Options for driving car cross-country without plates?

[GopherBrain]

So I am buying a car in NY this weekend. The seller keeps the license plates in NY. The legal thing to is go to a NY DMV office, get a temporary tag, and go about my business. I can't do this for 2 reasons. First, he stores the car in NJ, and I will never be back in NY after picking it up. Second, I need this all to happen on a Saturday, and I can't find a DMV with hours after 1 PM.

So here are the options as I see them.

1) Drive without plates, don't speed, plan to get pulled over several times but hope for warnings.

2) Take the plates from my old black 1991 325i coupe and put them on my new black 1988 M3 coupe. Drive slow so as not to get pulled over, and hope the police aren't car buffs if we do get pulled over for some freak reason (no tint on car, no illegal mods as far as I know).

Does anyone have any other bright ideas? Is there a MN-legal option? I can't get temp plates here before I go because I won't have a signed title.

[flyboyx]

good luck.

[mkcman17]

i've done worse, but probably wouldn't advise it.

[bowtie2bimmer]

Here in FL I know that if you get pulled over on a weekend (DMV offices are closed) and you have a fresh title and you are "diving it home" they will not fine you. I can't say if all the states will be the same.

[SGT4677]

http://www.nj.gov/mvc/Vehicle/TemporaryRegistration.htm

[havand]

Va will actually sell you ($5 or $10, can't remember) a temporary tag to get it home if you are a resident. Only good for like a week or something. I've used it twice now. Maybe your state has something similar?

[Simon S]

.. my new black 1988 M3 coupe..

lucky fucker !!

Option 3 - drive so fast that the cops can't catch you.

(but honestly, i'd go with #2 and behave. Should be fine)

[lambo]

Write some random numbers and letters on a piece of paper and tape up in the rear window?

[nrubenstein]

#2 is the least bad option. Or just ship it.

[Andy348]

Can you not ask the seller to 'borrow' the plates for the drive home and ship them back to him? Even overnighting them would only be like $40 which is significantly less than a potential ticket.

Mind you the PO might be a bit sketched out given toll fines and potential tickets

[willworkfore30s]

The ticket for using the tags from another vehicle will be worse than driving with no tags. At least this is what I have been told. I drove two e30s from the Outer Banks to Raleigh NC (about 5 hours) with no tags and had no trouble.

I have also borrowed a dealer tag from a family friend before. He said it was legal under the pretense that he was considering buying the vehicle...so its probably not totally legal but should attract less attention than no tags.

[akorcovelos]

Swapping the plates off another car is a felony, so probably don't want to do that. Most states give at least 24 hours to transport the car using just the signed title, but you should check the laws in the states you'll be going through.

[delatlanta1281]

bill of sale and a title. Insure it, and go. You coulf do a piece of cardboard saying tag applied for as well. doubtful a cop will write you with proof of insurance and a bill of sale,

[Roadsterd]

Have you confirmed this with your local dmv/dps/tax office?

Usually all you need to obtain temporary plates is proof of valid insurance on the car. After all, if you had the title in hand you would just be registering the car and getting metal plates.

You are risking a lot of headaches with either of the two options listed above.

[Vivek]

I would do number 1. #2 is much less likely to get you in trouble, but you'll be in deep shit if you get caught.