I have to move back to LA soon need advice (Palm Desert: car rental, rentals)

[movin2010]

just seeing what you all might know about getting a car with bad credit in la area, long beach or huntington beach area would be close to where im moving. i see some cheap cars on craigs there. i guess im just asking what the cheapest way to do this is. ive done this a few times but in a much better financial position. in austin right now and hating it. got to get back to the coast. just thinking, fly out, get the cheapest rental i can. i have a few places to look at lined up. might need to do a hotel for a few days. then the tough part is getting a loan on a car. i know i would need a car in la. lived there for years. wouldnt mind some advice right now.

[Ceece]

Save up and pay cash where you are then drive to CA.

[MtnSurfer]

Originally Posted by Ceece

Save up and pay cash where you are then drive to CA.

Agreed, you at least need cash for some wheels to get in and around LA. Why not find something where you are instead of spending the travel money on airfare and car rentals. Look for something reliable. I always found a decent somewhat older Toyota Tercel or something equivalent to get me to and from college, jobs etc... when I was a teen living on a shoestring budget in LA. Just try to get the lowest milage older reliable car you can with the money you save.

Reliability is the key. My wife's first car was a lower milage Hyundai when they were junk. It didn't last very long at all. Do a little reseaarch and review models you think you might buy. Hint - it probably won't look cool. But at least you won't wind up broken down somewhere on an LA Freeway trying to get a tow!

Derek

[ferretkona]

Originally Posted by Ceece

Save up and pay cash where you are then drive to CA.

That was my first thought. But you know if you can fly cheap one way for $50, it is not worth the gas to buy in Texas and drive to CA.
Other problem is a cheap car in Texas may not pass CA smog. You buy a car in CA and the seller is responsible for passing smog.

[MtnSurfer]

Originally Posted by ferretkona

That was my first thought. But you know if you can fly cheap one way for $50, it is not worth the gas to buy in Texas and drive to CA.
Other problem is a cheap car in Texas may not pass CA smog. You buy a car in CA and the seller is responsible for passing smog.

Ah yes, California emmission laws, good point. But renting a car can become expensive for any length of time. It would better to have a number of good potential cars waiting to be test driven.

Buying with poor credit is not a good idea as the rates will be outrageous. But a lot hinges on getting some kind of work which wasn't mentioned. That could substantially change things.

Derek

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by movin2010

just seeing what you all might know about getting a car with bad credit in la area, long beach or huntington beach area would be close to where im moving. i see some cheap cars on craigs there. i guess im just asking what the cheapest way to do this is. ive done this a few times but in a much better financial position. in austin right now and hating it. got to get back to the coast. just thinking, fly out, get the cheapest rental i can. i have a few places to look at lined up. might need to do a hotel for a few days. then the tough part is getting a loan on a car. i know i would need a car in la. lived there for years. wouldnt mind some advice right now.

of course a car is important, so is a job. i fyou have bad credit and no job buying a car is going to be out of the question...You had better save some money before you get out of Austin, hate it or not. We can't always live where we want or have what we want. Sounds to me, if you carry through with your plan you are going to be in worse financual trouble than in the past. Right now you are living somewhere that in about 1/2 the cost of the beach areas in So California.

Nita

[Twinkle Toes]

Originally Posted by movin2010

just seeing what you all might know about getting a car with bad credit in la area, long beach or huntington beach area would be close to where im moving. i see some cheap cars on craigs there. i guess im just asking what the cheapest way to do this is. ive done this a few times but in a much better financial position. in austin right now and hating it. got to get back to the coast. just thinking, fly out, get the cheapest rental i can. i have a few places to look at lined up. might need to do a hotel for a few days. then the tough part is getting a loan on a car. i know i would need a car in la. lived there for years. wouldnt mind some advice right now.

Dude - I feel your pain!!!!!

I moved from SoCal to San Antonio, lived in SA for 9 months - that was all I could take before suicidal thoughts invaded my entire being - and came back to SoCal! I drove all the way from SA to Blythe and spent the night in Blythe (only because hubby was "tired"!). I could have continued to drive another hour and a half into Palm Desert!!!!

I will come and get you!!!!!!!!

But seriously, just get a cheap, but reliable car and drive back here! Austin is only like an hour from SA, so it will take you about 12 hours to get into CA, then you can decide where to go from there. On the other hand ... if you just get a plane ticket, you will be here in about 3 hours and the ticket will only cost slightly more than the gas and hotel and food to drive here.

Once you get to LA, just make sure to stay out of the 'hood - that is ... unless you're "hardcore" like me (my moniker is pretty dang hardcore, dontcha think? ).

Best of luck and welcome back to civilization!!!