[Technocrat]

Originally Posted by chevelle

Congrats on a new pre-owned ride. Sure will put a smile on the face when required with the potent v6. Any suspension upgrades planned to make it handle better or is it out and out a family vehicle?

Thanks

Yeah, it would be primarily a family car so No suspension upgrades planned.

Besides I will enjoy it in its current state for a while first before I think about any upgrades as this is my first car in US

[amitoj]

Thank you guys. The report is in the making. Meanwhile I will put some miles on it. Right now my commute is hardly 20 miles a day.

Originally Posted by chevelle

Congratulations on your new acquisition.
Awaiting your review for the same.

Originally Posted by NinadJoshi

Would this be the first Hemi on the forum?

Maybe, maybe not. There are quite a few lurkers here. Wont be surprised if one of them has the bigger Hemi!

Originally Posted by aah78

Wow! Where'd you have to go?

300 miles was the total i drove over Saturday and Sunday.

I bought the car from a deal about 50 miles out, to Danvers, MA
Went there first thing on Sunday. Then drove to another dealer in Mendon (another 60 miles or so) to check out another Charger that they were supposed to have in stock. But when I reached there, they said it got sold last night! This happened with me a lot.

Anyway, so went back to Danvers, finalised the deal and then drove back home.

Originally Posted by Technocrat

I too bought my car yesterday but its not a Muscle car

Originally Posted by Technocrat

Bought a Current Gen 2008 Accord V6 EX-L, fully loaded with Navigation, Premium Sound & works.

Congrats on your car, Techno! Mine is not a muscle car either. It has 4 doors after all

[Jomz]

Amitoj, congrats on the New car. I am curious on the realworld mpg of the R/T charger. How is it??

[K.S.]

OK, yet another choice spoilt bhpian asking for advice.
I have gone through many pages in this thread, but could not conclude anything myself.

Here is a short description of what I am and want. Experts, please help out.

+ I may travel to US in a month or so (first time travel. at least for a stint of 2 years. Visa is ending this year end, but it will be extended hopefully)
+ Valley area (Mostly AZ, means no snow, fully dry, long highways)
+ Need a car for family (2 + little one)
+ Don't have IDP. Is it a must?

Requirements:
+ Will be the daily and only car
+ Will do lot of highway/long trips (same car preferred)
+ Good power, looks, safety, nice interiors, gadgets, reasonable FE, reasonable resale value (not looking for selling with very low loss, and not looking for a 50% depreciating car either), reasonable maintenance are key priorities
+ May take a loan (new or used). No idea about financials at the moment. No SSN, No IDP, (US) driving license so far. How long will it take?
+ Tired of being brand biased in India (limited budget, always had been with Maruti/Hyundai for reliability, A.S.S factors).
+ May dispose in 2 to 3 years. Shouldn't be hard to sell.
+ Sedan/Coupe/SUV - Anything is fine. No hatchbacks.
+ New or used - no idea yet
+ Is 20K USD a decent budget for these requirements considering I am a new starter in the US?

Please advice. I ain't sure if I am asking for an all-rounder white elephant

[amitoj]

Originally Posted by Jomz

Amitoj, congrats on the New car. I am curious on the realworld mpg of the R/T charger. How is it??

Thanks.

I will know the realworld mpg after putting a few miles. Right now, the first tankfull is also not over yet.

Originally Posted by K.S.

OK, yet another choice spoilt bhpian asking for advice.
I have gone through many pages in this thread, but could not conclude anything myself.

+ Valley area (Mostly AZ, means no snow, fully dry, long highways)

+ Don't have IDP. Is it a must?

Requirements:
+ Good power, looks, safety, nice interiors, gadgets, reasonable FE, reasonable resale value (not looking for selling with very low loss, and not looking for a 50% depreciating car either), reasonable maintenance are key priorities
+ May take a loan (new or used). No idea about financials at the moment. No SSN, No IDP, (US) driving license so far. How long will it take?
+ May dispose in 2 to 3 years. Shouldn't be hard to sell.
+ Is 20K USD a decent budget for these requirements considering I am a new starter in the US?

