Driving?

Hello all!

Advice needed, please! I realize I may be posting this and that it is repetitive (there are after all, 135 pages to this thread), but can those "experts" out there give me a little advice about driving?

Here's the scenario...I'll be moving to Edinburgh in August with 3 cats.  Although I know that public transportation is very good, I was wondering if I could get personal opinions of having a car versus not having one? I'll need to travel extensively around the country to do my research for my PhD, and I'll need to be able to transport my three cats to the vet when necessary, so can I do these things sensibly (and alone) without a car?  The thought of giving up the freedom that my current car here in the US provides, is a bit daunting.  

Also, can someone give me round generalities on costs such as car, petrol, insurance, etc?  Also, I'm hopelessly "American" and only know how to drive a standard.  A handicap, I know.  

Can I also get the low-down on how best to get a license and even what the governmental entity is called that you get it through (aka an DMV equivalent?)?

Many thanks!

My husband grew up in Edinburgh with parents who have never driven, and they had a cat who they got to and from the vet on buses without a problem. For such occasions you can also always use a taxi. Edinburgh has great public transport and I would say that you might find a care more of a hindrance due to the busy traffic and difficult parking situation in most places in town. Owning a car can be very expensive compared to what you're used to in the US, though I've found that insurance at least tends to be cheaper. Depending on where you need to go and what you would be doing for your PhD, you might be better off with train/air travel and/or hiring a car for those occasions, and you might be able to claim those costs as expenses depending on your funding situation. Many departments have a small fund for each student, even self-funded ones (I know, my husband is one!), for these sorts of things. Let me know if you have any other questions about Edinburgh/Scotland transport issues, I live in Fife and work just south of Edinburgh, so I'm becoming very familiar with the public transport system in the capital!

Also, I'm hopelessly "American" and only know how to drive a standard.

Do you mean you only know how to drive an automatic?

Can I also get the low-down on how best to get a license and even what the governmental entity is called that you get it through (aka an DMV equivalent?)?

It's the DVLA here. Have a look around the forum. There are DOZENS of threads telling you how to go about getting a license.

Sorry, I don't know anything about Edinburgh!

most of the cars here are standard , hard to find an automatic .. I am not driving here yet I'm in Glasgow and I am LOST without a   car  husband drives me when he can but I can't wait until I get my license here , I miss my freedom of driving  hate taking the bus

Just a note to anyone putting off getting their driving licence - particularly those who don't have a spouse to put them on their insurance policy...do it ASAP.

Where I live (and insurance does vary by post code), insurance for a 2001 1.0 Corsa for a newly-passed person is £5,000 a year. (An experienced driver will pay about £1,100 - 1,300/year). Get your licence as soon as you can, even if you could still drive on your American or other foreign licence or if you don't plan on driving for a while. Your licence ages during that time, and it will be easier and cheaper to get insurance.

How long are you here for?  If it is more than a year then you would need to get a UK license and won't be able to rent.

But perhaps not because you will be a student.  Any ideas former students?

£5000 a year?! That's crazy! One thing I've noticed, though, is they also take age into account, so if you're an older 'new' driver you don't get hit with the same premiums and young new drivers. The most I've ever paid for insurance was about £500 for 9 months.

How long are you here for?  If it is more than a year then you would need to get a UK license and won't be able to rent.

What do you mean? I have been able to rent cars on both US and UK licences over the years.

£5000 a year?! That's crazy! One thing I've noticed, though, is they also take age into account, so if you're an older 'new' driver you don't get hit with the same premiums and young new drivers. The most I've ever paid for insurance was about £500 for 9 months.

I thought it sounded insanely high too, but I don't know if Manchester has very high rates. It's possible. Although that's still about 8 times higher than what I paid as a new driver.

£5000 a year?! That's crazy! One thing I've noticed, though, is they also take age into account, so if you're an older 'new' driver you don't get hit with the same premiums and young new drivers. The most I've ever paid for insurance was about £500 for 9 months.

What do you mean? I have been able to rent cars on both US and UK licences over the years.

I'm 46 and have been driving for 30 years, so if that's the older person but new driver rate...!  I am hoping to get an insurance company to take my Swiss no claims into account (I moved here from Switzerland, but couldn't convert my Swiss licence because I passed my test in America).

My late 20s or early 30s neighbour with a similar car to mentioned above pays over £1000 a year for her insurance. Where we are is quite high, unfortunately.

As for your other response to a different post, you can't drive in the UK on a non-UK/EU licence after you've been resident for one year.

If you are here longer than a year then you can no longer drive on your US license in the UK. 

They might let you rent a car, because it isn't as if the clerk at the desk knows your immigration history, but your license is not valid in the UK so if you get into an accident you are basically driving without a license. 

But does this apply to people on student visas since they are not here permanently?  That was my question.

Yes it applies, but I didn't say anything about driving on the US licence for more than a year. The OP will need a UK licence eventually, but that doesn't mean she has to own a car!

Where I live (and insurance does vary by post code), insurance for a 2001 1.0 Corsa for a newly-passed person is £5,000 a year.

Are you sure about that?  Are you in a very high crime area in Manchester?  I have a 2011 Mercedes convertible and my insurance (only having a UK license for just over a year when I took the insurance out) is under £1000!  I had a VW Polo 1.2L when I had a brand new UK license and that was even less.  Have you tried contacting an insurance broker?

Where I live (and insurance does vary by post code), insurance for a 2001 1.0 Corsa for a newly-passed person is £5,000 a year. (An experienced driver will pay about £1,100 - 1,300/year).

Seems rather expensive for the experienced driver, I just received my renewal notice at £680 including monthly payments and protected no claims. I went online and I've just taken out an equivalent policy with Tesco for £380!

Yes it applies, but I didn't say anything about driving on the US licence for more than a year. The OP will need a UK licence eventually, but that doesn't mean she has to own a car!

HA! Sorry I was having a little conversation with myself thinking that maybe she could bypass the whole having to get her UK license if she wasn't going to be here for that long and wouldn't that be nice, but then it all got muddled up in my response.

I have only been driving for one year and my insurance is 560.00/yr.

But much of the insurance prices here have to do with the size of the engine not the price of the car.  For instance I wanted to go with a 99 Honda (whatever the boy racer one is with the big engine) but it was more expensive to insure than my 05 Honda Jazz.

Are you sure about that?  Are you in a very high crime area in Manchester?  I have a 2011 Mercedes convertible and my insurance (only having a UK license for just over a year when I took the insurance out) is under £1000!  I had a VW Polo 1.2L when I had a brand new UK license and that was even less.  Have you tried contacting an insurance broker?

I'm positive. Here's just one example:

Quote Summary
Price*
£5303.89
The Car
Vauxhall Corsa
Cover
Comprehensive

Prices don't go down much for third party, either, maybe £100.

I've tried a broker, they found me a "deal" of about £1400 if I can prove my Swiss no claims - but getting that from Switzerland is proving frustrating as I moved nearly two years ago now.