Car

[Somedfjd]

What do I need to know before buying a car in the states?

[Debating]

Do research first and find out what kind of car you want in terms of reliability, gas mileage, looks, etc (check out consumerreports.org. Decide on how much you want to spend and how you'll be paying (getting a loan will be very hard w/o credit history). Once you have narrowed it down, you can start looking for dealers in your area, or classifieds in the paper if you're willing to buy from a person. If you'll be going to a city with good public transportation, I'd recommend waiting a bit before you buy to better acclimate yourself and get to talk to locals who may be able to tell you what dealers to avoid, etc.

[Guest daphna]

Also take into account that while in most places in the U.S. having a car is pretty crucial to decent living, in some big cities getting around with a car is pretty much hell, and you may prefer to not have a car and use public transport instead.