Please advice. I ain't sure if I am asking for an all-rounder white elephant

Hi KS
All the best with your move.
Regarding IDP, i dont think it is a must. But you will need to apply for an Arizona DL soon as you land. See section 39 of this site:
Motor Vehicle Division

20K is a pretty decent budget for buying a car here. And since you intend to sell the car after 2-3 years and since you dont really need an AWD, i would suggest getting a Toyota or a Honda. They retain their value the most, is what i am told.

Financing will be difficult but not impossible. Be prepared to pay a higher than normal interest rate, since you wont have any credit history when you go to buy a car.

Cheers
Amitoj

[infotech58]

Originally Posted by K.S.

+ Don't have IDP. Is it a must?

Requirements:
+ Will be the daily and only car
+ Will do lot of highway/long trips (same car preferred)
+ Good power, looks, safety, nice interiors, gadgets, reasonable FE, reasonable resale value (not looking for selling with very low loss, and not looking for a 50% depreciating car either), reasonable maintenance are key priorities
+ May dispose in 2 to 3 years. Shouldn't be hard to sell.
+ Is 20K USD a decent budget for these requirements considering I am a new starter in the US?

get an IDP, it would let you buy a car and insurance before you get your local license.

20k USD is a very good budget and would give you hell lot of options. first decide, what kind of vehicle you would want and then pick one. given your requirements, look for certified cars with original warranty left for one year or more. you should be able to get 2009-2010 make Honda Accord V6 EX-L, 2010 Nissan Maxima V6. You may also be able to get some slightly older Infinitis and Acuras in this budget. 2005/2006 BMW 3 series should also fall within your budget.

[krish82]

Hi Guys,

Need quick help. Just moved to US, hopefully will stay few years. I need to finalize on a car within a month or so. Got IDP, yet to get the learners here.
Please let me know what cars to look at, i have a initial budget of 5k.

option 1: Get a very cheap car 2k to 3k then buy a good car after a year when credit history builds up or
option 2: Buy a decent car now and live with it.

What you guys say, when i checked out the websites most of the japanese cars in this price range have miles more than 120k to 150k. We never touch these high miles cars in india. What you all suggest

Honda, toyota or nissan, I liked the Acura too, its kind of plush. Please direct me properly.

[amitoj]

Welcome to US, Krish82. Where in US are you?

Yes, for 2K - 3K, you will get cars with huge number of miles on them. Although the roads here are good enough to allow cars to run that many miles normally, its just that the history of the car becomes a bigger unknown with that many miles.

With 5K in hand, see if you can get financing for 10K or thereabouts from a local Credit Union. That is your best bet. In 15K, you should be able to get a pretty good new/used/certified car.

[chevelle]

Originally Posted by K.S.

OK, yet another choice spoilt bhpian asking for advice.
I have gone through many pages in this thread, but could not conclude anything myself.

Here is a short description of what I am and want. Experts, please help out.

+ I may travel to US in a month or so (first time travel. at least for a stint of 2 years. Visa is ending this year end, but it will be extended hopefully)
+ Valley area (Mostly AZ, means no snow, fully dry, long highways)
+ Need a car for family (2 + little one)
+ Don't have IDP. Is it a must?

Requirements:
+ Will be the daily and only car
+ Will do lot of highway/long trips (same car preferred)
+ Good power, looks, safety, nice interiors, gadgets, reasonable FE, reasonable resale value (not looking for selling with very low loss, and not looking for a 50% depreciating car either), reasonable maintenance are key priorities
+ May take a loan (new or used). No idea about financials at the moment. No SSN, No IDP, (US) driving license so far. How long will it take?
+ Tired of being brand biased in India (limited budget, always had been with Maruti/Hyundai for reliability, A.S.S factors).
+ May dispose in 2 to 3 years. Shouldn't be hard to sell.
+ Sedan/Coupe/SUV - Anything is fine. No hatchbacks.
+ New or used - no idea yet
+ Is 20K USD a decent budget for these requirements considering I am a new starter in the US?

