Car Buying Process in NC (Raleigh, Star: sales, insurance, transfer)

[Coopman14]

I currently live in China and will be returning to Raleigh in a couple months and will need to buy a car. I have a valid NC driver's license. Could someone please explain to me the process of buying a car, title transfer, insurance, and registration? More specifically, in what order do I need to do these things? Also, is it possible for someone else to buy a car in my name without me being there (payment in cash)? If so, how does this affect the process?

Thanks for your help.

Cooper

[suedonym]

if you buy from a dealership they will take care of all of it.

if you buy from an individual, you have to get the title notarized, get insurance on it, then go to the dmv to register it and pay taxes and get your tags.

no, no one can buy the car in your name, perhaps they can buy it, then you buy it from them later.

[GCharlotte]

Originally Posted by Coopman14

I currently live in China and will be returning to Raleigh in a couple months and will need to buy a car. I have a valid NC driver's license. Could someone please explain to me the process of buying a car, title transfer, insurance, and registration? More specifically, in what order do I need to do these things? Also, is it possible for someone else to buy a car in my name without me being there (payment in cash)? If so, how does this affect the process?

Thanks for your help.

Cooper

If it's more than $10,000 then your going to trigger IRS and homeland security eyebrows if you pay cash. Maybe even less than that.

You need insurance so if you don't have that see about lining it up in advance. You don't want to buy "on the lot" insurance because it's going to be severely marked up.

The taxes and tags etc are done at the dealer when you buy.

In order to practice for the joy of car buying I recommend putting your head in a vice and cranking it until you can't stand it any further. Or at least start your shopping on the internet and line up some test drives that way. Walking in blind to the dealership is a serious mark against you. Starting online means you can avoid the pressure and other tactics car sales pros use to get your emotions going.