I've been wondering if it is going to be hard to buy a car in the States once I move. I have some recent credit history in the form of buying things on credit cards and paying it off and I also have a checking and savings account in the States. We've recently done a US credit check and all seems in order.
What I don't know is, if it's going to be a matter of the chicken or the egg thing. I'll most likely need a car in order to get a job but will probably need a job in order to get a car. I will probably only have a couple of thousand to put down on a car and no one to co-sign for me.
Anyone been in a similar situation or have any advise please?
Get a cheap car so you can buy it outright instead of putting a couple thousand down on a more expensive one. That will get you to the job.
We got a cheap car and paid in cash and everything went very smoothly.
We thought that might be the case. I think it will be harder to find a good car to pay for outright in the US then in the UK. We have kind of looked at on line sites to see what might be out there.
PS...are you getting settled in ok with the move and all?
It all depends on how good your credit is. Mine was basically non-existant so I had to buy my car outright with cash.
D.
According the US crdit reporting agency that we bought our credit report from, our credit is fine. We've tried to keep a credit trail while living in the UK in case we returned to the US. Everything seems to be in order.
We thought that might be the case. I think it will be harder to find a good car to pay for outright in the US then in the UK. We have kind of looked at on line sites to see what might be out there.
PS...are you getting settled in ok with the move and all?
Hi TXUKGal,
we're settling in fine. Got our car after a week in the country, paid $6,300 all in, for a 2002 Mercury Station Wagon. We're still waiting on the plates, so we're driving on dealer plates for now. I passed my Oregon driving test yesterday in that car, which helps cut our insurance costs.
I've been watching Autotrader for used cars under $6,000 in case we need to get a second car (only if one or both of us gets a job, and I can't cycle to work), there's plenty around with under 75,000 miles on the clock, so if we need to go for that I have no worries we'll find something we can live with and use for the next 5 years.
Neither of us have jobs yet, but we've been applying.
I have to agree paying cash for is the best option as without a job you probably wouldnt qualify for finance. Good luck with it. EIE did you have to pay extra on car insurance as a new US driver? Ive heard some states make you start out like a 1st time driver which I think is grossly unfair.
Apkel, we had to pay a bit extra because EIE had an international driver's license, but after he got his oregon licence we updated the policy and the premium dropped.
we're settling in fine. Got our car after a week in the country, paid $6,300 all in, for a 2002 Mercury Station Wagon. We're still waiting on the plates, so we're driving on dealer plates for now. I passed my Oregon driving test yesterday in that car, which helps cut our insurance costs.
I've been watching Autotrader for used cars under $6,000 in case we need to get a second car (only if one or both of us gets a job, and I can't cycle to work), there's plenty around with under 75,000 miles on the clock, so if we need to go for that I have no worries we'll find something we can live with and use for the next 5 years.
Neither of us have jobs yet, but we've been applying.
I think my husband is going to have to retake his driving test as his license has expired but it is much easier to pass in Texas than in the UK.
Is Autotrader nationwide as it sounds familiar? DH has found a site, I think it's cars.com or something like that to see what deals are out there.
Keeping fingers crossed that jobs come soon to both of you .
I have to agree paying cash for is the best option as without a job you probably wouldnt qualify for finance. Good luck with it. EIE did you have to pay extra on car insurance as a new US driver? Ive heard some states make you start out like a 1st time driver which I think is grossly unfair.
I do think that is what we'll have to do in the end. I've put the word out amongst our friends in the States to keep thei eye out for any good deals or if they know any dealers who keep decent car stock on hand.
I had no credit rating paid cash but you can get a decent car for cheap enough in my experience even if its a 92 corrolla.
He looked haggard and careworn, like a Borgia who has suddenly remembered that he has forgotten to shove cyanide in the consomme, and the dinner-gong due any moment.
I'd agree that paying in cash is the easiest, but it is possible to buy new without a job (if you have an established history and good scores).
I was in the UK for 5.5 years and upon return to the US I bought a car (we hired a car for the first 2-3 weeks while we settled and shopped around). I wasn't working--we took a bit of break to travel--but I didn't have a problem getting the financing. They did a credit check and that was it--financing was based on the score, which was surprisingly high given 5+ years of inactivity. Honda was not concerned that I was not working--in fact I was upfront and asked the salesguy if it would be an issue. One reason we financed the car was to get my credit activity moving again, as it had been inactive for so long.
We paid cash for our second car.
Where we did take a bit of a hit was on insurance--we had higher premiums for the first 6 months or year due to DH having a UK license (he procrastinated when it came to taking the US test) and me not having a current insurance history.
I will add that all of this was 3 years ago and I know that financing 'rules' have changed lately (given the state of the economy). However, we recently bought a new car and it is in DHs name only---Toyota based the financing off of his 3 scores. They didn't ask for any proof of employment (he was working at the time but about to end a contract assignment so we were a bit nervous that could impact things). Toyota guy said it's the 3scores that matter--they look at all 3 and the interest rate is based off the scores (anything over 650 I think it was qualified for 0% finance offer).
I'd agree that paying in cash is the easiest, but it is possible to buy new without a job (if you have an established history and good scores).
I was in the UK for 5.5 years and upon return to the US I bought a car (we hired a car for the first 2-3 weeks while we settled and shopped around). I wasn't working--we took a bit of break to travel--but I didn't have a problem getting the financing. They did a credit check and that was it--financing was based on the score, which was surprisingly high given 5+ years of inactivity. Honda was not concerned that I was not working--in fact I was upfront and asked the salesguy if it would be an issue. One reason we financed the car was to get my credit activity moving again, as it had been inactive for so long.
We paid cash for our second car.
Where we did take a bit of a hit was on insurance--we had higher premiums for the first 6 months or year due to DH having a UK license (he procrastinated when it came to taking the US test) and me not having a current insurance history.
I will add that all of this was 3 years ago and I know that financing 'rules' have changed lately (given the state of the economy). However, we recently bought a new car and it is in DHs name only---Toyota based the financing off of his 3 scores. They didn't ask for any proof of employment (he was working at the time but about to end a contract assignment so we were a bit nervous that could impact things). Toyota guy said it's the 3scores that matter--they look at all 3 and the interest rate is based off the scores (anything over 650 I think it was qualified for 0% finance offer).
I'm curious if one could still get financing like that without a job. I'll ask my friends in the States if they have heard of it's still available.
Part of me thinks just pay out right and be done but that will take a pretty big chunk of our start up money.
Is it going to be had to buy a car?
Awesome! I am SO pleased for both of y'all! Good luck!
