From UK, looking to buy a 5 and pickup for wintering over

1. Buying and registering a vehicle. I have been told there are sales tax benefits to be had based on where the vehicle is registered?

Yes certain states don't tax new vehicles: Montana for one. Avoid buying in California for sure. Usually the tax is based on where you register the vehicle. This can be a problem for someone who is a resident of say California or New York since their tax authorities (read inland revenue) will come after people who buy out of their state to avoid taxes. But as a non-resident I don't think this will affect you.

2. Does all the above apply to the fiver too? I.e. Does a fiver have to be registered or is it just the vehicle.

Yes they are registered and need a tag. Again just say no to California. The RV dealer will get you a tag, and charge you for it too.

3. Are there any special licence requirements/limitations based on size or weight of the rig? In the UK a standard car licence is good for vehicles up to a certain weight. After that a special test is needed.

A standard driver license will do.

4. I have read somewhere that certain states have size (or is it weight) restrictions. Does anybody have some kind of guide to these? I would hate to cruise into a state and get pulled for being too long/heavy without realising it.

Should not be a problem.

You do understand that a fifth wheel requires a large and very expensive truck to pull it. Generally a 1 ton pickup from Ford, Dodge or GM, maybe with dual rear wheels for the largest fifth wheels. These trucks will be in the $60,000 to $70,000+ dollar range on the sticker price. That can usually be negotiated downwards but they will be expensive. Also you will need a fifth wheel hitch in the $1000-$1500 range.

Don't buy anything unless you seek advice here after you get more details. Truck and RV salesmen lie frequently.

There is a certain amount of learning involved in driving one of these rigs. The trucks may be over 20 feet long and the fifth wheel can be over 35 feet. Are you sure you would not be better off buying a used Class C like you are thinking about renting?

If you buy a new truck in arizona it going to cost several hundreds of dollars to register it, best bet would be Texas if thats your intentions on staying there.

I have a truck (2011 F450 Dual) and 5er (2005 Mobile Suites 38') you might be interested in. I am not a salesman but I am a full time RVer that is planning to upgrade soon. Send me a private message if you are interested. Thanks and good luck!

You may not be able to register a vehicle with out a US address.You may want to check with the DMV in the state you plan to buy the vehicles from first.

My answers in BOLD

UKMark wrote:
Hi all
Well we have decided to take the plunge and apply for our B2 visa so we can leave the cold wet UK behind for the winter months and cruise around the warm sunny south west.
We are here right now (Tucson for now, maybe on to Texas later) on our 90 day visa waiver entry. We are using a rented class C motor home which is ok but any more than to 86 days we are going to be in it might start to feel a bit limited. Not least not having any real mobility once we hook up somewhere.
If we are successful in our visa application we will be looking to buy a fifth wheel and pickup rig. So any suggestions, advice, ideas would be great!
Specifically though, does anybody have any ideas about the following.
1. Buying and registering a vehicle. I have been told there are sales tax benefits to be had based on where the vehicle is registered? Not sure how the system works over here but first, is that true? And next, does the registration mean the reg of the vehicle or who the registered owner is and where their address is? Or is it all down to which state you buy it in. As we could buy in any state we may as well get the best deal we can.

Typically, you will need to register the vehicle to whichever state you decide to reside in. Typically when you purchase a vehicle from out of state, you only need to pay the sales tax for the state you are going to register the vehicle in, otherwise you will be prevented from registering the vehicle. I personally bought my vehicle from out of state, but the only taxes I had to pay were the taxes that applied to the state I was registering my vehicle in. Hopefully that clarifies things a little. This is a question you should ask the dealership you are negotiating with. Some dealerships have more experience with out-of-state purchases than others and it can make the difference between a headache and blunt-force-trauma (I don't liken car buying experiences to anything pleasant). Also, some states are cracking down on out of state licensed vehicles. For example, Washington state is cracking down on oregon-licensed vehicles when the owner is legally living in the state of Washington. So pick a state for your "Permanent" residence and do all registering there (I'm not sure as I've never lived full-time in an RV, but I think most people just use a PO box for their home state? Others can confirm.)

