Questions about bringing a car...

i brought mine and was very glad i did. for me , my car was paid off and i knew all about it, so no surprises. cost about the same for me to bring it as it would have to buy one here. so for me it was worth bringing it.

there are or were people that do all of that for you but we have not used them in years , his name was easy-know nothing else about him

When I shipped a car down last year, I actually got its VI insurance while it was in transit. All I needed was the title, VIN number and description and that was enough. I use Marshall and Sterling and highly recommend them! Very nice to deal with. You need insurance BEFORE you can get the car registered. Since I shipped with VI Cargo, they cleared the road tax and customs for me (HIGHLY convenient) and I just paid all these fees + the shipping cost directly to them. I also never got a moving permit--I just drove it straight from the dock to the BMV (7 minute drive at the most) to get it registered and VI plates.

Also, when you trade in your stateside license, you need a copy of your traffic record from the states.

traffic record? DMV?? I can figure that out. I saw the other thread where many recommended Marshall and sterling also. I paid $85 a months on my truck that I just sold and haven't been in an accident in 10years + .... man I hope it's MUCH less than that on de rock! 😉

What's involved in buying a car in STX? Just a VI DL and insurance?? Seems WAY easier just to buy there; no?

I'm home sick from work so I think tomorrow is a great time to call around and try to get the paperwork I need in order. Thanks for the info!!!

A copy of your "driving record".

I guess they are asking for them now, because I didn't have to provide one when I turned in my stateside DL.
Someone else would have to give you info. on where to get it, because I don't know those details. Sorry.

Don't worry about getting your VI DL so fast when you move here. You don't need it to get car insurance or car registration/inspection.

You have the 90 days.

Make sure you do turn in stateside DL, before it expires or you will have to start from the beginning-driving test and all.

Yeah, driving record. Brain fart. It is called the BMV down here: Bureau of Motor Vehicles.
Today may not be the best time to call around--we are currently under a hurricane watch so lots of people will be preparing their offices and homes. Plus the power is probably going to go out at some point.

You do not need a VI drivers license to buy and register a car there.
I would think that the $2000 price is more realistic. In 2007 it cost me $2500 to have my Bronco II shipped from AZ to STX. Found out the company that shipped it from AZ to Florida screwed me and it should have been about $500 less.
Make sure what you sign when the pick up the car!!!
Flemming was supposed to "bring" the car down. The shipper who pick it up, shipped it all the way down instead of just to Florida, and charged me more than I was quoted.
I suggest having it 'brought down" not "shipped down". What is the difference you ask? Have the shipper in STX, I recommend Flemming, do everything from their end, that way they are looking for the car. It was either our car or our Murphy bed that ended up on STT by mistake. Had the shipped was not "bringing it down" they would not have been looking for it. I would have been there wondering where my car was and I would have had to try and find it.
The other way is that you "ship" it from this end. That way it is up to you to figure out where it is.

Thought we were going to get together here in AZ with Roadrunner? We leave for two months on Sept 6th.

Terry; sure you wanna shoot for the 1st at like 7ish? Your on the east side right? I'm a fan of Yard House.

I'm going to throw in my .02 on this one. While it's clearly a matter of choice, I don't think think it's wise to bring a Honda Civic down here regardless of the value...especially an older one. And I'm putting my $ where my mouth is on this one; my wife (newly married last year) came with a beautiful 09 Civic, low miles (stateside). We sold it, bought an older Jeep Liberty and shipped it here, one week before the Hovensa news broke. If I had to do it over again, the only thing I'd do differently is buy the replacement car here now. With the closing of Hovensa, cars are plentiful and much cheaper now. You can see by the price reductions on this site and CL. There are plenty of deals to be had. Get your $4K stateside and use the $ for a comparable small SUV. A Honda Civic is no match for these roads.

Regarding insurance, don't bank on it being cheaper here. I came from NY 5 years ago and it was nearly double here. My wife from NJ last year, and also more expensive here. I disagree with the Marshall & Sterling pick, but I know I'm the minority on that choice. I dropped them for First Insurance after getting terrible service, only to be picked up by them again when they bought out First. After another year of terrible service, I went to Leeward Insurance. Great service, more coverage, and lower premiums.

