US road trip in UK reg Car:)
Discussion
Recently been trying to sell my Gen 4 Z28 LS1 engined Camaro without success
Wife and I were talking about the surprising lack of interest in the car, which is in awesome condition - Typical wife giving me s
t saying I'd asked too much etc etc. SO I said smartass 'how would you sell it then' - why not take it to USA and sell it there was the reply - Duh!!! Gobsmacked, I thought about it - now why didn't I think of that
Of course being an American car its LHD, maybe that's a factor in the lack of interest in UK. Anyway pre-covid we'd already planned a trip down route 66, sadly covid stopped that happening - so why not combine the 2 things now??
So my Q for you lot is - has anyone done this?? Can you give me some tips and do's & dont's - we've travelled extensively in USA so know all of the normal tourist do's & dont's
Ideally we'd like to go for a coupla month's starting somewhere on east coast - travelling west to LA or SF, taking in as many sights as possible en route.
What would be the major difficulties in doing this? My Z28 would be well up for this, and the thought of driving a well sorted V8 car on US roads is very appealing. a minor detail I know, also saves the cost of 2 months car rental!!
Anybody recommend a shipping agent or company to ship the car to US.
Any problems driving a UK registered car on US roads - how's the local plod with only UK number plates on the car etc.?
How would I insure it, would a UK Insurance green card cover me in USA? or would I have to get insurance locally ??
Finally easiest way of selling the car at the end?
Is this do-able without too many problems, or is it just wishful thinking??
I appreciate it won't be cheap, but for a major Hol that's not the issue, hoping to go ~ around March-May 2023
THX
Rene
Wife and I were talking about the surprising lack of interest in the car, which is in awesome condition - Typical wife giving me st saying I'd asked too much etc etc. SO I said smartass 'how would you sell it then' - why not take it to USA and sell it there was the reply - Duh!!! Gobsmacked, I thought about it - now why didn't I think of that Of course being an American car its LHD, maybe that's a factor in the lack of interest in UK. Anyway pre-covid we'd already planned a trip down route 66, sadly covid stopped that happening - so why not combine the 2 things now??So my Q for you lot is - has anyone done this?? Can you give me some tips and do's & dont's - we've travelled extensively in USA so know all of the normal tourist do's & dont's
Ideally we'd like to go for a coupla month's starting somewhere on east coast - travelling west to LA or SF, taking in as many sights as possible en route.
What would be the major difficulties in doing this? My Z28 would be well up for this, and the thought of driving a well sorted V8 car on US roads is very appealing. a minor detail I know, also saves the cost of 2 months car rental!!
Anybody recommend a shipping agent or company to ship the car to US.
Any problems driving a UK registered car on US roads - how's the local plod with only UK number plates on the car etc.?
How would I insure it, would a UK Insurance green card cover me in USA? or would I have to get insurance locally ??
Finally easiest way of selling the car at the end?
Is this do-able without too many problems, or is it just wishful thinking??
I appreciate it won't be cheap, but for a major Hol that's not the issue, hoping to go ~ around March-May 2023
THX
Rene
It could be a terrible idea or a great idea. But either way you have to do it so you can write about it on here.
Nearest I’ve had to a ‘proper’ Camaro experience, was 2 * Camaro rentals on trips to Orlando as a 10-11 year old. No idea why engine it had but clearly not a V8! I remember the rev counter and speedometer shared two halves of one dial with a single double-ended needle which can only have been accurate in one gear!
Nearest I’ve had to a ‘proper’ Camaro experience, was 2 * Camaro rentals on trips to Orlando as a 10-11 year old. No idea why engine it had but clearly not a V8! I remember the rev counter and speedometer shared two halves of one dial with a single double-ended needle which can only have been accurate in one gear!
