Buying a car before moving to P'cola

[Artur]

Hello everyone,

Heading to OCS next weekend and wanted to get advice on this:
I currently do not own a car (live in NY and no need for car here) so I will need to purchase one before i get down to P'cola. How does that exactly work? I know i have 30 days to register the car and i can get a temporary insurance until i relocate to P'cola. However, as far as i know to be able to register car i need to have an address in FL but i will not have one until I at least get to P'cola. Anyone has any experience being in similar situation or any advice?

Thanks in advance!

 

[OscarMyers]

Why not wait to get to Pcola to buy the car and get the dealer to pay tax title and tags?

 

[Artur]

Why not wait to get to Pcola to buy the car and get the dealer to pay tax title and tags?

Well my primary motivation was to get a car so i could bring all my stuff with me from home. Otherwise, flying would be the way to get there, but then how will I be able to get around for first couple of days? Renting a car? Thanks !

 

[SynixMan]

As many have said here, having a car during OCS and then to get to PCola is a good idea. Your situation is tough. Honestly, as much as it sucks, I'd just take the Govt plane ticket to PCola and buy something there. New York taxes and fees have got to be insane. There's a boatload of non-sketchy car dealers up by the mall. Avoid the small no-name ones and have an idea of what you want when you get there, then get a ride with a friend. I gave two OCS classmates rides to get cars when we first got to PCola. Get some basic, non-ensign mobile wheels, then figure out housing.

 

[Artur]

I'd just take the Govt plane ticket to PCola and buy something there

What's a Govt plane ticket ? I thought we were supposed to get to P'cola at our own dime, except that they would pay you a daily rate if you drive there.

 

[SynixMan]

The travel people will book you commercial plane ticket to Pensacola if you're not driving.

 

[zippy]

You can probably get through OCS without a car but buy one before you get to Pcola. It's going to be a pain in the dick for you to get anything accomplished once you get here and you don't have one. If you don't have the financial means now, you will once you're commissioned (both a paycheck or one of those commissioning starter loans). Get on Consumer reports.org or some other website and start researching what you want, and how much you want to pay for it, and start test driving, so you have an idea and can streamline the buying process once you finish OCS. Do research whether or not the vehicle you want is cheaper (including taxes) in NY, RI, or FL (or wherever else you'd buy) and pull the trigger when the time comes.

 

[scoolbubba]

Don't listen to synix. Get the sweetest ensign mobile you can afford. You can save when you are a LT.

 

[statesman]

Why not wait to get to Pcola to buy the car and get the dealer to pay tax title and tags?

That's not really how it works. TT&L is almost always added to the price of the car. So you pay it either way.

 

[Cobra Commander]

You should buy your car from the Dean Mitchell Auto mall in Mobile. Their commercials always cracked me up. It was one of the best parts of living in PCola....but I would never recommend actually buying a car there.

 

[C420sailor]

New York taxes and fees have got to be insane.

NY actually isn't bad at all. There's no property/luxury/whatever tax on vehicles. You just pay for annual registration, which isn't expensive. Way better than states like VA that'll only charge you ~$45/yr for registration, but then send you a nice annual tax bill for $800 for your two vehicles. Scumbags.

Now property taxes? Prepare to get f*cked by the long dick of NYS.

I suggest you show up to the dealer drunk...then walk in, point at the car of your dreams and say "That one. I want it."

 

[SynixMan]

True that. VA taxes are insane. Florida is decent and offers the no tax if you purchase it out of state and title in FL.

 

[Artur]

Thanks everyone for replies, i guess what im still not sure about is: after OCS we get our orders as to where to report, is there an address in P'cola that i could reference when purchasing a car so i could register it?

 

[MIDNJAC]

Don't listen to synix. Get the sweetest ensign mobile you can afford. You can save when you are a LT.

It's funny cause it's true. Just finally paid off said ENS mobile and USAA starter loan used to buy it last month. Nevermind that the ENS mobile died in a junkyard in Carlsbad almost 3 years ago after I got T-boned in the RAG

 

[scoolbubba]

that's too bad...shitty luck. I've been fortunate with my ensign mobile...all I wanted was a Toyota like Marty's from Back to the Future. My tacoma is still tickin, and it pays me about 400 bucks every month I keep driving it.