PDA

View Full Version : your car while thru hiking



Freeleo
10-25-2007, 16:24
what did you do with your car/car payment during your thru-hike?

warraghiyagey
10-25-2007, 16:25
Not have one.

wrongway_08
10-25-2007, 16:41
Dont have any but I am leaving the cars at the house, catching the train or having a family member do a fast - over night :) - road trip with me to drop me off.

As far as the payments, just have them taken out of your bank account automatically.

dessertrat
10-25-2007, 16:49
I guess that's something to calculate in the expenses of a thru-hike, if you are going to keep a car somewhere.

cocoa
10-25-2007, 16:51
If you store it, make sure you do it properly. Even though we had it in a garage, our brakes and roters got rusty and we had to replace them.

Captn
10-25-2007, 16:51
Automatic Bill pay is GREAT!

The Weasel
10-25-2007, 16:54
Most cars, if not being driven at all, for 5-7 months, should be "taken out of service", for which there are a number of ways to do, including having a mechanic do so. Car insurance can be changed to "non operating" status, much cheaper. Car payments must be made or the lender will send out Charlie Sheen.

TW

SGT Rock
10-25-2007, 17:19
Pay it off and leave it with my wife.

The Solemates
10-25-2007, 17:32
the smartest thing to do is pay it off before you hike. in my mind, thats part of the preparation/planning.

Just a Hiker
10-25-2007, 17:44
Hey Freeleo! Before you leave, pay your Insurance Premium, and take your car to the Over the Rhine section of Cincinnati and leave the keys in it. Problem solved!!:banana

Freeleo
10-25-2007, 17:53
JAH,

hope you enjoy this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmVFnhO3A98

Lyle
10-25-2007, 17:54
Also, a lesson I learned when laid up for 9 months for medical reasons way back when: Do not allow your insurance to lapse before your plates. Even if no one is driving the car, the state (at least Michigan) assumes you are driving if you have current plates. When I was ready to start driving again, I had to go into the high-risk pool for a year because they assumed I had been driving without insurance - VERY EXPENSIVE!!!!

Uncle Silly
10-25-2007, 19:54
In NC your driver's license is tied to your insurance. If your insurance lapses for too long (there is a small grace period), your license will be automatically revoked. Naturally, you will have to provide proof of insurance before they'll issue a new license.

Sly
10-25-2007, 20:03
You could always sell it.

Just a Hiker
10-25-2007, 20:06
In NC your driver's license is tied to your insurance. If your insurance lapses for too long (there is a small grace period), your license will be automatically revoked. Naturally, you will have to provide proof of insurance before they'll issue a new license.


No Kidding? Maine is strict about insurance as well, but not as strict as that. Where Maine is tough is the dreaded "State Inspection":mad:

Pirate
10-25-2007, 20:19
what did you do with your car/car payment during your thru-hike?

Sell it. It gives you more money to spend on moonshine.

halftime
10-25-2007, 22:06
what did you do with your car/car payment during your thru-hike?

Unless you owe more than the value of the car, you could sell it, pay off the note and sock away the balance in a cd account that draws reasonable interest. The car would likely depreciate in value within 6 month anyway and with interest and insurance, licnese etc savings you could probobly replace at the end of your hike with a vehicle of higher value. just a thought.

Footslogger
10-25-2007, 22:13
what did you do with your car/car payment during your thru-hike?

====================================

I left it parked in the yard.

'Slogger

Appalachian Tater
10-25-2007, 22:14
In NC your driver's license is tied to your insurance. If your insurance lapses for too long (there is a small grace period), your license will be automatically revoked. Naturally, you will have to provide proof of insurance before they'll issue a new license.

Are you sure you don't mean the car registration and/or plate? A lot of states have that requirement. The car is insured, though, not the driver. A lot of people have drivers licenses and no car and thus no car insurance.

SGT Rock
10-25-2007, 22:18
Unless you owe more than the value of the car, you could sell it, pay off the note and sock away the balance in a cd account that draws reasonable interest. The car would likely depreciate in value within 6 month anyway and with interest and insurance, licnese etc savings you could probobly replace at the end of your hike with a vehicle of higher value. just a thought.
That is why I sold my pickup.

AT-HITMAN2005
10-25-2007, 23:56
i didn't have a car, but i did have a motorcycle. i saved enough to make payments for the 6 months, parked it in my parents garage, put some gas preservative stuff in the tank, disconnected the battery. and was on my way.

more or less started right up when i got back 6 months later.

Uncle Silly
10-26-2007, 17:49
In NC your driver's license is tied to your insurance. If your insurance lapses for too long (there is a small grace period), your license will be automatically revoked. Naturally, you will have to provide proof of insurance before they'll issue a new license.


Are you sure you don't mean the car registration and/or plate? A lot of states have that requirement. The car is insured, though, not the driver. A lot of people have drivers licenses and no car and thus no car insurance.

