Texas - Getting a car or other fuel efficient alternatives
 

Ill spend 6 months in the US (Ill be in Dallas, so will be hard to get by without a car...).

Now realistically... I'm thinking in importing my European vehicle whist there. It certainly beats getting a used car or a super expensive rental. So what I would like to ask my friendly US friends is: is it worth to import, for about the same price? Or can I get anything remotely decent for $1500 or so?

If the former, I have read the car can be brought and driven for up to a year. It has to be exported after that period is due or the owner leaves the country. No Exceptions. No Sale.

Assuming I would go the import option (So that I could sell rather than ship on my departure) what exactly is it required to do so whilst there?

How Feasible is to get by in Dallas with a motorcycle or an e-bike? I have a crazy tuned e-bike with a 60KPM top speed, reasonable within the allowable urban areas where it would be allowed, but can I get by without using the motorway in Dallas?

Open to other options, just brain storming at the moment.

I think it will only be worth it to import you car if you plan on selling it.

I travel to Dallas at least once a month. You can find or sell pretty much anything. There may be a good demand for a euro spec car locally.

They have 75mph speed limits, close to the 70mph in england.

Do not go on a roundabout in dallas. I have only found 2. One has its edges littered with rubble from many diffetent car wrecks. Also the rules of the road for roundabouts are completely stupid and backwards from what you are used to. Drivers in the roundabout do not yield to incoming traffic.

In Dallas they don't put up any road signs until all the road work is done. It will be easy to get lost.

If you get on the motor way with a 60kph bike some insane lory driver will run you over and laugh. Then no one will atop because they are all arse holes.
We also have lots of uninsured, unlicensed illegal immigrant drivers who will hit and run.

Do not drive any motor cycle in Dallas unless you want to die. People there drive like maniacs and there is always major road construction pretty much every where.
Just a few miles away in Fort Worth people are much more friendly on the road.

Ykes...!

The E-Bike would be for local roads, my question is whenever I would be able to avoid highways whilst riding inside Dallas. The idea is exactly that, avoid idiots. Do people speed up outside the motorway or to an extent will it be safer?

In regards to my vehicle, remember it is an RHD (UK) European spec. I'm not sure the demand would be great.

While it would be very cool to bring over your own vehicle(s), I think it would be vastly easier to just sell (or store them) them and buy something when you're here. Then, sell it when you leave.

Put a tester add on Craigslist Dallas and see if you get any nibbles.

Don't know about Dallas but around here rural mail delivery people drive their own cars, a fuel efficient RHD car does have a certain market.

Not sure how reliable car you can get for $1500, but look at like you are with bringing your own car over, you'll loose $1500 in shipping cost, buy a $7000 Mirage drive it for 6 months and sell it for $5500. Cost same amount of money.

http://dallas.craigslist.org/search/cta?query=Mirage

Any where there is a 2 lane road some jerk may try to run you off the road because they don't see you, don't hear you, are on their phone or just don't care.
I drive a car and have people pull out in front of me or try to change lanes into me.
Oh and just spending 1 weekend or so a month there I have alrwady had some one run into the back of my car while stopped at a light. It hardly did anything to the car but if on a bike it might have hurt a lot, getting squished in between that pickup and the car infront of me.
I think the person was stopped, then started playing with their phone and let off the brake and rolled into me at walking speed.

Yep forget the bike, just not worth the risk, a Mirage gets the same MPG as almost every motorcyle I've owned. I really can't see how you can lose on a Mirage.

if coming over here why restrict your self to not going sight seeing. I sold a Tahoe turbo diesel to a guy in Neitherland. I convinced him (set the sead)to fly to a local airport and drive it to California and make a trip out of it before shiping it back. End up working out pretty good I think, his wife was dying from cancer got go thru Yellowstone and more on the way to Californial where his sister lived.

So think about not buying a car in Dallas, buy one in NY or Seatle and make a Fly and drive experience out of it. Maybe someone on here can help you out to take advantange of your oppurtunity.

I haven't considered that. Forking out on arrival and then getting it back just before departure. But how easy would it be to sell a car over there, in particular during September? And how do I know I'm not being ripped off when buying?

My initial approach was just getting a cheap car and assume it a total loss, kinda scrap it or give it away during my last week there, just to be safe. I wouldn't do more than 3000 miles over the period, so an initial inspection should be enough to indicate me any repairs needed.
How are cars verified to be in compliance there? Is it just a visit to a testing facility once a year or can they stop you and randomly ask if the car is compliant? (AKA shall I have the vehicle inspected on purchase and incur unexpected repair costs or can I buy one and rest assured it is compliant until the due date of the next inspection?)

Do dealerships do short leases over there rather than selling?

I've seen a site where people op out of their leases. here's an example:

An ideal one would have 5-8 months remaining. What I am not sure is what happens after the lease. Do they just take the car as is, as long as the mileage hasn't been exceeded and the car hasn't had any significant damage or will i be liable for wear and tear/damage/modifications done by the previous owner? The prices seem just right for what I would pay for cars under 50K and should solve the problems when leaving and insuring.

That's ironically how much I've been quoted for a car rental for the same period (same car). :D
Here in the UK we have to check everything. There's a lot of stolen cars in the market, or many sold with a lease without the buyer knowing.

What shall I do to protect myself of such issues whilst in the US? Any company you can get a car report from to see if the car has been involved in accidents or has a credit attached, or other issues?

I can certainly do that. I'm assuming you mean buy elsewhere than Dallas, still within Texas?

Do prices vary widely? I know in the UK they do, but its more of the car condition (certain areas tend to have larger quantity of older, cheaper cars, others are close to the sear and have the undercarriage all corroded, etc) so what kind of things should I take into consideration when purchasing?