What is a good car to take to England????

[Mommyof2Princesses]

So we are moving to the UK in November but we can only transport one vehicle. So I would love to know what everyone recommends. We currently have a huge 07 Toyota Tundra so I'd like to get something smaller that won't be so difficult to drive on the left side of the road. Any suggestions appreciated! Thanks!

[jesshb]

Can you sell your cars here...put aside the $$ and buy something there? Or wait and see if you'll even need a car in the UK?? Public transportation is generally a lot better in Europe. Just some thoughts...

[Wanderlust]

If you don't already have a car, I'd wait till I got there. There are always people selling cars on base before they leave.

When we were in England, DH drove a Jeep Wrangler which is the extended version (not the 4 door one) and I drove a Jeep Patriot. We did fine driving all over- the only issue we had was parking in cities- the spots are TEENY in big cities! If you have a bigger vehicle, you end up with nerves of steel The roads are narrower and sometimes can be tricky but can be drive through

I actually liked driving a left sided car in England. It was easier to hug the outside lane so you weren't as close to oncoming traffic.

I've seen people with Exursions and the like- but I don't think they ever drove them off base!

[Mommyof2Princesses]

We have 1 car and 1 truck so we wll be selling one before we go but we are trying to figure out what to buy. I've been looking around at UK car sites and they are more expensive over there than buying one here. Plus since the military pays to ship one over we want to do that and then buy a car for me or dh once we get there as well. We would love to keep dh's truck but it is so huge I'm worried I'll hit something with it.

[starbuckmom]

I am not military but I have a thought. Try finding a car that would be easily fixed over there. Say a VW or something that is popular over there. When my parents and I were in the Czech Republic, we drove a VW Vanagon. I thought if you bought something that was totally made here in the USA, fixing might be a problem. Shipping parts might get expensive and would take a while to get there.
Just a thought!

[Ami in Deutschland]

We drive a Skoda Fabia and love it. Nice and small for those tiny parking spaces and gets good gas mileage. It's basically a VW Polo made in the Czech Republic (internal parts are mostly the same). You might keep it or a Dacia in mind if you are watching the budget and want to buy an inexpensive European car. Gas prices here are horrible, so go for good gas mileage, definitely.

[starbuckmom]

Originally Posted by Ami in Deutschland We drive a Skoda Fabia and love it. Nice and small for those tiny parking spaces and gets good gas mileage. It's basically a VW Polo made in the Czech Republic (internal parts are mostly the same). You might keep it or a Dacia in mind if you are watching the budget and want to buy an inexpensive European car. Gas prices here are horrible, so go for good gas mileage, definitely.

A little OT but do you know what Skoda means? Skoda: What a pity! When something happens that is kinda sad, in the Czech Republic, we would respond with "Skoda" The sk has a shk sound. My mom and I still use it to this day when we talk!!!

[Wanderlust]

Originally Posted by Mommyof2Princesses I've been looking around at UK car sites and they are more expensive over there than buying one here..

When you get there, there are always Americans on base trying to sell their cars before they PCS

[Wanderlust]

Oh! I don't know if anyone told you this yet. But before you are allowed to drive an American car in England, you have to get the lights converted- to point the opposite direction and have a rear fog light put in if it doesn't already have one. There are a bunch of garages around the different bases in England that will do this.

You'll also have to get your car pass a MOT inspection unless it was built within the past two years.

[Mommyof2Princesses]

Originally Posted by jennybeth When you get there, there are always Americans on base trying to sell their cars before they PCS

I knew most bases have a used car lot but I wasn't sure about this one . Thanks for letting me know.

Originally Posted by jennybeth Oh! I don't know if anyone told you this yet. But before you are allowed to drive an American car in England, you have to get the lights converted- to point the opposite direction and have a rear fog light put in if it doesn't already have one. There are a bunch of garages around the different bases in England that will do this. You'll also have to get your car pass a MOT inspection unless it was built within the past two years.

I knew about the MOT but not about the light conversion. Thanks for the info.