[Bsimhan]

I would lean towards getting something in your range of $ from a reputed dealer (Jeoren mention CarMax). The pricing might be slightly higher than a direct sale, but you'll probably have the satisfaction of a warranty in case anything should happen. Good luck with the move and the car.

[karanddd]

Originally Posted by k_kumar

Hello karanaddd, you can surely get a reliable used car in that range - stick to Civic/Corolla or Camry/Accord (arguably Toyotas are a bit more reliable than Hondas but neither will be interesting). Check used car prices on KBB and you'll have a fair idea about the market in Houston. Please note that both buyers and sellers set prices based on what kbb suggests.

Yeah the Civic-Corolla-Accord-Camry quadruple seems sort of inevitable, but I have been browsing Craigslist and FB marketplace for Subaru and Mazda wagons (I'm really drawn to the estate wagon style) that call to me more. Thank you for so much for all the info regarding what I need to look out for, that's really helpful. I'll check out Firestone as well.

At the moment it seems that we'll get there mid-September, so hopefully I should have an update for the thread soon enough on what we get.

[Miyata]

Craigslist is likely to use up too much time and effort trying to find genuinely well cared cars.

It might be helpful to get connected with:

1) Indian students association, at the university

2) The overall students / staff community at the university (internal classifieds, portals, and dashboards)

These are likely to be more genuine and less burdensome on time + better deals too.

As for the DL, you will have to get the Texas DL anyway. It's not much of a hassle though - I have had to get the DL in three states and don't recall any inconveniences.

[Amrik Singh]

Originally Posted by karanddd

I have been browsing Craigslist and FB marketplace for Subaru and Mazda wagons (I'm really drawn to the estate wagon style) that call to me more.

Last May, my daughter had picked up Subaru Forester, 2015, 81k Miles for $15K in San Francisco.

[mmxylorider]

Is leasing an option? or talk to dealers if they have anyone looking at getting out of their lease. Apparently, with the pandemic and people losing their jobs, a lot of cars were repossessed and put back in the user car market.

For practicality and reliability - the Japanese trio can't be beat. Best to buy in Texas as the cars would have worked in climate extremes found here unlike a cold weather car suddenly facing hot sun and heavy AC usage.

[sandeepmohan]

You can't go wrong with the Miata for sure. As many have already said, just make sure the AC and rag top is in good shape. You also need to brace yourself for a loud-ish cabin at highway speeds. A test drive is the only way to know if you are fine with this or not.

As an alternate option, look for a low mileage 2010 Audi TT hard top. It is a hoot to drive.

[no_fear]

If you are on a student visa - forget about leasing a car, you will not qualify.

Also, are you planning to take a rental car to go looking for used cars? You can check with the rental companies if they have anything for sale. May not be the best option, but sometimes they do have some good bargains.

[pradeepkc]

If I may suggest couple of unusual choices. Try checking out a used Prius. Don't worry about high mileage, I have seen cars that have run 300K and were still going strong. You only need to check when the Li battery was replaced if it's an older/high mileage car. They have good resale value too.

The other option that you might consider is a Jeep Wrangler. You will find plenty of them around Houston and for cheap as well. Great car for exploring Texas.

[carthick1000]

Before our daughter was born, my wife and me didn't think twice to get an MX-5 ND. We did trips to Sweden, Germany, Denmark and drove all over NL where we live. We still cherish those memories. Until today, the only car my wife misses having is the MX-5. We would definitely be getting one as a second car, when we really need a second car. It is one such small little roadster which brings a lot of joy. Forget practicality for now and follow your heart. You have still the better part of life ahead to think about practicality and all the bla-di-bla of regular car buying. Somewhere in a farm in Sweden:



As Jeroen mentioned about having a roadster in Texas is not the most entertaining, due to lack of winding and small roads. But still, I think even a lane change on highway, 90 degree turn in a junction are all equally fun in an MX-5. Reserve 10-20% of your budget for (expected/unexpected) maintenance and buy the car for the rest. That saves you any issues that might pop up buying a used MX-5. Most likely things to have some issues/wear and tear are the fabric parts (convertible roof, seats). Otherwise they are bullet proof reliable. Make sure you subscribe to some miata forums in USA and download their used NB buying checklist. You might even find buddies on the forum who can help you out finding a good example.

Good luck and pls update what you got.

Cheers,
Karthik

[pta320]

with 6k, you can easily get a well maintained Toyota Camry 2012-2013. And I can assure you won't face any problem with it. Just make sure you dont buy the old Camry with 2.4 ltr 2AZ engine which has oil consumption issue. The new ones with 2.5 2AR are bulletproof. Similarly, Accord 2.4 with K24 2.4 engine is equally good. The auto transmissions in both are reliable.

If you want a newer car, then maybe Corolla or Civic would do. Honda is making newer Civics with 1.0l turbo petrol engines.

If you want to look into some other brands, then you can consider Hyundai Sonata or Ford Fusion.

Also, there are many sellers who would sell you a fairly popular car Nissan Altima with very less miles for very cheap. Be aware that these Altimas are plagued with CVT failures and will burn a hole in your pocket. Just avoid any Nissan car if possible.

Lastly, stay away from any cheap German car. In coming 3 years, that car will take your wallet with it in the grave :-P.

[karanddd]

Just want to provide an update to the thread and say thanks to all the members who provided their suggestions.

A change in plans entails that I'll only be in Houston for another three months, which is why I've decided against buying a car. Here's what I ended up getting instead.

It's great for short commutes, which is mostly what I do. For grocery runs and long distance journeys, I've just been using Uber. It would of course be nice to have a car, but for such a short duration of time Uber + biking ends up being far more economical.