How do you buy an automobile in the US?
John Bond
Posts: 369
Strange question for a Parallax forum but I don't know who else to ask...
How does a non-resident buy an automobile in the US
I’m visiting the US in September for 2 months and I would like have the use of a vehicle while there. I’ve budgeted to spend US$ 2000, say $1500 on the car and about $500 on insurance and registration expenses. I note from a quick internet search that one can get quite reasonable 10 year old vehicles for $1500.00.
Where can I find out if it is possible for visitors to purchase a vehicle in the US.
Thanks guys
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John Bond from the dark continent…
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How does a non-resident buy an automobile in the US
I’m visiting the US in September for 2 months and I would like have the use of a vehicle while there. I’ve budgeted to spend US$ 2000, say $1500 on the car and about $500 on insurance and registration expenses. I note from a quick internet search that one can get quite reasonable 10 year old vehicles for $1500.00.
Where can I find out if it is possible for visitors to purchase a vehicle in the US.
Thanks guys
·
John Bond from the dark continent…
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Comments
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It's Only A Stupid Question If You Have Not Googled It First!!
Purchase of the car itself shouldn't be an issue.. Cash talks many languages.. [noparse]:)[/noparse]
You might find the following URL useful..
www.usa.gov/Topics/Foreign_Visitors_Driving.shtml
BTW, we drive on the wrong side of the road.. <SMIRK!>
OBC
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New to the Propeller?
Visit the: The Propeller Pages @ Warranty Void.
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DGSwaner
"When in doubt, use C4" - Jamie Hyneman, Myth Buster
http://forums.parallaxinc.com/www.budget.com/budgetWeb/home/home.ex
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-Paul
http://www.rentawreck.com/
You may be better off renting. As already mentioned, cash talks and buying a car is no trouble. Just be sure to check out any potential purchase thoroughly since you want something mechanically sound so you can use it while here and not have it in the shop the whole time. At least with a rental they will just get you another car if there are any issues. The biggest issue may be getting plates and insurance.
Renting is THE way to go. I'd worked on renting costing $45 a day but if it's only $30 and I can pick up a vehicle when I need it and drop it off again afterwards, that makes life much easier. I don't have to worry about my image so driving a "wreck" makes little difference in my life. I thought I could buy the car more cheaply than renting, I just did not know how I would register and insure it. Renting at $30.00 eliminates all of this.
I'll have an international driver's license, mine has expired. That US Gov site was very useful. Also, our traffic rules are very different to yours, (you people drive on the wrong side of the road!!!) I’ve got some learning to do.
I've never been to the States. I want to·see New England in the fall, then travel slowly south. I have to spend a week in Washington DC. I'm a fan of a guy named Robert E Lee (of Arlington Estate) so I will spend a couple of days visiting battlefields. I'm facinated by the "African Ammericans" so I will spend some time in the south. I love Jazz, Ragtime and Dixieland so a couple of days in New Orleans. The plan is to have few plans.
I wish I had the time to cross the continent and visit Silicon Valley.
Thanks again and kind regards on this glorious fresh clear winter's day in Africa.
John
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Post Edited (John Bond) : 7/23/2009 6:53:52 AM GMT
Please read the US Gov site carefully. What you have is probably not a license. You must have a valid driver's license from the country whose passport you carry. The "international driver's license/permit" simply certifies in an internationally accepted form that your driver's license is a valid driver's license from your country.
We drive on the "RIGHT" side of the road. Not the other,So We are Right and they are not Right,.But Left. Since Left is not Right, They drive on the wrong side of the road.Not the Right side!... The USA drives on the Right side of the road,Not the wrong side.
I hope You have fun here in the US Mr.Bond. I would like to travel to Europe and Africa on vacation, Not on a work based trip.
_I don't care if You have a License or not,Just keep Right____$WMc%_______________
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The Truth is out there············································ BoogerWoods, FL. USA
Post Edited ($WMc%) : 7/24/2009 1:15:02 AM GMT
If battlefields are on the agenda, then maybe Georgia and Tennesee is on your list! If so, I can highlight a lot of the attractions for you. One of my jobs is driveing a school bus in north Georgia, and there are not many places I haven't been chartered to take field trips to.
