I am thinking about buying a car for a 4 months - cross country road trip.
Looking for something less than 5k.
preferably alternative fuel - veggie oil... but if I find a great deal on regular fuel I think I'll go with it..
I'll probably be sleeping in it sometimes..if I can't camp out..

I have no idea where to start?
What kind of car should I consider?
what to look for? good mileage per gallon..
what be aware of?
where to buy? auctions, ebay, newspaper listings, websites, car dealers, individuals..
maybe buying isn't the right thing-- for 4 months? What will I do with the car afterwards?

any advice on this matter is greatly appreciated.

How big a car do you need?
How many people will go on the trip?

one person.. or maybe Hashem will pleasantly surprise me and I'll have another one joining...

Wow buying a car for 4 months usage, what a great investment.
If you really feel like wasting your money feel free to send some my way.

Either way, this is not the right website to be asking this question.

Well, you can get by with a smaller car then.
You can check used car prices at Edmunds.com to get some kind of idea of price ranges.
My priority would be getting a fairly reliable, safe car.
Best is to buy from someone you know.

I would not trust the quality of a under 5k car for that kind of trip. You dont want your car to break down in the middle yohipitzville.

psychodad -- please read my post till the end-- I am suggesting too that buying might not be the right option -- and I am asking for other suggestions.. and advice on this.
-- why isn't this the right wesbite? If you have better websites for me to post this question I'd appreciate greatly if you can let me know. thanks..

http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum/showthread.php?t=15081
http://www.roadtripamerica.com

Sorry for the sarcasitc post. Yes, I don't think buying a car for 4 months of usage is a good idea. Especially if you are doing okay now without a car.
I might suggest renting or leasing (I don't know too much about leasing). But, these are certainly better options given the information you gave.

really? are more expensive cars any stronger? more powerful? (I think the higher cost goes toward a nicer, trendier car not any stronger)
I saw on ebay quite a lot of mercedes benz, volvos for <5k.

newer car = less likely to die on you.

You should ask Ethan, he did a cross-country trip....

If you want my advice, you should look into a long-term rental. Will almost certainly be cheaper, and a much better/safer/reliable car for the duration. Just make sure the mileage limitations are not a problem.

Let me tell you - to get an alternative fuel car for less than 5k, it's probably going to have serious issues, such as:

- Does not start in rain
- No reverse gear
- Engine falls out from bumps
- No steering wheel
- No brake pedal
- No driver's door

etc.

Over the course of many road trips I took, I have met some people who bought cars for their trip and then sold it -- sometimes even making a profit from it. How feasible is that?

If you're really interested in a x country trip, go for it. Don't listen to nay sayers, here or anywhere.

Buying a car that is $5K takes an extreme amount of street smarts if you don't want to get hosed and/or stuck with a car that won't drive. Do a bunch of googling before you even think about it further. And either learn about cars (just knowing how to put gas in won't cut it) so you'll know how to spot problems or get a good friend who will check the car for you.

My advice would be to get a car that looks like crud but doesn't have a ton of miles on it and has an awesome engine. If you're tight on money you can't be fancy about "alternative fuels" and that sort of thing. I have no idea why you're taking a road trip like that to begin with if you're so into conservation.

[I bought two cars privately and got awesome deals both times so I know what I'm talking about. I actually ended up with a net profit on the first because it was destroyed in a car accident and the value ended up being higher than what I paid originally.]

imho, the alternative-fuel factor is too nascent to really count on at this moment. If it were wider-spread then great. Right now it'd cost too much to get a car retro-fitted for it to really make a difference.
Don't know what state you're located in now, but Baltimore is known for Sher Auto; who has a great name for itself. Plenty of people in NY order from them and have it driven up (Maven Motors too I think. Though ask Baltimore ppl.)

Japanese cars handle great (and are worth more down the line when sold). 5k seems a little low to find something good..Look into a short lease with the option of turning it over to someone else to complete it if need be.

Out of curiosity (or boredom) I quickly checked with Avis for a car rental for 120 days renting and returning in NY. The fee including taxes and full insurance options came to about $5,800. You can try different companies and select less insurance to try for a lower cost.

zaaky - my consideration was that if I buy a car I can sell it afterwards... (or maybe keep it.. ) I wasn't considering just throwing away 5k.

Brianna - I am concerned about conservation-- what alternative suggestions do you have for me for roadtrips.. I have skated across the country, leather tramped many times.. hopped trains, greyhound, rail, I was thinking of enjoying by car this time.. again I prefer alternative fuel but if it's a lot more $, I'll just have to go on regular fuel.

bigtoe all diesel cars can be converted to run on veggie oil for around $1000. (you can then run the car for free - by getting veggie oils from fast foods stores..)

autodriveaway.com is a website which lists cars which need to be driven across country to an individual's address. Some car owners even pay for all your gas expenses.. However they are usually particular about the time and just give you 1-2 weeks. Do you know of other such sites?
or people who want their cars to be shipped to them?

Conservation and travel are opposite ends of the spectrum. It's like wanting to eat healthy food at KFC - it's not going to happen.

right, but that's $1,000 less that you can spend on a car.


Sure it will, just not right now. Give it a year or two for things to catch up.

truelife- look into hybrid-electric cars. The cost up front is usually more iirc, but pays for itself down the line (that's if you have it long enough). Some states even give you tax breaks.

In addition, auctions can be great places to got amazing deals. Though either take someone experienced with you or go with a dealer (some hire themselves out for a decent price) to navigate the waters and who knows what to look for.

Not the way I travel.

People stuck in their homes... constantly shopping... consuming... wasting... are more concerned about conservation??

People who truly appreciate the great outdoors will want to enjoy it and will be concerned about conservation so it stays around for all to be enjoyed. They have a quest to see and experience the great beautiful world and have to get there somehow?

Your warped sense of logic confounds me.

Warped? How so? It makes perfect sense.

I'm all for wanting to experience nature, but if you want to truly do that, go to the nearest forest and camp out there. For a few months if you're into that. But bouncing around the country "experiencing stuff" while humming a little hippy tune is far more gluttonous than going to work, being productive and yes being a consumer by buying the things that you need.

How do I put this..truelife is the last person you need to tell that to. You're preaching to the choir.

Heck, she is the forest and backcountry.

[is far more gluttonous than going to work, being productive and yes being a consumer by buying the things that you need..
[/quote]

how so? producing more stress? robbing the universe from its natural resources...
go read the storyofstuff

thanks bigtoe.

If she's the real thing, I respect that. You'll understand if I'm wary though because the vast majority are ignorant fakers who are just following a fad.

The best way to travel for someone who wants to experience nature, and the outdoors is by bike and I mean bike touring. I've traveled by bike in the U.S. and in Europe, and would love to take a bike trip in Israel.

I know someone who does that, but it takes quite a bit of skill to be able to travel those kinds of distances by bike.

Yeah, it takes skill, endurance, and self-reliance.
It's not for everyone, but I find it's very rewarding.

It definitely should be a consideration for the truly environment conscious.

You can rent a car in some areas for four or five hundred dollars a month. I definitely don't think buying is the way to go - the resale value of a <$5000 car which you drove cross country has to be very little. Vegetable oil is not practical for a road trip - read this for more information about what's involved.

No matter how you acquire it, you should consider a car that:
- has a reliable reputation
- has been regularly serviced
- definitely has good mpg

You should also strongly consider buying a short term insurance policy or warranty or automobile service membership, though I don't know what's available.


Of course the higher cost goes toward a better engine.

It's a great way to see a locality or a country, and you get healthier from it to boot.