Please advice. I ain't sure if I am asking for an all-rounder white elephant

All your requirement points to a full size sedan or a crossover. You have following options:

- accord, camry, mazda6
- cr-v, rav4
- 2005-2008 acura TL/TSX
- 2005-2008 Infiniti G35
- 2003-2006 Lexus R330, R350
- 2003-2007 Murano
- 2004-2006 MDX
- 2004-2008 Nissan Maxima
- Avalon, Azera

Your budget is good but what about down payment. How much are you willing to put it down?

For $20k, you can get 2012 accords and camry since 2013 models are coming soon. Keep in mind, newer the car, higher the insurance. Also no credit history, higher the interest rate. So you will be paying more monthly than required.

Since you are gonna use it for 2-3 years, i would suggest you get something like above in 10k-12k range and use it as much as possible and get rid of it. If you want to try different cars, rent some better ones like mustang, camaro and enjoy them during weekends.

You said month or so. If you are arriving in late August, you best bet to get good deals would be labor day on Sept 3rd. Aim for it and go for the kill.

p.s: i have put down Japanese cars only as it will be easier for you to sell after 2-3 years. You will get good resale value too if the car is in good condition

[chevelle]

Originally Posted by krish82

Hi Guys,

Need quick help. Just moved to US, hopefully will stay few years. I need to finalize on a car within a month or so. Got IDP, yet to get the learners here.
Please let me know what cars to look at, i have a initial budget of 5k.

option 1: Get a very cheap car 2k to 3k then buy a good car after a year when credit history builds up or
option 2: Buy a decent car now and live with it.

What you guys say, when i checked out the websites most of the japanese cars in this price range have miles more than 120k to 150k. We never touch these high miles cars in india. What you all suggest

Honda, toyota or nissan, I liked the Acura too, its kind of plush. Please direct me properly.

Welcome to USA. Hope you like it.

Please do get the SSN, License done asap.

I would suggest Option 1 if you are planning to live for 4+ years. Option 2 if its less.

with a 5k cash budget, you can get most reliable cars in 100k-150k. Don't fret about high miles. Just make sure its taken care of and you are good to go for another 50k-100k miles. When i got my beater car, it had 127k miles on odo. With approx 23k miles in a year, its still serving me good with a little TLC.

If you decide to splurge, get a pre-owned car in $10k-15k range with financing which could be on higher side. At that price range, Acura, Infi and Lexus makes sense because you get good VFM for those high priced cars. If you get a accord/camry in that price range, chances are it will be little bit more due to their excellent resale.

You can't go wrong either ways, only in option 1 you have to have a keen eye on what you are buying. Inspection from a shop, carfax, autocheck and a little bit of research should net you a very good pre-owned car.

[K.S.]

Mod Note : Please use the EDIT or MULTI-QUOTE buttons instead of typing one post after another on the SAME THREAD!

Thanks Chevelle, Infotech and Amitoj.
I'll make it a bit more clear - My budget isn't 20K, but I simply wanted to know if 20K is a good budget for a new starter in the US (with typically an eye on some quick $$ saves + a decent lifestyle if not plush). I understand that 10 to 15K is itself a good budget after speaking with couple of friends yesterday. My company gives initial 6K for car as an interest free loan. What are the options now?
+ Get an IDP asap
+ Aim for labor day deals
+ 10 to 15K good Japanese sedan/crossover and fancy cars occasionally for rent
+ how about the rest of the money? (from friends / loan / EMI options)
Thoroughly appreciate the help guys! Thanks

Originally Posted by chevelle

All your requirement points to a full size sedan or a crossover. You have following options:

- accord, camry, mazda6
- cr-v, rav4
- 2005-2008 acura TL/TSX
- 2005-2008 Infiniti G35
- 2003-2006 Lexus R330, R350
- 2003-2007 Murano
- 2004-2006 MDX
- 2004-2008 Nissan Maxima
- Avalon, Azera

That's an impressive choice list. A close match to some of my thoughts.

Your budget is good but what about down payment. How much are you willing to put it down?

6K of company provided loan. Not sure about procuring the rest. EMI / temporary borrow from friends - which is the norm?

Since you are gonna use it for 2-3 years, i would suggest you get something like above in 10k-12k range and use it as much as possible and get rid of it. If you want to try different cars, rent some better ones like mustang, camaro and enjoy them during weekends.

