Buying a Euro 308 QV from California | FerrariChat

Buying a Euro 308 QV from California

Discussion in 'California & Nevada (Northern)' started by dinonz308, Apr 22, 2018.

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  1. dinonz308

    dinonz308 Formula Junior
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    #1 dinonz308, Apr 22, 2018
    Just wondered if anyone had any advice on this. I saw a 308 QV Euro spec for sale in California, and states they will not sell to a Californian resident as it cannot be registered there. That's fine - I don't live there, I live in Texas, but I wondered how I would get on registering it in Texas with no registration (unless it's currently registered in another state and just for sale in CA - that I don't know)? And presuming I can't register it in CA to get temp tags, that means I can't drive it home - it would have to be shipped?
     
  2. energy88

    energy88 Two Time F1 World Champ
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    #2 energy88, Apr 22, 2018
    Google the VIN and/or get a CarFax to see where it might have been before regarding presence (or lack) of title/registration. Good questions.
     
  3. dinonz308

    dinonz308 Formula Junior
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    #3 dinonz308, Apr 22, 2018
    The VIN isn't listed in the ad, and I'm not ready to buy so don't want to bother the seller, I'm just trying to gather information for when I am ready to buy. Being from NZ, much of the inter-state stuff is new to me so I'm trying to learn as much as possible. My last out of state purchase (actually a lease) was from a dealer, and they handled everything.

    I did find something regarding a California "One Trip Permit" which allows someone to drive an unregistered vehicle from California directly to their home - that may be what I would need.
     
  4. cmt6891

    cmt6891 Formula 3

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    #4 cmt6891, Apr 22, 2018
    It is possible that the car is for sale by California dealer but the car resides in another state, thus already has a current registration. It needs a BAR certificate which it does not have, obviously. Not likely the car would be in a state it can't be registered in.
     
  5. dinonz308

    dinonz308 Formula Junior
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    #5 dinonz308, Apr 22, 2018
    The car is advertised for sale from a private owner in CA, but I do not know if it's registered out of state. Or it could have been freshly imported to the US. I have no idea.
     
  6. energy88

    energy88 Two Time F1 World Champ
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    #6 energy88, Apr 22, 2018
    If you are really interested in the car you need to get the VIN, the car's story, any maintenance/repair records, and line up a PPI.
     
  7. dinonz308

    dinonz308 Formula Junior
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    #7 dinonz308, Apr 22, 2018
    Yes - I realize that - I'm just trying to work out the logistics of buying a car in a state where it can't be registered. Being a foreigner, pretty much all of your state and federal laws are new to me.
     
  8. Brian A

    Brian A F1 Rookie

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    #8 Brian A, Apr 23, 2018
    Before a car's title can be transferred in California, the car must pass California SMOG emissions testing. It is the California SELLER's responsibility to pass the SMOG test (and repair the car if necessary).

    This is the reason why the seller of the car you're looking at has worded the ad the way they have. It's probably code for "missing emission equipment" needed to pass California SMOG test. As other's have mentioned, it might be more serious in that it has never received USA Federal BAR importation approval and has never legally been on the road in the USA.

    This all means that it is very car-specific as to why it cannot be registered in California. Most likely it CAN be registered in Texas, but two phone calls are necessary; one to the seller to find out why it can't be registered in California and second to the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles to find out if that means it also cannot be registered in Texas.

    Interestingly, California doesn't require much mechanical / safety inspection of vehicles; just emissions equipment. Other States are much stricter regarding mechanical / safety integrity.
     
  9. dinonz308

    dinonz308 Formula Junior
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    #9 dinonz308, Apr 23, 2018
    Yes - a Euro 308 QV will be missing the catalytic converters, because they were never a requirement in Europe. But it can still be legally imported to the US, and can be registered here in Texas as vehicles over 25 years old only need to pass a safety inspection - not emissions.

    It's not terribly car specific - no Euro 308 can be registered in California unless you retro-fit catalytic converters. Some Euro imports were fully federalized and could be sold in California as they now have cats. Most were not, from what I understand, this they cannot be registered in California.

    I was more worried about the "if its not registered how do I get it out of state and will that cause problems registering it". Right now I'm not in a position to buy it, so don't want to bother the seller to confirm if it's registered and if so in which state etc. but it seems the answers I'm seeking depend on those answers.
     

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