have to help a friend living in Uk looking for a everydaycar

[Paolo-LoveGT40 Modelworks]

Ok..it is not a gt40 matter, but anyway surely someone of u can help me with little tips.

One of my best friends is now living and working in Evesham and he needs a car to reach his working place.
we dunno how to move in uk to buy a car to use there and mainly the taxation u will have when u buy a car for every day use (how works insurance for cars in uk?...any problem with foreign people?).
Do u know maybe some places where can be easy for a guy to buy an everyday car?( i mean big used car stores..)
I think he is looking for something really cheap and maybe with a warrantee.
Just we would like to have an idea of the extra cost u will have when u buy a car there....and use that there.
If u have some website where i can look (and link him)to have an idea, just tell me.
Consider i am as a dummy in English road taxation and so i really need precise instruction on how to move.
I also think will be better to buy a british car for the different side of driving, cause think drive a left hand drive one can be dangerous(also i drove in uk..and after some meters it is basically the same thing...just reversed.. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif )

Thanks for all guys
Paul


P.S:and i really care about this friend cause is my contact point in UK and my nearest feet to gt40s
I tried to tell him to sell everything he has and search a good Cobra or gt40..but unfortunately he is not an enthusiast as me /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif, and maybe that will be not a good idea to go every morning working..

 

[John W]

Paul,

tell your friend to have a look on autotrader.co.uk
He could also buy a paper copy of the autotrader, which might help him more as it has a 'bargain cars' section. That's more help if he doesn't really care what car he buys as long as its cheap !
Also, try any local paers for adverts from local car traders.

I have no idea how he goes about insuring a car here as a foreign visitor, but would guess he will need a permanent place of residence (i.e. address). Then he can use the yellow pages to get the numbers of lots of insurance companies, and start ringing around.

The car must have an MoT which is a roadworthiness test. These have to be done once a year as they last for 12 months. Probably best he buys a car with a years MoT on it to save any hassle.
Next is road tax. If he buys a car with some tax remaining, no problem. When the time comes to renew the tax he will need to take along his MoT, Insurance, and payment to the post office, along with the reminder he will be sent. A years tax can cost up to 160 GBP depending on age/emmission level of car.

As long as the car is both taxed and MoT'd, and he has insurance, that's all there is to it.

I hope that is of some help.

Cheers,
John.

 

[Paolo-LoveGT40 Modelworks]

Thanks a LOT John, it helps really. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
i will give all this infos to him and hope he can choose a good one.
Thanks a lot again (and also if anybody has some more things i have to know..plz tell)

Paul

 

[Brett James-McCall]

Paul,
My wife has Puma for sale if you friend is interested, small and nippy for London.

Brett

 

[Ian Anderson]

Paul

Insurance could be the problem

A bloke at work came over from South Africa and bought an old Honda.- Cost £500

Quotes for insurance ranged from £550 to £1400 (for the first year) as he did not have any way to prove he had driven previously and had built up a no claims discount.

He also found he could not easily get fully comprehensive insurance and could only buy Third Party Fire and Theft so if he had an accident he would have to pay to get his car repaired. He finally got fully comprehensive insurance for only £25 more than Third party.

So before your friend moves over have him get confirmation from his Italian insurance company that he has been with them for XX years and that he has had no claims in the last xx years.

He should then be able to use this confirmation to get a discount on his first year's insurance (perhaps up to 50%) so it is worth a bit of "Italian" time preparing.

If required I will be able to get details of the insurance companies that would consider a "new to UK" driver.

Ian

 

[Paolo-LoveGT40 Modelworks]

Thanks a Lot Ian.

this is very useful info, cause works as here when u want to change your insurance company.
Should be a sort of daclaration u had a good driving for XX years, and so u will get some discounts when u start a new contract with them.

I am waiting to know what he bought and how to help him.

thanks a lot
paul


Ps.
thank u for the offer Brett,i will tell him also this and provide also your email.
Just suspect the Ford Puma is still too nice and expensive for him /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif