Travel Travelling California/Vegas by car - advice required!

[Germaniac]

Hello American GCFers

I'm currently organizing a post-graduation American vacation scheduled for December and January '10-11.

Part of the trip will cover the west coast; briefly in LA and Vegas, then Yosemite, San Francisco and possibly Portland.

My question lies in the viability of me and my mate buying a clunker and doing this part of the trip in a car.

A few questions:
- What sort of considerations would there be in terms of compulsory insurance/roadworthy requirements, specifically if we're buying in 1) California or 2) Nevada? As we are reckless students, what are the dangers of driving uninsured in either state?

- How much would we need to spend to get a reliable-ish car that will take us a few thousand miles? Hoping to spend around a grand; I'm thinking ex-cab Crown Vic or early-90s Cadillac ('When in Rome...', as they say)

- Is it possible to buy in one state (e.g. Nevada) and sell in another (e.g. California) or would the registration changeover costs be prohibitive?

- I've heard that Highway 120 on the way from Vegas to Yosemite is closed after the first snowfall. Is this so? If so, are there alternative routes?

- Finally, if we aren't to buy a clunker we will mostly likely bus/train/hitchhike/walk as renting will be prohibitively expensive (and possibly not an option given we are both under 25). Is there any bus/train service from Vegas to Yosemite? Also, would hitchhiking this route be viable, given it's the middle of winter (i.e. would there be much traffic along here)?


Many thanks in advanced guys!

 

[Sunny]

You can rent "clunkers" here in US. Just don't go to regular rental places like Hertz or Avis. You can even rent them by the month. I can't comment on how reliable they will be. Just google for it.

As for insurance, you can't drive uninsured. You need at least liability/3rdparty insurance or if you get pulled over, you will probably get fined and your even your car get towed. If you are renting, you can probably get insurance from the rental company.

And yes, the pass from Nevada to Yosemite does get closed in Winter. I almost got stuck once, so you might want to make sure it is clear before you start.

Oh and if you are driving between LA and San Francisco, make sure to drive along highway 1.

 

[martinbo]

How much gets spent on a clunker?

 

[Zafiro]

I did a roadtrip to California two years ago and it was amazing. Much to see. There is thread about my trip here:

http://www.germancarforum.com/sightings/24236-my-roadtrip-usa-california-2008-a.html

Go and read it, might give you ideas where to go


Next year I have plans to do another roadtrip but to the other side of US.

 

[Germaniac]

You can rent "clunkers" here in US. Just don't go to regular rental places like Hertz or Avis. You can even rent them by the month. I can't comment on how reliable they will be. Just google for it.

Thanks for the idea! Renting may be more expensive for us given we are both under 25 but I'll definitely investigate it

As for insurance, you can't drive uninsured. You need at least liability/3rdparty insurance or if you get pulled over, you will probably get fined and your even your car get towed. If you are renting, you can probably get insurance from the rental company.

And yes, the pass from Nevada to Yosemite does get closed in Winter. I almost got stuck once, so you might want to make sure it is clear before you start.

Oh and if you are driving between LA and San Francisco, make sure to drive along highway 1.

Good info, thanks much for your helpful comments! Also do you know anything re buying/selling in different states?

 

[Sunny]

Thanks for the idea! Renting may be more expensive for us given we are both under 25 but I'll definitely investigate it



Good info, thanks much for your helpful comments! Also do you know anything re buying/selling in different states?

I know if you buy a car from one state and plan to keep it for extended period in another state, you will have to register the car locally and will have to pay local sales tax at that time. This is stop/discourage people from buying cars in states with no sales tax like Oregon and driving it to high sales tax states like California. That might not be of concern to you since you are not going to keep the car for a long time so won't have to register it in California and who ever you sell the car to have to pay sales tax on the amount he buys the car for where ever he registers the car.

You should contact AAA chapter in California/Nevada, they should be able to answer these questions better/accurately than me.

 

[Zafiro]

We were using Hertz and it worked fine. Rented the car from the airfield in San Fransisco.
Only thing is that a month later when we were back home in Sweden they took money from our account because they washed the car after we return it. Something we didnt know about when we rented the car. But it was just a small amount of money so it was okey.

 

[Gullwing]

If you want to get from Las Vegas to Yosemite in the winter then you will have to go I15 south to 58 west to 99 north. Most/all smaller roads across the Sierras are closed after ~Oct.

