buying a car in the USA

footman · 16 Feb 2009 at 10:57

My son intends to take a trip with a friend across the USA for about 6 months. They have a plan to buy a car at the start of thr trip and sell it at the end.
I have googled and come up with conflicting advice about vehicle registration,insurance and UK licence validity, mostly to do with having no USA address.
Grateful for any advice or experience.

Greebo · 16 Feb 2009 at 11:00

You not watched the Top Gear special?

After seeing that, I can't see the point in buying one and then selling it later. Looks cheaper to rent and at least it shouldn't break down and hae working air con.

rick827 · 16 Feb 2009 at 11:03

Greebo said:
You not watched the Top Gear special?

After seeing that, I can't see the point in buying one and then selling it later. Looks cheaper to rent and at least it shouldn't break down and hae working air con.

A hire car for 6 months?

Also, probably better in motors

Greebo · 16 Feb 2009 at 11:14

rick827 said:
A hire car for 6 months?

Also, probably better in motors

Car rental is cheap in the states. From £1200 for 6 months you can hire a new car albeit with a 1000 mile per month limit. Unlimited miles will cost you double.

You are quite likely to lose that kind of money is buying and selling a decent one plus all the hassle and cost of finding one, buying it, insuring it, breakdowns/repairs etc.

footman · 16 Feb 2009 at 11:22

Can you rent a vehicle for 6 months on a UK licence?

Tomsk · 16 Feb 2009 at 11:55

footman said:
Can you rent a vehicle for 6 months on a UK licence?

You will need to check that the hire company will actually let you have one car for six months. There's usually a 30day(ish) limit as the company will want the car back for sevicing etc.

Greebo · 16 Feb 2009 at 12:05

Tomsk said:
You will need to check that the hire company will actually let you have one car for six months. There's usually a 30day(ish) limit as the company will want the car back for sevicing etc.

There are quite a few in the states which do long term hire for up to a year. Although some indeed do require you to go and swap your car every 56 days at he local delearship. Just means you get a new fully serviced car every month.

Also you must be over 21 to hire in the states AFIK and prices are dearer until you are over 25.

To drive legally in the USA you must have a full UK licence. It’s advisable to obtain an International Driving Licence before flying also as this can be more beneficial if you need it at any point in the US. If you have a regular UK photocard licence, also take that with you, along with the green paper part of the licence. If you’re on a ‘fly-drive’ holiday, you should ensure that you have your UK licence and the licence for all other users who are planning to drive your hire car. As well as this, you’ll need your insurance documents from the car hire company and check that it covers all the occupants of your car as well as any third party claims

SourChipmunk · 16 Feb 2009 at 12:15

Not sure what the location is going to be or what kind of car is desired, but here's a rental company that I would recommend.

http://www.hertz.com/rentacar/reservation/gaq/index.jsp?bsc=t&targetPage=reservationOnHomepage.jsp

They rent Ford vehicles.

Trying to buy and sell a car in the U.S. right now probably won't be worth the effort. For something slightly reliable you'd be looking at $2000 minimum, and to get rid of it in a reasonable amount of time, either privately or from a dealer, you might get $800 back from it.

cokecan · 16 Feb 2009 at 12:26

if they do decide to rent then its worth noting that if under 25 they may get stung for extra surcharges

_Jimlad_ · 16 Feb 2009 at 12:48

to be honest from my time in the states....

hire a car for 1 week blocks, use the car to get somewhere, base yourself there for a bit and then hire again when you move on. Buying a car over there will be tricky with reging the car, to maintaining it for six months.

plan the trip then hire cars as and when.

DampCat · 16 Feb 2009 at 12:54

Can't you only get a 3 month visitors Visa anyway? I'd imagine that renting a car for 6 months would be difficult given that you only a visitor.

Greebo · 16 Feb 2009 at 13:02

DampCat said:
Can't you only get a 3 month visitors Visa anyway? I'd imagine that renting a car for 6 months would be difficult given that you only a visitor.

No. No visa required if less than 90 days as we are member of the Visa Waiver Programme assuming you qualify eg full uk passport, no criminal record etc. A visa will be required if you intend to stay longer than 90 days.

And lots of worldwide companies allow you to book car hire for the states for 6 months based in the uk although it's cheaper to do it direct. The american websites even list the price in pounds sterling for your convenience so should not be a problem. I know somebody who did exactaly this a couple of years ago and apart from having to swap hire cars every two months, there was no issue.

DampCat · 16 Feb 2009 at 13:03

Tehy're going for 6 months.

so i was right then.

DampCat · 16 Feb 2009 at 13:04

Oh sorry, i said visitors visa. Of course since you dont need one for 3 months, the timescales i've written we're obviously incorrect. sorry about that.

footman · 16 Feb 2009 at 13:04

Greebo said:
No. No visa required if less than 90 days as we are member of the Visa Waiver Programme assuming you qualify eg full uk passport, no criminal record etc. A visa will be required if you intend to stay longer than 90 days.

The 2 of them have an interview at the US embassy soon for this. Thanks for all the advice.

[TW]Fox · 16 Feb 2009 at 13:11

Greebo said:
Car rental is cheap in the states. From £1200 for 6 months you can hire a new car albeit with a 1000 mile per month limit. Unlimited miles will cost you double.

Wow that is cheap. I'm trying to find a rental car in Australia for 1 month and I cant get it under £560 for something worth driving.

Greebo · 16 Feb 2009 at 19:17

[TW]Fox;13508028 said:
Wow that is cheap. I'm trying to find a rental car in Australia for 1 month and I cant get it under £560 for something worth driving.

You have to remember cars in the states are cheap to buy as well, hence cheap to rent.

For example, Jeep Grand Cherokee is $30,000 list price states (and so up until a few months ago was only £15,000 and now about £21,000) and £27,000 over here.

Factor in that hire companies will buy loads and you can see them paying less than £10k for a big 4x4. £5000 a year hire will make them good money.

monkeysmith · 16 Feb 2009 at 19:32

You may be able to pick up a po box somewhere, lots of mail things like these in the USA.

Back in 2002, I worked for 3months in the USA, then bought a ex-government prison bus ($600) and drove from NJ to LA. NJ was a right pain to get insurance, but we eventually got it, got plates for about $60. That was it. Not really sure how legal we were, but we went to the local police station to ask, and they were more impressed with my English/Welsh photo driving lic than answering our questions.

I also got a international driving lic from the RAC for about £6, lasts a year, just incase.

I certainly would never hire a car for 6months. Can get a okish car for less than half that, and have more fun with it.

laissez-faire · 16 Feb 2009 at 19:39

Erm..... hiring a car will cost around $1000 a month!

It's definitely worth buying a car for stays of over a month.

Something like a 2002 Ford Explorer - less than $6000