hi there, me and two friends and going to USA next year and plan to buy a car and drive cross country.
How much you end up paying depends on knowing what to look for in a second hand car and not getting stuck with something that costs a fortune in repairs or that breaks down in the middle of nowhere (get breakdown cover with your insurance).
Check brakes, lights, all five tyres, how the engine is running (noise, smoke), test drive it, does it steer OK (especially when braking hard) and change gear OK (a stick shift as in manual will be a lot cheaper than an automatic), bodywork, especially under the car, radiator, check suspension by pressing heavily on parts of it over the wheels, exhaust, etc. Do not be afraid to check it out properly and ignore the line of BS you will be told about it.
Buy an Atlas of America and where necessary you can pick up road maps. Cheap end accommodation in the last decade has really gone up in America, so try internet cafes and book something online if you can, days ahead if possible. Downtown areas may be bad for parking, dangerous at night, etc so where possible, stay on the outskirts, but not in poor areas.
Rush hour is a nightmare anywhere, so avoid driving in the center of big towns then if you can. Park properly or you'll get a ticket or towed. If a police car pulls you over, keep your hands on the steering wheel and don't do anything dumb (some police are a bit jumpy with guns so freely available). Do not drink and drive, or maybe I'll catch you on one of the "Police, Camera, Action" shows before you get hauled off to jail.
I would not count on getting much for it at the other end. America is awash with cars for sale.
I have helped over 10 TP members buy vehicles in Las Vegas. Photos of some of them in my gallery. I usually recommend vans as you can sleep in them in when needed. With 3 of you, this option is not practical. A minivan such as a or is still a decent choice. Plenty of room for 3 with gear, easy to drive, decent gas mileage. Or something like a . Reliable and heaps of them for sale. I can usually find something under $4K in 2-3 days. Figure $125 to put license plates on it, $125/month for insurance. Most of the couples I helped lost between $300-500 when they sold it. 2 sold for the same price they paid. Some had repair bills over $500, most did not. It is always a risk when buying a used vehicle.
Send me a PM if you need any advice. Mike
Hey vegas Mike,
You are probably sick to death of foreigners asking about buying a car to do a road trip in the U.S but here i go....
Could i buy a vehicle interstate and bring it and register it and title it in Nevada if i found a good deal out is state, or is it a bettter idea to just find something in Nevada?
We are a Australian/New Zealand family wanting to buy something like a F350 4x4 diesel long bed and putting a slide-on camper on it. First we would like to see a bit of America and then ship it to europe to continue on as we are planning a 2 or so years round the world trip.
But we need to be sure we can register the vehicle before qwe commit to buying anything.
I have a full heavy vehicle Australian drivers license if this is of any benefit, advantage.
I could also get a printout to prove i have never had any infringements/accidents also if this is worthwhile.
Any help/Advice would be much appreciated
thanks in advance
Doug
Doug,
I sent my answer in a PM. Mike
Hi
New to the forum so after some help......vegas mike seems to know what I need to know.
Traveling to las vegas and want to buy a car to drive around and back to L.A. then bring it back to Australia
SO!!
WhaT is the procedure I need to follow AFTER buying The car ie; registration, insurance and any other fees etc; I need to do BEFORE I can drive it around. I will not be staying in the same location so is this a problem.
Thanks in advance
Graham,
I sent you a PM on buying in the US.
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