2 month trip back to the US

[vagabond48]

After being away a number of years from the US, I am returning with my wife for a 2 month trip. I'll be spending at least 2 weeks in the NY metro area and the rest of the time in the southwest.
I was hoping I can get some advise from those of you who occasionally visit the US for a month or more. I have done a fair amount of online research but haven't come up with any reasonable solutions for the following,

mobile phone service,

wifi internet access for my netbook using an air card and

I will be renting a car for at least a month so I need liability insurance.

I prefer not getting it from car rental companies since their daily rate is rather expensive. Regarding the insurance, the only one I came up with was World Nomad comprehensive travel insurance including $1,000,000 liability coverage for about $150 for a month. Anyone have any experience with this company regarding their liability coverage?

I would also appreciate any reasonable advice on how to keep my costs down including tips on senior discounts.
Thanks!

Edited July 27, 2013 by vagabond48

[craigt3365]

Do you have a mobile phone now? If so, what make and model? If it's compatible, you can easily get a pay as you go SIM card from a phone company and use your mobile as a portable wifi spot.

I've used World Nomads several times. Had a claim one time for theft and they handled it promptly and professionally. I don't know what kind of coverage is provided for cars. You need to check on that.

Do you have a credit card? Some provide coverage for car rentals. Pros and cons for using it though.

There are a variety of travel insurance programs. Some of the insurance brokers here can give you details. Best to compare all of them if you have the time.

As for senior discounts, will you be visiting national parks? If so, you can get a golden age card that would help out a bunch. But not sure it's worth it unless you use it a lot.

Where are you visiting in the SW?

[vagabond48]

Do you have a mobile phone now? If so, what make and model? If it's compatible, you can easily get a pay as you go SIM card from a phone company and use your mobile as a portable wifi spot.

I've used World Nomads several times. Had a claim one time for theft and they handled it promptly and professionally. I don't know what kind of coverage is provided for cars. You need to check on that.

Do you have a credit card? Some provide coverage for car rentals. Pros and cons for using it though.

There are a variety of travel insurance programs. Some of the insurance brokers here can give you details. Best to compare all of them if you have the time.

As for senior discounts, will you be visiting national parks? If so, you can get a golden age card that would help out a bunch. But not sure it's worth it unless you use it a lot.

Where are you visiting in the SW?

Yes, I have a samsung ace2. I assume 2g voice will work in the US. For 3g, I would need 850 or 2100 mhz.

I will be using my Visa and MC CCs where I can in the US, so I know I will have good travel coverage for flight and rental except liability.

I finally check World Nomad's liability coverage and it covers you for engines 3HP or less so unless I rent a gocart to get around, WN is a bust.

Yes, I will get the senior pass for $10 which is a lifetime pass.

I will be based in Tucson and travel from there.

Thanks for your suggestions.

I hope there is a liability option other than what the car rental companies offer which can be up to $15 a day. That might be more than 50% of the rental daily rate based on a monthly rental.

[JLCrab]

The best automobile rental coverage I have found is a surcharge program that comes with renting a car with an American Express card especially if you do not own a car in the USA -- liability included.

For telephone, I would just buy a TracFone at Walmart for about $10 and then buy minutes as necessary.

For WiFi most of the motels I stayed in my trip last month have WiFi -- an air-card situation might not be so easy just for 2 months.

[Nana Cowboy]

That Amex program is not liability. book hotels using aarp and yes hotels have wifi but that won't help you on mount Lemmon. lol. NYC hopefully you have a place to stay. get hotels with microwave and save on food. in and out burgies are great too. try and catch some wildcat games. rental car agencies are ok with monthly discounts and discount codes. try the frequent flier discount codes. dont know where you would get cheaper. use Alamo. everytime I go back I spend 10K usd. no getting around it but I come back with a laptop everytime

Edited July 27, 2013 by Nana Cowboy

[lomatopo]

If you Priceline a rental you can add on basic insurance for $11/day. Most rental companies now have a fairly onerous "replacement revenue" requirement, so you may also have to pay them for the revenue they lose while the car is being repaired. Also glass is optional.