Tater, it may sound incredulous, but there are no mistakes in my post. I've been an NC resident all my life, and I've been driving for half the time I've been alive. I know what I'm talking about here.

In NC, you do not have, and will not get, a valid driver's license if you are not insured. It doesn't matter if you don't own a car. You must have a certain minimum amount of liability insurance. If your insurance lapses, they will revoke your driver's license, not your vehicle registration or plates.

Odd? Sure, but that's the state law here.

nitewalker
10-26-2007, 17:56
i cant understand that 1. no insurance, no license just doesnt sound rite....

nitewalker
10-26-2007, 17:57
why pay insurance on a car you do not own or posess.. just a taxpayers waste of money......

nitewalker
10-26-2007, 18:01
so in nc when people turn the age of 16 they can expect to pay insurance for the rest of their lives even if they never own a car.. the insurance must be on the license itself....

Lyle
10-26-2007, 18:04
Actually, it does make some sense. If you insure the driver, then whatever car they are driving will be insured.

Here in Michigan, according to one attorney we spoke with, if the car is not insured, but is in an accident, then the insurance company who insures any other car the driver owns is responsible. If the driver does not own an auto, the the insurance company of anyone living in the drivers household is responsible (this IS incredible to me). If no one in the drivers household has an auto with insurance, then the victims are covered by the uninsured motorist pool that every driver contributes to. In other words, everyone is covered one way or another in an auto accident. This sounds incredible, but as far as I know, it is the way the law works here in Michigan. We learned this while trying to collect ambulance bills from auto accidents.

nitewalker
10-26-2007, 18:12
Actually, it does make some sense. If you insure the driver, then whatever car they are driving will be insured.

Here in Michigan, according to one attorney we spoke with, if the car is not insured, but is in an accident, then the insurance company who insures any other car the driver owns is responsible. If the driver does not own an auto, the the insurance company of anyone living in the drivers household is responsible (this IS incredible to me). If no one in the drivers household has an auto with insurance, then the victims are covered by the uninsured motorist pool that every driver contributes to. In other words, everyone is covered one way or another in an auto accident. This sounds incredible, but as far as I know, it is the way the law works here in Michigan. We learned this while trying to collect ambulance bills from auto accidents.


its all understandable but how can they suspend your license if you do not pat auto insurane?

nitewalker
10-26-2007, 18:12
pay, pay , pay its the american way!!!!

Sly
10-26-2007, 18:16
In NC, you do not have, and will not get, a valid driver's license if you are not insured. It doesn't matter if you don't own a car.

Odd? Sure, but that's the state law here.

Not quite.... from the DMV site

Proof of liability insurance. North Carolina is very strict about liability insurance for drivers. You must bring proof of insurance with you when you apply for a license. If you do not currently own a motor vehicle and you do not drive a private passenger vehicle owned by another person, you are exempt from needing proof of insurance. However, you must certify that you are exempt on Form DL-123A, and your license will be restricted to driving only fleet vehicles.

nitewalker
10-26-2007, 18:21
Not quite.... from the DMV site

Proof of liability insurance. North Carolina is very strict about liability insurance for drivers. You must bring proof of insurance with you when you apply for a license. If you do not currently own a motor vehicle and you do not drive a private passenger vehicle owned by another person, you are exempt from needing proof of insurance. However, you must certify that you are exempt on Form DL-123A, and your license will be restricted to driving only fleet vehicles.


sly thanks for the help.. i knew that didnt sound rite.. im no genious but i am definitly not a fool....;)

Uncle Silly
10-26-2007, 18:37
Not quite.... from the DMV site

Proof of liability insurance. North Carolina is very strict about liability insurance for drivers. You must bring proof of insurance with you when you apply for a license. If you do not currently own a motor vehicle and you do not drive a private passenger vehicle owned by another person, you are exempt from needing proof of insurance. However, you must certify that you are exempt on Form DL-123A, and your license will be restricted to driving only fleet vehicles.

You're right, Sly. The restriction to "fleet vehicles" makes it pretty worthless in practice, IMHO, unless your company is awfully generous with their cars. Their definition of "fleet vehicles" seems to include rental cars as well as company cars, but I can't find a specific definition.

Regardless, MY unrestricted driver's license was revoked last year when my insurance lapsed. In regards to the topic at hand, had I been going on trail and looking to save money by not maintaining my car insurance while there, I would've had to pay for a duplicate license in order to get the restricted "fleet vehicles" license.

Freeleo
10-26-2007, 18:56
but im in ohio....just kidding

AT-HITMAN2005
10-27-2007, 11:17
in florida you insure the car not the person. if someone else is driving you car and has an accident then your insurance pays for it, not theirs.

at least thats the way i experienced it.

Harry Cruise
10-27-2007, 11:51
Are you sure you don't mean the car registration and/or plate? A lot of states have that requirement. The car is insured, though, not the driver. A lot of people have drivers licenses and no car and thus no car insurance.

