_Orpheus_

Hi Guys and Gals,

So I made it to the good ole US of A perfectly fine. Thanks to a great friend and her family I am settling in well (currently living out of a hotel untill my apt is ready) and slowly getting to grip with things. I have an american debit card, have applied for my secured credit card and have my contract mobile all sorted. Not bad for a weeks work

The problems came when I tried to rent a car. Being under 25 and not having a credit card really puts a bump in the road. Well less of a bump and more of a gapping great hole...

My friends dad was all set to rent a car for me until he realized that he didnt have a credit card either and that without one it was impossible to rent even to him. So, new plan. I start work on Wednesday and need a car pronto, even if its not for Wednesday (Im sure I can get by with a cab for a few days). The new idea is to go driving around tomorrow morning in my friends dads car (with him of course) and then take my test in the afternoon, with the idea being that I get my US licence and can then get cheaper insurance straight off the bat and look for my lease car asap.

Now, I have done my research but am a little confused. I read somewhere that I can just drop in to test centres with no need to book ahead. Is this correct? And according to the Michigan SOS website all the tests are handled by third party companies. Has anyone got any experience of this? Iv read the posts about the testing being relatively easy but what happens if you do fail? How long untill you can go again?

Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated,

Cheers people,
Orpheus

lisa67

All States and sometimes Cities are different regarding taking your test. Google is your friend. My local testing station will only let you call a day before you want to take your test to book one whereas the city 10 miles away insists that you go in and pre register and pay up front before you take your test!!!
When I took mine in MI it really was very easy but I can't remember (it was 10 years ago) how we arranged it.
Good Luck

traceym

Depends which state you live in, it took me 2 months here in California, google DMV for your area.

Bob

Enterprise rent to under 25 year olds....not cheap though.

alan280170

In Oklahoma, you just turn up with a car, sit the theory and drive round the block, first come first served.

But when you go for car insurance you start with zero experience (your UK time does not count, so first 6 months of insurance is expensive).

Off topic, if your leasing and you can afford it, check BMW website, they are doing good deals, but again you will have no credit.

If the company you are working for has a credit union use them as you may get a better rate.

Alan

md95065

Don't you have a non-US credit card that you could use?

_Orpheus_

Never had one, never had any need for one. In fact, at my age, I hate the idea of a credit card and see no point in it.

So I went to the SoS office today only to find out that my temporary SSN isnt so. I headed to the SS office to find out that my SSN will take up to 10 days. So it looks like its cabs for a week.

I did however drive to and from all these places (in my friends Jeep) perfectly fine. I wish they could just stamp my licence or something and get it over with as driving out here is actually easier than back home. You just have to stop more often.

Cheers

meauxna

What 'temporary' SS number?


They used to 'just stamp your license' here and a bunch of nutjobs got ID they shouldn't have had. What you need to understand is that a driving license here is hardly about driving at all.