T-Mobile might be the best option, either directly or via StraightTalk; you can also get AT&T via StraightTalk. Do you have an 8160 or an 8160 L?

T-Mo has re-farmed some 1900 MHz for 3G; I think both the 8160 and 8160L support 1900 MHz 3G

[JLCrab]

The AmEx policy I mentioned specifically states that it is not liability coverage. Correct. However, I also stated above that it is especially desirable when you do not own a car in the USA or have coverage here in Thailand that might somehow be considered as primary.

If you do not own a car the AmEx program then becomes your primary coverage.

[Nana Cowboy]

priceline is a solid idea, people talking about this cheap option

[Nana Cowboy]

The AmEx policy I mentioned specifically states that it is not liability coverage. Correct. However, I also stated above that it is especially desirable when you do not own a car in the USA or have coverage here in Thailand that might somehow be considered as primary.

If you do not own a car the AmEx program then becomes your primary coverage.

yes I use the Amex for $25 for 45 days. It's the best non liability I've found

[vagabond48]

The AmEx policy I mentioned specifically states that it is not liability coverage. Correct. However, I also stated above that it is especially desirable when you do not own a car in the USA or have coverage here in Thailand that might somehow be considered as primary.

If you do not own a car the AmEx program then becomes your primary coverage.

That is also true for Visa and it is free.

Edited July 27, 2013 by vagabond48

[JLCrab]

AmEx also has free coverage but they let persons enrolled in their Premium Coverage Program pay $24.95 per rental period for the same coverage as they offer for free? Clever those folks.

[JLCrab]

If you Priceline a rental you can add on basic insurance for $11/day. Most rental companies now have a fairly onerous "replacement revenue" requirement, so you may also have to pay them for the revenue they lose while the car is being repaired. Also glass is optional.

T-Mobile might be the best option, either directly or via StraightTalk; you can also get AT&T via StraightTalk. Do you have an 8160 or an 8160 L?

T-Mo has re-farmed some 1900 MHz for 3G; I think both the 8160 and 8160L support 1900 MHz 3G

In Thailand there is hardly anyplace that does not have cell/mobile phone coverage. Not so USA. I stayed in three places -- VT, FL, NC -- that had no or very limited coverages. I ended up using an ATT calling card this trip and didn't even bother with a cell phone. The rental car had OnStar for any emergency.

[CMSteve]

We just came back from a little over a month in the US.

Phone -

I used t mobile for phone and 3G. It was spotty in places especially in NYC and the island. I think going through AT&T would have been better signal. Avg prices were about $60/month for unlimited call/text/3G(2Gb/month at 3G and Edge after)

Insurance -

Check out the coverage that your credit card offers, also check into the insurances that are offered by the internet reservation companies. We used hotwire to reserve a car through Enterprise. Their insurance (through Allianz) was about $10/day, but was cheaper for longer terms.

[SinCityGr8One]

The best automobile rental coverage I have found is a surcharge program that comes with renting a car with an American Express card especially if you do not own a car in the USA -- liability included.

For telephone, I would just buy a TracFone at Walmart for about $10 and then buy minutes as necessary.

For WiFi most of the motels I stayed in my trip last month have WiFi -- an air-card situation might not be so easy just for 2 months.

I totally agree with buying a TracFone from WalMart for $10 USD and then buy minutes as necessary. That is exactly what I use when I visit the USA. I also bought the double time card. You get double the minutes with every purchase.

[vagabond48]

So I guess no short term liability insurance out there for travelers in the US other than what the car rentals will/may provide.

[villagefarang]

Considering the way people drive rentals I suspect there is good reason coverage is not cheap. I have always gone for the 30 day coverage on my Platinum MC but have never had an accident so don’t know how difficult the claim process is.

Like CMSteve I went for t-mobile last time, but in Hawaii, and found I would have been better off with AT&T since I was staying on the North Shore, live and learn.