Geeman237
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Charlestown SC sounds like a good place to start, I was there -1980/1/2 ish
I almost did a US tour with the UK Lotus 7 club in 2005, though at the time I was totally rebuilding my 7, They did Houston - SF, the trip was well documented in the club mag - will have to go dig out the old club mags stored in the attic, I never really understood why they never did the full East - West route in USA, it was never explained in the mag, I believe the organiser of that trip posts on PH, under 'Steve B' maybe if he see's this post he'll comment
Thanks for your help - did you get my PM ok ?
Rene
>
Charlestown SC sounds like a good place to start, I was there -1980/1/2 ish
I almost did a US tour with the UK Lotus 7 club in 2005, though at the time I was totally rebuilding my 7, They did Houston - SF, the trip was well documented in the club mag - will have to go dig out the old club mags stored in the attic, I never really understood why they never did the full East - West route in USA, it was never explained in the mag, I believe the organiser of that trip posts on PH, under 'Steve B' maybe if he see's this post he'll comment
Thanks for your help - did you get my PM ok ?
Rene
rene7 said:
Geeman237
>
Charlestown SC sounds like a good place to start, I was there -1980/1/2 ish
I almost did a US tour with the UK Lotus 7 club in 2005, though at the time I was totally rebuilding my 7, They did Houston - SF, the trip was well documented in the club mag - will have to go dig out the old club mags stored in the attic, I never really understood why they never did the full East - West route in USA, it was never explained in the mag, I believe the organiser of that trip posts on PH, under 'Steve B' maybe if he see's this post he'll comment
Thanks for your help - did you get my PM ok ?
Rene
Rene hi. I haven't had the email via PH. Try again? I tried to email you but it doesn't look like you're switched on for that.>
Charlestown SC sounds like a good place to start, I was there -1980/1/2 ish
I almost did a US tour with the UK Lotus 7 club in 2005, though at the time I was totally rebuilding my 7, They did Houston - SF, the trip was well documented in the club mag - will have to go dig out the old club mags stored in the attic, I never really understood why they never did the full East - West route in USA, it was never explained in the mag, I believe the organiser of that trip posts on PH, under 'Steve B' maybe if he see's this post he'll comment
Thanks for your help - did you get my PM ok ?
Rene
Geeman237
>
My email has changed since I joined PH and it's impossible to change to a new email address on PH - a friend PM'd you for me, his pm included my new email address, did you receive that ok?
If not post any useful info in this thread, maybe someone else will want to tag along too
Thx
Rene
>
My email has changed since I joined PH and it's impossible to change to a new email address on PH - a friend PM'd you for me, his pm included my new email address, did you receive that ok?
If not post any useful info in this thread, maybe someone else will want to tag along too
Thx
Rene
Edited by rene7 on Thursday 28th July 13:17
Panamax said:
I'll bet some hard cash the car's worth substantially more in UK than it would be in North America, so the idea sounds flaky at best.
I agree.You really need to check the US value in the place you end up versus what you could get in the UK.
LHD here obviously makes it easy to sell.
The buyer having to faff through the importation paperwork less so.
HD Adam said:
Panamax said:
I'll bet some hard cash the car's worth substantially more in UK than it would be in North America, so the idea sounds flaky at best.
I agree.You really need to check the US value in the place you end up versus what you could get in the UK.
LHD here obviously makes it easy to sell.
The buyer having to faff through the importation paperwork less so.
Thanks for the suggestions, Dodgy Geezer the link you posted is Fab 
That's exactly what I want to do on my trip
I almost went with the L7 club on their USA trip in 2005, though their trip was only a miserable 3 weeks [Houston- SF]which IMO is not long enough for a east/west roadtrip, and all the hassle involved in shipping etc etc. I've done the east west trip twice in rental cars, 1 took 6 weeks the other almost 8, which IMO is the required time to have a decent Holiday/trip. In a rental car the trip is rather boring, WHat you really have to have is a V8 muscle car
>
Here's part of the write up from L7 club mag after their trip:-
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I know the 7 club had plenty of problems getting the cars returned to UK, Hence my idea of selling the car in USA my Z28's not worth a huge amount of £'s so anything i get from the sale in USA is a plus IMO Has I stated in the first post its a major hol's so cost isn't really a factor.
