BUYING CAR: Have trade-in / paying question..

[SplshMtn99]

We are buying a 2002 Subaru Forester (in both our names) and trading in my old car (in my name alone). Because of the difference in ownership names, we cannot transfer the license plates & we need to get new plates for the new car.

I have a question & the dealership is closed. Anyone here with alot of car buying experience who may be able to help me?

Tomorrow we are driving to the dealer in CT to pay for the new car, so we can take the title back to MA to register (& get new plates for) the new car on Monday.

The dealer is adding some items to the new car & it won't be ready for a couple days (Mon or Tues). I need to keep my old car to drive until the new car is ready.

Our plan is to leave them our old car (the trade-in) when we go to pick up the new car on Mon or Tues. At that time we will put on the new plates.

BUT, MY QUESTION IS: will the dealer give me the new car title tomorrow so I can get the registration if I haven't finished "paying" for the new car. By "paying" I mean I haven't signed over NOR given them my trade in car yet. The trade-in value is only $300 and I will have given them a bank check for close to $20,000. WHAT DO YOU THINK?

 

[SplshMtn99]

Anyone?

 

[GEM]

I don't know if this is any help or not, but we also just bought a new car (which also happens to be a Subaru Forrester). It has both my name and my husband's name on it. We got rid of his car, which was in just his name. We had no problems at all transferring the tags over from the old car to the new car. Also, you do have 30 days after you buy the car to take care of the registration and tags - at least in this state. So, it shouldn't be a problem if you just want to wait until you actually have the car.

 

[SplshMtn99]

MA has strange rules. Can only transfer registration if old & new cars owned in same names (among other rules). LOL

Do you like your new car? I looked long & hard to find a 2002 used with low miles. Finally found one. 7475 miles on it. And it's BLUE. My favorite.

 

[Kermit]

I've never had to have tags or anything for a new car. In both Texas and SC, there's a grace period. In fact, the last time I got a car, I was able to transfer the plates, but we couldn't put them on the new car right away until we got something in the mail saying that the registration was complete or something like that. I'm a complete idiot when it comes to knowing the difference between tags and registration and all that other stuff, so I just nodded like I understood what the dealer was telling me and waited for my paper work to come in the mail.