Starting in Tucson I can think of some great drives and great National Parks heading North. Make a BIG loop and have a great trip.

[Nana Cowboy]

Let's see what did I do last 2 trips:

trip 1: start in FL with rented Camaro SS out of Miami. head to Naples then north to NYC and CT. West to S. Dakota: badlands, Mount Rushmore. then Rado and Rocky MTN NTL Park and onto Utah national parks and monument valley then Zion NP in Utah down thru Vegas-Hoover Dam, Grand Canyon then Tucson-Carlsbad, NM and back to FL

trip 2: start in Vegas with SS Camaro again to Dakota again then Yellowstone this time then back to Vegas thru Utah parks. Love the western US. Next time I think Yosemite, red woods and crater lake

[impulse]

For cell phones, I keep one prepaid burn phone on AT&T's network and one on Verizon's.

When the AT&T has no bars, the Verizon phone often does, and vice versa. You can buy both phones at Walmart. I forgot which PrePaid service uses which network, but the sales guys at Walmart usually know.

Burn phones are so cheap nowadays, it's pretty economical to have both.

[Langsuan Man]

For cell phones, I keep one prepaid burn phone on AT&T's network and one on Verizon's.

When the AT&T has no bars, the Verizon phone often does, and vice versa. You can buy both phones at Walmart. I forgot which PrePaid service uses which network, but the sales guys at Walmart usually know.

Burn phones are so cheap nowadays, it's pretty economical to have both.

That is the advantage of the Tracfone, they purchase time from all the major US carriers so that there is always a signal

[lovetotravel]

Not sure if this will work or not, but worth a look. Seems to cover cars also.

Travel Guard

[vagabond48]

Not sure if this will work or not, but worth a look. Seems to cover cars also.

Travel Guard

Thanks for the suggestion, unfortunately they don't have liability insurance to protect me against lawsuits. Their coverage only provide the normal rental collision coverage which I don't need since my visa credit card will provide this primary auto coverage for free. They are also a lot more expensive than World Nomads.

[phuketrichard]

if u have a platinum cc they usally cover ur car insurance ( my cictbank one does)

I get a sim card before i fly and have it sent to my first stop, http://www.usasims.com/

[Nana Cowboy]

verdict here seems to be if you want liability insurance you gotta pay per day thru rental car agency

[JLCrab]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/george-hobica/everything-you-need-to-kn_b_3577103.html

[taxout]

1. For liability insurance look at getting a non-owner's policy, offering liability coverage for those who don't own a car. You'll probably need to pay for a base period -- six or maybe three months -- but it could still be cheaper than paying Hertz.

2. Check credit card coverage very carefully. For example, AMEX cancelled damage-waiver coverage a few years ago on US cards with a foreign billing address, though it's still offered if your billing address is in the US. Perhaps you could change your address to the US during your stay.

3. In most states, required minimum liability coverage is part of the rental. You're not covered for much, but you're not violating the law, either. In some states, though, car rental includes no liability coverage at all. To stay clear of the law, you have to either buy the rental company's liability plan or show an insurance card. California and no doubt a few other states follow this approach.

4. If you've got the right gear -- get a SIM card first on ebay -- then Straight Talk at about US$50 for unlimited domestic phone calls and sort-of-but-not-really unlimited 2G/3G is a decent deal. But check the coverage maps against your destinations.

[Jobo]

Let's see what did I do last 2 trips:

trip 1: start in FL with rented Camaro SS out of Miami. head to Naples then north to NYC and CT. West to S. Dakota: badlands, Mount Rushmore. then Rado and Rocky MTN NTL Park and onto Utah national parks and monument valley then Zion NP in Utah down thru Vegas-Hoover Dam, Grand Canyon then Tucson-Carlsbad, NM and back to FL

trip 2: start in Vegas with SS Camaro again to Dakota again then Yellowstone this time then back to Vegas thru Utah parks. Love the western US. Next time I think Yosemite, red woods and crater lake

I've been contemplating a west to east ( Say SFO or LAX to FL ) and possibly return driving holiday for a while.

