Pulaski

Well that changes the picture substantially - buy a smaller car for three, and rent when you need something bigger. This would also open up the possibility of a road trip in the Rockies, the South West, or West Coast, where you could fly rather that spending several days just driving to get there and back.

BTW much as I am a huge fan of Mustangs (I have a 2002 GT), the back seats are very small and unless your son is short as well as skinny he may be too big for the back seat by his 12th birthday.

Jack8602

I took out a VW Golf through that exact scheme on a 3 year lease. (i had a 3 year L1 visa) - I definitely recommend the scheme, although the car wasn't what i wanted when i got here - it's a good start and i can now buy whatever car i want when my lease is up as i have a credit rating.

You may find you'll get charged more on APR, but it's because you're new to the US with no credit rating - it's a hit you'll have to take if you want to lease/finance - just as i did.

Edit: BTW - Don't buy a car based on visits from people once or twice a year, i almost did the same. It's honestly not worth getting a massive car to sit 5 people when you'll only utilize it 2 or 3 weeks out of the year - i speak from experience, when my parents visited they rented a car.

+1 for what Pulaski says above

bearclaire1

It does make sense what you are thinking, and my husband has the same logic as much as I hate to admit it.

Well he certainly won't be tall with both his parents only being 5'6

bearclaire1

Thanks, and yes the apr really isn't an issue as here in the UK its fairly high too.

MidAtlantic

They will tell you anything they think you want to hear until it comes down to signing the deal. The issue is not just the APR but what size deposit they will require with no US credit history.

yellowroom

That's exactly what I did - drove to the local airport, parked my car & picked up a rental for the visit, did the reverse trip when I took the visitors back. Easy.

If only I'd followed my own advice and rented a smaller apartment instead of the 3 bed house in anticipation of the flood of visitors that would want to come and see me, I'd have saved a fortune in rent & utility bills. (they didn't, all talk and no action for most of my family and friends!)

bearclaire1

Of course. I will have at least $5k and more if needed.
If I can't get finance then I will be buying an older car for cash.

Pulaski

The only thing I would recommend doing different would be to rent from an off-airport location (well away from the airport) as rental rates are significantly lower because of the fees, chareges, and levies, on airport rentals.

Bob

If they're not going do be daily users, then rent a bigger car when they're here on holiday and save the money? Would save on insurance and petrol and open up more options.

Rav4, would be fine then.

Equinox, mentioned above is okay, but not such a fun drive but then it was only a rental so probably not that well spec'ed.

Depending on local market, you could get your Lexus too, if you wanted one that's hit the 5 year mark or more...along with Audi's, they're in your budget with the 60K mile mark and 5 year range. Those cars have a huge value drop off after 35K miles. Locally at least.

LA LA LA

Quick question: I leased a car via international auto source, but in order to pick it up I need to show my California state ID, despite having shown all my other documents.

The thing is, it takes months for the DMV to verify one’s legal presence in California, so IAS won’t release the car for months to come. They don’t want to pay for a rental car as they say it’s my fault, even though I applied for a state ID on the first day I was in the US. They also say the $1000 deposit is non-refundable. Surely they should’ve known this is the case in California and warned me/not sell me a car?

Have any of you encountered this issue?

petitefrancaise

If you look at the registration document to fill in for registering a car in California
https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/wcm/co...b-eabd471afdaa
You will see that you need to provide EITHER a CA driver license number OR a state ID number

So, if you then go to the CA driver's license page for newcomers to CA
https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/?1...dl_info#two500

You will see that you have 10 days to apply for your license anyway.
Go ahead and take the test
After you pass your driving test you will be issued an interim license valid for 90 days with the number on it.

You will need your SSN first.

NB Ask IAS if the driver's license will fix the issue.

I think that must be what they're after unless anyone else has any bright ideas?

I also seem to remember from someone else here on BE that trying to book the appointments online meant a huge wait. So if you just go to one of their walk in places, you usually get it sorted in a day.
https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/de...essing_Centers

LA LA LA

Thank you, that’s some good info! Appreciate the reply! Luckily, I have received my SSN, that was surprisingly quick. However, when I spoke with the DMV they mentioned for a driver’s license to be issued I will need to pass the legal presence test as well...

I might have this wrong, but wouldn’t the leasing firm be the registered owner?

Pulaski

What does that even mean? I have never heard of anyone else in CA having to have their "legal presence verified". You have a visa in your passport, right? So the Federal Government said it's OK for you to live here, right? What else are they looking for?

It sounds like you might have found one of the DMV clowns or jobs-worths, if so, go to another DMV and try again.

ETA: From the CA DMV Web site: "Applicants who are non-immigrants, but are authorized to be in the U.S. may present a Temporary Resident Identification card or other temporary resident documentation. " .... So your visa and related papers should be just fine. .... Go to another DMV and hope you find someone who knows how to do their job!

petitefrancaise

As Pulaski said about your legal presence.

For your question about a lease car.
Section 3 on that registration form deals with that. IAS are the "legal owner"

You will be required to maintain the car registration. They will do the first one for you but they need your DL number.

LA LA LA

I have a visa in my passport, an I-94, a SSN and I’ve started working for my employer here. Apparently the holdup is that the DMV needs to scan those docs and send it to the legal presence department, which verifies it with DHS, after which a license/ID can be issued. However, the department in charge of scanning and sending the docs has a backlog of several months...

I love America, but I sure don’t like their bureaucracy. The DMV phone number just says they’re busy and automatically hangs up on you. That’s a very efficient way of dealing with customers!