Car Options

The only other option is to buy an island car for a good price and hope to resale it for that same price. Registering a car that is already here is not much of a hassle, usually just a hour of your time. A few hoops to jump through, not a big deal.

$600 for the month is a good a price as you can get on this island.

I don't know any other option. This is what everyone does. No one is going to "lend" you a car, if for no other reason that their name is on the car and they will liable for any damages and open themselves up for lawsuits....just like stateside.

If you haven't already, try Discount Car rentals. They're very nice and will work a good deal with you. They work with traveling nurses a lot so you may be able to find something more affordable through them.

$ 600 a month is very likely to be way less than you will spend on taxis, safaris, Vitran, and time spent using those modes of transportation - having your own vehicle will really pay off in many ways.

Which island??

I don't know which island, but $600/month would be a heck of a good deal for a vehicle for a short stay. To get the same quality of vehicle (i.e., decent condition and running, with a guarantee that someone else is responsible for repairing it if it breaks down) through a purchase, you'd definitely have to spend more than $2,100. Then there's insurance, title fees, a day at the BMV for buying it, a day at the BMV for selling it...

However, by renting, you would not be able to recoup your money. If you bought and resold, you would probably be able to get your original purchase price for it (especially if you are leaving at the start of season).

If $600 a month is too much money for you to lay out for transportation, you're going to be relying on "alternative transportation" -- walking, catching rides, and taxis.

We're staying on STX for four months and are paying $900/mo for a Toyota Echo--which, if you're not familiar with it, is basically a roller skate with windows and a steering wheel. That was the cheapest we could find. We just purchased a Jeep because we determined it would be, in the long run, a better use of our money and would pay for itself after two years--plus, we'd have something to sell to recoup some of our investment if we wanted to.

Bernie

Thanks everyone- I have talked to some landlords on the island that have told me there are a lot of cars on STT that people have left after going back to mainland and are trying to sell. Albeit, they are junkers, but that is fine by me.

Is it reasonable to actually find an "island car" for sale for about $1,200 ish? I really do not care at all how it sounds, looks, etc. as long as it will get me from point A to point B for 3 months. Thanks again for all the help-really appreciate it.

There's no guarantees with a junker, I would think seriously about this if you're not handy. At least do your homework about which older cars are considered reliable. Consumer Reports is great for this. You can definitely find cars in that price range though. They will be definitely be rough looking but hopefully reliable. I personally would go with the rental if you're only coming for 3 months to avoid the hassles and possible repair bills. Good Luck.