Buy The Car, Or Rent The U-Haul?

[RetiredGypsy]

I'd planned on renting a U-Haul to move, and then buying a car as soon as I got settled in.

I've been comparison shopping between where I am now and where I want to move to, and it seems I can get the same car there for about $1,000-1,500 cheaper than here. A U-Haul would cost about $1,100-1,200, plus insurance, plus probably about 60+% more in gas than the car I want. I'd be staying at a hotel for a week or two once I move to find an apartment as well, so if I got the U-Haul I'd have to rent a car when I got there.

It seems like the smart money decision is to buy the car before I move. Just about everything I own would fit in the car, and I could have mailed the few things that wouldn't.

Does this seem logical? It seems like getting the car beforehand is ultimately the cheaper move, but I don't know if there's anything I'm not taking into consideration.

 

[Dimsumkid]

Talk to a dealer where you are now and see if they'll match the price you can get in the new area. Most dealers want your business right now, so it's worth a shot, won't cost you anything, but a little time and effort to check around.

 

[Brat]

Check out your new state's registration fees for a new car purchased elsewhere.

My concern is theft of contents. Thieves are known to frequent motels to steal from cars. Oh, and they steal from U-Hauls too. It may be easy to find a small storage place for a month to stash your stuff until you find housing, many offer first month free.

 

[Dimsumkid]

Here's another option I just remembered. Those pod storage systems, they deliver it to you, you fill it up and they will deliver it to wherever you want. Don't know the cost, but it might work for you if the price is reasonable.

 

[Martha]

I looked at the pods. Pricey.

 

[Brat]

DoorToDoor does the same thing and are somewhat cheaper but are not in every community.

 

[BigMoneyJim]

Heck yeah, if you can mail your stuff, that's cheaper. I rented a trailer for my last move but sold my washer and dryer to save some room and then purchased others after the move.

I am about to move again, and I am toying with the idea of getting a small trailer for my car, but that would require several trips, and you aren't moving locally like I am.

If you are moving to a place with more strict emissions standards you'll want to be careful buying a car and moving it. Also check into the hassles and costs of sales tax, moving the title and changing registration. If you're lucky you might be able to only title and register the car in your new state, otherwise you might have to pay for title fees and a year's registration in your old state, too.

Oh yeah, PODS were crazy expensive from my point of view, which is similar to yours: not much stuff, and moving directly to a new place. People with more stuff and a storage need may or may not find PODS a cheaper alternative.

 

[Alan]

Check out your new state's registration fees for a new car purchased elsewhere.

+1

I've been shocked, "shocked I tell 'ya" at the cost of moving cars' registrations between Texas and Louisiana and back again. They whack you with taxes as well as registration fees.

 

[RetiredGypsy]

Oh, great. Texas is where I'm looking, too. I'll have to look into that.

 

[REWahoo]

I've been shocked, "shocked I tell 'ya" at the cost of moving cars' registrations between Texas and Louisiana and back again. They whack you with taxes as well as registration fees.

Oh, great. Texas is where I'm looking, too. I'll have to look into that.

I've been tryin' to tell ya'...

You should see what you get whacked with moving into the state with a leased vehicle.

 

[RetiredGypsy]

Any crazy fees and taxes for registering a car twice is made up for by the fact that rent is 50% or less there than it is here.

 

[REWahoo]

Any crazy fees and taxes for registering a car twice is made up for by the fact that rent is 50% or less there than it is here.

Perhaps you missed this...

Xtranormal | Wahoo!

 

[Alan]

Any crazy fees and taxes for registering a car twice is made up for by the fact that rent is 50% or less there than it is here.

Sounds like a winner - at least you won't be surprised when you register that car in Texas.

 

[REWahoo]

RG, you might note Alan moved to TX but based on his travel plans can only bear living here about half the year. I wonder why?

 

[RetiredGypsy]

Perhaps you missed this...

Xtranormal | Wahoo!

