Buying a used car in the UK

[BenL]

Some friends of mine are moving to the UK for two years (she got into a program at West Dean College). While they're in the UK, they'll need an inexpensive car. Does anyone have any suggestions for how they should get a car? Should they lease a car? If they buy a used car, do the taxes get cheaper if the car is over a certain age? (anyone want to sell them a car for two years?)

p.s. Does anyone know of any job openings for an experienced sys admin near Chichester? While she's at school, he'll need a job.

[I LOVE GT40- Paolo]

Hi Ben,
I also starteed a thread sometimes ago to help an italian friend living now in uk.
Try have a look HERE

Hope this help
Paul

[Ian Anderson]

Ben

I think your question has been pretty well covered by the other thread.

Re Tax no the road tax does not go down with the age of the car. It is based on emissions and will vary between £90 and £160 for a year - either way not a big cost.

As I said before Insurance could be the big cost item and it is worth getting a certificate from their USA insurance company (Stating so many years claims free) to ensure a reasonable price is obtained

Most cars in the UK are manual and a lot smaller than those in USA - worth checking if they can drive manual or are on a restricted (Automatic only) ldrivers licence as automatics are fairly rare in smaller cars and actually normally come at a premium in the UK

The thought of leasing a car may prove an easy route as thay will not have the problem having to dispose of the car at the end of their stay and moving a car in a hurry is always costly!

For ideas of lease costs see http://www.jamjar.com/content/leasing/

These may not be the best prices and so they should shop around. Oh yes VAT is normally charged on top of quoted prices and will add 17.5% to the bill.

As for the job sorry cannot help on that but advise him to visit a Department of Social Services office and get a National Insrance number as most employers will lose interest without one of these!

Have your friend e mail me if he has any other questions

Ian

[Keith Hardy]

[ QUOTE ]
Some friends of mine are moving to the UK for two years (she got into a program at West Dean College). While they're in the UK, they'll need an inexpensive car. Does anyone have any suggestions for how they should get a car? Should they lease a car? If they buy a used car, do the taxes get cheaper if the car is over a certain age? (anyone want to sell them a car for two years?)

p.s. Does anyone know of any job openings for an experienced sys admin near Chichester? While she's at school, he'll need a job.

[/ QUOTE ]

A job? Hmmm, unless he has the right documentation, I fear there will be little or no opportunity for that unless he goes into the Black Economy which is risky to say the least. The right kind of documentation starts in the US not in the UK. (You cannot become legal from illegal if you get my meaning.)I take it by Sys Admin you mean Systems Analyst (UK term) and therefore IT? IBM have a major HQ at Havant less than 10 miles away from Chi, and they are a major employer in the area, if he already has the necessary permits. If not perhaps there could be an "exchange" visit arranged your end? Intercompany exchanges are the simplest and fastest way of circumventing each country's immigration work laws. I wish him luck...

I too had to battle US Immigration work laws in the '80's when I lived in Huntsville Alabama for several years. Had to fly back to the UK several times to sort it out. The US and UK play immigration "tag" with each other. "You block our guys, so we'll block yours" kind of thing. It can be a real mess.

[Ian Anderson]

Ben

Sorry I presumed work permits etc were sorted if not try

http://uk.ask.com/fr?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww....dd5dc6f2bd0690c

yes it is a hell of a web site or if you fancy navigating yourself
www.ukvisas.gov.uk

Yes your friend probably needs to visit and get a job offer, fly back to USA and the comapany he is going to work for apply for the work permit for him

Fun fun fun

Ian

[John W]

Or, contact one of the many contract agencies.
Try www.contractoruk.com.
There are a few agencies that specialise in finding non-uk residents temporary work.

Two ways of doing this:
you sort out all your own paperwor, and they find you a job, or
you work for the agency uner an umbrella contract (your employed and paid by the agency rather than them merely acting as an agent).

Sorry, I can't help with agency names, but you should find plenty of links from the above site.

Hope that helps.

[Keith Hardy]

Isn't that agency mainly for Lithuanians? [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[BenL]

[ QUOTE ]
A job? Hmmm, unless he has the right documentation, I fear there will be little or no opportunity for that unless he goes into the Black Economy which is risky to say the least.

[/ QUOTE ]
Apparently her student visa allows him to work in the UK while she's a student.

[John W]

Keith, not sure I follow mate.

Anyway, I thought they were all here illegally (runs for cover [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] )

I use that web site to do skills related searches, and then contact the respective agencies.
As I say, some of them seem to specialise in finding foreigners work. A friend of mine works for one such company that is actually a french agency in the uk. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Ben, might be worth him sending his CV to a few of the agencies before they actually arrive.