I wouldn't get a car until you actually move here and decide if you need it. Unless you have toddlers and/or live in the sticks it's unnecessary and often more of an inconvenience.
Do you have children? If so, you should sort schools before apartments as schools are much harder to get and you'd want to live near the school.
For apartments, none of the online sites are very good; don't show things that are actually available (they are not updated). They also show doctored photos (really. they paint out whole tower blocks to make the view look better, for example) so you really can't judge what a place is like without seeing it.
Best advice, get a serviced place for a couple of weeks when you arrive and then look around in person. Arranging a flat does not take long and you are much more likely to make a good decision seeing something in person.