Hi! I’m a new driver in NY and know almost nothing about leasing or car subscriptions. I need a car fairly urgently because of personal circumstances, but I don’t want to rush into an expensive mistake.
I’ll probably live in Fishkill or Beacon and commute to Hopewell Junction four days per week:
From Fishkill: about 48 miles/week
From Beacon: about 88 miles/week
I may also drive to NYC once or twice a week, plus errands and off-day trips. Depending on whether I drive or take Metro-North, I could end up anywhere around 9,000-17,000+ miles per year.
I don’t currently have car insurance. I’m a careful but inexperienced driver and have mainly driven an older Camry. SUVs feel too large and intimidating, so I want a safe, reliable compact car that is easy to handle and park.
I’m considering:
A conventional lease
Flexcar
SIXT+
A monthly Enterprise/Avis/Budget/Hertz rental
Buying a used compact car
Would renting or using a subscription for one or two months be smarter until I understand my actual mileage? Which service is reliable and reasonably transparent about its real price after insurance, mileage, taxes, protection, and other fees?
Has anyone in NY used Flexcar or SIXT+? What was your actual monthly total, and were there any billing, insurance, deductible, vehicle-return, or cancellation problems?
If I eventually lease, would 15,000 miles per year be enough? I would also appreciate recommendations for compact, beginner-friendly cars and any warnings about mistakes I should avoid.
Thank you! I’m truly starting from zero and appreciate any advice.
Seconding the no driving into the city - you can hop on Hudson line Metro North train - they run basically express from Beacon to Grand Central and will get you there in less than 90 minutes. You could probably find a used AWD Camry with less than 100k miles for <20k close by… and that’s if you want the upgrade. Best of luck!
As a new driver especially you should not drive in NYC. Recipe for disaster. Successfully navigating nyc by car requires at least a reasonable level of assertiveness that as a new driver you prob just don’t have.
Thank you. I know nothing about buying a car either lol
Also. Isn’t it like… much much MUCH more expensive?
I understand in a long run it makes sense, but come up with a chunk of money right now will be difficult for me.
@max_g knows everything about beaters. I’d think you could buy something decent, like 4-5 years old, for $15k and finance it. Insurance on a new car will kill any savings
You didn’t post a budget but rentals are going to be super expensive. I have the highest tier at multiple companies and even my quotes are like $200+ a week for basic cars lately. Plus you will have to pay for insurance on them since you don’t have it.
Either get a cheap lease on a small car (assuming you get approved) or used car somehow if you can get help for the money/co-signer for loan.
This is what I was thinking. Flexlease or cheap lease, I cannot buy or finance (I’m going through personal issues so I am not allowed to use shared credit score..)
Driving that route now vs. driving it in the winter are two completely different things. Only the main streets - 84, 9, Taconic, maybe 9D (but sometimes not), maybe 52, will be cleared the most quickly when it snows. If it snows during the time you need to commute, good luck.
Taking MNRR into the city is obviously easier if you live in Beacon, but living in Beacon vs. Fishkill is a major price difference too.
