Pro & Con between life in UK & US

Disparge Belfast all you like, it deserves it! LOL. Actually, Belfast is really coming into its own now, and the city centre is turning into a lovely wee place; it's got a good feeling to it nowadays. Now if only that would spread to the rest of the city!!

But I think Belfast in the next five years is going to get better and better, it's a really cool funky little place.

A specific example with cars I will give...  Last December, Steve & I were in the market for a newer/different used car, plus we wanted to trade in his crappy Vauxhall Tigra.  He agreed that we could get an automatic for my convenience, as I still need to get my full licence over here.  (I can drive a manual, but the automatic is just easier to drive -- would help me concentrate on the road better vs jiggering about with driving a manual the wrong way round backasswards, but anyway...)

When we began looking for automatic used cars, the only makes available were makes that I didn't think very highly of for reliability, etc (Vauxhall again!, Renault, Peuguot, etc -- just MO on the brand of car).  If we wanted to buy a used Honda, Nissan, Volkswagon, etc (reliable makes/models IMO), we were limited to manual transmission -- no automatics appeared to be available.  So we ended up buying a reliable, manual car (a Nissan Micra) rather than what we really wanted - which was a reliable, automatic car.  In the US, finding & buying an automatic of most makes/models isn't an issue at all.

Apart from that, I find the blinding array of choices when shopping in the US (like at the supermarket & so forth) both awe-inspiring & frightening at the same time!  I have a hard time making up my mind enough as it is, without having to choose between 100 different kinds of crackers or salad dressing!

PS - We were looking for a small car (like a Micra), not anything more luxurious & maybe the higher end do have automatics, I don't know?

A specific example with cars I will give...

Too true - I will give that the prices of cars here are cheaper (if you don't do the mental conversion); it's a little mindboggling as a Californian that you can get a relatively new, decent used car for @ 1,000 quid (sometimes less!).
But what's also mindboggling is that there are no old cars! Where do they all go?? 

Apart from that, I find the blinding array of choices when shopping in the US (like at the supermarket & so forth) both awe-inspiring & frightening at the same time!  I have a hard time making up my mind enough as it is, without having to choose between 100 different kinds of crackers or salad dressing!

I know!!!!!!!!!!!! When I am staring at the one measly shelf of "salad dressing" here (half of which are marinades), I cast my mind back longingly to the whole row of salad dressings I would be perusing in the states. A whole row! Of salad dressing! And they are all different, not just 3 variations of the same thing flavor!

I admit being totally overwhelmed by the chips row in the US whenever I come back, that and the soft-drink/bottled drink row, as there are so many new products everytime I go home. It is a bit freaky, lol.

I know!!!!!!!!!!!! When I am staring at the one measly shelf of "salad dressing" here (half of which are marinades), I cast my mind back longingly to the whole row of salad dressings I would be perusing in the states. A whole row! Of salad dressing! And they are all different, not just 3 variations of the same thing flavor!

I remember being in a supermarket in the states staring at an entire row of cheddar cheese - great choice, but i wanted parmesan!  No joy, so did without.  humph!

Have you gone shopping in the states, in a biggish city? Trust me, the choice here is not only different, it's limited. Now, don't get me wrong, we're not talking Russian breadlines limited, but in comparison to the variety of stuff easily available in the states, it's limited. IMO

& It's not a matter of merely going to say, a Target vs having to shop around here. Even the variety of small shops, and different types of bigger shops, and everything inbetween is staggering.

I think it's a combination of the free market, capitialism on steroids, the support for small businesses and innovation, and the truly multicultural population that creates big enough demands for all sorts of things, all of which the UK is lacking or has in very small doses in comparison.

Well if you're talking about grocery shopping, I'd have to disagree.  I was really disappointed with the lack of choice of kinds of bread available in the supermarket for example. I'm talking about fresh baked bread, by the way. It seemed like there was a choice of sourdough or sourdough. This was in a Vons by the way, which is a big chain isn't it? You think they'd have more. Also, cheese - not much selection of that in the supermarket either, you'd have to go somewhere like Trader Joes.

As for clothes shopping, I schlepped around several malls in LA and Orange county where yesy ou had a great choice if you were a szie 2 or something but for anyway with a hint of boobage or meat on their bones it wasn't so great.

So I think it's swings and roundabouts really.

As for clothes shopping, I schlepped around several malls in LA and Orange county where yesy ou had a great choice if you were a szie 2 or something but for anyway with a hint of boobage or meat on their bones it wasn't so great.

That is so LA.     Love all the little boutiques....but can't find a thing that fits.  Ridiculous.   

I think there is definitely more choice/convenience in America, but I have to admit that it normally doesn't bother me at all.  I guess being in London, with access to a car, I can usually find what I need.  It's never as easy to go big shopping centres here, but that is just because parking is a nightmare. 

I have panic attacks in US supermarkets.   OK, not really, but it does take me a really long time to find what I am looking for and then compare all the 100s of varieties. 

Nordstrom's, J. Jill and Old Navy - that's where I've found stuff that fits the best (and the longest).

PS - We were looking for a small car (like a Micra), not anything more luxurious & maybe the higher end do have automatics, I don't know?

I have a Honda Jazz automatic! Very reliable and I didn't have a hard time finding one. Sorry you had to compromise! 

hiya!

It's important to realise it's difficult to express stuff on web forums and especially when typing out certain words which can lead to different interpretations!

