Re: Car Ownership cost USA v UK
 

Obviously, one incident doesn't prove anything but...

I had a travel trailer for 8 years. During year 7, I had 2 blowouts during one trip. I replaced all 4 tyres ASAP. The OEM tyres weren't from leading manufacturers.

On the RV forums, 7 years is the generally accepted rule where most RVs will never wear out their tyres before they age out.

Re: Car Ownership cost USA v UK
 

Don't they call it a "Benz"?

Re: Car Ownership cost USA v UK
 

When I had my dear old 1968 200 with the baby fins, that's what my USC OH's friends called it, while to me it was a Merc!

Re: Car Ownership cost USA v UK
 

All I'm thinking of now is Alan Partridge...


"Aha! A fellow Lex-eye driver"


"Well you know, they do say Lexus is the Japanese Mercedes"


:lol:

Re: Car Ownership cost USA v UK
 

I would prefer an Infiniti to a Lexus, if I had to choose.

Re: Car Ownership cost USA v UK
 

I had an Infiniti as a rental once, wasn't bad at all.


They're owned by Nissan I believe?

Re: Car Ownership cost USA v UK
 

Yup. Each of the big three Japanese manufacturers have a premium brand:

Honda > Acura
Toyota > Lexus
Nissan > Infiniti

Re: Car Ownership cost USA v UK
 

Interesting to know, it certainly wasn't a bad car.


Cockpit felt like a nice place to be and it had some go.


Significantly nicer than the Cadillac they gave me last time.

Re: Car Ownership cost USA v UK
 

I always thought Lexus > Toyota

Re: Car Ownership cost USA v UK
 

The arrows should point the other way :thumbup:

Re: Car Ownership cost USA v UK
 

Yeah, my girlfriend's mum has an older E-Class that we were discussing yesterday, and her aunt just bought a new one ... it was always 'Benz' where I was talking about 'Merc'.

So how are newbies to the US buying these things? Plenty of cash down?

My understanding was that with zero credit history, I'd get laughed out of town. I did contact a BMW dealer in Oyster Bay on Long Island (inadvertently) and they didn't seem so concerned about my lack of credit, more that any lease deal would run longer than the visa I was here on ...

Re: Car Ownership cost USA v UK
 

That sounds correct, they'll just want a letter of employment showing you earn enough.
I suspect people on visa's are low risk for them, as we'll likely be higher-than-average earners, and expected to follow the letter of the law in fear of our residency status.

Unlike a repayment loan, it's not recommended to put money down on a lease, it will give the monthly payments a nicer headline figure for the manufacturer to sell to you, but my understanding is the downpayment isn't "insured" due to the way leases are structured, should you total the vehicle. (if anybody has specific knowledge to confirm or disprove my understanding, please do)

i.e. compare two scenarios of a 36 month lease costing $12,600, where you total the car in month 3.

1) $9k down, $100/month - month 3 you have paid out $9,300. Insurance pays out the remaining $3,300 to end the lease (+FMV) to finance company
2) zero down, $350/month - month 3 you have paid out $1,050. Insurance pays out the remaining $11,550 to end the lease (+FMV) to finance company

The end result, is you're insured, everything is paid off, settled with the finance company etc, so "all is well", but the amount you've lost is very different.

Re: Car Ownership cost USA v UK
 

Interesting, thanks for the info!
I am champing at the bit to get into a car - not only because I'm a petrolhead and love to drive, but for the freedom it offers. My girlfriend works six days a week and is also studying for the bar exam, so the next few months she's going to be crazy busy.

Getting insured on her car is a complicated matter (family matters) so just having my own would free me up on the days she's not around, and allow me to go run errands on the days she's just too busy otherwise.

I'm still trying to decide between getting a lump sum and getting a cheaper second hand car, or leasing for that sweet hassle-free motoring (even though it's another monthly cost).

Re: Car Ownership cost USA v UK
 

FWIW department

Writing is "BMW" with "beemer" used in spoken reference. The cars are plentiful, the bikes are not. Unless noted otherwise, reference to the BMW brand will be to the car. The "bimmer" "beemer" dichotomy strikes me as an affectation.

I drive a 2004 525i since new. Now the second car.

"Mercedes" is the spoken and written reference (occasionally "Benz.) "Merc" is not commonly used at all. If I heard it being used I would think of a vintage Mercury (a name now retired by Ford).

Re: Car Ownership cost USA v UK
 

Yeah.. No.