[Nimz]

Mods please move this thread to the right forum!

Team - I have a different what car request and am banking on the collective wisdom of this group.

I will be going to the US for a short term assignment and am looking for a 4 wheeler but do not know where to start.

- i am looking for pre-owned only as the primary objective is to use it only for a few years.

- i don't know much about the costs there but am not going on any fat salary hence would like some guidance on how much I should budget (ex: not more than one's 4 month salary etc.)

- Will be working at a university so need a brand / model that wont be the laughing stock / not too flashy.

- it will snow 6 months a year. So something that is good for snow.

- Haul 3 people. Me, the wife and the little one.

- Reliable and fuel efficient. Essentially something utilitarian, comfortable and reliable. No high speed / acceleration/ flashy looks / snob value required.

Looking to frame a short list so that I know what to look for when I land there. Thanks in advance.

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by Nimz

Mods please move this thread to the right forum!

Team - I have a different what car request and am banking on the collective wisdom of this group.

I will be going to the US for a short term assignment and am looking for a 4 wheeler
- i don't know much about the costs there but am not going on any fat salary hence would like some guidance on how much I should budget (ex: not more than one's 4 month salary etc.)

- Will be working at a university so need a brand / model that wont be the laughing stock / not too flashy.

- it will snow 6 months a year. So something that is good for snow.

- Haul 3 people. Me, the wife and the little one.

- Reliable and fuel efficient. Essentially something utilitarian,
Looking to frame a short list so that I know what to look for when I land there. Thanks in advance.

First off, North America is as close to ‘car heaven’ as one can get. The choices, trims, prices and opportunities are truly abundant there.

I would suggest go look for a used example of any of these following vehicles which will do the job admirably for you and remain within the budget, be respectable, anonymous, efficient and useful in the cold and snow.

Some thoroughly Reliable, less expensive, understated, functional options.
1. Toyota RAV4 AWD
2. Subaru Outback AWD
3. Subaru Forester AWD
4. Kia Sportage AWD
5. Hyundai Santa Fe AWD
6. Honda CRV AWD

Some decent, reasonably priced, more ‘local’ options.
1. Jeep Compass AWD
2. Jeep Cherokee AWD
3. Ford Everest 4WD
4. Ford Escape 4WD
5. If you are feeling just a little adventurous, then you might want to consider a nice Jeep Wrangler JL Unlimited or Sahara - no harm in a little ‘image’ and of course the utility of the Jeep is well documented.

I have only suggested the SUV body type with AWD / 4WD because I think these will be much more suitable for your stated requirements, especially driving safely in snow and ice. I have purposely kept away from recommending the Europeans because of likely costs. And I have stayed away from suggesting sedans because relatively few come with AWD options. One more thing, a vehicle that seems ‘extra -large’ and ‘super-sized’ here in India, (like say a Ford Endeavour), is quite ‘normal-sized’ out there in the US, since the roads, parking spaces etc are bigger and the overall ‘space’ isn’t a constraint like it is here in India. (Except of course in the real big cities in the CBD and inner city areas.)

You could check your local CarMax for used cars - they are everywhere in the US and they are good and reliable as per my experience. You can also check the local dealerships of the above named brands. They always have good quality customer trade-ins available for purchase. And additionally, you can also go check National, Alamo, Hertz, Avis and the various car rental companies. All of them sell their rental cars normally every 2-3 years on rota. And unlike our Indian self drive car rental companies, in my experience the North American ones service and maintain their vehicles much much better. Wear and tear and visible ageing for example, on 2 to 5 year old cars there in the US is relatively much less than you will see here in India. The operating conditions here in India being much harsher.

Have a great, enjoyable, safe stint. And time and money permitting, try and use the time to explore the superb countryside, cities and natural beauty and scenery that the US of A has in great abundance.
It’s the perfect country for ‘road-trippin’!

[libranof1987]

What part of the US are you going to?