See here in the United States if you try to do everything correct and you mess up on one little thing you can get screwed. So just fly into Mexico and sneak across the boarder and buy some unregistered pos and if you get caught in CA you will probably get a bunch of free stuff since you are here illegally, worked for millions so far.

I think if you buy a car with current registration you should be fine while it is current.
If you buy something for $1000ish, pay cash and if you can't sell it just leave it somewhere.
Buying in NV and selling in CA shouldn't be an issue.
Yosemite in the winter might be an issue. Not sure how the roads are when it snows so you might need chains ($30 at walmart).

 

[K-A]

See here in the United States if you try to do everything correct and you mess up on one little thing you can get screwed. So just fly into Mexico and sneak across the boarder and buy some unregistered pos and if you get caught in CA you will probably get a bunch of free stuff since you are here illegally, worked for millions so far.

About the clunker/driving to Vegas/uninsured thing. Been there, done that, and I wouldn't recommend it.

 

[Germaniac]

Guys, thanks a million for all this.. it's the sort of shit you don't find on travel sites

I'm thinking cheap rental might be the way to go (rent a wreck or similar)... will take a lot of the hassle out of it

I might forgo the illegal immigration route Gullwing,, thanks though

If you want to get from Las Vegas to Yosemite in the winter then you will have to go I15 south to 58 west to 99 north. Most/all smaller roads across the Sierras are closed after ~Oct.

Yosemite in the winter might be an issue. Not sure how the roads are when it snows so you might need chains ($30 at walmart).

Thanks for this. Shall investigate further but don't love the cold too much so it might not be worth it. Will there be much snow around? I went there once as a kid in mid-summer and it was spectacular; I'm imagining it will be equally beautiful in winter though possibly less habitable

We were using Hertz and it worked fine. Rented the car from the airfield in San Fransisco.

Were you under 25 at the time? If so, was the insurance more expensive?


Many thanks again!

 

[Gullwing]

Guys, thanks a million for all this.. it's the sort of shit you don't find on travel sites

I'm thinking cheap rental might be the way to go (rent a wreck or similar)... will take a lot of the hassle out of it

I might forgo the illegal immigration route Gullwing,, thanks though

Thanks for this. Shall investigate further but don't love the cold too much so it might not be worth it. Will there be much snow around? I went there once as a kid in mid-summer and it was spectacular; I'm imagining it will be equally beautiful in winter though possibly less habitable


Were you under 25 at the time? If so, was the insurance more expensive?


Many thanks again!

Yes I think cheap rental will work better than trying to buy and sell (look at topgear).

There will definitely be snow on the ground in Dec/Jan, with many chances for snow overnight.
I have been to Yosemite in the summer and yes it is great, but I don't think I would go there if I had limited time in the winter.

LA, Las Vegas, San Fran, San Diego, Napa, Sonoma (with giant sequoias and coastline) ... would be better.

 

[Germaniac]

Guys a quick (slightly unrelated) question - I'm flying Lima (Peru) to NYC via Miami - is it worth stopping over in Miami, given it's mid winter, or should I stick with the cool places?

Ta!

 

[bum-man]

I wouldn't unless you want to chance inclement weather (such as a hurricane) delaying your trip.

Edit: didn't realize you were leaving January. If you were thinking about going to the beach it still gets fairly cold there during winter...

 

[Gullwing]

Last winter parts of Florida got snow, so in Jan. it will be cold. Your best chance of seeing girls in little clothing is still going to be Las Vegas.

 

[Germaniac]

Last winter parts of Florida got snow, so in Jan. it will be cold. Your best chance of seeing girls in little clothing is still going to be Las Vegas.

Haha. There is a reason I am planning Brazil

 

[Gullwing]

Haha. There is a reason I am planning Brazil

Hurry, today I saw a headline talking about how the Brazilians are getting fat

 

[Germaniac]

Hurry, today I saw a headline talking about how the Brazilians are getting fat

Well you and I are in two of the fattest nations on earth.... I think Brazil has a while to go yet

 

[Gullwing]

Well you and I are in two of the fattest nations on earth.... I think Brazil has a while to go yet

Yes but you go on vacation to see exotic things, not the hippo from next door.

Nice thing about Las Vegas, even in winter the girls dress sexy. It can be 30 degrees F out and they will still wear little on top... even if they are hipppos