New in BayArea and need advices !
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 42
From: San Jose, CA
Car Info: Subaru Tribeca 2008
New in BayArea and need advices !
Hi,
Finally I received my working visa and I will come and live in the Bay Area from October. Currently I own a Subaru STI modified with 350bhp, but I cannot bring it with me so I will have to buy a used car when I will arrive.
And the problems begin : I have NO idea about the process to buy and use a car in California. So i need precious advices on:
- where can I go to buy a used car ?
- what website to visit to find used car ?
- what about the car insurance in California ?
Many thanks for your replies !!
Lionel.
Finally I received my working visa and I will come and live in the Bay Area from October. Currently I own a Subaru STI modified with 350bhp, but I cannot bring it with me so I will have to buy a used car when I will arrive.
And the problems begin : I have NO idea about the process to buy and use a car in California. So i need precious advices on:
- where can I go to buy a used car ?
- what website to visit to find used car ?
- what about the car insurance in California ?
Many thanks for your replies !!
Lionel.
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From: Daly City
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From: Davis and San Francisco
Car Info: 2005 STi Silver
Buying a used car here is quite easy. I have no experienced buying used from a dealership, but I would imagine it's the same process as buying a new car.
Places to look..
Like dSpec said ...craigslist.org is probably the ultimate resource. Next I think it's www.autotrader.com. Also try the classifies here on the boards in the classify section. Check craigslist though, LOTS of cars to choose from. Make sure when you buy the car, you check everything. Leaks, the feel of the car, test drive it, and more records the better (if they keep them, ask to look at them). Also a thing called "carfax" will let you know if the cars been in an accident. It's provided by the company carfax, you would need a membership, but some people are nice enough here to check for you.
When I helped my friend buy his e36 m3, we went around calling the people we wanted to meet up with and checked out the car. When you find the one you like, write up a bill of sale. Just have him write a letter that says he sold the car to you for xxxx amount, and both of you sign. He gives you the car title and you bring that and the bill of sale to the DMV ( Department of Motor Vehicle) , you can google their website. Register your car.
Which part of the bay are you going to be in?
Places to look..
Like dSpec said ...craigslist.org is probably the ultimate resource. Next I think it's www.autotrader.com. Also try the classifies here on the boards in the classify section. Check craigslist though, LOTS of cars to choose from. Make sure when you buy the car, you check everything. Leaks, the feel of the car, test drive it, and more records the better (if they keep them, ask to look at them). Also a thing called "carfax" will let you know if the cars been in an accident. It's provided by the company carfax, you would need a membership, but some people are nice enough here to check for you.
When I helped my friend buy his e36 m3, we went around calling the people we wanted to meet up with and checked out the car. When you find the one you like, write up a bill of sale. Just have him write a letter that says he sold the car to you for xxxx amount, and both of you sign. He gives you the car title and you bring that and the bill of sale to the DMV ( Department of Motor Vehicle) , you can google their website. Register your car.
Which part of the bay are you going to be in?
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Posts: 381
From: Daly City
Car Info: Wish it was still my WRB STI
Step #1, since you are from France and probably don't have a California Driver's License you will need to go to the DMV and get one first. You can't register a car here unless you have a CA state driver's license. You can buy one w/o one but you can't register it. An international driver's license only let's you drive on our roads here but it is pretty useless since it's just a piece of paper with no picture if I'm not mistaken.
Also, your insurance will be relatively very high for an STI or a WRX (or most any car for that matter) b/c you do not have a driving history in the US.
Lastly, since you are foreign, I assume you have no credit here with banks and they will not give you a loan since you have no assets they can claim, hence you'd have to buy your car with all cash unless you can find alternative financing.
Also, your insurance will be relatively very high for an STI or a WRX (or most any car for that matter) b/c you do not have a driving history in the US.
Lastly, since you are foreign, I assume you have no credit here with banks and they will not give you a loan since you have no assets they can claim, hence you'd have to buy your car with all cash unless you can find alternative financing.
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 42
From: San Jose, CA
Car Info: Subaru Tribeca 2008
Buying a used car here is quite easy. I have no experienced buying used from a dealership, but I would imagine it's the same process as buying a new car.
Places to look..
Like dSpec said ...craigslist.org is probably the ultimate resource. Next I think it's www.autotrader.com. Also try the classifies here on the boards in the classify section. Check craigslist though, LOTS of cars to choose from. Make sure when you buy the car, you check everything. Leaks, the feel of the car, test drive it, and more records the better (if they keep them, ask to look at them). Also a thing called "carfax" will let you know if the cars been in an accident. It's provided by the company carfax, you would need a membership, but some people are nice enough here to check for you.
When I helped my friend buy his e36 m3, we went around calling the people we wanted to meet up with and checked out the car. When you find the one you like, write up a bill of sale. Just have him write a letter that says he sold the car to you for xxxx amount, and both of you sign. He gives you the car title and you bring that and the bill of sale to the DMV ( Department of Motor Vehicle) , you can google their website. Register your car.
