[exo-ak-dk]

Hi

Im planning a long vacation to USA. We don't wanna rent a car when we are in US.

Therefore we want to buy a car because we wanna do some roadtrip.

But what do they require/demand when you need to buy a car?

Can I as a tourist buy a car for vacation use and sell it again. or do I have to be a US citizen?

i hope you guys understand.

thanks for the help

[8th Wonder]

you don't have to be a US citizen, you'll just probably have to pay cash for it because i doubt any finance company will loan to someone with foreign residency. as long as you pay taxes and register it, they don't care.

[Tondtar]

You have to have insurance to drive and I have a feeling that the cost is going to kill you since you are not a resident/ citizen here. The insurance cost is one of the biggest rip off's that car rental places pull on the visiting tourists but still a may be a better alternative in your case.

[Zephyr15]

Originally Posted by Tondtar

You have to have insurance to drive and I have a feeling that the cost is going to kill you since you are not a resident/ citizen here. The insurance cost is one of the biggest rip off's that car rental places pull on the visiting tourists but still a may be a better alternative in your case.

Agree that rental car is the best option. Regarding insurance, he/she may want to decline because even if something happened it would be almost impossible for the rental company to collect if they are truly a foreign citizen. Then again, I'd assume rental companies have already thought of that and foreign citizens are required to carry insurance.

[lucas.kent]

Most big car rental companies have long term rentals. You might want to check out Avis or Enterprise to see if they have programs.

[persian54]

Originally Posted by lkw15

Most big car rental companies have long term rentals. You might want to check out Avis or Enterprise to see if they have programs.

+1

[persian54]

i mean, you can borrow my car for $10 a mile

be cheaper than buying one!
lol

[TurboFan]

You'll need a drivers license to buy a car.

[exo-ak-dk]

the problem is that rental companies who have long term offers dont have something like a good bmw and etc.

I thought it would be better to buy a E46 330i to approx 10K and then sell it or something like that

[jpsum]

Originally Posted by exo-ak-dk

the problem is that rental companies who have long term offers dont have something like a good bmw and etc.

I thought it would be better to buy a E46 330i to approx 10K and then sell it or something like that

Hertz has a line of "Prestige Collection" for rent. Not sure if BMW is part of their fleet.

Also, long term rental usually comes with unlimited miles. They actually have a leasing dept for this kind of stuff. How long is your stay? I personally wouldn't even consider buying one if my stay isn't longer than a year. Buying and selling a car is a pain in the ass.


Well, BMW is not offered by Hertz:

Volvo C70 Convertible
Infiniti QX56
Audi Q7 AWD
Lincoln Navigator 4WD
Cadillac Escalade AWD
Mercedes C Series
Infiniti FX35
Mercedes E Class
Infiniti G35/G37
Mercedes GLK350
Infiniti M35 Volvo S80

[DiamondGCoupe]

^^^ Yeh Hertz has Mercedes' and depending on which area you fly into, you may be able to find exotic car rentals that will have something you want. Doesn't make sense to buy a car or do a short term (6mo. lease) too much depreciation, heck you maybe able to rent someone's M3 on this forum for the right price! I know if mine wasn't brand new I'd give it a thought. It won't hurt to call a local BMW dealer and see what they can do, maybe they can give you a loaner at a weekly rate, probably cost you a ton.

As far insurance goes, most carriers won't insure you unless you've been a driver in the US for 3 years so it's easier to obtain the liability coverages you need via the rental company, albeit expensive, much less than through a private or state entity.