How does an ex-pat buy a car in the UK?

I don't own a car.  I don't even drive in the UK - don't plan on it.  Been here over five years...

I've lived here my whole life and I don't have a car and I don't drive either.  Unless you live in a rural area it's pretty much pointless imho.  Sometimes when i'm standing in the rain waiting for the bus I do dream about it but listening to the gripes from friends and colleagues about fuel costs, parking and repairs brings me right back down to earth   

listening to the gripes from friends and colleagues about fuel costs, parking and repairs brings me right back down to earth   

Being out in the sticks makes a car just about essential, but at least we don't have the parking problems of the cities, and repair/maintenance bills come down considerably if you do as much of your own work as you can.   

Fuel costs add up all too quickly though -- I use half a gallon just to get to the supermarket and back, but there's no alternative.

Yeah, I'm going to an area where I am told that I will need a car if I want to get around anywhere. 

Fuel costs add up all too quickly though -- I use half a gallon just to get to the supermarket and back, but there's no alternative.

online grocerry shopping?

online grocerry shopping?

It's available here from Tesco, but the delivery charge is more than double the cost of the gas to go to town.   

Dar, do you want a manual or an auto?
If you want an auto, your choices for older, cheaper cars may be somewhat limited, fyi. But, there are deals to be had, per the suggestions that people have posted.

I don't know about everyone else but I wouldn't plan on moving to the UK if i didn't have the funds to buy a used car.  Even a 2k pound car will do nicely.  Hell I don't plan on buying new anyways, not even a light used one.  I'd rather have repair bills than a car payment any day.  Although it helps since I work on my own car...

Repair bills can be more than the car itself is worth and running a car in the UK is expensive, which is why people do move/live here with out the funds to buy a car, especially if it is unnecessary (i.e. they can walk/use public transport instead).

I bought my first (and so far only) car last year. However, in the year that I owned it, I spent so much money on running it that it almost wasn't worth buying it in the first place.

For one year (please excuse my lack of car-part knowledge):

Car - £800
Insurance - £500
Tax - £120
Fuel - £1200
Service - £100
MOT - £60
2 new tyres - £60
New window - £110
Repair of 'clunking noise' - £80
Replacement of 'rubber thing' - £40

Cost of car: £800
Cost of running car: £2270.

Alternatively, instead of spending over £3000 on buying and running a car (and I was a student with limited income at the time), I could have purchased an annual student bus pass for £360.

Being out in the sticks makes a car just about essential, but at least we don't have the parking problems of the cities, and repair/maintenance bills come down considerably if you do as much of your own work as you can.   

Fuel costs add up all too quickly though -- I use half a gallon just to get to the supermarket and back, but there's no alternative.

We used to live in the country when I still lived with my parents and the nearest bus stop was at least 5 miles away!  We definitely needed a car then but now i'm in the city I definitely don't.  I'd really like to live in a more rural area sometime because I really miss it, but only when I can comfortably afford to run a car every day.

Car  clubs are a possibility in some cities if you don't need a car everyday: http://www.whizzgo.co.uk/

Dar, do you want a manual or an auto?
If you want an auto, your choices for older, cheaper cars may be somewhat limited, fyi. But, there are deals to be had, per the suggestions that people have posted.

An Auto unfortunately.  My original plan was to learn to drive manual and get a manual car, but, since I have to drive the first week of my new job, that just isn't possible.  DH has been giving me lessons but, I am awful at it so far!  Never driven a manual in my life!

An Auto unfortunately.  My original plan was to learn to drive manual and get a manual car, but, since I have to drive the first week of my new job, that just isn't possible.  DH has been giving me lessons but, I am awful at it so far!  Never driven a manual in my life!

I'm with you. I just feel that a manual makes driving more complicated than necessary. I need to concentrate on the road, not hitting the biting point and worrying about what gear I am in.

Hopefully that 306 for sale will be good for you, seems very reasonable. 

I'm with you. I just feel that a manual makes driving more complicated than necessary. I need to concentrate on the road, not hitting the biting point and worrying about what gear I am in.

Hopefully that 306 for sale will be good for you, seems very reasonable. 

That's what I am hoping!  Will pounce on hubby when he gets home.  Ha ha ha!

 Hi Dar
 you could do what i did, and thats get a car at an auction. I got a vw passat 52 reg at a leeds auction, and its been a good car so far (touch wood) . if you do go though take someone who is either a mechanic or knows about cars.

Damn that is cheap!  Where I plan to live though would require a car.  I like being out in the boonies.  I just hate public transport unless it was right in front of my door step.  Yes repair bills can be more than the cost of the car but it sure is cheaper than a monthly payment that adds up.  A lot of people don't seem to get that though.  We live in a society where buying a new/used car everything couple years is the norm.

Repair bills can be more than the car itself is worth and running a car in the UK is expensive, which is why people do move/live here with out the funds to buy a car, especially if it is unnecessary (i.e. they can walk/use public transport instead).

I bought my first (and so far only) car last year. However, in the year that I owned it, I spent so much money on running it that it almost wasn't worth buying it in the first place.

For one year (please excuse my lack of car-part knowledge):

Car - £800
Insurance - £500
Tax - £120
Fuel - £1200
Service - £100
MOT - £60
2 new tyres - £60
New window - £110
Repair of 'clunking noise' - £80
Replacement of 'rubber thing' - £40

Cost of car: £800
Cost of running car: £2270.

Alternatively, instead of spending over £3000 on buying and running a car (and I was a student with limited income at the time), I could have purchased an annual student bus pass for £360.

I have been in the UK for 8 years now, I only learned to drive 3 years ago. Learning to drive has COMPLETELY changed my life. If I had it to do over again, I would have NEVER waited so long. It totally opened up my job options and I got a new job that paid (literally) thousands more than my old city centre one, I was free to run errands and do things in my own time and it made me feel like my life here was NORMAL. Like it was in the states.