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getting a car/licence

getting a car/licence

Old May 24th 2007, 10:57 am
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Default getting a car/licence

Hi in 2 weeks my daughter is moving to florida and leaving us here (but we're going for the first 2 weeks and following in 6 months time) we're going to try and sort out a car/insurance/licence for her but are not quite sure which order to do this in because you need a car to get a licence, insurance to get a car and a licence to get insurance!!! ahhh!

any advice???? thanks!
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Old May 24th 2007, 2:09 pm
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Default Re: getting a car/licence

Your daughter will be able to drive on her present license, for a time (I don't know how long in FLA), she can buy a car and the dealer can arrange the insurance, or you can set it up in advance with an agent of your choice.
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Old May 24th 2007, 4:15 pm
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Default Re: getting a car/licence

look up the DMV website...

but you don't need a license to buy a car in most states, just use her UK one for a while, get the car, get the insurance and then get the license.
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Old May 25th 2007, 5:06 pm
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Default Re: getting a car/licence

Originally Posted by wisewol
Hi in 2 weeks my daughter is moving to florida and leaving us here (but we're going for the first 2 weeks and following in 6 months time) we're going to try and sort out a car/insurance/licence for her but are not quite sure which order to do this in because you need a car to get a licence, insurance to get a car and a licence to get insurance!!! ahhh!

any advice???? thanks!

I work in a Ford dealership in Fort Myers.

She does not need a Florida licence to buy or take delivery of a vehicle. I have delivered vehicles to customers with Croatian and German licenses.

She does not need a car to get a Florida License. She cannot "convert" her UK license into a Florida license. She will have to take the test but it is a piece of cake in comparision to the UK test.

She does need Florida Auto Insurance before she is allowed to drive the vehicle away. This will be expensive if she has no US driving record. They will probably not care about her UK no claims.

If you have any specific questions feel free to email or call me.
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Old May 25th 2007, 6:00 pm
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Default Re: getting a car/licence

Thanks for that, would you have any idea roughly how much we would need to pay for aused car say 4-5 yrs old ? sje is used to driving the Ford KA here so they are all going to be much bigger.

Originally Posted by TRPardoe
I work in a Ford dealership in Fort Myers.

She does not need a Florida licence to buy or take delivery of a vehicle. I have delivered vehicles to customers with Croatian and German licenses.

She does not need a car to get a Florida License. She cannot "convert" her UK license into a Florida license. She will have to take the test but it is a piece of cake in comparision to the UK test.

She does need Florida Auto Insurance before she is allowed to drive the vehicle away. This will be expensive if she has no US driving record. They will probably not care about her UK no claims.

If you have any specific questions feel free to email or call me.
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Old May 25th 2007, 8:00 pm
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Default Re: getting a car/licence

Originally Posted by wisewol
Thanks for that, would you have any idea roughly how much we would need to pay for aused car say 4-5 yrs old ? sje is used to driving the Ford KA here so they are all going to be much bigger.

You will find nothing remotely like the KA. The smallest thing you will see here is a Focus or a Beetle or a Golf or similar.

The way it works here is that finance rates on older cars are higher than on new or newer ones. Finance rates are also variable depending on your credit history. She will have no credit history so will have to put down about 30% of the cost of the car to get financing at all.

Avoid the "Buy here pay here" lots at all costs. They do nothing to improve your credit rating and charge awful rates.

A lot like ours (large and reputable) will be unlikely to have anything older than 3 or 4 years.

Just as an example, I am not trying to sell anything to you.

Our least expensive used car (list price $13900) right now is a 2004 Chrysler Sebring Coupe with 42606 miles which I could probably sell for about $11,000 plus tax title and license. That is a little over $12K on the road.

You will have little or no warranty on a 4-5 year old car.

When she gets closer to the time tell her to feel free to call and ask me for advice.
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Old May 25th 2007, 9:26 pm
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Default Re: getting a car/licence

Avoid the "Buy here pay here" lots at all costs. They do nothing to improve your credit rating and charge awful rates.

what does " Buy here pay here" mean ? if it means 'cash Buyer' why does it charge bad rates ? confused:
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Old May 25th 2007, 10:34 pm
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Default Re: getting a car/licence

Originally Posted by wisewol
Avoid the "Buy here pay here" lots at all costs. They do nothing to improve your credit rating and charge awful rates.

what does " Buy here pay here" mean ? if it means 'cash Buyer' why does it charge bad rates ? confused:
Prolly means they will arrange the financing for you.....
at a price.......$$$$$$$ % - I've heard as high as 30%.
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Old May 26th 2007, 2:56 am
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Default Re: getting a car/licence

Originally Posted by wisewol
Avoid the "Buy here pay here" lots at all costs. They do nothing to improve your credit rating and charge awful rates.

what does " Buy here pay here" mean ? if it means 'cash Buyer' why does it charge bad rates ? confused:

A "Buy Here Pay Here" lot is a used car dealer where the financing is done through the dealer, not through a bank. They will finance anyone. They have older, and usually cheaper, vehicles than a branded dealer would have. If you miss a payment or two they repossess the car. The interest rates are horrendous. Your "down payment" is usually the actual value of the vehicle. Therefore any payments you make are pure profit.

A "Buy Here Pay Here" guy may report you to the Credit Reporting Agencies if you default on payments. He will not report if you are on time with your payments. Ergo, there is no benefit to your credit history if you shop at these places.

If you are a cash buyer none of the above applies, except for Caveat Emptor.

If you are a cash buyer you are better off buying out of a newspaper, internet or magazine from a private seller.
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Old May 26th 2007, 4:07 am
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Default Re: getting a car/licence

If she is to be permanent resident (GC) she has 30 days
to get her florida licence...
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Old May 27th 2007, 9:54 pm
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Default Re: getting a car/licence

ok... thanks for all your help - we're getting pretty close now - we go on the 8th june. so if we're looking to spend about $5000 on a car whats your best recommendation for where we go???

Thanks!!!
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Old May 27th 2007, 9:55 pm
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Default Re: getting a car/licence

Originally Posted by wisewol
ok... thanks for all your help - we're getting pretty close now - we go on the 8th june. so if we're looking to spend about $5000 on a car whats your best recommendation for where we go???

Thanks!!!
http://tampa.craigslist.org/car/
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Old May 27th 2007, 10:10 pm
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Default Re: getting a car/licence

thanks will take a look
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Old May 27th 2007, 10:38 pm
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Default Re: getting a car/licence

Originally Posted by TRPardoe
You will find nothing remotely like the KA. The smallest thing you will see here is a Focus or a Beetle or a Golf or similar.
dodge neon, but that's horrid...there's that scion, which ain't bad, also the honda rapid or something or other, which ain't bad...
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Old May 27th 2007, 10:45 pm
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Default Re: getting a car/licence

looks like we will have a challenge on our hands when we come out on June 8 for a look around and for her to start her new job. It was originally going to be a holiday but heh !
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