Taking USA one state at a time

[Kay Oldham]

First i will give you the low down - me and my friend are organizing a trip threw USA one state at a time, we will be doing this with a second hand car we will purchase when we get there, then we will road trip away also we will be doing ti the cheapest way possible. Crazy i know but you only live once!

What i need help with is:
Second hand car places with decent cars that can handle that type of travelling.
Insurance, servicing the car.
What car would you suggest would be best for the long journey? I was thinking of an estate car or am i totally delusional?

Any advice would be great full.

(I am sorry if i have posted this this in the wrong place i am new to this)

Thank kay

[Midwest Michael]

Welcome to the RTA Forum!

There are some pretty major hurdles you'll have to overcome before you could actually make this trip possible.

The biggest thing is that it is very difficult for a foreign tourist to purchase a car, and then get it licensed and insured. Its not completely impossible, but it takes a lot of work, far more than showing up at a dealership and laying down some cash.

It's also not cheap. You need to plan to spend at least a few thousand dollars to get a road worthy car, more money for taxes, license, and insurance, and you really can't expect to get hardly any of it back when you go to sell. In addition to taking money, it also takes a fair amount of time.

When it comes right down to it, its usually not worth it to try to buy a car unless you are going to be on the road for more than 3 months, and if you're going to be gone that long, then you need to get a full tourist visa, which is another whole mess of paperwork.

So the real questions before we can help with anything else: How long do you anticipate spending on the road, and how much money will you realistically have available?

[Lifemagician]

As Michael states, for a period of less than three months, it is hardly worth purchasing a vehicle, even if it was easy to do so.

When you rent, and you break down or have a flat tyre, even if you are in an accident, you are covered by the roadside service of the rental company. When it is your own vehicle, it is your expense, and your time off the road.... which can be a while.

I was fortunate to purchase a vehicle as a non resident for the six month visit just completed. It took a decade of research to find my way through the maze of regulations and paperwork. I was also fortunate to pick up a vehicle, which from all reports was a gem of a vehicle, in excellent condition. Still, during the six months I paid some $1500 on repairs, besides normal maintenance and tyres.

I agree that it would be interesting to know what time your visa allows for your trip, and how much money you have put aside. You will most likely find that, taking everything into account, you would be cheaper off renting a vehicle for this trip.

Lifey