Surprised More haven't done this themselves, the wife wanted to take her Morgan when she owned it, though that particular Morgan US/Canada trip didn't fit in with our plans at the time.
Oh well maybe it'll have to be another Rental car tour, a lot easier but lacking any Streetcred IMO.
Thx to everyone who posted
That's exactly what I want to do on my trip I almost went with the L7 club on their USA trip in 2005, though their trip was only a miserable 3 weeks [Houston- SF]which IMO is not long enough for a east/west roadtrip, and all the hassle involved in shipping etc etc. I've done the east west trip twice in rental cars, 1 took 6 weeks the other almost 8, which IMO is the required time to have a decent Holiday/trip. In a rental car the trip is rather boring, WHat you really have to have is a V8 muscle car
>
Here's part of the write up from L7 club mag after their trip:-
>
>
>
I know the 7 club had plenty of problems getting the cars returned to UK, Hence my idea of selling the car in USA
my Z28's not worth a huge amount of £'s so anything i get from the sale in USA is a plus IMO Has I stated in the first post its a major hol's so cost isn't really a factor.Surprised More haven't done this themselves, the wife wanted to take her Morgan when she owned it, though that particular Morgan US/Canada trip didn't fit in with our plans at the time.
Oh well maybe it'll have to be another Rental car tour, a lot easier but lacking any Streetcred IMO.
Thx to everyone who posted
rene7 said:
Oh well maybe it'll have to be another Rental car tour, a lot easier but lacking any Streetcred IMO.
Thx to everyone who posted
Camaro's & Mustang's can be rented from Hertz. V8 models.Thx to everyone who posted
Not as cheap as a Ford Focus but if it's a special trip.
https://www.hertz.com/rentacar/vehicleguide/index....
To get an idea of the value of your car in the US try 'autotempest.com' make sure you look at the craig list section (will open lots of new tabs to look through)
In general, whilst the buying a car in the US is cheaper than the UK, secondhand they are substantially more in the US! no idea how that works but the fact that almost all people lease (and so companies own the car and thus can manipulate 2nd hand prices) is my guess
The largest hurdle will be the act of selling it, you would have to officially import it and pay any tax if due and get it tested (i assume, never done it myself) and registered in a state (pay tax so choose one with zero) to get the 'correct ' documents, otherwise im sure a dealer will do that for you ,at a cost!
Good luck, it will be head scratching logistics for sure, but would def be fun to do
In general, whilst the buying a car in the US is cheaper than the UK, secondhand they are substantially more in the US! no idea how that works but the fact that almost all people lease (and so companies own the car and thus can manipulate 2nd hand prices) is my guess
The largest hurdle will be the act of selling it, you would have to officially import it and pay any tax if due and get it tested (i assume, never done it myself) and registered in a state (pay tax so choose one with zero) to get the 'correct ' documents, otherwise im sure a dealer will do that for you ,at a cost!
Good luck, it will be head scratching logistics for sure, but would def be fun to do
satans worm said:
...secondhand they are substantially more in the US! no idea how that works ....
I suspect it is more to do with it being much harder to live without a motorcar other than in the centre of a few of the large North-Eastern cities, so there is more of a market for cars at all levels of income, so cars don't become worthless within a few years like over here.rene7 said:
Geeman237
>
My email has changed since I joined PH and it's impossible to change to a new email address on PH - a friend PM'd you for me, his pm included my new email address, did you receive that ok?
If not post any useful info in this thread, maybe someone else will want to tag along too
Thx
Rene
Still no email from you or your friend. I checked my junk folder too. Everything looks ok on my profile. Anyway a Mod can link us together?>
My email has changed since I joined PH and it's impossible to change to a new email address on PH - a friend PM'd you for me, his pm included my new email address, did you receive that ok?
If not post any useful info in this thread, maybe someone else will want to tag along too
Thx
Rene
Edited by rene7 on Thursday 28th July 13:17
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