After all the money you and your family have spent on tuition, apartment, and other expenses, the last thing you would want to think about is getting a car. Unfortunately, Los Angeles is one of those cities so spread out that everything is everywhere else. Having no car is like having no legs. Public transportation system is not something the Los Angelenos are proud of.

Many American college campuses and college towns have convenience public transportation like buses, subways, and taxi cabs. No car is needed for you to personally get somewhere. This is one of the little things you want to find out about your prospective college before you head out here. Owning a car may be convenient but it’s also a big responsibility. You must keep in mind the cost of the car and maintenance, how much you need the car, and how long you are planning to be in the U.S. and other factors.

First thing first, you need to know how to drive in the U.S. They drive on the opposite side, obviously, and they have rules of the roads that you’re not used to. The laws might even be different from one state to the other. In order to go out on the streets and learn how to drive, you must first obtain a learner’s permit. You must be at least 16 years of age with parental/guardian consent. You then will have to get the booklet from the DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles), study it, and then take a written exam on traffic rules and regulations. Bring your passport, I-20, and social security card with you to the tests.

With the learner’s permit, you can now hit the road under the supervision of someone 25 years and older. Sure you can ask your friends to teach you to drive, or you can find a driving instructor to do the job. (There are some Thai instructors if you look hard enough.) Usually, the formal instructors would take you to the driving test as a part of the program, so you don’t have to worry about finding a car to go take the test in.

There are two parts to getting your driver’s license. First is the written test, a more extensive version of the test you did for your permit. You have to past the written test to go on to the road test. Then they’d check your vision with a brief vision test. Make sure to bring your glasses. For the actual road test, an examiner will accompany you in the car. He or she will test your driving skills by having you change lanes, make turns, back up, parallel park, or even get on the freeway. If you pass, you will be sent to finish the paperwork. You license would be in the mail soon after that.

Next up. Car shopping. You have 3 ways to go about buying a car: new, pre-owned from dealership, and from individuals. New car is nice, but the car itself is expensive, and the insurance is even worse. Some international students might have trouble buying a new car because they don’t have any credit, meaning that you haven’t established your ability to pay. (You build your credit by having credit cards and other bills that are paid off on time continuously.) The Honda dealership wouldn’t give me a time of day unless I had someone to co-sign the contract because I didn’t have any credit. So I headed out to the authorized, pre-owned (used) car dealership.

The best way to shop for cars is to go to the actual dealer,
but doing some research through online dealers isn't a bad way to start.

Used cars are cheaper, and the dealerships are more willing to work with you about your credit and payments. Be very careful with the non-certified dealerships though. The cars might be cheaper but you can’t be sure about how good the cars really are. The final option is to buy the car from an individual. The price is usually reasonable, and there is not much fuss. But have a mechanic look at the car before you buy it, and check the Kelley Blue Book—a list of prices for new and used car—for how much the car should cost.

In ALL states, driving without registration and auto insurance is illegal. Once you purchase the car, the dealership usually provides you with registration service, and drive-off insurance, which you can choose to keep after sometime, or you can go with other policies from other companies. There are some insurance dealers that would find you the cheapest rate with the best coverage. There are several variables to the price of your premium such as your driving record, where you live, type and color of the car, and, unfortunately, your age and gender. Make sure that your policy covers both liability (damage you cause on others’ properties and medical costs of injured persons) and physical damage (damage of your vehicle which you are the cause, theft, fire). You should also purchase an auto club membership or a roadside assistance service package of some kind. Trust me, they come in handy when you lock yourself out of your car, or your car breaks down on the freeway in the middle of nowhere.

Congratulations. You are now the proud parent of your car. Take care of him/her/it well. For your beloved vehicle, it’s all downhill from here. The car can only get older, more worn out, and the value will drop. The good upkeep can save you a lot of pain while you are driving the car, and later on when you have to sell him/her/it to someone else.

Treat your car like your friends:
The better you treat him/her, the longer the friendship lasts.

Related Links

California Department of Motor Vehicles (There is one for your home state too.)

Kelley Blue Book - The Bible of car buying and pricing.

Used Car Buying Tips - Research about the pre-owned cars.

Cars.com - Online car store. Another place to research.