Do I need a car?

Possesion of mixer taps will get you sent to the Tower. I'm expecting arrest at any minute.

Back to the topic -- a lot depends on the level of public transportation you have in your area, plus your own personal tolerance of having to use it.

I'm in London where there is plentiful transportation in the forms of buses, tube, trains and taxis, but I started to find that, after having been spoiled for years by driving my own car around the US city where I lived, that I now feel it to be hardship to struggle around on buses and tubes with heavy groceries or whatnot. When I need to buy a household item that can't be delivered, I have to worry how I'm going to get it home -- things like that. My joints are turning bad and the walking that usually comes hand in hand with getting to bus stops or tube stations is doing me in.

For someone else, none of these things would bother them, but for me personally I have a hard time now with public transportation, and despite all the expense of owning a car, I'm trying to aim for that goal once more. I want to be able to once more get around comfortably under my own steam and on my own schedule.

So it may come down to how you yourself feel about your local transportation system or even how your body is coping (as mine is falling apart, lol, yours may not be!)

About the UK driving test -- as others say, it is DEFINITELY good to get onto that RIGHT AWAY rather than wait until your 12 months of legally driving on your US licence is up. When it's up, you can't drive unaccompanied while in "learner" status, but before it's up you can -- which is great because you can practice alone in addition to lessons if you can borrow a car.

Man it's such a hard decision. Money really isn't a problem because I'm going to take plenty of time to save up for all the expenses I will face. I could wait an extra month of working two jobs if it meant having the money for a car. I think I'm going to have to go for it, I've just been spoiled.

That and I rather enjoy driving.  BUT if there aren't many automatics then I'm going to have to practice stick some more because I'm not that good at it.

BUT if there aren't many automatics then I'm going to have to practice stick some more because I'm not that good at it.

I only drive an automatic and I haven't had any problems finding decent second-hand cars here. There are definitely more manuals than automatics around, but it's not that bad. 

I only drive an automatic and I haven't had any problems finding decent second-hand cars here. There are definitely more manuals than automatics around, but it's not that bad. 

Ok great! Thank you for that.

Ok great! Thank you for that.

Have a look at Auto Trader and see what's available and how the prices measure up to your expectations.

Cool! ty.

I agree with chary; while manuals are probably still in the majority, even my driving instructor -- whose car is an automatic -- tells me he believes more and more Brits are making the switch because they find they like the ease of driving an automatic. HIs personal opinion is that one day automatics may even be as dominant in the UK as they are in the US -- although that's just his take, don't take that as a statistical analysis.   He even advertizes himself as "The Automatic Solution" lol!

So don't worry too much about the manual-versus-automatic issue -- they can be had and many UK drivers are into them over and above the traditional manual.

Another thing I wanted to add about the decision whether or not to drive over here -- if it may help you feel a sense of continuity, creature comfort, and cut down on one less "difference" in lifestyle that you have to psychologically adjust to, then I would recommend driving if that's what you loved in the US.
Quick personal anecdote -- I've been pretty unhappy and still want to go back sometimes. But the other day when I did my very first supermarket errand in a car, to a large store with purpose built and plentiful parking just like I was used to in the US, this superficial act actually went a surprisingly long way to making me feel MUCH happier about being here, lol!! And that's not as silly as it seems; there had been so many culture shock differences for me, that being able to do ONE thing in the same systematic and relatively convenient way I was used to in the US helped me a lot in my optimism about how I'm going to fare here. To know I might have that kind of autonomy in my future again helped my sense of continuity. And anything at all that can reduce the changes of lifestyle, culture shock, loss of autonomy, may go a long way to helping reduce loneliness, feeling trapped, less job opportunities, and even friction with the Loved Ones. Just my take personally. (Sorry to ramble on!!!)

While automatics might be in the minority in Britain, if you really don't feel comfortable driving with manual transmission I wouldn't let it worry you too much.   It might limit your choice somewhat, but on the other hand many British drivers seem to have an built-in aversion to automatic transmission, which means that in many cases you might pick up an automatic car for a reasonable price because there's less buying competition.

But I do know off the top of my head the MOT is done every year

The MoT inspection is required annually for vehicles over 3 years old.  It's a pretty comprehensive inspection, although with some rather confusing inconsistencies.  The current maximum official cost is £50.35, although garages are free to charge less if they wish.

Possesion of mixer taps will get you sent to the Tower. I'm expecting arrest at any minute.

Get caught with mixer taps, a garbage disposal, a dryer, and an electrical outlet in the bathroom and you'll probably be taken there via Traitor's Gate!    

Back to the topic -- a lot depends on the level of public transportation you have in your area, plus your own personal tolerance of having to use it.

It really does depend upon very local issues, where you live, where you need to get to work, and so on.  In the larger towns you can probably manage, but public transport has been so decimated over the years that a car is practically essential in most rural areas.

I live in an area with great public transport, but becase my job is outside of the town centre, it would take me probably close to 90 minutes and two trains to get there. With a car, its 25 minutes and the cost of running a car for a year, and the train ticket are probably quite similar...also, the freedom of getting in my car and going anywhere I want is priceless to me, so I would say, take public transport if you can, but running a car is a real privelege, and one I wouldn't want to live without. Please don't take away my car or my tumbledryer!!! 

I would try life in the UK without a car (I did for 5 years) and then you can make your mind up about getting one.

I live in Cambridgeshire.  It depends on where you live, but also where you want to go.  If you like your area and have no desire to do much on the weekends, except go to London, then all is fine. 

I have no car and although I am just outside the city trains on the weekends stink.

Last year for my nephew's birthday we didn't go because a city that is 50 minutes away by car would be 35 minutes on the bus to get to the train station and then 4 HOURS to get there by train due to rail works. 

It is time for his birthday again and surprise, surprise those same tracks are STILL being fixed, clearly a year later, and it will still take four hours to get there and another four to get back, plus the bus journey.  I am not spending 9 hours on public transport for a 2 hour party. 

It is time for his birthday again and surprise, surprise those same tracks are STILL being fixed, clearly a year later,

The tracks are being "fixed" all the time, they require periodic maintenance, and you were just unlucky to catch a weekend when that was happening.

Amazing that it happens every time I try to go to that city.  I must just have bad luck trying to go there five times a year.   

The tracks are being "fixed" all the time, they require periodic maintenance, and you were just unlucky to catch a weekend when that was happening.

From my own experiences, track maintenance does tend to happen a lot on weekends, and your journeys can take much longer than normal.

Rail tracks are made of steel, so are the wheels of the trains, guess what? They wear and have to be replaced. The train wheels can be reground on a lathe in the depot, and you can have spare trains to use while this is being done. However, the tracks are fixed to the ground and while they are being maintained it would be dangerous to run trains over them. The work tends to get done at wekends because the primary use of the railways is Mon-Fri peaks.

In France they just stop the trains for 3 hours in the middle of the day!

Cambridgeshire is a big old county.  Is your partner in a city or a rural part?  She is probably the best person to ask if you need one or not.

Vicky

I'm in a rural area, the closest towns by car are anything from 20-45 minutes away and longer by bus....I hate public transport although we do have regular buses running untill very late at night through here, .....taking bags of shopping on a bus is a nightmare, and taxis are very exspensive here.

You need a car I think Jesse, not having one takes away a large ammount of independence and alot of people here drive automatics, including my mum and dad...and there's plenty of second hand car dealers too. (My brother is a qualified mechanic and has his own business-he may be able to help too)

(Added note:I'd love you to teach me all about WoW Jesse, it sounds cool and the mythological and fantasy stuff sounds like something I'd love, the only reason I don't play games online is because I use someone elses computer.)