Without a shadow of a doubt, in 'most' product lines, there is more choice in the US than the UK. I think the 'gap' has closed a bit more but it's still substantial. Obviously, personal examples are used to backup and verify. I can certainly think of quite a few examples off the top of my head where the 'choice' in the US store(s) was alot greater than the same here. Have a look at the soft drinks selection in a store there and then look at the smaller selection here, do the same with a sports shoe shop, do the same with an electronics shop, Mcdonalds has a menu more than twice the size than here... etc etc....

Demographics certainly plays a part, 'most' potential emmigration candidates and consumers live in or around major cities or towns - so compare that for the same here. compare Rural choice and selection with rural places here (yes, rural places of course will have less of a selection)

Lastly, from a 'business' point of view, the USA has by far the biggest market for all consumer goods, products are available there in the USA in more varieties than any other market, even to the point as not being available in any other market at all - I know this from speaking (indirectly as it's my bro and business partner who visit the far eastern trade shows and not me!) to the manufacturers themselves.

As I said previously, yes you CAN compare countries such as the UK, USA, Australia, Canada, European places, Japan etc because 'basic infrastructure' is very similar across them all (i.e at this level, Work, Home life, Pay the Bills, a Place to live, and Family & kids considerations) it's the secondary elements about EACH of those things which leads to emmigrating and moving etc etc and part of those comparisons are looking at things (pro's and con's)  which affect you within each of them.



Cheers DtM West London & Slough UK!

I have a Honda Jazz automatic! Very reliable and I didn't have a hard time finding one. Sorry you had to compromise! 

Is that a newer model (in years)?  'Cause we started by looking on some British car website (akin to Kelly Blue Book in the US) to determine what kind of car our price range could buy.  Automatic wasn't even a search option (via drop-down menus) on some of the makes/models/years etc we were interested in!  (This was a guide to used car pricing in the UK, not specific cars for sale, so presumably it listed the makes/models/years available in the UK.)  And then when we began to search around here, the only automatics we could find for our criteria were the Vauxhaulls, Renaults, etc as mentioned.

Too true - I will give that the prices of cars here are cheaper (if you don't do the mental conversion); it's a little mindboggling as a Californian that you can get a relatively new, decent used car for @ 1,000 quid (sometimes less!).
But what's also mindboggling is that there are no old cars! Where do they all go?? 

My most current post only relates to more choice in automobiles.  In the UK you can buy a car from about 40 different auto makers.  In the US and A it's only about 20 or less.  Also in the UK, you can buy a car with about five different engine choices.  In the US its usually one or two that guzzle gas. I bought a USED 2003 Volvo.  The same car in the US would have cost significantly more  and with higher miles.  Converting to pounds it was about half the price. A new one would be double the amount in dollars.  Old cars depreciate quicker in the UK, mainly due to the fact that everything must be perfect for MOT.  That  2000.- dollar salvage wreck back in California would not make it on UK roads.  

If you are looking for salad dressing........that's another matter.  Although grocery stores are much better in the UK. Fresher produce and fewer GMOs.  Where in the US are you going to find ready to serve Creme brulee?

My most current post only relates to more choice in automobiles.  In the UK you can buy a car from about 40 different auto makers.  In the US and A it's only about 20 or less.  Also in the UK, you can buy a car with about five different engine choices.  In the US its usually one or two that guzzle gas.

I think you got that backwards? Or at least wrong.

I bought a USED 2003 Volvo.  The same car in the US would have cost significantly more  and with higher miles.  Converting to pounds it was about half the price. A new one would be double the amount in dollars.  Old cars depreciate quicker in the UK, mainly due to the fact that everything must be perfect for MOT.  That  2000.- dollar salvage wreck back in California would not make it on UK roads.   

Totally agree about the price of used cars - they are way cheaper for better quality here, and I have no idea why that is.

If you are looking for salad dressing........that's another matter.  Although grocery stores are much better in the UK. Fresher produce and fewer GMOs.  Where in the US are you going to find ready to serve Creme brulee?

Pavilions, any number of high end grocers/delis, depending on the area you live, the local grocery store may have it too, any number of bakeries or gourmet speciality shops.

I think the produce is a much of muchness, depending on where/how you shop in either place you can get fresher vegetables; in the states there's usually a wider range of produce stocked as standard in most grocer stores, whereas in the UK the standard stock tends towards soup type veggies & oranges, apples, bananas and whatever local fruit is in season. You may get a bit of variation depending on where you shop, but again, the variety is a little wider in the states.

Is that a newer model (in years)?  'Cause we started by looking on some British car website (akin to Kelly Blue Book in the US) to determine what kind of car our price range could buy.  Automatic wasn't even a search option (via drop-down menus) on some of the makes/models/years etc we were interested in!  (This was a guide to used car pricing in the UK, not specific cars for sale, so presumably it listed the makes/models/years available in the UK.)  And then when we began to search around here, the only automatics we could find for our criteria were the Vauxhaulls, Renaults, etc as mentioned.

Newer is subjective.  It's an 03, and when I bought it, it had 11,000 miles on it.

He agreed that we could get an automatic for my convenience, as I still need to get my full licence over here. 

Why get an automatic?  Do you not know how to drive manual?  There are very few automatics on British or European roads and there is a reason for it.  Automatics are dangerous and don't allow you to use the engine properly while driving the kind of roads they have out in Devon.  Large portions of America have straight wide roads with less road hazards allowing the lazy automatic to flourish with big gulp holder and all.  Most newer US cars come with a climate controlled glove box to stock your big macs.  I would reconsider that automatic lunchbox on wheels.