Budget Travel - Buying a car in LA as on overseas tourist

Hello,
We like to buy a car in LA as a tourist to travel for 3 months through the states. It seems this in not so evident and can be a hassle. Insuarence - registration - cardealers etc
Has anybody already done this and share the information.

thX whaleshark

Why would you even want to go through the hassle of this? I'm honestly curious.

I would recommend just getting a rental from one of the big companies. You can get a Chevy Impala sized car for less than $1,000 per month. You're going to spend more than that on a new car, plus taxes, plus insurance, etc.... Then you have to worry about selling it again before you leave. Which in our economy would not be easy. Dealers don't usually take a used car in unless you're buying a new one.

Buying a car just seems like an overall bad idea considering used car prices are through the roof right now.

Why would you even want to go through the hassle of this? I'm honestly curious.

I would recommend just getting a rental from one of the big companies. You can get a Chevy Impala sized car for less than $1,000 per month. You're going to spend more than that on a new car, plus taxes, plus insurance, etc.... Then you have to worry about selling it again before you leave. Which in our economy would not be easy. Dealers don't usually take a used car in unless you're buying a new one.

Buying a car just seems like an overall bad idea considering used car prices are through the roof right now.

Hello,
We're not looking for a new car, but a used/second hand .
We've done this in many parts inthe world like South Africa, Australia , New Zealand and Chile and never had any big problems. We sold the car after 3 to 4 months mostly for the same price
Renting should costs us more than 3000 us.

When you rent longer than one month you should look at a lease. You are committed for the whole term of three months but it will end up costing less than a rental.

If I am in a city/area on business longer than one month and need a vehicle daily that is what I did.

This will be a big hassle, but it is doable. You will need some sort of US address for insurance and registration purposes. Assuming you have a foreign driver's license, you can obtain insurance (which will be expensive seeing as you have no driving history in the US) and then register the car with the DMV.

My advice is to lease a car, since it is safer and the hassle of buying and selling is not worth it in order to save a couple thousand dollars.

I'd get a 90 day deal from Enterprise (off airport) for $20 per day and use a CC that offers primary insurance coverage.

(off airport)

In America cities don't want to tax their own citizens, so there is an extra tax for cars rented at the airport, hence the comment.

EmailKid

I'd get a 90 day deal from Enterprise (off airport) for $20 per day and use a CC that offers primary insurance coverage.

Be careful of CC's offered primary insurance on rental. many such insurance has a limit of how many days is covered. (28 days seems to be the norm)

I'd think you could do this. Yes, it would be some hassle to get auto insurance -- if you get a cheap enough car, all you would need is third party liability -- but that would be the main hassle. Someone would sell a visitor liability insurance, I'd think, but I must admit I never tried.

As an experiment, I filled out an online form for an insurance company called "The General" http://www.thegeneral.com/ listing only that I had an international license and no US license. It generated a reasonably priced policy ($60 to start then about the same each following month) that covers the minimum liability requirements. I didn't go further to see if it would actually issue the policy.

If you bought the car from a dealer (instead of off Craigslist, for example), the dealer would take care of all the registration details for you for a fixed fee set by California, I think it's around $40. And if the car was still running at the end of your stay, you'd have to pay to get a smog certificate to sell it. They would probably also have suggestions on getting insurance. They do want to make the sale!

The main requirement to do all this is that you would need a California mailing address. You could get that through one of those post box places.

I also would not rely on a credit card for primary insurance.

Be careful of CC's offered primary insurance on rental. many such insurance has a limit of how many days is covered. (28 days seems to be the norm)

AMEX will sell you cheap coverage for the entire 90 days.

In America cities don't want to tax their own citizens

LOL. Have you checked the sales tax rate in Chicago?

LOL. Have you checked the sales tax rate in Chicago?

When traveling was part of my work I rented cars in many, many cities across America, including the Windy City (er, Chicago, since OP in not American).

EmailKid

When traveling was part of my work I rented cars in many, many cities across America, including the Windy City (er, Chicago, since OP in not American).

EmailKid

So you know v.well that US citizens are taxed to death in ways other than the airport garbage fees @ airports and your generalization above is mis-worded (at best).

So you know v.well that US citizens are taxed to death in ways other than the airport garbage fees @ airports and your generalization above is mis-worded (at best).

At the risk of a political debate, I do not agree.

Americans are not taxed to death, having lowest rates in the "Western" world.

Hotel and airport taxes are ways for local governments to raise money without burdening local population, hence much lower "off airport" taxes on car rentals.

EmailKid

Americans are not taxed to death, having lowest rates in the "Western" world.



Let's move this to OMNI/PR.

You will change your tune. @:-)

Question to OP:

If you buy second hand, will you be ready for the hassles and down time if you break down ?

Have you looked at if selling it back at buying price can happen in USA unlike elsewhere ?

How much time will you devote to sell back ? Who and how will you sell it ? Plan B if your departure date arrives before sale ?

Think the Enterprise (off airport) way is better. Try to bargain down the price. If you have a breakdown in a metro area, Enterprise will just replace it !

Someone earlier in this thread mentioned leasing - any examples of companies that offer this? Been thinking about doing the same myself, but don't know where to start...

Someone earlier in this thread mentioned leasing - any examples of companies that offer this? Been thinking about doing the same myself, but don't know where to start...

Most of the major players in the rental business also have leasing division. I have used Hertz, Thrifty and Enterprise in the past. Much easier to deal with them on the short (few months) lease as opposed to a 3-5 year lease.

Payment can be weekly or monthly on credit card. Sometimes the rate is cheaper with full insurance included or you can get a separate short term policy from an approved list of insurers. I just transfer my business vehicle insurance over since I will not be using it while out of town.

Hello,

From all the response i remerber specialy to lease a car ( possible for a foreinger?) or buy a car and get insurrence with AMEX and take a postadress.
Names from company's are wellcome

THX

Are you returning to Europe from LAX ?

If you buy from a dealer there is about 9% sales tax that you pay the dealer
If you buy from a private party you pay the DMV - registration office the same 9% sales tax

What happens if the used car breaks ? You might want to get AAA auto club for a tow.

How old are you , if under 25 years old insurance is pretty expensive,

Yearly registation fees are cheap compared to Europe.

Petrol is about $4 a US gallon. 3.85 liters

I know many people that have done this over the years, even buying a motorhome in LA and driving it to Florida to ship back to Holland.

Soarer

Are you returning to Europe from LAX ?

If you buy from a dealer there is about 9% sales tax that you pay the dealer
If you buy from a private party you pay the DMV - registration office the same 9% sales tax

What happens if the used car breaks ? You might want to get AAA auto club for a tow.

How old are you , if under 25 years old insurance is pretty expensive,

Yearly registation fees are cheap compared to Europe.

Petrol is about $4 a US gallon. 3.85 liters

I know many people that have done this over the years, even buying a motorhome in LA and driving it to Florida to ship back to Holland.

Soarer

Yes i'm thinking about AAA and have past the 25
Petrol in Europe is almost 2 US/l
Every practical info is still welcome, postadres etc