Vinnyvagus

I'm moving to NC in November and now I'm starting to wonder which way to turn regards to the whole driving and car thing. I mean First is... do I want to lease or finance a car? I am moving on an L1 VISA but i dont want to make a long term commitment on finance (or lease) as who knows if i am gonna like living in the USA? So at the most i want a 24 month lease or finance.

The next thing is the NC laws. Can you take a driving test in a rented vehicle? That way i get a driving US driving license before I buy and insure a car? if you cant thencan I buy and insure a car before taking my US driving license?

Also once I have a driving license.... how easy is it to get finance on a second hand car from a dealer?

All so confused and feel like I wanna just pull the covers over my head and forget about it... but I need a car! (Oh for the first month we are there my work are providing me with a rented car...hence the part...can i take the driving license in this rented car?)

Jerseygirl

If you need to take a practical test (some states don't require it) you can use a rental car but you may need the rental company's written permission and proof of insurance cover. In NJ a driving test has to be taken in a car with a handbrake in the centre of the car. When my daughter took her test non of our vehicles had this type of handbrake...so she used a driving instructor's car. Every state's DMV has different rules and regs...so it's best to check with your state's DMV website.

Any type of finance will be expensive because you have no US credit history. Try to get something like an AMEX credit card...which you can transfer to the US when you move. Getting a credit card when you're here is a huge headache...again because you have no credit history.

EricK

Don't worry, I did the same worrying when I moved to CT in March this year. In reality it was very easy.

Check to see if you can take your test in a rental - in CT they do not allow this. I ended up taking the test in a colleagues car they loaned to me. There was a computer based theory test that was very very easy. I had gained a CT license within 30 days of arriving here - all the information you need to find out the process in your state can be found on their DMV website.

Regards loaning / leasing - I managed to get a loan from BMW, they run a "global executive scheme". I had to supply them with a letter from my employer confirming details of my job position and salary along with a copy of my passport with L1A visa. They would not give me terms beyond my Visa expiry date. As I had already been in the country for a month into a 3 year Visa, they offered me 24 months terms. I put down a sizeable cash deposit.

Hubcaps

I'm unsure of the situation in WA as Ford in Kirkland have done nothing but mess up the entire sale of our car since Sunday last week I don't think the sales person could find their own backside with both hands and map.
It took 4 and a half hours to sort out the paperwork only for them to have lost most of it by the following Tuesday.
We don't seem to be having much luck with paperwork and stuff since we arrived

Kar98

Here in Texas it was:

find car.
go to insurance agency.
convince them that it's OK to hand out proof of insurance to people with foreign licenses, as you'll be getting a TX DL soon. You'll pay dearly for the privilege though. Yikes.
bring proof of insurance to tax office.
get a temp plate, say you don't have a SSN and never had one, and sign sheet that says so.
bring temp plate to car. exchange currency for car. affix temp plate to car.
get car inspected if needed.
bring proof of insurance to tax office and buy permanent plates for your car at your convenience.

I did that years ago thought, and every 6 months insurance went down substantially, from $2,000 every half year to $200. Never had to show anybody my German or any other license again. Drove around with various cars like that. Got legal eventually, got a TX DL, my wife added me to her car insurance which actually lowered hers instead of raising it, and got to drop mine.