[sunluvr]

My husband and I want to start renting in The Villages for half the year. We’re not ready to sell our home in Oregon yet. Not wanting to drive 1,000s of miles whenever we want to come to Florida, we’d like to ask Snowbird renters who live far from The Villages how they handle needing a car for half the year in The Villages. Car rental? Buy a car and store it somewhere near The Villages? Or? We’d appreciate advice? Thank you.

[Two Bills]

Car rental is no longer a cheap option.
I would buy a used car, and find some low price storage for the time you are not here.

[Clarinet]

We purchased a used car but decided that after considering renting for more than 3 months it would be cheaper to purchase a home. There are many homes in the so-called "historic" section which are very affordable and will easily sell when you decide to stop coming to the Villages. We have our car in the carport with a cover over it and the battery on a charger inside.

[J1ceasar]

Buy used car, store it locally when you're not here, there are at least six storage companies around here within two miles of The villages some are better than others but they're still pretty dirt cheap when you consider that cars are currently going for 2 or 3,000 per month rental due to the shortages.

[Bay Kid]

I just use my cart for everything. If I need a car I buy lunch and gas for a friend when we take a road trip.

[vintageogauge]

Call a local car dealer and see if they would be willing to give you a six month lease on a car, one year leases are common so I would assume someone would give you a 6 month lease.

[Indy-Guy]

Several years ago I played golf with a guy that was in his upper 80's. He told me that he used his golf cart for transportation and had not owned a car for 5-6 years. Any time he needed a car he called Enterprise rental and got one for the day or so. He would purchase their insurance. He saved on deprecation, maintenance and insurance. He also told me that it had been 6 months since he needed a car. I thought he had it figured out pretty good for his situation and needs.

Rental cars are high now but that will change when the rental car companies get their inventories back to where they should be but that may take some time because of the chip shortage. That will be another blog in the future.

You may not be ready for that type of situation. Purchasing a used car now that used car prices are very high would still perhaps be the best way to go. You might be able to find another snowbird that would rent you their garage for a price reasonable to both of you as your time here may match up with their time frame also. This website would work well to find that person.

[SIRE1]

With used cars being in such a premium state now a days and their resale being quite high, I've began to wonder what the financial impact would be if a person would buy a used car and then resell it (possibly back to the selling dealer) 5 or 6 months later. I know they always say that a new car looses a several thousand dollars as you drive it off a lot, but I wonder what the difference would be if you bought and then sold a good used car within a short time period. I'm not recommending you do that, but your question got me to thinking about the cost of temporary ownership vs renting or even buying and then paying for storage and whatever other cost that would be associated with owning a car for 12 months (e.g. insurance, repairs for things that would go wrong with having a car sit for 6 or more months). Just thinking . . . . .

[EdFNJ]

Have YOUR CAR transported here. Cheaper than a rental. Probably cost you $1500 each way depending on time of year or just buy a hoopty and trash it after 6 months.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

You don't have to pay for storage of a car that you don't use for several months when you're back north. Just leave it in the driveway or the garage. Expect that it'll probably need a jump the first time you use it when you come back down.

Or you could give the keys to a trusted neighbor and ask that they pull it out of the driveway, drive it around the block, and return it to the driveway once every week. That'll also keep the tires from rotting.

[vintageogauge]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

You don't have to pay for storage of a car that you don't use for several months when you're back north. Just leave it in the driveway or the garage. Expect that it'll probably need a jump the first time you use it when you come back down.

Or you could give the keys to a trusted neighbor and ask that they pull it out of the driveway, drive it around the block, and return it to the driveway once every week. That'll also keep the tires from rotting.

The OP is renting, don't think the landlord would go for that.

[Topspinmo]

If you rent and house comes with golf cart, just use that. (or just rent golf cart) You can do about everything using golf cart. If you need to go some where else, call taxis or rent car for day or two from Spanish Springs behind the theater. Most snowbirds I know have their cars shipped or they drive them. I’d it was me and I didn’t want to drive, I’d ship my car. It will be cheaper IMO.

[La lamy]

As others said previously, I'd rent a place that has a golf cart included. Pretty much everything is available via cart, and you can Uber/rent car for other longer drives as needed. But I personally think it's worth the drive to have my car available in TV (my drive is 1300 miles done in 2 days).

[Girlcopper]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

You don't have to pay for storage of a car that you don't use for several months when you're back north. Just leave it in the driveway or the garage. Expect that it'll probably need a jump the first time you use it when you come back down.

Or you could give the keys to a trusted neighbor and ask that they pull it out of the driveway, drive it around the block, and return it to the driveway once every week. That'll also keep the tires from rotting.

Thank you. This is the most logical answer here finally!! “Buy a car for six months and sell”. “. Have it transpirted $1500 each way”.l Lease a car for 6 mos “. “Put it in a storage bay for 6 mos”. Not realistic or decent ideas at all

[Foxmd]

Would it help you to drive yourself if you took the auto train?