Car advice

Hey Victoria...we're a couple from NYC also moving to the islands, but STX. We are in a similar situation, wondering if there are options to finance something. I have just begun to research it, will let you know what I find out. What will you be doing in STT?

That would be great if you could let me know what you find. I will be working at a resort.

IF anyone else has any advice/suggestions, I would greatly appreciate it!

You can pick upa reliable Suzuki Samurai (called a "Jeep" here) for about $1,500. It may not be pretty, but in STT, drivability is more important than beauty (unlike most States, where the kind of car you drive is a reflection of the person driving it. Not so here.) Call the Virgin Islands Daily News, ask for "Circulation", and they will mail you an "Island Trader" for $4. Check it out. That's the best way to get an idea of what types/costs of vehicles being sold here.

we just moved back from stt to ny after living in stt this year. getting a car is an experience! the island trader is a great resource- it comes out on thursdays. just remember to take the car to a reputable mechanic to check it out before you buy it. they usually will do it for 15-20 dollars. we had an older jeep and had our fair share of car issues. once you get down there, word of mouth is the best way to find a reliable mechanic. if you live off of the 1dollar taxi (ex. the east end) route you may not need a car. if you live on the north side, which we did, you need a car. of course, you can get amazing views there! good luck!

Just so everyone knows, the dollar rides are now $2.

Thanks for the advice on the mechanic.

Does anyone know what range a 2003- 2005 Jeep Wrangler goes for in STT??

Hard or soft top? 6 cylinder or 4? Those two factors make a big difference. In general, you can pretty much add about $2K to what they go for in the States.

Hmm seeing as I don't know that much about cars. What would you recommend? Is having a soft top a real hassle? I don't plan on going off roading or anything like that. But I am a 23 yr female moving alone so basically I want the best quality car bc I don't want to have to worry about any repairs, etc for as long as possible.

Thank you Marty for being so helpful.

A hardtop is definitely more secure, as you can lock up the Jeep. Well, you can lock up a soft top, but all someone has to do to get into it is unzip it. A hardtop is more expensive than the soft top, though. Since you don't plan on 'off-roading', I think you should go with the 4 cylinder, as they use less gas, and at $3 a gallon you want to use as little as possible! Haha! You can call the Daily news at 340-774-8772, ask for circulation, and they will mail you an 'Island Trader'. That'll give you an idea of what's currently available.