- Do you already have a SSN? If you don't, it might be at least a month until you get it. Getting a car, rather a car loan (assuming you'll need one), without the SSN can be tricky and expensive. So, for the first month or so, you might need to rent a car

- Every car dealer has a CPO (Certified Pre-Owned) section; CPO cars carry manufacturer warranty, and hence are < three years typically. They're expensive, but you can trust them

- How little is your little one? You'll need to buy a car seat first thing. When you land in the US and heading to the hotel, let them know you have a child. Taxi drivers often refuse service when you have a child since they don't have a car seat, and are liable to a ticket if pulled over

- Look at Credit Unions for loans; they're often cheaper than what banks offer

- Would your wife drive in the US? If so, have her added on the insurance (insurance in the US is not car-specific, but driver-specific)

[Nimz]

Thank you so much. Very comprehensive. Apart from the vehicles you listed I kept coming across two more models that seemed more pocket friendly.

- Jeep Latitude
- Mazda CX 9

Do you think these are worth adding to the short list. Thanks again for the very informative post.

Originally Posted by libranof1987

What part of the US are you going to?

Erie, PA

Originally Posted by libranof1987

- Do you already have a SSN? If you don't, it might be at least a month until you get it. Getting a car, rather a car loan (assuming you'll need one), without the SSN can be tricky and expensive. So, for the first month or so, you might need to rent a car

I have one from my student days. For the first month or so I plan to find a place near the work place. Renting car - would long term rentals be cheap? I might want to rent one on the weekends for shopping and stuff.

Or am even thinking if I can get a car on lease for 9-10 months. Give it back when i come to India for the holidays and then get a new car on lease. Not sure if it's possible and how expensive it would be.

Originally Posted by libranof1987

- How little is your little one? You'll need to buy a car seat first thing. When you land in the US and heading to the hotel, let them know you have a child. Taxi drivers often refuse service when you have a child since they don't have a car seat, and are liable to a ticket if pulled over

I never thought of this. Thanks. She would be 1.5 years old when we go there. We do have one right now. Can carry it or buy one there.

Originally Posted by libranof1987

- Look at Credit Unions for loans; they're often cheaper than what banks offer

- Would your wife drive in the US? If so, have her added on the insurance (insurance in the US is not car-specific, but driver-specific)

Noted. Very helpful. Wife will have to learn to drive on the "wrong side" as will I. May need a few touch up classes.

Thank you so much.

[libranof1987]

Originally Posted by Nimz

Erie, PA

Oh, nice. I'd driven to Erie and then Lake Erie while visiting a friend in Pittsburgh. Damn that place gets a bunch of snow!

Or am even thinking if I can get a car on lease for 9-10 months. Give it back when i come to India for the holidays and then get a new car on lease. Not sure if it's possible and how expensive it would be.

Leases work well when you don't intend to put on a lot of miles. If you'll have a short commute and don't foresee a lot of road trips, a lease might actually work out better than a purchase.

Some friends had picked up a Nissan Rogue in Michigan; that could be an option as well.

[ninjatalli]

That section sees a lot of cold winds and a lot of snow thanks to the great lakes. So I'd focus on the following aspects

1. Stick to Japs. Toyota, Honda, and then Nissan. If you find vfm Mazda and/or Acura options, nothing like it. I'd recommend staying away from US (Ford, etc.) and European (VW, etc.) options; maintenance would not be cheap for those. You can't go wrong with a Jap option, no matter how old it is.

2. Look for cars with remote start options. Even in cars that don't have it in stock, there are after-market options so do get that. Very much required in that cold weather & especially you'll see a lot of (cold) windy days throughout the year.

3. In my opinion, an AWD isn't necessary. Those parts of the country see snow removed regularly during the winter period so a regular car would do. I (and a few of my colleagues/friends who lived in north Ohio & Pennsylvania) survived with sedans easily. Unnecessarily you'll pay a premium for an AWD model over regular options.