Which part of the bay are you going to be in?
Places to look..
Like dSpec said ...craigslist.org is probably the ultimate resource. Next I think it's www.autotrader.com. Also try the classifies here on the boards in the classify section. Check craigslist though, LOTS of cars to choose from. Make sure when you buy the car, you check everything. Leaks, the feel of the car, test drive it, and more records the better (if they keep them, ask to look at them). Also a thing called "carfax" will let you know if the cars been in an accident. It's provided by the company carfax, you would need a membership, but some people are nice enough here to check for you.
When I helped my friend buy his e36 m3, we went around calling the people we wanted to meet up with and checked out the car. When you find the one you like, write up a bill of sale. Just have him write a letter that says he sold the car to you for xxxx amount, and both of you sign. He gives you the car title and you bring that and the bill of sale to the DMV ( Department of Motor Vehicle) , you can google their website. Register your car.
Which part of the bay are you going to be in?
I think will be based near Cupertino, I will come at the end of July to find a house and my american life will begin in October
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 42
From: San Jose, CA
Car Info: Subaru Tribeca 2008
Step #1, since you are from France and probably don't have a California Driver's License you will need to go to the DMV and get one first. You can't register a car here unless you have a CA state driver's license. You can buy one w/o one but you can't register it. An international driver's license only let's you drive on our roads here but it is pretty useless since it's just a piece of paper with no picture if I'm not mistaken.
Also, your insurance will be relatively very high for an STI or a WRX (or most any car for that matter) b/c you do not have a driving history in the US.
Lastly, since you are foreign, I assume you have no credit here with banks and they will not give you a loan since you have no assets they can claim, hence you'd have to buy your car with all cash unless you can find alternative financing.
Also, your insurance will be relatively very high for an STI or a WRX (or most any car for that matter) b/c you do not have a driving history in the US.
Lastly, since you are foreign, I assume you have no credit here with banks and they will not give you a loan since you have no assets they can claim, hence you'd have to buy your car with all cash unless you can find alternative financing.
About the credit history, I think i will have sponsoring from my company and recommendation from my current bank. But I don't thin kI need loan to get my car when I will arrive !
I am really sad to let my STI here in France but I think this is the easiest for me. Just for information, my STI is a 2004 STI8 blue model, upgrade to 350bhp with 80mm exhaust, AVCR, cusco equiped, blitz dump valve, remap and many more... it's really powerful and reliable. PErhaps I can rebuilt the same here
I think also to test the legendary mustang v8... I am a bit afraid about the reliability, in comparison of the several japanese cars I already had here in France, but it would be the good time to test this american legend
What do you think about it ?
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 42
From: San Jose, CA
Car Info: Subaru Tribeca 2008
I think you're right, krazyAsian, perhaps it's a bit early to take a z06
In general, what do you think about the reliability of mustang, corvette, cobra or viper (let's dream a bit) ??
In France, I owned subaru gt turbo, Acura integra type R, toyota supra MKIV twin turbo, honda S2k, Honda civic type R and finally the subaru sti8. I was totally satisfied about the reliability of them, so it's not easy to try something else... but japanese car are most expensive than a 1 year old mustang for example, so perhaps it's a good thing to start with that instead of a really cool ***' perf car...
In general, what do you think about the reliability of mustang, corvette, cobra or viper (let's dream a bit
) ??In France, I owned subaru gt turbo, Acura integra type R, toyota supra MKIV twin turbo, honda S2k, Honda civic type R and finally the subaru sti8. I was totally satisfied about the reliability of them, so it's not easy to try something else... but japanese car are most expensive than a 1 year old mustang for example, so perhaps it's a good thing to start with that instead of a really cool ***' perf car...
so lemme know!
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you will want to come out to the Mountain View Thursday night meets, like 10 minutes away from Cupertino.
so are you French, Japanese? other? Whats your background like places youve been/lived? cool looking forward to meeting you.
Car shopping! cool.
-Kyle
and to keep the American feel going, you might want to try one of these
you will want to come out to the Mountain View Thursday night meets, like 10 minutes away from Cupertino.
so are you French, Japanese? other? Whats your background like places youve been/lived? cool looking forward to meeting you.
Car shopping! cool.
-Kyle
and to keep the American feel going, you might want to try one of these
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From: Davis and San Francisco
Car Info: 2005 STi Silver
Oh yeah, cops are DICKS around here. In most cities, police are cracking down on street racing so there have been new programs and trainings for officers to target modified cars for illegal modifications. If you have an exhaust tahts too loud or it LOOKS too big, they will pull you over and cite you for things like no front plate, tints, and tell you to pop your hood and check for anyhting illegal. If they find it, they will send you to the "State Referee" who will check your emission to see if it complies for the emission laws in California. The bay area is not mod friendly, so I suggest you get a car thats already awesome outta the box, like a Vette. I would loooove a Vette.
Where do you work?
Where do you work?