Is there any way to have a car for just 3 months?

Question

I'm in LA for the summer and was wondering if there was any good and affordable way to have a car just for the summer.

Answer 1

probably rent for a week at a time

Answer 2

I had to do the same thing last summer, being under 21 it would have been very hard for me to rent a car. I ended up buying a car for about $3400 at a used car lot in North Hollywood. I would NEVER recommend buying from this place as they were a huge hassle, but I am sure other places run a much better business.
Anyway--about three weeks before I was set to come back to the East Coast my friend wrecked the car and it was determined to be a total loss. My insurance company paid me about $5600 for the car. So not only did I have a car for 3 months, I made $1200 by buying the car.

I wouldn't advise buying a car and trying to get into an accident, but it is very feasible to buy a car and sell it back at a minimal loss.
On the other hand, car insurance in the area was very expensive, I think mine was about $300 a month on a such a cheap car! So if you're looking at $900-1000 in insurance alone, renting looks like a pretty good deal since it will include insurance.

Answer 3

Rent a vehicle on a monthly basis. Most rental companies will give you a better rate on monthly rentals. Also, remember to take out the insurance they offer. This covers you for anything that might happen while their vehicle is in your possession. The nice thing about renting is, if there are any mechanical problems, it's their problem, not your's. All you do is take it back and they'll trade you for another rental car if the problem is major, or fix it on the spot if it's a simple problem. The alternative is to buy a really cheap used car, fix it up, and sell it when the summer is over for about what you have invested in it. This way, you can recover some of your summer's expenses at the end of your vacation; possibly, when you need it the most to get back into the 'daily grind'...

Answer 4

Buy a used car directly from an owner. Be very careful to check that you are below Blue Book. Then at the end of the summer you can sell it to someone else. You may take a small loss but it will be a heck of a lot cheaper than renting a car for all three months.

Answer 5

www.Leasetrader.com. Take over the lease on a car with only a few months remaining. See their site for the details of how it works. If your credit is good you shouldn't have a problem. You get a car that is a lot better than the $1k beater and probably anything you could rent.

Answer 6

You can do a long-rental. Call a rental car company and say you want to rent for 3 months, and see what they say. You'll likely need good credit though.

Answer 7

If you rent a car, and you already have auto insurance, I think you should check with your own insurance company to see if you'd be covered driving their rental car. If you are, decline the rental car's insurance. The insurance would probably make the car UNAFFORDABLE for you.

Answer 8

Find a 1000 dollar beater. When your done turn it in to a wrecking yard and walk away. thats about as affordable as you can get. other wise your looking a good chunck of change for renting from 3 months.

Answer 9

rent a car....find a friend that is willing to let you borrow his/her car. if not then just get a bike. why would you want a car in LA the traffic and parking are horrible!

Answer 10

A used car lot will take care of you. Go to afew & talk with'em.Over the phone they'll think yer wasting their time.Good Luck =^ )

Answer 11

As others have mentioned. You can get montly rates from car rental places. good luck