[FiestaST]

Like other members pointed out, interest rate should be below 3% right now.

Gas prices are going through the roof and looks like there’s no stopping anytime soon. I’d say, why not look at those plug-ins?

1. Volvo has S60/XC60/XC90 with 455 (combined) hp powertrains on offer with 30-40 miles of electric range.
2. Bmw X5 with 389 HP and 35 miles of e-range.
3. Audi Q5 with 370 HP and ~40 miles of e-range

All these also qualify for $7500 federal ev tax credits depending upon your tax situation. There are many such great plug-ins on sale.

I’m seriously contemplating an nice plug in but waiting on 2023 X5 due to rumors of 475hp powertrain upgrade and more e-range.

[Mar21]

This is not really going to help, but then you do need the left field input as well :-)

I keep telling a very good friend of mine in the US to buy the following cars (primarily so that I can drive them when I visit him).

1. Hellcat Charger (Reason - have fun now and make money on it in the long run as they will see increased interest from collectors in 20-25 years)
2. GMC Yukon XL (Reason - for those 2-3 week long driving holidays with the family)

He currently drives a Mazda 3 and his wife a Ford Cmax.

Have fun car shopping and if you go the preowned route, you could probably swap in a year or two and not lose a lot given the state of the market.

Cheers!
M

[Abhi99]

There are several factors (reality) that you would face as you are in the market to buy car in these times, few of them being -
- Longish wait times on the cars/ trims that you would like to own. One of the best things about US car market was the ability to get off the shelf units with colors/ trim/ accessories of your choice. With pandemic, semiconductors shortage, supply chain issues - this is no longer the case.
- Buying a used car is not advised in this market, because the car prices are sky high. Someone in my family bought a new 4Runner and interestingly - after 2k on the dial , sites like Carvana are offering him couple of grands over the price (MSRP) that he paid for it. Point is - you would easily end up paying atleast 15-20% extra from the "actual" worth of the car.
- Because of inflation and govt's attempt to curb the same has increased the interest rates. With 4th of July around the corner, you can expect some promotional offers. I was able to get my car financed back in Oct for 0.9%.
- Rising Fuel prices are a reality and frankly now, my car is starting to hurt now. I get about 18 miles/ gallon and I wonder if I should have opted for a hybrid / or smaller engine.

That said - depending on your priorities you can have several choices. Since its only 3 of you - you may or may not want a 3 row car. One of the criteria that I had while shortlisting my car was - I looked at the valuation of used cars on KBB and see which ones retained the most value ( off course ticking all my priorities). Personally, I zeroed in on 2019 Acura RDX back in 2020 for about 33K. I drove it for about 20 months and 20K miles (during pandemic) and was able to sell it for about 36K. Post that I got a 2022 MDX and I love this one too. While RDX had a 2.5 Ltr turbo which was little more sporty, MDX has a naturally aspirated 3.5 Ltr engine - which has ton of power too (MDX is not slow but RDX was sportier though).

I would suggest you check out Mazda CX9 as well. Its a wonderful car- with ton of positive reviews.

I hope I did not confuse you too much. Best of luck with your hunt.

[mpp1]

One thing I'd recommend is to go through the defensive driver's course with the wife, I can not recommend this enough as driving in Asia and the US are worlds apart. I have first hand experience of this so I can vouch for the need.
Another thing to keep in mind is the resale value when it's time to sell both in terms of money back and quick sale.
I'd recommend a Lexus if you want to splurge or a nice Highlander or even a top of the line Subaru station wagon, these are great on gas and very roomy and practical.

[CarBot]

Welcome to USA, right now market is crazy. It is also good in a way as you can buy at MSRP and sell it at MSRP or even more. I have done it twice in last 6 months. Look at my other posts.
I bought a Subie Asscent and was not satisfied with its CVT, then bought a manual 6 speed WRX and was very happy with it except for my wife so sold it and bought a Dinosaur (read as 4Runner).
The new 2023 Sequoia is as good as a Lexus and it is within 60k range. It is now a twin turbo hybrid making 437 bhp so you will have smiles per gallon. It is big and would satisfy you on road trips and costco trips. It's essentially going to be a new mall crawler replacing the 4Runner.
Anyhow, do signup with Costco auto program and also check with your company's beneplace tie up, you can score car less than msrp with that.
All the best and keep us posted.
I do look back at my car/suv/truck (as it is still body on frame) Pic below.