I just moved here a year ago and I can attest that a lot of government-run stuff in NC is remarkably backwards, at least compared to Montana and Colorado.
I just ran into a government-assisted scam when got my truck inspected (required yearly in NC) and the shop said my vehicle needed new windshield wipers in order to pass and they'd be glad to replace them for only $30.
I knew for a fact the wipers were absolutely fine, but I obviously wasn't in a position to argue. I did, however, make them wait while I went out and bought wipers myself for $10.

Moon Monster
10-27-2007, 21:28
Most insurance companies grant a significant discount when a car is parked for a while. Many people travel on business or for pleasure for extended periods. This sort of suspended collision coverage is common. Though, the details may vary.

For my car, having GEICO in North Carolina at the time, I was able to give them approximate dates of my trip up front and they charged me only for comprehensive coverage for that period. That saved me a lot of money. They asked for the odometer reading before and after--obviously they can check that if you wind up having some claim in that period. Otherwise, they simply took my word.

GEICO allowed me a small mileage; I forget what it was, maybe 10 miles/month or in that range. This is needed because for the health of the car, it should not stay still for so long. That's bad for brakes, tires, hoses, several things. I had family drive it around the block every couple weeks.

My only hitch was some confusion on GEICO's part when I returned and reactivated the full coverage. Since the company got its start serving military personnel, they assumed without me saying anything that I was in the military and deployed. When I informed the I wasn't, the clerk got confused with something in her script on the screen and balked. But, she straightened it out with a bit more reading of my records.

Peanut
11-01-2007, 16:26
Do that apply only to cars that are paid off? I'm still paying mine off and someone had mentioned that I can't just have comp. in that case. Does anyone know how accurate that is? I've tried to look google info and call...but talking to someone there is hopeless. Thanks!

max patch
11-01-2007, 16:34
Do that apply only to cars that are paid off? I'm still paying mine off and someone had mentioned that I can't just have comp. in that case. Does anyone know how accurate that is? I've tried to look google info and call...but talking to someone there is hopeless. Thanks!

Insurance requirements will be spelled out in your loan documents. Check those and then contact your bank if you want an exception to the loan terms. Good luck.

wrongway_08
11-01-2007, 16:46
Also, a lesson I learned when laid up for 9 months for medical reasons way back when: Do not allow your insurance to lapse before your plates. Even if no one is driving the car, the state (at least Michigan) assumes you are driving if you have current plates. When I was ready to start driving again, I had to go into the high-risk pool for a year because they assumed I had been driving without insurance - VERY EXPENSIVE!!!!

In Maryland all you do is have a neighbor or car guy write you a letter stating the car has been sitting and not in use. They will usually let it go as long as you dont keep repeating it.
This happened to us a while ago, the car couldnt be used and we just forgot about the tags, a guy we knew just wrote us a statement sayn that the car was not used. Ended up just payn the normal tag fees.

wrongway_08
11-01-2007, 16:49
Do that apply only to cars that are paid off? I'm still paying mine off and someone had mentioned that I can't just have comp. in that case. Does anyone know how accurate that is? I've tried to look google info and call...but talking to someone there is hopeless. Thanks!


Car has to be paided off, thats the way State farm explained it - doesnt matter where you live.

Some companies (State Farm is one) will allow a "out of use" insurance. You can only have someone drive it a few miles a month (think its like 5 miles every other week) and that takes your insurance down by 50% for me.

Brock
11-05-2007, 16:18
Hey Freeleo! Before you leave, pay your Insurance Premium, and take your car to the Over the Rhine section of Cincinnati and leave the keys in it. Problem solved!!:banana

What's wrong with OTR? I live in Clifton and park in OTR sometimes... NOT!

I left my 5 year old car in a rented storage locker with all of my belongings. I took no special precautions for storing it long term. I did come back to Cinci mid-trip for about a week and drove the car up to Toledo and the only problem was that my battery died and had to be jumpstarted. It died at the end of my trip after coming back and had to be jumpstarted again too... all the fluids were fine though.

As for car insurance, I had mine "suspended". When I came back home for a week (darn weddings) I had them reissue my insurance for that week at the same pricing as before (so it only cost me about $25 to have my car insured for 6 months).

As for car payments... I was fortunate enough to be near the end of my payments and just finished them off. I didn't want high bills leaving holes in my wallet and weighing on my thoughts as I tried to live a carefree lifestyle.

My suggestion is to either get rid of the car, or leave it in a place where you won't worry about it for 6 months.


P.S. what's with all these people from Cinci hiking the trail? So many more than I ever would have imagined.

atraildreamer
11-05-2007, 17:36
Hey Freeleo! Before you leave, pay your Insurance Premium, and take your car to the Over the Rhine section of Cincinnati and leave the keys in it. Problem solved!!:banana


Left my '94 Chevy Cavalier Wagon running in the nasty :eek: section of Providence with the windows rolled down for and hour. Came back to find several dollars bills on the seat (sympathy donations???:mad:) :D:banana