4. Second the Credit Union recommendation. Also, check with your peers for suggestions & pre-owned options to purchase. An acquaintance who landed up in Michigan for her masters found a decent beater car (an old Corolla iirc) from a colleague and it turned out the best option for her limited driving requirements during her study period.

You could technically look at buying a beater car for the first year and then go trade-up a more better option a year later. Lot of folks who land up in US with zero credit history end up doing that. Sticking to the Japs allows one to do that with minimal financial impact. Think of Corolla / Altima / Sentra / Civic / Camry / Rogue / etc. Just that you need to "survive" with a "beaten up" old car for a short duration.

[condor]

You have not mentioned how short is short term.

Do check with the rental agencies - they do give better prices for longer durations. And also check the mileage allowed for the duration of the rental. While at it, you can ask for changing the model too, so you can drive different cars.

One advantage of going this way is that you dont have to run around/worry about the selling part when you are coming back, and you can may be return the car at the agency's airport facility.

[Bhodrolok]

An used Honda or Toyota.... cheap, simple and absolutely hassle free.

[sandeepmohan]

Originally Posted by Nimz

Looking to frame a short list so that I know what to look for when I land there. Thanks in advance.

I'll try and make it as short a list as possible for AWD's:

• Corolla Hybrid SE - Mileage king
• Honda CR-V

FWD

• Corolla
• Civic Hatchback - Highly recommended for its practicality and space.

The Americans love their little Japanese cars. When the time comes to sell it, you will likely recover more money than any other vehicle model.

[amitoj]

Family of 3, in US for short term. Get a fun car, dude, like a Toyota GRC, Subaru WRX, Honda Civic Type R, VW GTI, Mini Cooper, or even a Dodge Challenger (with snow tires). They can all take a child seat and a week's worth of groceries.

Since you will be there for a short term, I don't expect you to be carrying a lot of home improvement stuff. If you need a large vehicle for a run to Ikea, you can always rent a truck from U-Haul for the day. And all cars will be reliable for a short term.

[GreasyCarb55]

My suggestion?

Get something fun yet reliable.

The top 3 in this category for me would be the VW Golf GTI (or Golf R AWD if the budget allows for it), Toyota Camry V6 and Honda Accord V6.

[sarathlal]

Originally Posted by Nimz

- i am looking for pre-owned only as the primary objective is to use it only for a few years.
...
Looking to frame a short list so that I know what to look for when I land there. Thanks in advance.

An used Subaru Outback or Honda CRV would be very practical, safe and easy on pocket. They both are good on snow as well as efficient daily drive. Will get you back decent resell value also.

After an year, if you still have sufficient term remaining for the stay, you can trade this for a newer car at that point of time by which you would have learned or experienced the practical situation there.

Regarding question on child seat, if you have one here already, take that along as you would need one in US right from your first drive with the kid.

For fun/experience, you can always take a much better car for rent over the weekends whenever there's a need. With your own insurance being utilised, this will be way cheaper an option, than to really own one.

[Nimz]

Thanks everyone for the inputs. Very helpful.

Will look at the japs. Always had my eye on a Camry, Civic hatchback, ford Mustang, Chevy Camaro and a mini Cooper.

I think I will stick to the japs to start with. A lot depends on the wife too. She thinks am crazy to take this opportunity and she thinks am going there only to ride cars and bikes. ��

[amitoj]

Originally Posted by Nimz

TA lot depends on the wife too. She thinks am crazy to take this opportunity and she thinks am going there only to ride cars and bikes.

Well, prove her right. You both will be happy
Get a car that your kid will remember.

[tsk1979]

Used car market is so crazy right now that buying new makes more financial sense. For short term, a lease is actually a better option. To get deals you have to shop around for cars which are not popular and have a huge inventory. Dodge/Jeep is struggling with some models and so is Mazda.

The popular kids have huge dealer markups so stay away. In the end it all comes down to your budget. How much do you want to spend? Will it be primarily city car? Then with the subsidies expensive electrics no longer seem to expensive.

Charger network could be something you take a look at though, in your area.