caleyjag

OK, so while I have lived here on-and-off for a while, I have always lived in places well served by public transport.

That is now no longer the case. I need a car.

I hate salesman. I am allergic to them. I hope they all die of horrific diseases. So I would prefer to avoid dealerships, unless someone can convince me there are trade-offs. If anyone has tips on reputable dealerships in SoCal, let me know.

So, if possible, I'd rather buy off craigslist or somewhere.

I have no credit history here, so a loan will be very difficult, so I guess I need to pay cash. Is that the case? A loan would be nice if I could get one. I have a good job, just no credit history (I don't have a US credit card, just a debit card).

So, when you buy a second hand car here, is there a standard guide you can use to check the pricing, based on the age, make, model and mileage on the car?


Then I suppose I need to get my US license. That seems easy enough.

Finally, I need to get insurance. I have no clue where to start for that. When I go to geico, for instance, they want to know the car details, but obviously I don't know that as I haven't bought the car yet.

Jerseygirl

Most insurance companies want to know the VIN number of the car in question so they can give you an accurate figure. Call around different companies...it is possible to get estimates.

Lover not a fighter

We have just bought a car. For a auto loan in our case they were asking 5 years residency and 5 lines of credit at the moment. The whole things as tight as a turtle's arse at the moment.

I wouldn't trust a car salesman as far as I could piss, but there are some great deals to be had at present.

Bill_S

If you're buying off Craigslist, insist on having the car inspected by a mechanic of your choice. If the seller says no, find another car.

For some guides to used car prices, check Kelley Blue Book and Edmunds.

For insurance, seek out a broker to help you find a deal. FWIW the wife and I have our car insurance from Nationwide.

helwardman

wtf!?

Cash tends to work quite well, even in America.

Check prices here: www.kbb.com or just peruse the ads and get a feel for what prices are like where you live.

Definitely use alocal broker to sort out insurance.....saves a lot of hassle.

dbj1000

wtf?

Some people don't have the cash to buy a car outright!

caleyjag

Luckily I got a pretty decent relocation check, which gives me the cash to buy a half-decent second hand car.

Despite having lived here for 4 years, I have always avoided credit cards, due to the difficulties I've had in paying off my UK ones. I didn't envisage being here for this long, so was never worried about building up a credit score.

helwardman

I was registering my surprise that he has got "no credit history here".

As he said in his original post, he has a good job so sounds like cash isn't a problem.

PS: I've got an 06 Mustang for sale if you want that

Moonshadow_Girl

First off, get your license first. You don't want to be driving around unlicensed. Secondly, always err on the side of caution. If using Craigslist (and I bought my used car off Craigslist, a great little car I might add!), do not take a large amount of cash with you. Take a friend, and $100. If you do like the car, offer to leave the $100 as a deposit, then go get a cashier's check for the rest of the amount.

dbj1000

Personally, given that I used to have the same horror of dealing with car salesmen (I've grown out of it) I bought my first two cars here from Carmax. They're a no-haggle dealership chain, so you pay the sticker price on the vehicle, and there's no negotiation or stupid games.

Typically you pay $250-$750 more that you might buy the same car at a used car dealership. They offer a 30-day full money back guarantee, and you can buy an extended warranty if you really want. Many of their newer cars are still under the manufacturer's warranty, and you can often find VERY low mileage ex-demo cars.

The only thing they try to "sell" you is an auto loan. Given your lack of credit history, you don't want to apply and fail to get one. Don't accept their claim that they can get "almost anyone" a loan, and insist on paying cash.

As for insurance, I went with Progressive because they were the only company that would even talk to me without a US driving history. Others here have had better luck with AIG () but those days are probably past. Expect to pay an arm, a leg and one testicle for insurance for the first year or so!

Bluegrass Lass

I will second the idea that you need to have a mechanic check out any second hand car you plan on purchasing. If the owner will no allow it, move on. You do not want to buy a money pit. I've purchased all of my used cars from large dealerships and they will also allow you to have the car inspected before you sign the bottom line. If a dealer won't allow it, move on. If you want to make sure you are getting a good deal, then Edmunds.com is definitely a good source to determine what a car should cost if you are buying privately or from a dealer.

I will also second Carmax. They don't haggle, what you see is what you pay, and they can move a car from another location to you if they don't have what you want on their lot.

Lover not a fighter

I'll second the thoughts about car loans. We've only been here for 2 years, and have steered clear of credit cards, so we were shagged 3 ways from Sunday.

However, the car rates are comparable with the uk for us once we took the US driving test. We are insured through Travellers and our policy was halved overnight after we passed. Whilst I realise this will vary state to state, also ask for accident forgiveness (no claims discount) and new for old cover if the car is less than 2 years old. They will add them to the policy at little or no cost if you ask.

Insurance seems to rated differently to the UK. Where we are there is no car crime whatsoever (although I doubt its the same in the cities) though we do live at "you have now reached the end of the world. Turn right". It possibly could be because people have a small arsenal under their beds that make Rambo look like a cub scout.

PS. I lost my nad's many years ago and it had nothing to do with car insurance.

BritishGuy36

That should be the first thing you do. Your insurance premium will be a lot less with a US license, and some insurers won't touch you with a barge pole without one.

Personally I paid $7k for a 3-year old car in reasonable nick when I arrived in the US last year, I went to a dealer because I was new to the US car buying process and wanted my hand holding through getting out-of-state inspection and title etc sorted. I got a good deal though so I have no complaints, maybe I just went to a half decent smaller local dealership (he was recommended by a few folks around here).

Cape Blue

If you're buying from Craigslist, you might want to run a history report to check owners details and whether its ever been a write off, what the true mileage is etc.
http://www.carfax.com/

thinbrit

Whilst CarFax is a good idea, don't rely solely on this information. It does not show previous accident information if the owner didn't report it to the insurance company; this is even true if the vehicle is wrecked and later then salvaged.

Consumer Reports recommends a CarFax report in conjunction with a mechanical inspection.