USA Car Purchase

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maverick

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Oct 5, 2006
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I intend to visit the US over the summer and since I hate to fly I need to do Southampton to New York on the cruise ship :) As the boat will take 5 day I intend to spend a minimum of 30 days and would like to drive to California to do some biz and meet some friends.

I have been checking the price of a rental mustang convertibles and my feeling is that I would be better buying a car which I can ship back to the UK and keep as a summer run about.

Will I get a good deal in NYC on a new mustang and is it easy to register / insure in a couple of day or should would I be better buying in a different state? My UK insurance can cover the car should it be required but I would rather keep it all simple.
 


If you're going to go through all that trouble and if it were me.....

Ride the rails from east to west and relax and enjoy the scenery. When you get to sunny CA, take the money you'd plop down on a Mustang and buy a classic American muscle car. They're all over the place out there and ready to go. I was out there for a 6 month job and picked up a '67 Pontiac and drove it back to the East Coast - it was a fucking blast:

pontiaclr7.jpg


If you're in San Diego, get something and take it down to Tijuana and have it pimped out on the cheap. Get a classic Mustang if that's what you like. It will only appreciate in value. You can always get one of the new ones. Check out Ebay for guides on transporting vehicles overseas - there's people that do it all the time.
 
I personally think you'd be better off buying the car and just fire-selling it before you leave. You'll still come out spending less money than you would on a rental.

Jizzlobber's suggestion about taking the train cross-country is a cool idea too. Maybe do that and pick up a rental for a week of the time that you're Stateside, save money, hassle and paperwork.


Frank
 
You can get a weekly or monthly rate from Enterprise Rent a car that's killer.

First thing you should do is call on the phone and ask for a long-term rate. They'll quote you some ridiculously high amount, say oh, sorry, "Budget" quoted me X, X being 50% of what Enterprise just quoted you, then just say thanks anyway. Also tell them you have a corporate discount ( which you don't but they never ask for the details, just make something up ).

Most likely the guy will come back with an offer to get you in a car. If not hang up (make sure he has your phone number and leave him with the, well, if you can do better than X, give me a call and just wait it out, they'll call if it's a slow time).

Alternatively, just buy a 2007 model mustang while you are here then sell it before you leave, you can get a great deal with low mileage and it's highly likely you'll be able to re-sell it for what you paid.
 
Just don't buy it new from a dealer and expect to get even close back to what you paid. I would arrange something off craigs or ebay in the area before you arrive. You'll save 5-10k there and be able to resell it for close to the same amount that you paid.
 
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