I cried a little watching this. It'll be just like home! But minus the hippies.

Thank you so much for convincing me even more that Texas is the place for me.

 

[Alan]

RG, you might note Alan moved to TX but based on his travel plans can only bear living here about half the year. I wonder why?

This is the 2nd year of ER and the 2nd time we will be missing the sauna they call summer in these parts

 

[REWahoo]

Thank you so much for convincing me even more that Texas is the place for me.

I give up. Some folks have to live it to believe it.

Bienvenido a Texas!

 

[KingB]

I looked at the pods. Pricey.

When I moved some of out things 1700 miles away, I used PODS and I think this is best deal for me. I am comparing this to having a mover (charges by weight) or moving ourselves (u-haul rental, gas, hotels, food and fatigue).

It cost me $2359.23 last May/June. Cost depends on the source/destination and also the time of the year (supply/demand). I was originally quoted a higher price ($?) but I was able to get a discount. I mentioned AARP, but I don't know if they took that into consideration.

I have 2 other acquaintances that were thinking of moving themselves but decided to go to PODS after I told them about PODS.

 

[W2R]

How about this? Would this work?

Drive to Texas now in your present car, rent an apartment there, get the utilities set up and so on, and then park the car at your apartment and fly back.

Go from the airport to U-Haul, rent a truck, fill it up with your stuff, and drive to Texas. Unload and return the U-Haul.

At your leisure, trade it in your old car on a new car.

 

[RetiredGypsy]

I don't have a car at the moment.

 

[Meadbh]

Another idea:

Fly to your new home. Rent a car. Find an apartment. Drive back to your old home in the rented car. Pack it with your things. Drive back, if possible parking it somewhere really safe at night so your stuff won't get stolen*. Unpack the rental car. Return it.

You can now take your time to get the best deal on your new car in Texas. Cost of move = rental car, gas, accommodation on the way in both directions.

*get insurance.

 

[Koolau]

One more suggestion. Look at your pile of "stuff" and see if it is truly worth moving. I can't describe how liberating it can be to move to a new location (in my case, 5000 miles away) in 2 suitcases each. Any financial papers and keepsakes (pictures, kids' school awards, etc.) should be taken with you. Everything else, sell, donate, burn. We outfitted a 3 br townhouse for less than $3K once we moved. Much of it was used, but so is the stuff you use now, right? Just a thought. YMMV.

 

[JOHNNIE36]

I think Koolau's idea is great. Unless of course your posessions are priceless. On a "distance" move like you are making and the fact you don't own a car, I agree that is best to start from scratch in your new location. For the price of the move (UHaul, etc.)and the labor involved, you can buy everything in your new location. Have you checked recently on furniture consignment shopes? Start new with the car in your new location. Good luck!

 

[Ready-4-ER-at-14]

Could you purchase a relatively inexpensive cargo van from a place like Car Max that is national in scope where you live now and exchange it for a vehicle you might like better at your final destination? I assume you pay something for the miles used and they benefit by your purchase/exchange from their inventory so it is not a blatant one sided taking advantage of them.

If such is not possible, could an older high mileage van or car be purchased cheap enough to gamble on the vehicle making the trip? If you have paid little more than salvage for it you just junk it upon arrival. Might want to looking into roadside protection insurance if you do this. : )

 

[RetiredGypsy]

I won't be flying anywhere. Planes are a no no at the moment.

If I rent a car and toss everything in and head out, it'll still be about $800-1000, if not more -- at least from prices I've been quoted -- to rent a car for a month instead of a U-Haul for a week and a half. That's including insurance. A month would give me time to find an apartment and a car and still have something to get groceries in the meantime.

If I bought the car before I moved, I'd be facing about $180+ in taxes and fees registering it in another state (if I read the TX DMV chart right).

If I got the U-Haul and rented a car when I got there, it'd be about $2,000-2,500+, with insurance.

It seems like buying the car here is the best deal so far.