rubixtious

I would definately ask your company to assist in getting a car. Depending on if you see yourself in the US past your visa timeline, i would suggest getting yourself on the 'credit' road as soon as you get here.

I have had a good experience with wells fargo who provide my checking account and credit card (secured). You can pay your bills via 'bill pay' which is an advanced version on direct debit in that you can see you bill online and pay online through your bank account. You can also just call up your electricity company and give them your bank details and they debit your account. All very easy in my experience.

Leasing vs Buying a car would again depend on your view for your future here. I would definately try to get your company to pull some strings and arrange financing for you (to build your credit score) if you wish to buy.

There are some great posts on this site on every topic you could imagine, it is a great resource.