[gvarma9989]

Originally Posted by mac187

Lastly, I am not keen on EV at this stage of my life. Maybe its me trying to hold on to my youth for little longer.

I fought two years convincing myself, EV's are boring/trash cars to drive.
Once I got into Tesla ownership, I am blown away by handling/acceleration.

Started loving my grocery drives.
Stoplights are super fun, if you are caught up with Corvette/Mustang/Challenger.

I would suggest you to take a Tesla test drive for fun.

[Conquistador]

I returned from the US last year. I learnt driving there and got my first car there, it was a used one, but now the rates are ridiculous. I sold my car for $8.5k around 2020 December, the same car has gone upto 15k now.

Anyways, I was staying with friends who were already there and a few things to help reduce the rates,

1. See if you can add a person with good history of driving in the US as an additional driver, this will bring down the insurance premium by a lot. They don't care about your experience outside of USA.

2. My friend got a Rav 4 hybrid in Oklahoma after a 3 months wait in Feb of this year. His loan interest was 3%. He was returning to the US after a break of 2 years and had just above avg. credit history due to that. Please do loan shop. Also if you're salary and investments are in a particular bank, that might help negotiate the interest rates as well.

3. Prices are different at different dealers, which was very strange to me. So please be aware of that as well and do your research and be ready to walk away. Do not opt for their maintenance packages, just get an extended warranty.

4. Having a pre approved laon and ready cash for down payment may also count in your favor. So show them the money if you're set on the car and price you want.

Good luck with your search and purchase.

[Pacific]

Welcome to the US of A. My two cents –
1. The car market is bonkers at the moment. So have patience and look for oddball cars as well. For instance, Mitsubishi Outlanders are not as popular as other SUVs from Japan. However, you might find one for a good deal.
2. Look for a leased SUV now. The world is moving towards EV/Hybrid, and in three years, you will be able to return the leased car and opt for an EV/Hybrid. Also, you may plan to buy a house in a couple of years and get a Level 2 charger installed in your garage, enabling you to charge your EV at home.
3. You may have to cast your net far and wide. Be prepared to travel as far as Austin/OK City/San Antonio to pick up your ride.
4. Show your employment contract to car dealerships, and they may be willing to offer you a better deal.
5. Get an account with a Credit Union such as DCU, and they offer car loans at a better interest rate.
6. Show your driving history to insurance companies, which might help you cut down your insurance premiums. For example, I reduced my insurance premium when I showed my driving history in the Middle East.
7. There are websites such as leasetrader.com and swaplease.com where you can take over someone’s lease. However, I will suggest you not take that route.
8. It is a DIY life here. You may have to haul heavy stuff from Ikea/Home Depot, so an SUV makes much sense.
9. If you are looking for cheap thrills without the hassle of maintaining a German ride, you may look at a Mazda Cx-5 or an Acura RDX A-Spec.

[mmxylorider]

Live in Austin (200 m south). Both my cars were purchased CPO, but in current market buying new is a better decision. Two things to be extremely careful about if you are thinking used.
1. High temperatures in summer = need good AC.
2. Hot roads = stress on tires. Need those to be in prime condition

I will suggest going for a used car while you research new cars with potential waiting times. At a later time, two cars will prove useful.

Looks at dealerships outside of the metro as well. Waco, Allen, Ft Worth should be your boundaries.

[evil_grin]

On my visit to Dallas, Texas last month, I saw a higher percentage of muscle cars and pickups than other parts of the US.

I rented both and had fun! Get one of those two kinds. You won't get them back in India. You'll easily get Germans here.

[mac187]

Update:

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. I couldn't update here as past few weeks were spent in figuring out a solution to a unique problem US of A decided to throw my way. Long story short my wife as only given name in her passport, which led to her visa being issued as FNU XXXX (X being her name, FNU stands for First Name Unavailable). Apparently, first & last name is a must have field in US, which we were ok with, but later more issues unfolded..

