep up with the repairs.
Click to expand...

I will only be living from pay check to pay check for the two weeks following the purchase of this car. I just payed a big tuition bill and then if I pay the cost of the car it will drain my savings. I will catch back up relatively quickly and will graduate in May, hopefully with a job that will allow me to pay for any car I want.
I have owned a 300zx for 6 years and did all my own maintenance so I know what kind of work is involved.
 
#6
I have waited up to 6 months to register a vehicle. I go through 2 vehicles a year for fun. And I often wait 2-4 weeks. Yes I have been pulled over without plates, I just explain to the officer and there always down with, insurance title and bill of sale. In and out of
State.
 
#7
lwknives said:
So, hopefully I'm going to be replacing my worn to bits 1989 300zx, with a shiny "new" 1991 300zx! It looks like its been very well taken care of so and has all of its service records (according to the ad). It has AC too! I have been driving a car with no AC or heat for 4 years now. I'm not gona know what to do with myself.

Anywho, a question for those of you who have purchased cars. How long do I have before my car needs to be registered? Will I be ok to drive it for a week or two while I wait for my pay check to come in so I can pay taxes and fees?
Would it be OK for me to put the plate from my other car on this car until I get it registered or am I better off driving without a plate?

I could just keep driving my heap for another two weeks but it will be hard to leave the shiny new car just siting there.:atoz:

I'm in Tennessee if that matters.
Click to expand...
No, don't do it. You can get ticketed for driving a vehicle with plates registered to another car. And depending on the cop, he can confiscate those plates until the case comes to traffic court. That would mean you would have two cars you can't drive.
Keep driving your old car until your new car is registered.

If you get into an accident, as in no fault of yours, and you are in a vehicle that is not registered and uninsured, you can get two tickets (even though it was the other driver's fault). One for driving an uninsured vehicle and one for operating an unregistered vehicle. Even if you get it registered and insured before your trial date, you may have to pay court fees.
 
#9
placedesjardins said:
No, don't do it. You can get ticketed for driving a vehicle with plates registered to another car. And depending on the cop, he can confiscate those plates until the case comes to traffic court. That would mean you would have two cars you can't drive.
Keep driving your old car until your new car is registered.

If you get into an accident, as in no fault of yours, and you are in a vehicle that is not registered and uninsured, you can get two tickets (even though it was the other driver's fault). One for driving an uninsured vehicle and one for operating an unregistered vehicle. Even if you get it registered and insured before your trial date, you may have to pay court fees.
Click to expand...

You can insure a vehicle without registration
 
#11
IPA said:
Is your 89 a Z31? I thought they all were.

If so, there's virtually nothing the same between working on the Z31 and Z32. You're in for something special.
Click to expand...

Mine is a Z31, Im not expecting that working on them will be the same but I do realize that old sport cars require a lot of work.
I enjoy working on cars most of the time. ;)
 
#12
placedesjardins said:
No, don't do it. You can get ticketed for driving a vehicle with plates registered to another car. And depending on the cop, he can confiscate those plates until the case comes to traffic court. That would mean you would have two cars you can't drive.
Keep driving your old car until your new car is registered.

If you get into an accident, as in no fault of yours, and you are in a vehicle that is not registered and uninsured, you can get two tickets (even though it was the other driver's fault). One for driving an uninsured vehicle and one for operating an unregistered vehicle. Even if you get it registered and insured before your trial date, you may have to pay court fees.
Click to expand...

I wont drive it with the other cars plates!
 
#14
blastoff99 said:
Ok, I'll say it: I don't much like the sound of this plan.

But you knew that. :D
Click to expand...

It is a very cheap car, we are talking a bit more than two months of savings not lifetime.
I wont be borrowing to pay for the car and I have no other debt. I only have one more semester to pay for and it will be reasonably cheap because I will be part time. That bill is due in four months.

Worst case scenario, I lose my job and have to borrow a small amount to pay for tuition.
 
#17
IPA said:
You need to register it ASAP. Any time it isn't registered and you get pulled over, depending on the state, could range from a ticket to getting the car taken away.

Driving with the plate from another car on the wrong car is an even worse idea than driving with no plate at all.

If you're living paycheck to paycheck, a Z32 is probably not the best idea--I had one in very good shape that just about ruined me with constant mechanical problems, and working on that car is a bit more complicated to do correctly than on a 'normal' car. It was my dream car, favorite I have ever owned, but I couldn't keep up with the repairs.
Click to expand...

I was under the impression that these were fairly reliable cars, did you have the TT model? What kind of problems were you running into?
My Z31 has 230K and it was abused pretty good before I got it when it had 180K.
 
#18
lwknives said:
I was under the impression that these were fairly reliable cars, did you have the TT model? What kind of problems were you running into?
My Z31 has 230K and it was abused pretty good before I got it when it had 180K.
Click to expand...

lol!

Fuel pressure regulator, transmission, exhaust, radiator fan, radiator....

http://www.300zxclub.com/

you're going to need to register there and start making friends, get a factory service manual too.

the engine bay is extremely tight. everything fits in it tightly like a puzzle.
 
#19
IPA said:
lol!

Fuel pressure regulator, transmission, exhaust, radiator fan, radiator....

http://www.300zxclub.com/

you're going to need to register there and start making friends, get a factory service manual too.

the engine bay is extremely tight. everything fits in it tightly like a puzzle.
Click to expand...

I have heard lots of people who have run them to 200K with nothing but standard maintenance. How did you drive it?
The one Im looking at is the non-turbo so that should make it more reliable. Not sure what you had?
 

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