Good luck!

Thanks for the advice! I am 100% with you on bringing his crappy 4k car is a BAD idea. I simply can't talk him out of it. It's a shame and I think it will be a waste of $ but you can only lead a horse to water..... Yea. I was hoping to find a decent island car for 2k, after looking around on our PMV and the classified and of course scamslist, I may have to up my budget a it which is a downer but oh well.

Don't know if you have considered this or not, but, we are shipping a 17 year old F150, not only because we know where it's been and only 70K actual miles on it, but, a few of the shipping companies allow for shipping goods inside the vehicle. I also will be bring my Lincoln MKX as well for that reason. We will only be bringing wall prints, paintings, flatware, dishes, tools and clothes in our vehicles as well as a few personal items. You have to have an exact list of every single thing being shipped in the vehicle.

Since we have a dog and cat we have to actually drive our vehicles to Florida from Arkansas. Currently, this week, I am in the process of planning PMV first week of October for permanent move in November. Well, that is if the people I have asked for responses from would just get back in touch with me. Very frustrating currently trying to wrap this up this week.

We lived on STX in the 90's so we know what we are in for as far as living there.

I know it's been said many, many, many times on this board that shipping companies do not allow for the shipping of personal goods in the vehicles, but, I personally, know of two recent families who have move to STX that have done just that. Good luck to you guys.

Could you supply the names of the companies of your friends who allowed goods in the car?? I called about 15 places as they all said no.

Contacted one of my friends on STX who moved there last November and she said that they used International Logistics and they shipped their vehicles out of Jacksonville, Florida and their contact person was Meme St. John. She said that they were out of St. Thomas and she found it either on the Go To St. Croix or Visit St. Croix website. Haven't heard back from the other person yet.
I certainly hope that you are not correct in that info, for I have been planning all along to ship my things in the vehicles. Good luck and please let me know what you find out. I didn't realize that there were so many different shipping companies shipping to STX. WOW.

This is the company my friends used: http://ilsvi.net/contact-international-logistics-solutions-llc-of-virgin-islands.htm

It's International Logistics Solutions, LLC out of St. Thomas. Contact Meme.

Can't make it that weekend as we are baby sitting the grandkids.
How about some evening, just not Tuesdays.

I have a 2000 Honda Accord but after a few years on island, I dont drive it anymore because the roads mashed up the front suspension so bad. After the first few years, I had the whole front end repaired and after 18 months it was mashed up again. Now my wife and I drive 4WD SUV's with off road rated tires which seem to handle the roads better. I've invested in beefy off road springs and shocks for the our Toyota Land Cruiser too.

I guess I'm confused, a lot of people say the roads mess up the cars but 90% of the cars on STX when we did our PMV last month were smaller cars like civics. Heck we had a Toyota yards lol, like a tic tac. I WAS supposed that most of the cars were newer looking. I assumed they would all be rusty buckets from the sea air.

A rental "car" is one thing....you're renting it for your stay. Living here with a "car" that rides low to the ground can be challenging with our roads. If you don't know where you're going to end up living, you might have problems with a "car" vs. a higher profile vehilcle getting up and down the street you live on.(i.e. Jeep, R-Runner, or some type of SUV). For example, if you end up living up a hill or on a dirt road (and there are plenty of them), pot holes and craters happen after every rain. Road maintenance for some, if not most roads, is almost unheard of. This is my opinion tho. Just saying...

If you do have a sedan, one must keep up with the maintanence and not drive it like it is Jeep. Then you shouldn't haven't many problems, but the roads and elements do wear down ANY type of automobile, if you don't take care of it.

Honda Civics are very popular on Stt.

This is a STT comment - I have driven Civics, Tercels, BMWs, and a multitude of VWs here over the last 30+ years - never had a 4WD or SUV - I live on top of the mountain - there is an occasional road to some homes I won't drive - but less of those over time really - during rare torrential rains I wish I had a Hummer - but overall I have not found any definitive need for a big vehicle with low MPG - potholes do exist so some normal care in driving is mandatory - good tires are important - maintaining the vehicle is imperative without question.