Coming back to the search, I used last few days to test the following car.
1. KIA Sorento Hybrid
2. Jeep Grand Cherokee L
3. VW Atlas
4. MB GLB 250

Off the lot, I was impressed with the amenities of Sorento. It really felt luxurious and worth more than $40K, which is supposed to be its sticker price. Apparently 2023 model is on its way and dealership is not taking orders for new till August and further expect the wait time to be 6 months as its a Hybrid!
The MB sales guy knew how to highlight the plus points of the car, during the test drive, he played the music, changed the drive mode, fiddled with the infotainment screen to really sell the car. However his provisional quote without reaching out to a bank is 14.49% interest on $25K over 60 months! I am supposed to pay half upfront.

I want to test drive BMW 330 and a Tesla, Tesla apparently don't have cars for test drive until July 21. I reached late to the BMW showroom, will do the test drive next week.

I was able to get a slot at the local DMV for 29th July. I was told by a driving institute, where I enrolled my wife, that I do not need to any other thing i.e. online test, learners permit etc. Hopefully, that's the correct info. I can give the driving test directly and get the license. Not sure if its because I mentioned that I have a Singapore DL. If any members can share their inputs that will help me plan better.

I have been scouring the used car market, finding a clean titled car out of the tons of rebuilt ones which are listed is a big task. This also doesn't help in my dual objective of taking a car loan to build credit history here.

Insurance quotes are high too, again due to lack of DL and driving history.

The only saving grace as been my second rental is a BMW Mini Cooper Countryman, I really enjoy the steering feedback during the city runabouts. The power is good too. Wife is in love with it. Decent space for weekly shopping and then some.

[mac187]

Attached is a quote from KIA, I will let the members decide

Below is the sticker price of the car


Below is the quote given to me for the same car!


This is pretty much the case across other dealers too. The only place cars are being sold at reasonable prices is cars&bids.

My apartment doesn't have charging ports for electric cars and do not allow extension cord charging due to hazard. There is a supercharger 3miles away from my house, not sure if its a workable option to go there for charging needs every time.

Thinking of starting with a beater car for grocery runs and wife to learn driving. Need alot of research and time to find the right car in this market.

[shankar.balan]

Yes indeed. Wifey was parked in Dallas and Atlanta for a couple of years and more with the facility of a new, company paid rental each week. As she was a Hertz Gold member and likewise at Enterprise I really had a blast renting nice big American cars and Jeeps which you just cannot get in India unless you are a real estate King or Politician.
So actually had we been in the market to buy a car while there, I would have gravitated towards a Jeep Wrangler or a Ford Mustang or a Dodge Charger or a Mini Cooper or a Ford F 150 Truck.
Why bother with Kia’s and Hyundai’s and Toyota’s and similar runts when you can literally have your pick of the litter and get to lead your own little Wolf Pack and be the Emperor of the Parking lot!

Originally Posted by evil_grin

On my visit to Dallas, Texas last month, I saw a higher percentage of muscle cars and pickups than other parts of the US.

I rented both and had fun! Get one of those two kinds. You won't get them back in India. You'll easily get Germans here.

[mac187]

I finally found a beater for wife to learn with and immediate needs. Now that out of the way, I am focusing my search on a nice driver oriented car. Used prices are still high, but as per Doug DeMuro they are coming down steadily, atleast in his site. Most of the cars sold on his site are Manual's, that maybe another reason for lower prices.

Anyway, I have narrowed search to sedans likes of BMW, Mustang and some classics. Open for suggestions.

[shankar.balan]

Sincere suggestion.

Drop the Germans and Japanese and Koreans and all those.
You’re in America now.
Carpe Diem - Seize the Day!
Go for some good solid American Jeep or Truck or Muscle car since youre sitting right there and Everything’s Bigger in Texas anyway. Lower state taxes. Less expensive gas. You’ve got everything going for you.

Consider aJeep Wrangler, Dodge Charger SRT, Ford Mustang, Chevy Camaro, Ford F150, Dodge RAM.
Come on! The possibilities are endless!

Originally Posted by mac187

Anyway, I have narrowed search to sedans likes of BMW, Mustang and some classics. Open for suggestions.