buying a car whilst on holiday and insuring it

20 years ago

hi all, we are from the uk but own some land in arkansas and are intending to build a house there. We are coming over to sort things out and have a 3 month holiday at the same time. We looked into the cost of hiring a car for three months and came to the conclusion that it would be as cheap to buy a car when we get there and insure it and then pay for it to be garaged up till next time we come. Does anyone know if this would be possible? I dont know how the process of buying a car works in usa. Do you have to have an address to registrer the car to? Would any insurance companies insure someone on a car if they were not us citizens? Obviously they insure you on holiday rental cars but i was wondering if anyone could talk me through the car buying and owning process? Thanks all in advance

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Comments (10)

vstech
20 years ago
1 800 947 auto
geico would at least answer your questions about insurance.
I use their service and enjoy it.
John
skagmobile
20 years ago
Hello, I'm surprised you haven't gotten more responses to your thread. Perhaps its because yours is a rather unusual request, however if I were doing the same thing in England I guess I would have the same type questions. As to registering the car, yes you will need an address, in this case where ever you are going to live in Ark. When you get here, contact your state motor vehicle dept. for forms and exactly what you need to do. Also ask if your UK drivers license is ok to use here. The phone no. can be found in your local phone book. As to buying it, decide on what you want and then shop around till you get the best price. Vistech had good advice about insurance though any insurance company would be able to help in that area. Again call some local insurance agents for advice and be sure to shop for prices. To get more responses, ask what kind of car to buy, you'll probably get more responses than you really want. Good luck, have a plesant stay and don't forget to drive on the right side of the road. Later Skag
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aliceandsteve
Original Author
20 years ago
thanks for your replys, i emailed Geico and yes, they said i would need an arkansas driving liscence which i guess may be a pain to obtain as we are not looking to live there permanantly and would only be on holiday visas. I think il just wait till we arrive and ask at some local insurance brokers office.
mikie_gw
20 years ago
Arkansas Department of Finance & Administration
Office of Motor Vehicle

You might find some usefull info reading around this website, mostly under the Vehicles tab.

Here is a link that might be useful: Arkansas Department of Finance & Administration
formulaross
20 years ago
Whatever happened to an international driver's license? Didn't they have such a thing years ago? Or was I just dreaming ...
aliceandsteve
Original Author
20 years ago
never heared of an international driving license, have no problem actualy driving on US roads as far as my license goes its just the owning a car as a foreign citizen and insuring it that is causing me problems. Last time i hired a car it was over $1000 for 2 weeks, well im going to be in USA for 3 months so for the price of the rental i thought why not buy a car? If only it was so easy!!
vstech
20 years ago
can you buy the car as an out of country owner and insure it as a resident of your country, and pay for the insurance based on where it will be driven? can you buy it and give it to whoever you are visiting in AK, and have them insure it and put you on as a driver? do you know anywone here in the states you could do this for? they would own the car, and you would drive it until youleave. then they could sell it, or give it to them? just a few bouncing balls to contemplate. ask away.
John
wwest
20 years ago
Where in AR, I have relatives in Poinsett county near Memphis and in Helena AR that may be able to help.

Why AR? Do you really know how REDNECK, racist, and bible belt, hardshell Baptist, attitude that is. Horribly HOT and HUMID in the summer.

Weather is tolerable in the Northwest AR area, but....
earthworm
20 years ago
I believe the "international driver's license" is for diplomats and those with special visas/passports.
Ask about this in England...
Arkansas, unless it is really backward, should be willing to give, say, 90 days for a "foreigner" to obtain a license...
I had no idea it was so expensive to "hire" an automobile - ask around to secure a better rate - if possible..

Bill and Hillary C. are from Arkansas, so not all the people are that bad, are they ??
wwest
20 years ago
Bill is from AR, Hillary is from Chicago.

As I grew up in AR "republican" was a bad word, a very bad word. The term "yellow dog democrat" came from the south and basically meant any dog could get elected if he was a democrat.

Then along came the civil rights moment and the religious right republicans quickly developed code words that meant "states rights".

buying a car whilst on holiday and insuring it

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vstech

skagmobile

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