How to buy a car in the US?

[Falciferum]

Hi!

We are moving from the UK to Princeton, and we need a car (one of us will be commuting to Rutgers).

What do you need in the US to buy a car? We are looking for a used car with a budget of $1500, less if possible. Do you think it is doable? Are there any "traps" to look out for when buying used cars in the US, or special registration or something?

Thanks!

[robot_hamster]

I think it depends on what the state laws are. Some states require certain things (license, insurance, etc) before a car can be registered in your name. Some states require an inspection of the car. If you're looking to buy a car, especially one that is in such a low price range, you need to look out for shady car dealers (heck, even private owners can be shady! LOL) that try to cover stuff up. If you see a car that you are interested, make sure you know what the blue book value is. Some dealers like to jack the price up. If you know what the blue book value is, then you can always try to negotiate a price that is more fair. Typically what you're going to get in that price range is an old car with high miles, what we call around here a "school" car because they are typically what parents buy for their kids as a first car. They can have mechanical problems so it is important to have a mechanic look it over before you buy. I'm not sure how things are where you live, but typically here in the US cars are sold "as is". So if something is seriously wrong with it, you can't simply return it. We also have CarFax reports, which give a car's history. You don't want a car that was, say, reported to have been in a flood. Don't trust what a dealer says, do your own research. That would be my best advice.

Edited April 11, 2011 by robot_hamster

[ComeBackZinc]

There's a service here called CARFAX. Before I used it, I kind of thought it was a ripoff. Having bought a car (for $1500 exactly, funnily enough-- grad school budgets....) while using it, I now think of it as a life saver. You should at least consider using the service.

[graspinghandsandfeet]

There is also a good public transport connection between New Brunswick (where Rutgers is, assuming you're going to the main campus) and Princeton. The train is pretty fast, so that could be an alternative to buying a car or at least give you a way to commute while you're looking for a car. That way you won't be forced to buy the first car you see.

Hi!

We are moving from the UK to Princeton, and we need a car (one of us will be commuting to Rutgers).

What do you need in the US to buy a car? We are looking for a used car with a budget of $1500, less if possible. Do you think it is doable? Are there any "traps" to look out for when buying used cars in the US, or special registration or something?

Thanks!

[Falciferum]

Public transport should be the best option, at least for the first few month. With a student monthly pass, it comes down to only $117 a month since the shuttles in Princeton and New Brunswick are free! Based on internet searches, it seems a used car would cost about $3000 with the garage check

[graspinghandsandfeet]

Depending on what kind of condition you want the car to be in, you can probably find something cheaper. However, you should also keep in mind that the expenses don't stop after buying the car. You'll have to get insurance, oil changes, check-ups, and of course gas (or petrol for you brits!). I know I won't be able to afford it with my stipend.

I'm going to Rutgers in the fall, by the way, and I plan on just getting around by bike/bus/train.

Public transport should be the best option, at least for the first few month. With a student monthly pass, it comes down to only $117 a month since the shuttles in Princeton and New Brunswick are free! Based on internet searches, it seems a used car would cost about $3000 with the garage check

[Phyl]

Two cents from a Rutgers New Brunswick student:

Parking is an absolute mess, and expensive ( I paid around $300, others in less desirable lots pay a little less). I know people that have parking passes but have to park on a different campus then take an hour bus ride to their campus. I also know people that park on the street, have to hunt for a spot and then run out every 2 hours to put more money in the parking meter. I recently moved, and can now use public transportation and it's significantly cheaper then having my car.

[Kathiza]

How much would a car (after having bought it) cost? What do you think will gas/insurance/etc. cost per month if you don't take super-long trips?

[graspinghandsandfeet]

I don't own a car in the US, even though I live in a city that a lot of people claim requires a car. However, here are a few things I noticed from friends who have cars and from sometimes borrowing a car.

To some extent the cost depends on where you live. Denser cities especially will have fewer free parking spots and might require you to rent a spot in your apartment building or whatever for often well over $100 a month. The same goes for the University. At my undergrad university a parking spot for one semester costs around $400, maybe more for better parking lots.

Gas is currently at around $4 where I live (Austin, TX) but I think it is more expensive in other areas. Coming from Europe this might not seem that high (I'm from Germany), but because a lot of cars are not very efficient here and distances are much longer, it is still expensive. Many of my friends spend around $100 in gas every month and that is just for driving relatively short distances in the city. If you have a longer commute, it will be a lot more.

I don't know much about insurance. I know that rates are higher if you're under 25 (?) and you have been in some kind of accident. Geico and other insurance companies have quote calculators on their website that might give you an idea.

How much would a car (after having bought it) cost? What do you think will gas/insurance/etc. cost per month if you don't take super-long trips?

[BrandNewName]

The other thing to keep in mind is that some (many?) states -- I know this isn't the case in Maryland -- require yearly car inspections. If you buy a junker, have it inspected, and it doesn't pass, you'll have to pay for the repairs necessary to bring it up to standard. And that's a process you'll have to go through every year unless, as I said, New Jersey is like Maryland in that you only have to pass inspection once and otherwise just meet emission requirements every one or two years. It's an additional cost to keep in mind and one that could, eventually, leave you with a car that's unusable.

My vote would be public transportation combined with a Zipcar account. In most university towns Zipcar has a reasonable fleet of cars set up that will allow you a vehicle when you need to do some shopping or take a day/weekend trip somewhere.

I'm American by birth and had a crap car that I bought for $800 when I was in high school. Luckily I registered it through my mother's address in Maryland, which saved me a great deal because after a while there is no chance that my 88 Oldsmobile would have passed inspection. That said, having a car is a headache and being able to live without one for the past four years in Europe has been one of the things I've been most grateful for. It may seem like an issue of convenience now, but I would try to live without one if at all possible.

One more thing, I'm not familiar with the drive from Princeton to New Brunswick, but as someone who has spent many an hour stuck in Jersey traffic, that might be another reason to consider using public transport...

Edited April 17, 2011 by outofredink