I had been thinking it was just too far but you seem to have covered much the same distance. So I guess that was ok?

How long did you allow for trip # 1?

Who did you rent the car from? Approximate cost?

Did you fly Thailand to Miami?

Via Europe?

This will certainly help.

[Nana Cowboy]

Hiya there Jobo. sorry I didnt see your post until 3 weeks later. Sure I can help u out with some info here having done this trip twice in the past 3 years. I flew Delta to ATL. My god that was a killer via Tokyo and the worst part of the journey. ATL to MIA was a breeze of course. Trip 1 I went from Mia via Tamiami Trail and recovered from the Lag in Naples over a long 4 day weekend. We cruised up to CT over 3 or 4 days. We then went across I-80 thru Chicago and I-90 to Rapid City over another 4 days. Hung in Rap with family for 3-4 days. then went and did Rocky Mtn Ntl Park and onto The Utah Ntl Parks and down thru Monument valley. I had a bad flare out of gout that slowed me to a crawl after Zion Park. We stayed a week there at a Super 8 before going thru Vegas, Hoover Dam and Carlsbad Caverns. Never did more than 400 miles per day up to that point. I got motivated after 2 days at carlsbad and drove straight thru to Pensacola, FL (like 900 miles). Then took the final jaunt back to Naples in a day and stayed there our final 2 weeks

Bottom line is we had a 2 month trip planned and good thing due to my gout flare up but 1 month is just about right for this trip I've outlined.

Trip 2 I knew this so we planned a 1 month trip and it was perfect but we didnt't drive 10K miles, lol. we drove onlty 3Kmiles. So if you're motivated I say go for the 10K drive. It's a cake walk to do considering how few miles per day we were driving. I'd do it again.

Oh no going bkk via Europe. Stay out of Europe. In 30 trips to BKK I went via Germany once and it was the worst way to go. Always go thru Tokyo. Europe is a place I've avoided my whole life except for that one trip. I say those that want the place can have it. I wont do battle for it. LOL. I love the USA and Asia, I never go anywhere else for travel or via. lol.

Oh the rent a car cost was steep I am sorry to say but my wife wanted that "bumble bee" , I guess that was the camaro's name in the movie transformers. It was a whopping $3500 for the month. Oh well you only live once I suppose. Next time I'll try and talk her into doing a Chevy Impala from Alamo or something. those would be at least $1000 cheaper. Love the trip though. Hey I used to drive hundreds of thousands of miles around the USA in the 40 years I lived there. I loved it. If you're into it and can handle it then go for it. If you have any other questions try PMing me. Stay out of Europe, Africa or the middle Eaast is my rec. Cany comment on the UK but 80% of this forum is UK so you dont need me for that. LOL

Oh a final thing, the OP of this thread said he was going to be staying in Tucson, AZ. I figure the guy hasn't a clue about Tucson as I mentioned Mount Lemmon and he had no comment. Anyone who lived in Tucson would have eyes light up if someone mention the great Mount Lemmon. Great spot where you can ski in the winter less than an hour away from the desert floor. very unique place. go from 85 degree to snow in such a short drive. So many great memories of that place. Maybe he's just humourless. not sure

Edited August 29, 2013 by Nana Cowboy

[Jobo]

Mr Cowboy that is just what I wanted. Thanks a million.

I will allow a month this time. At 400- 500 miles a day should be enough to go from west to east (only Florida) and back again a slightly different route.

Just a few more questions.

Do you recommend renting a car from the major rental companies - Budget,Hertz, Thrifty, Alamo for example rather than the smaller companies?

Probably an Impala or Ford Fusion although I have seen a Mustang convertible for $35/day. That must be without taxes,charges etc.

What type of accomodation did you use along the way? Cost per night etc?

I've heard Best Western is a good enough consistent chain at reasonable prices.

All this just to get an idea of budget and costs.

Regards

John