Car, buying vs shipping

Am I understanding correctly also that to get a license I have to surrender my stateside license and pay the fee to get my license there?

I seriously doubt that you could find a reliable car for $2000 or less. Maybe after you are here for quite a while and made many contacts, one "might" come along.
I brought down a pristine ( too good for the island ) 1895 Ford Bronco II. that I knew was in good shape. I figured I would have to spend $6K to $10K for something reliable. A friend bought a $5K Jeep from a dealer, spend another $4K on it, and finally dumped it for less than $1000 because it wouldn't run consistently, would just quit for no reason.
If you have a GOOD used car, one that you know to be in good shape, take it to a good mechanic and have it rechecked, and bring it down. The salt air is terrible on electrical connections and components, let alone on the paint and body. Don't park in the grass, the moisture will rust out the chassis after a while.

And my experience has been completely opposite of that...bought my first car for $1,200 ten years ago...still runs, bought another one for $2,000, but I sold it after 6 months for $3,000...bought a Samurai for $1,200 and she's still going...now I have a 2001 Malibu with 34K on it that I got for $4K and it's perfect...on STX I picked up a 2000 Xterra for $5K and it had 139K miles on it...still driving that....(got 143K now). There are plenty of cheap, reliable cars to be found, just take a mechanic with you when you look at them, or take them TO a mechanic for a REAL inspection....

Thanks Marty,
It seems like you made some very smart purchases! Did it take you awhile to find those deals or are they readily available?
Also, are there taxes on vehicles if I would purchase there?

Did you buy those out of the ads in the paper, or from your contacts from years on the island.
My friends Jeep was bought from a dealer, and had several mechanic try to fix it.

We bought a 1990 pathfinder when we first got here for 3k with almost 200 miles on it. After six years it still works. My advice would be to buy an island car here cheap, but buy a car that is know for its reliablity and have a mechanic look at it. I bought mine from a ad in the paper. I would expect to pay 2 to 5k for a decent island beater.

Thanks everyone, I think buying there is the way to go.Thats what I'm going to do.

I agree with buying a cheap car here. However, if you want a newer car, you can save a lot of money buying it in the states and shipping it down for around $1200.

Nope, you buy a car here, the road tax has already been paid...and any importation taxes, too...so you just pay the guy, get insurance and take the registration to DMV, get it inspected, pay the reg. fee and you're done! I, myself, use the services of someone to do all of the work for me, so I don't even go to the DMV at all...and neither does my car....I pay about $100 for this service and I think it is well worth it....

You'll have to surrender your driver's license when you get a VI license. They're good for 5 years & the expiration is your birthday. Makes it easy to remember.

Oh, forgot to answer....some of my cars have come thru referrals and some thru the Trader and one thru the Avis. Since I am a mechanic, I always check them out myself, and I have passed on a few of 'em, but, for the most part, they are readily available....

Hey Marty,
I'll be moving to STX and since you live there part time and you're a mechanic would you check out some cars for me when I arrive? If you have the time and you're on island then? If no I understand but it sure doesn't hurt to ask. You seem to be a really nice and helpful guy and I appreciate all of the help you've given me so far. You give direct answers to questions and its very helpful!

Sure, just PM me or call my cell 340-514-9264 and I can give a vehicle you are interested in the once over....but it's have to be when 'm on island, of course! haha! Living on two islands is tough!!

Yeah, such a tuff life living on 2 islands...lol.........I'll call you when I have dates confirmed and see where you are. Thank you so much!

Get yourself a duplicate license from your state. If you want to drive with it and you get pulled over they MAY take it away but I doubt it. The department of motor vehicles doesn't communicate with the states. So surrender your duplicate and get a VI license then your stateside license will still be good.

Just what I've heard....

Communication has improved vastly over the last 2-3 years. I wouldn't chance lying about losing a drivers license to get a dup and then trying to get another license here.

I wouldn't either. They've tightened up. You might get by with it but probably not.

Also, it's illegal to have two different licenses...don't wanna break the law! Keep your beer between your legs so it doesn't spill and wear your seatbelt!!

Chance12,
Regarding your Drivers License, You have 90days to get a VI License. The VI DMV sends your old License back to the state that issued it ,They do that "today" but not true in the past. If you register a car on the islands the clock starts to run on that 90day pass. Here are some ramifications you could face. If the Police stop you after that 90 day period ,They will issue you a summons. If you get into an accident your insurance company is not required to pay for damages on your car (or others property that may have been damaged due to the accident). Your Old State could charge you with Fraud, You also would have Violated Homeland Security Laws which is an additional Federal Offense and charge. Why make paradise a potential nightmare. Just my 2 cents Good luck and God Bless.

Just for info for all of you who don't understand what I said earlier and have misinterpreted everything to make it a negative.
I am NOT planning on keeping 2 drivers licenses, I merely asked a question stating, So I give up my US drivers license when I get my VI license? And you all interpreted that to be that I was going to try and be sneaky and keep both, STOP putting words in my mouth when I ask a simple question. Is everyone who lives there always so full of drama and looking for a confrontation????? Please read these post CAREFULLY before you start typing nonsense!

I don't think anyone was admonishing YOU, Chance, it's just that the subject veered in that direction...there are a lot of people here that come down for the winter, drive on their Stateside license in the States and use their VI license when here...it's technically illegal to hold two licenses from different entities...but lotsa people do it...doesn't make it 'right', but it does happen often. When you go in to register your car, take your old Stateside license with you and just trade it in for a VI license...takes about 20 minutes...no problems!

Chance12,
Some advise given on this thread wasn't correct, no one has put words in your mouth, I for one will never type nonsense again. Good luck and God Bless.

No one SAID you were planning to keep 2 licenses. You're not the only person posting on this thread.

I just wanted to add that I think that it depends on the state that you're state-side license is from. In Florida you're allowed to have another state license. There are so many snowbirds here that it's allowed. I had a duplicate license that I turned into the VI DMV. I'm not sure if that would've been an issue with VI...probably so...but it's not an issue with Florida.