Fly and Drive, Daytona to Louisville edition

So I bought a 350Z in Deland, FL and I'm flying to Daytona in the morning to get it and begin the 842 mile drive home. I was shooting for later in the week as I had a local friend heading down for the big race but I suspect the seller has plans for the race and wanted it done sooner than later. I figure I'll make a pit stop for a quick beach cruise with the new ride and maybe stop by the GRM headquarters for the nickel tour if anyone is there or maybe just loiter in the parking lot and see how long it takes the neighbors to call the cops before heading north. Anything happening around Daytona tomorrow that I simply must do, see or touch (in a strictly appropriate manner) before racing for the Mason Dixon?

Driving back via the Dragon?

I'd be hitting the dragon around 1am so I'm thinking I'll save that one for another trip.

Technically the GRM office is closed today in honor of MLK Day, but I'm here backing up Scottsdale photos and writing. If the timing is right, sure, you can get a nickel tour. If not, our parking lot is quite sunny today.

In reply to evildky:Don't waste a trip down to the Dragon when it's summer and the weather is nice. Pick a middle of the week time when the kids are still in school & there's no holiday upcoming our just passing. Traffic (motorhomes, multiple cops, & slow cruiser bikes riders)can get bad even then.

Actually, considering all the publicity, 1a.m. may be the only time you can actually enjoy your ride on the Dragon these days. I'd take US 421 from about Pleasureville to Frankfort as a more fun run almost any time. That trip has a ton of interesting curves, hills, etc. without all the hoopla and the cops. I just hope the magazines don't start publicizing it too!

The dragon at night is actually a pretty good time to go. Next to no traffic and you can keep a good pace the whole run.

In reply to Spoolpigeon: I love the fact that while running at night you can generally see headlight flashes from traffic coming the other direction too. A lot less surprises that way!

Things have not gone to plan. Just trying to get home at this point.

car was POS and you're scrambling to get a one-way flight home?

or car is POS and you're waiting on triple-A?

good luck, mister duck!

Car looked like someone vision impaired child tried to fix faded solid red paint with metallic rattle car red. On second leg heading home now. Thanks to a shady seller.

In reply to evildky:

That sucks.. Safe travels.

Bummer, that's just not cool.

I should have known when he picked me up at the airport in a cor other than the one I was planning to buy. 29 miles form the airport I see the turd in person and no way am I going through with the deal and I had to find my way back to the airport. 13 hours, four airports, four airplanes and I'm home. Gonna go kick my dog now.

That Miata still for sale? Sucks bro.

Wow. Good thing seller-turd was a little impatient. Otherwise the pos car would have been in your driveway next Monday night.

This thread is one reason I will likely never do a fly and drive.

Been there, suitcase full of cash. At least my plan involved showing up in a rental car and then he was supposed to drive back with me to drop it off. Instead I got to go back and buy a one way ticket home.

PPI is the answer. Find someone in said city who will go do an eyes-on inspection for you prior to traveling, or make arrangements for an independent mechanic to give it the once-over. If the seller balks at having someone do an inspection, there's a substantial reason why it isn't worth the trip.

I did a relatively tame fly & drive last month. A GRM'er here (G8MikeGXP) went to inspect a G8 GT for me in Detroit prior to purchase. His first-hand impressions gave me good piece of mind that the car was as advertised. It helped a lot that he was intimately familiar with the car as a G8 owner himself. Nonetheless, I would have never committed to that kind of trip without someone reputable (and with no skin in the game) acting as my proxy.

The car was just as I expected. Flew in from Milwaukee, did the paperwork in the commuter lot at the airport, the seller had his own ride home and I drove the six hours back to Milwaukee. Actually, I still owe Mike something for his time.

Anyway, sorry this went so badly for you!

Things that make a fly-and-drive work:

1. Have a local give it a quick once over first. GRM forum member, local club (want a BMW? join the BMWCCA FIRST!), or family member.

2. Have an exit plan! Guy shows up in KKK uniform and you're not white? Guy shows up stoned and offers to drive you back to the hood in the dark to do the deal? GUY DOESN'T SHOW UP? Be prepared to get right back on a plane. Know what return flights cost, when they are, and where you're going to do the deal before stepping out your front door.

3. Research the seller. Buying a Mercedes and the guy lives in section 8? He is either a drug dealer or the car is a POS. Buying a 10 year old truck and you're flying to the rust belt? It's rotted out. I don't care what the pictures show or what the guy says. And if it's not rotted it was fixed-but how well? Is the guy active on forums? What is his rep?

4. Be ready to walk away. A shady seller bets you will go through with the sale since you're already there and have committed a lot of time and money. Don't fall into that trap!

5. Budget. If the price of the car+the price to get it AND the cost of NOT getting it exceeds what you're prepared to spend then don't get on the plane.

5a. If possible make a mini vacation out of it. Even if you have to fly home instead of drive, you can at least have a few good meals, relax for a night, see local sights, etc.

Has there been an article on this? There should be an article on this.

5b. Call me first. I live in Louisville and the folks live in Daytona Beach!

In reply to evildky:

wow, super-lame. i'd sign that guy up for all the ghey porn on the interweb.

I've had bad luck buying out of state, even with PPI's being done. At this point I'm just unwilling to do it, period.

Unless I can easily go see the car and have it inspected by a shop that I know and trust, I won't buy it.

Ugh, sorry to hear that OP. This is what makes me really nervous about ever buying a car this way. Ebay seems about TWICE as scary for that reason too. Your judgement of the car is only as good as what the seller is trying to show you or disclose.

Even as a seller if you are trying to be 100% honest about the condition of the car you can't fully document EVERYTHING to the nth degree or you may not be aware of issues that the car has without a full inspection. I had one of my old cars parked in the garage after I had bought something new and I frankly wasn't driving it for quite some time and the new owner got about 2 hours from home on his drive from WI to St. Louis when the rear wheel bearing exploded. I felt terrible but other then some noise were hearing for the first time on the test drive I wasn't aware it had a problem.

In reply to Junkyard_Dog:I think you covered it pretty well! But I agree, every magazine with ties to collector rides should run an article about flying and buying. And yes, the local whatever brand club is often a huge resource.