Car Options in San Diego?
#1
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2015
Location: London Boy... BC Man
Posts: 171
Car Options in San Diego?
Hi All,
I am in San Diego and am need of a car (surprise surprise). Credit can be assumed as being non applicable as I have just moved over. I am open to all ideas. From your experiences, what would you recommend with regards to commencing such a search please?
Thank you all!
I am in San Diego and am need of a car (surprise surprise). Credit can be assumed as being non applicable as I have just moved over. I am open to all ideas. From your experiences, what would you recommend with regards to commencing such a search please?
Thank you all!
#2
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: May 2010
Location: San Diego, California
Posts: 9,651
Re: Car Options in San Diego?
I moved over and purchased a car with finance from a dealer pretty easily.
Sure, I probably paid over the odds, but I did it in order to build up my credit and paid it off early.
Sure, I probably paid over the odds, but I did it in order to build up my credit and paid it off early.
#3
Forum Regular
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Joined: Mar 2015
Location: London Boy... BC Man
Posts: 171
Re: Car Options in San Diego?
#4
Re: Car Options in San Diego?
Depends on your budget. .... If you can affoed a down payment and can accept a relatively high interest rate because you have no credit history, then a new car dealer is probably the route for you. But if you have more of a used car budget and more modest down payment, then you'll probably do better to look for a used car dealer that has "Buy Here, Pay Here" signage - meaning that they'll provide credit themselves, or as a servicing agent for a broker, and are accomodating of new immigrants and others with poor/ no credit history.
#5
Re: Car Options in San Diego?
When I landed in San Diego I bought one car from CarMax and the other from Mossy Nissan. I did largely finance them in cash (cheque)
My colleagues found that VW would give expats from Europe "reasonable" credit deals. It's been a while so I forget how reasonable it was, but they seemed happy.
My colleagues found that VW would give expats from Europe "reasonable" credit deals. It's been a while so I forget how reasonable it was, but they seemed happy.
#6
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Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2015
Location: London Boy... BC Man
Posts: 171
Re: Car Options in San Diego?
Wonderful insights, thank you all!
Are you able to kindly share your experiences with car insurance here please?
Are you able to kindly share your experiences with car insurance here please?
#7
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: May 2010
Location: San Diego, California
Posts: 9,651
Re: Car Options in San Diego?
I financed my car via Acura in SF. There are some specialised companies which cater to the expat crowd but I don't know the names of any.
My first few years of car insurance were very expensive as most companies consider you a new driver.
You'll just have to call around for the best deal. It will reduce after a year or two.
I've been with Geico for years.
My first few years of car insurance were very expensive as most companies consider you a new driver.
You'll just have to call around for the best deal. It will reduce after a year or two.
I've been with Geico for years.
#8
Re: Car Options in San Diego?
Getting insured is easy even as a new expat, I went with Geico initially. It's just very expensive.
Make sure you shop around on renewal as it should get a lot cheaper as you build US experience - but your existing insurer has no incentive to give you a good deal.
Make sure you shop around on renewal as it should get a lot cheaper as you build US experience - but your existing insurer has no incentive to give you a good deal.
#11
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Joined: Jul 2022
Location: 1776 Territory
Posts: 143
Re: Car Options in San Diego?
We’ve been with AAA for many years (and I’m guilty of not price shopping around often enough, although when I have, AAA was less). They gave me credit for my UK driving record, but I don’t know if that’s still the case today. We also have homeowner’s with them; most insurers will give you a decent multi-policy discount. What I like about AAA is their insurance is not-for-profit, so if the premiums of all of their insured members are more than all of the claims, they give a dividend back for the difference to the members as a percentage of each member’s policy amount. Ours is typically $150- $300 a year. You have to be an AAA member to get their insurance, but it includes towing and other benefits.