In the fall there are also a lot of Civil War reinactments scheduled if your lucky enough to be here when they are having one!
http://www.daltondailycitizen.com/entertainment/local_story_204115034.html
http://www.nps.gov/chch/
And you may want to ditch the car here and catch a Riverboat into New Orleans!
http://www.neworleansonline.com/neworleans/tours/riverboattours.html
@ bambino
Georgia, Tennessee, real evocative names. I’m a fan of both Lincoln and Robert E Lee. As you probably know, they were fighting very different wars. I would also like to visit some of Mc Lellan’s follies.
How did you know I love river boats!!!
Thanks again for this AMAZING assistance on a totally OFF-TOPIC post.
Regards from the dark continent
John
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When you are going to be in New England, let me know.· I live in Western Massachusetts and I'd be happy to make some suggestions about what might be going on while you're in the region, and if you're passing near me I might even treat you to lunch!
Dave X
I am hoping to be in the US 04 Sept 2009 and New England two or three days later. I have no schedule though.
I have distant family in Mass but I won't be seeing them. I may visit the city anyway because I am interested in the "European Influence" that people talk about.
I'll let you know closer to the time...
Regards
John
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·· Just catching up on your planned "walk-about".
·· If you're going to Boston area anyhow, consider another day's drive north to say hello.
· Regards,
· Tom Sisk
· Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada
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Tom Sisk
http://www.siskconsult.com
·
I would love nothing more than to buy the GREAT Mr Sisk lunch, (I've enjoyed your articles for years). I'll let you know my plans as they develop.
John
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If you are making the trek from·Boston to New Brunswick, I am right on the way (almost).
World HQ is 2 Hrs drive northwest of Boston, and I would be pleased to have a visit and meet a fellow Stamper.
You can get contact info frommy website· www.plasmatechnologies.com
Have a good trip
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Alan Bradford ·N1YMQ
Plasma Technologies
Canaan NH 03741
www.plasmatechnologies.com
Bean.
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Does that byte of memory hold "A", 65, $41 or %01000001 ?
Yes it does...
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Thanks for the tip. I’d planned to spend a bit of time there. I’d better program in a watchdog timer and interrupt routine or I will spend my entire stay in the US visiting civil war sites.
Have a great week and kind regards from the Dark Continent.
John Bond
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Other states, like Oregon, require anyone that is there for more than a few weeks to get a local DL and local insurance.
But to rent a car, an international DL is much easier. The rental agencies don't like to handle information that isn't English.
Sadly, I would suspect that it might cost $1500 for insurance and $500 for the car if you have a $2000 limit. Any American insurance company is likely to want a one year premium and force you to pay a higher 'assigned risk' rate as you have no driving history in the U.S. It might be easier to get an insurance rider from you home country's auto insurance and to rent a car at a monthly rate with proof of insurance as a way to waive buying U.S. insurance.
How about getting insurance in South Africa, bring proof and buy the car locally, but no American insurance? You may have to check in advance with local authorities if they will register the car with foreign insurance as they may refuse.
Selling the car at the end of your stay is problem unless you have someone that can do it for you. The economy is bad and it may take time to find a buyer unless you offer a wonderful price.
If you have proper foreign insurance, maybe a friend will simply 'lend' you a car if you provide a cash 'gift'. People are out of work and gas is expensive. Someone may have a 'junker' that they can spare.
I've never been stopped driving in California on my Taiwanese license, but I am quite sure the police would not be exactly pleased. After all, I don't even remotely look Asian, but the photo is right.
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Ain't gadetry a wonderful thing?
aka G. Herzog [noparse][[/noparse] 黃鶴 ] in Taiwan
Post Edited (Loopy Byteloose) : 7/29/2009 3:49:47 PM GMT
I've been offered two cars for free, provided I insure them, and dispose of them after my trip. I am tending to favour the idea of renting a wreck in each city and using bus, train, plane between cities. That way I will meet more people.
I now have an international license - Valid in the US for 6 months continoius use. All I got to do now is learn to drive on the other side of the road. You guys put the steering on the wrong side of the car. I'll also have to learn to change gears and pull up the hand brake with my right hand.
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I found the hand / gear thing pretty easy, my biggest bit was left turns.
My trick is to look out the drivers side window. If the centre of the road is on the other side of the car you are on the wrong side.
I think there are still some Florida residents who are shaken up about a chrysler screaming down the footpath after misjudging a left turn... it's the sort of thing that :
A) you only do once
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<This space for rent>
I'd recommend against taking public transportation unless you travel very lightly (backpack and small suitcase, no more). Plus, our public transportation outside of a city is generally pretty poor. You'll probably have trouble reaching the interesting sites that aren't downtown.