2. Does all the above apply to the fiver too? I.e. Does a fiver have to be registered or is it just the vehicle.

Yes, it has to be registered and licensed just the same as a vehicle

3. Are there any special licence requirements/limitations based on size or weight of the rig? In the UK a standard car licence is good for vehicles up to a certain weight. After that a special test is needed.

This depends upon the state you have a driver's license with. Many states have no requirements for recreational towing of large vehicles. Some states have special requirements for licensing (like a commercial-class RV license or something akin to that).

4. I have read somewhere that certain states have size (or is it weight) restrictions. Does anybody have some kind of guide to these? I would hate to cruise into a state and get pulled for being too long/heavy without realising it.

You may run into issues with full vehicle length (65 vs 75 feet) and width (8 vs 8.5 feet) maximums. I'm not sure about the credibility of this page, but it is the best reference I can find for now: Towing Laws Summary

Wow, lots of questions. Hope you can help
Many thanks
Mark

And welcome Mark! I'm sorry, but I couldn't help but read this with a British accent in my mind (Thinking Richard Hammond or James May). Also noted the different Englishes in play here "licence" vs. "license", "realising" vs. "realizing", "tyre" versus "tire", or "aluminum" versus "aluminium". Ah this stuff is always fun :).

You can register in the state of your choice within 30 days of purchase. All states issue 30 day temporary registrations, through the dealer or at a courthouse or DMV office in the case of private purchase.
All states I know of permit vehicle registration to foreign nationals with documentation.
Contact the state DMV office for particulars.
Certain states are popular, or simpler in rules or taxes. Since you do not have income in the US, a state without sales tax on vehicles and that permits online renewals such as Oregon may be a choice.
Also consider insurance rates for the various States. While Oregon does mot have a sales tax, in the long term insurance could be much less in another state. Fot that, look at mid American states.

I'd be willing to bet that there are also RV forums dedicated to just this concept, where you can get answers from those who have actually done this. I ran into a family in Camp Verde AZ that had done so.

Lyle

RLGetman wrote:
I have a truck (2011 F450 Dual) and 5er (2005 Mobile Suites 38') you might be interested in. I am not a salesman but I am a full time RVer that is planning to upgrade soon. Send me a private message if you are interested. Thanks and good luck!

Thanks for the offer and one I would seriously consider if we were ready to buy. We have to get our visa sorted first which may well take a few months. It is our intention to complete this trip in the class c we are renting, return to the UK to clear up affairs there and return (hopefully with B2 visa) in October. I will keep posting on the forums until then as I have so many questions about what we are about to embark on. :)

I will PM you anyway and if we are in communication and you are still selling when we return I will definitely be interested in discussing with you.
Many thanks
Mark

laknox wrote:
I'd be willing to bet that there are also RV forums dedicated to just this concept, where you can get answers from those who have actually done this. I ran into a family in Camp Verde AZ that had done so.

Lyle

Yes I thought so too but not been able to find one. And the members on here are so helpful and active I thought I would give it a shot here.
Thanks for the help
Mark

jus2shy wrote:
And welcome Mark! I'm sorry, but I couldn't help but read this with a British accent in my mind (Thinking Richard Hammond or James May). Also noted the different Englishes in play here "licence" vs. "license", "realising" vs. "realizing", "tyre" versus "tire", or "aluminum" versus "aluminium". Ah this stuff is always fun :).

Thanks for all the answers!

Definitely more Hammond than May! :)

We have been told that we need a U.S. address to be able to register a vehicle (makes sense I guess) and the easiest way to do that would be to form an LLC. Your idea of a PO box is interesting. But i guess even a PO box has to be linked to some kind of underlying real address?

I am sure we can do this, just need the admin lined up. The RV repair guy that fixed our rental class c today said he knows a guy from Bulgaria that does exactly what we are aiming to do. He stores his rig over the summer and flies out every October for 6 months. Pity I don't speak Bulgarian :)

Thanks for the help
Mark