Thought provoking. Thanks for this and shall definitely consider.

You said month or so. If you are arriving in late August, you best bet to get good deals would be labor day on Sept 3rd. Aim for it and go for the kill.

Now that's the killer advice, boy

[chevelle]

Originally Posted by K.S.

Thanks Chevelle, Infotech and Amitoj.
I'll make it a bit more clear - My budget isn't 20K, but I simply wanted to know if 20K is a good budget for a new starter in the US (with typically an eye on some quick $$ saves + a decent lifestyle if not plush). I understand that 10 to 15K is itself a good budget after speaking with couple of friends yesterday. My company gives initial 6K for car as an interest free loan. What are the options now?
+ Get an IDP asap
+ Aim for labor day deals
+ 10 to 15K good Japanese sedan/crossover and fancy cars occasionally for rent
+ how about the rest of the money? (from friends / loan / EMI options)
Thoroughly appreciate the help guys! Thanks

Originally Posted by K.S.

That's an impressive choice list. A close match to some of my thoughts.

6K of company provided loan. Not sure about procuring the rest. EMI / temporary borrow from friends - which is the norm?

Thought provoking. Thanks for this and shall definitely consider.
Now that's the killer advice, boy

If you can somehow add $4k cash to what company gives you, you have a good chance of getting excellent cash deal as Cash is KING my friend.

Whichever dealer or owner you go to, if you have that cash, you have more haggling power.

An example: Last sept, i was considering a prelude. Found a 2001 with 90k on odo. Asking was $8k+ tax and fees(~9k). I first asked him about financing and he budged only $1k of the price. Then i went in for the kill and said i have cash and i can pay $5.5k OTD. Eventually the guy was ready for $6k while i stuck at $5.5k. I am sure he would have been ready with $5.75k. This was a small time dealer but you see the difference. Its a different matter that the deal fall thru as the color was not what i liked.

Another option is to get a $12k-$15k car. Put down $2k-$3k. Use the remaining to pay EMIs and bring down the interest rate. Never ever tell dealer initially that you are willing to pay $6k as DP. You can increase that later but not when you are haggling for the price.

$20k will give you very good cars - new and old. so you need to determine where you wanna draw the line. if you are using it for <3 yrs, get a 10k-15k car and have fun with rest of the fun like touring or use the remaining for gas and insurance.

I am just thinking practically considering you have a family and will be here for 2-3 yrs. Obviously, if you would like to live lavishly and have fun, there are better options too at similar budget.

[Otomobil]

Hello Bhpian's,

After going through all the pages, I am back to where i have started.

Currently moved to US (Milwaukee area), Would be here for about 1 year or so.

And i need help for choosing my car, Should i go for Pre-owned / leased ?

I have not even considered going for the new one as it is uncertain on the my stay duration.

One thing amazes me that in the whole thread there were discussions about the pre-owned, leased & of course new cars.

Came across something intresting Lease Swapping, Can anybody give some pointers ?

Came across this website called Lease Swap | Auto Lease Trade and Used auto leasing and there are really good deals for the shorter duration.

Help !

[infotech58]

any tips on getting good deals on insurance in toronto, canada? i am getting online quotes of around 450-500 CAD per month, i think an agent might be able to bring them down to around 300-350 levels. car i checked for was 2009/2010 Accord V6.
upon what all factors insurance in canada depends upon? and how it is different from that in US (where i used to pay no more than 70 $ per month)?

[mohit]

Originally Posted by infotech58

any tips on getting good deals on insurance in toronto, canada? i am getting online quotes of around 450-500 CAD per month, i think an agent might be able to bring them down to around 300-350 levels. car i checked for was 2009/2010 Accord V6.
upon what all factors insurance in canada depends upon? and how it is different from that in US (where i used to pay no more than 70 $ per month)?

Try Insurance for Car, Home, Travel, Life & More | TD Insurance and use Project Management Institute (I think the south central chapter is available) as group code.

Insurance in GTA is bad. You might want to experiment with areas like Mississauga, oakville and of course downtown postal code (try M5B 1W2).

Step out of GTA and sanity slowly returns to pricing.

edit: Check if your employer/client has any group rates available.