Buying used cars on STX

Add at least $1000 to the KBB price to cover the shipping and taxes.

Or just buy 2 cars stateside and ship both.

If I was looking for a used vehicle to purchase here, I would just ask any owner what justifies asking thousands more than the blue book value. If you don't feel it's worth it, don't buy it.

that is the problem buying used cars down here, the cost is crazy

I'm sure there are over-priced used cars being offered here on STX, but there are plenty of good values too. Asking ain't getting.

Thanks everyone!

Transfer in progress to STX in near future. I have heard to sell our vehicles and buy on the island because it is cheaper than shipping our car over... Anyone ship their car over? Cost???

the cost is usually cheaper to bring your own. it has been over 10 years since i brought mine. the reason i brought mine-it was paid off, i was original owner and knew the car. it did not have any major problems. i think less than 2000 total which was cheaper than buying a car i knew nothing about that could have major problems or even minor problems. when buying used cars-generally as is, so you have no recourse if it is a total piece of crap

There are LOTS of posts about shipping cars on the forum. It will cost you about $1500-$2000 and you have to transport the vehicle to the closest port yourself. Try a search and you may find some more details about different companies as well.

Oh yeah, when we moved here we shipped a 40' container and put 2 cars inside the container along with some household goods. It's a flat rate for the container and they let us load at our house and trucked it to the port to be put on the ship.

For between $50 and $100 I've always had a good mechanic check out the used vehicles I've bought and it's been money well spent. Like most people I can spot obvious shortcomings but once I've narrowed down the search I rely on the pro to sniff out the not so obvious. The only vehicle I ever lost money on was one which was stolen and stripped!

Plenty of good deals come along. People leaving island, used rental cars...... The trick is to not be in a hurry. If you need a car right away, the deals are harder to find.
Since you are shipping one, maybe you have time to shop around?
I have always been able to find vehicles for close to or even under Blue book.
I usually compare Kelly BB to NADA...

Many used cars down here will have very low mileage, compared to the same used model in the states. But they are hard miles in many ways. Salt air, pot holes, tree branch scratches.....Most homes don't have garages either. So the paint fades faster.

You sure you want to bring a new car??;)

We have an 03 with 70000 miles on it and an 07 with 50000 miles. Perfect island cars!!

Exactly the way I feel about it, STL. My '98 Explorer (I'm on STT) had a little over 60K island miles on it when I bought it in 2008 (wow, time just flies) but even though I don't drive much these days I used it a lot until three years ago and it's now got 66K miles on it.

As I mentioned earlier on another thread, I've put about $1500 into it on "big stuff" and am about to put another $300 into it but could easily sell it today for what I paid for it. I'd like to swap it out for something smaller as I don't need the space any more - but that's a whole new adventure for the future!

I have NEVER in 30 years and would never buy a new vehicle here. The first ding would probably send me reeling. Nobody gives much of a rat's patootie about a few dings and scrapes as they're the norm - what's under the hood is what counts.

Funny related story. When my Acura was stolen and shortly thereafter was found pretty much all stripped out, I bought a beater from a friend for $450. Not pretty but sound. I had it for a couple of years but needed something bigger for my business. By that time the beater needed a new alternator, brakes and a new driver's side window (I had successfully smashed it while weedwacking when an errant rock flew up in just the right spot). Lesson learned - move the darned car while weedwacking).

I had found the Explorer so we were having a yard sale at the business and I put a few signs out and about and on the car. Full disclosure on its issues and a $250 firm price tag. I sold it within an hour with one potential buyer VERY disappointed as he needed to check with his partner and, by the time he came back with OK and money in hand, someone else had already snatched it up.

I bumped into the new buyer several months later and they were perfectly happy - had replaced the alternator, fixed the brakes, replaced the window and were happily driving around.

Just another perspective.

I bought my 97 Toyota Land Cruiser on STX for $6500 with 165,000 miles on it. Best island vehicle ever.

Ship yours down. You know the history of the vehicle(s) and if it was well maintained you're better off. Most cars here are neglected, salt damaged and beat to death on the roads.

Exactly the way I feel about it, STL. My '98 Explorer (I'm on STT) had a little over 60K island miles on it when I bought it in 2008 (wow, time just flies) but even though I don't drive much these days I used it a lot until three years ago and it's now got 66K miles on it.

6K miles in 7 years? Is that considered "a lot" by island standards? This averages to less than 3 miles per day.

Exactly the way I feel about it, STL. My '98 Explorer (I'm on STT) had a little over 60K island miles on it when I bought it in 2008 (wow, time just flies) but even though I don't drive much these days I used it a lot until three years ago and it's now got 66K miles on it.

6K miles in 7 years? Is that considered "a lot" by island standards? This averages to less than 3 miles per day.

I've always been very good at planning my trips out to get the best "bang for the buck" and, even when I had my business, I did the same as I do now - make a list of what I need to do and have on hand for the next week and get everything done in one fell swoop. Probably not "the norm" by any stretch but that's the way I do it.

I have a 1997 Toyota Tacoma which I purchased in 2000.
It has almost 64K miles on it. It looks new as I had some body work done and had it repainted 2 years ago. It was less expensive than buying something newer that had an unknown history when mine ran great and had less miles than what I was seeing for sale. Not to mention the prices I was seeing for what I wanted which was another Toyota pick up.

This truck has had minimal issues as I have it checked annually by
my trusted mechanic whom I've been using for well over 30 years when he had a shade tree business to a full shop with 6 bays. I take excellent care of it. I get oil changed regularly, everything checked, new tires, etc., and have never been disappointed with either the performance of my truck or my mechanic.

I've worked out of my house for the last several years and before that lived in close proximity to where I worked.

I tend to schedule my driving, shopping, errands, business appointments so that I don't waste time running around.

I get asked all the time if I wish to sell the truck.
"Not yet" is my answer!

I think the answer is that if you have a reliable vehicle that will work well on our island roads which are challenging, keep it.

I drive a 2005 Honda I purchased as a 2 year old used car - it has 45K mi. -- that is a little over 11 mi per day - I keep it dealer maintained , fresh oil and totally checked out every 4K mi. - at least 2x a week I get asked if I want to sell it - it has a few scrapes or scratches and the paint hasn't held up too well with the sun and no garage - I do wax it a few times a year to little avail I think but at the risk of Jinxing/dooming myself it has been 100% reliable. I paid $12K and was offered a serious $6500 this week at a gas station -I can't take it to Stumpy or Neltjeberg but there are certainly good used cars for sale here all the time - I bought and sold a lot of VW's and BMW's here for my own use when there was a dealer who had parts and service for them -[Island Cars] in years past, and can wrench on the simple stuff myself.
I feel the more complicated the vehicle the more likelihood of bigger problems and would gladly revert to VW Bugs if I could find one at a reasonable price and even ship one down but they have become 'collector cars'.
I miss my 1937 Packard 120cd, 1967 396 SS and the 1967 Volvo 1800s I drove in the States but would never have brought them here and leave my 1996 BMW 328 convertible in semi storage for my summer trips stateside but would not bring it here either, there are certainly rainy stormy days here that I wish I had a Hummer though!!!

Thanks for all the comments everyone! If all goes to plan (LOL) we will be buying a new Jeep Wrangler Sport in the states and shipping it over. We're doing our due diligence and are checking to make sure a full warranty will transfer over to the dealership on STX. And now that we know there are good deals to be found on island cars we will take our time finding one when we get there.