Nobody ever owns an old car: instead, it owns you.
I have driven on the wrong side of the road a few times in England and Oz. (Henry Ford gave the English a perfactly good car and they mucked it all up and put the stereing wheel on the wrong side!!!! It then spred through the Commonwealth like a virus.)
I had the oppisit problem as you but they are still the same problems.
One advantage we have is no 'Round abouts' Well not too many and they are not the free for alls as in the Empire.
We do put our Traffic Lights on the far side or suspended them in the middle of the intersection.
Most of the ones in Australia are at the close side of the intersection. My friend from Australia was constantly running the intersection and stopping on the far side. He got some funny looks and a good whif of rubber.
When we drive cross a street or intersection we look right and turn left. This is backwards from what you are used to. I have scarred a few drivers in England and Australia and know this first hand. (Somewhere near Stonehenge there is a family, who Im sure still has stained shorts!!!!)
If you can, when leaving a parking lot try to follow someone else. This helps releive the thinking about looking left, right, left, right then which side am I supposed to be on.
Everyone I know from England who has come over here has gotten a 'High Speed Driving Award' (Speeding Ticket) on our Interstate Highways (motorways).
In England when the sign says Speed limit 70 MPH they all know you can go 100 and not get stopped. (I got stopped for going 70 on the motorway and holding up traffic).
Here you sometimes get 10 MPH over the limit then they got you.
Now to avoid embarrasment, always carry a briefcase/notebook when going to the car.
When you get to the wrong side and see there is no steering wheel, you can set the briefcase down and go to the other side and get in.
(We will be watching to see you get in the wrong side, and if you do this we will think you are cool and in control and wont be able to laugh).
Have a good and Safe Trip
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Alan Bradford ·N1YMQ
Plasma Technologies
Canaan NH 03741
www.plasmatechnologies.com
I’m not an American, my expectations are a bit different to you guys. Thanks for that tip about not having too much baggage. I have toured quite a bit of Africa on a motor bike where you can carry almost nothing (and I carried a light weight tent too!!!) so I know how to travel light.
Hi BradC
Thanks for that tip. I watched a petrol-head movie last night and paid attention to the “feeling” of driving on the wrong side. What disturbs me a bit is I may look the wrong way at yields and intersections, We give way to the right.
Hi ElectricAye
Thanks, your advice on renting is spot-on. I want to tour, not fix! I am owned by a 17 year old Mazda with 300 000 miles, a 5 year old Opel, 160 000 miles and an old motorbike. I do my own maintenance and that's the reason why my vehicles become so old, they seldom break and when they do, it costs me pennies to fix them...
Hi Alan
Thanks for the laughter. Yes, my brother - a Frenchman, always tries to get in the wrong side. We don't seem to pay much attertion to traffic lights, we call them robots·so thats another skill I'll have to learn. I was doing 105 last night and thinking I'll have to practice dawdling on the freeway, put my emergency flashers on first so I don't get hit from the back.
I am getting excited about visiting your country.
John
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Post Edited (John Bond) : 8/3/2009 6:44:10 AM GMT
So do we (Australians). The first day I drove in the middle east (wrong side of the car/road) I recall looking the wrong way and entering a roundabout in the wrong direction. The sort of mistake you only make once [noparse]:)[/noparse] Admittedly I learnt an awful lot very quickly about how well my car behaved under "extreme duress". Unfortunately I also learnt lots of new words that would horrify my mother from the female organic speed limiter in the passenger seat.
Enjoy your trip. The States are always a blast [noparse]:)[/noparse]
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lt's not particularly silly, is it?
Visiting Oz (slang for Austrailia) is much easier for us because SA and Oz share a lot of common culture, we even play the same sports (though us South Africans want to play Rugby a bit more agressively!). The US is a whole new expreience, which other nation could have a Baseball World Series! I am expecting to be blown away...
John
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·· Later, I rented a car in the Bahamas where we're driving on the opposite side, but this time the Toyota was meant for North America so the steering was on the left side. Now, that adaptation was harder! Several roundabout incidents could have been embarassing other than traffic was very light!
·· My daughter toured Oz and NZ and being the driver who was insurable, rented a right-hand drive to tour the north island. That double change seemed to make the transition easier.
· I suspect you'll adapt quite easily if you get through the first couple of days!
·Tom
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Tom Sisk
http://www.siskconsult.com
Post Edited (stamptrol) : 8/3/2009 11:43:36 PM GMT
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· -- Carl, nn5i@arrl.net