Buying used/leasing in the U.S

Dear Veeky Forums
please help me out with your advice/help.

I'm a normal engineering dude working in Japan and end of this year I am moving to the north of Detroit Metro, MI.
Due to the move I have not much cash but I must have some wheels for commuting at least.

As this will be my first time in the states I have no experience with the used/new car market at all.
I do not know if used car dealers can be trusted or not and how much can I bargain on the price.
Nor I know if craiglist is a good source to look around or not.

I would love to lease a new car but I will have no credit score as I will just start to live there. And my monthly lease budget is around $390 only.
Will it be impossible for me to get some good lease deals on normal cars like KIA?

Buying a decent used car for my family of three when my cash only around 3 and a half grand might be challenging as well.
Especially taking into account that I do love full sized trucks. But I guess I will have to forget them until I collect some decent cash.
Then I must buy something my wife will be able to drive later (vans?).

Anyway, what do you suggest, where can I buy where I am not fucked over with some bad deals?

>buying a trucc

How about a lease?

You can be actually helpfull here if you want to comment anyway.

You're gonna get mugged and raped in Detroit. You will get screwed at a dealer since you're a foreigner, highly suggest bringing a good American friend that knows something with you. Why are you coming into the US with so little money and as an engineer? $3.5k will not get you far in the truck market. Avalanches are cheap, but they are the size of Suburbans, comfy and seat 5 or 6 though. most trucks made in the 2000's will be under $20kish.

If you're going to lease, don't lease a truck. Lease a KIA like you mentioned.

>gm
>truck
comfirmed dicklet

Thanks, I will go with someone as you suggested.

I have no cash to start as I have to use 30k for the move itself...

Great, thank you for confirming!

Would my no credit history make it hard to lease? What do you think?

Lol

Buy a crown vic. Cheap, reliable, huge interior and storage space. Save up and eventually buy the car you actually want after you've had time to learn how stuff works here.

will gm fangirls ever recover?

Great tip, sounds like a plan.

What would be a fair price for one in acceptable condition?
Is there a website with average used car prices?

You are trying too hard, lol.

Leasing usually requires $2-3k in cash to start. I think that helps with people with no history. I would try to buy American. You live in America don't buy shitty Korean cars.

Kia's are actually pretty good for poor people
also
>implying american cars are that much better than korean ones

Absolutely. However american cars loose their prices faster so the monthly payment is higher.
At least how I saw.

Any suggestion for american with a ~350/month?

dont. buy a civic with your 3k. it can fit 3 people fine. get a credit card and use it and pay it off every month. this builds credit. wait a year or two and your credit will be golden.

They are really cheap. You can find one easily for around $3.5k. Craigslist.org is good place to start. Seriously some places in Detroit are really bad so I guess you should stick with dealerships. Aim for 2003 or newer on Crown Victorias, Grand Marquis, and Lincoln Town Car (they are all almost the same). Or a late 80's to early 90's if you like the older styling.

If you're leasing you don't get to keep the car anyway so why do you care about resale value?

Yup, this is the kind of alternative I have to choose from.

I have got some thought, tips here.
You are great guys!

I see. If they are really reliable how cone they are cheap? What's the catch here?

Beacuse the differnce defines how much to pay monthly.

They were the most popular full size sedan for a long time. They are really basic and do not offer much what modern car buyers want. But they have a unique character of American cars from the 70's and 80's because the basic design did not change since. 2003 they did get some modernization but sill most of the same.

Got it, thank you!
I will check them in details (mpg, used parts, service fees) as I like old style too.

I don't know much, about the 70s and 80s square LTD crown vics, but crown vics have been THE car of choice for cops and taxis for at least 20 years. They mostly kept the parts the same over the years and specifically tried to make the car cheap and easy to work on. You can literally go to any junkyard in the US and find at least a dozen crown vics to steal parts from if you ever have money problems. They flooded the market with them. Gas mileage is terrible, but nothing really beats it in terms of availability of cheap parts and labor. And you *could* tow with it if you wanted. It's a v8 with a truck frame, and I think it was rated to handle like 6000 pounds or something on older models.

R A N G E R s
maybe an old jeep xj

seconded for land yacht

Thanks, your opinion does help me.