Getting a car to/in Scotland

I’ve just realized that there are lots of pictures on this blog and that people might want to come and visit Scotland, but I have yet to give useful information to people wanting to move to Scotland… so I’ll start compiling data based on what I’ve experienced and heard throughout my time in Scotland.

Let’s start with something quite important in this country… the car!

Scotland is a wee country, granted, but to actually drive from one city to the other, it takes some time as there are many towns throughout the country, and the roads are not as well maintained as they would need to be.

I live 9 miles (approx. 14km) from where I work, and the road is longing the sea. When the weather is bad, it’s quite dangerous because of the waves crashing on cars and flooding pretty much everything!

So a good car is important. the fact that public transportations are expensive, rarely on time and not really comfortable doesn’t help either!

There are two options available to foreigners moving to Scotland. they can either bring their own car over (either through France or the Netherlands), or they can buy one here.

- Bringing the car over:

Problem is, if you don’t come from the UK, you most certainly have a left hand drive car. There aren’t tolls in Scotland so the problem doesn’t lay here (although it might be a hassle to get in and out of car parks). The problem will be with the insurance. The insurance company you have in the country you currently live in might not want to insure you in the UK, or the cost might not be worth it.

Getting an insurance in the UK for a left hand drive car will be hard and expensive as well. I’m not saying it can’t be done, I know lots of people who are doing it, but it’s not the easiest way from my point of view.

- Purchasing a car in Scotland:

The second hand market in Scotland happens to be very attractive. It could cost you less than £1000 for a good car, average mileage. As an example, I bought a Fiat Brava, 74,000 miles ( approx. 120,000 km) 1998 model for £900. It was a nice car… until I crashed it!

Then the fact you’re a foreigner doesn’t really have an incidence on the insurance. As far as I can tell, insurances work pretty much the same as on the continent.

What you need to know:

- Unlike in France, we still pay the yearly Road Tax. On the upside, all roads are free up here. the Road Tax costs around £125 a year and presents itself as a sticker on the windshield. You go to the post office to get it and can either pay the whole amount for a year or half of it for 6 months. there are no reductions for the whole amount though (it’s still Scotland, a penny’s a penny!)

- Once a year you need to get the M.O.T. done. It costs around £50 and is mandatory.

Gas prices fluctuate quite a lot both ways. Unleaded (Sans Plomb 95/98 in France) costs between 82p and £1 depending on the oil price. One interesting thing is that diesel costs actually more than gas, which is the other way around in France.

All in all, depending on what your salary is, a car is quite the companion you need in Scotland! You can always visit Scotland using the trains, coaches… but to actually visit it at your pace and discover the remote places, you’ll need a car!

Renting a car:

You need to be over 25 to rent a car. You’ll be asked for the driver’s driving license and the driver’s credit card. You can’t pay by cash and can’t pay with someone else’s credit card, at least not in most places.

Prices for renting are quite reasonable and renting a car for a 4-5 days shouldn’t cost more than £70, depending on the model of course.

All in all, whether you come to visit or live in Scotland, you will have to consider getting a car to make your life easier and way more enjoyable (there is about one supermarket for 2 or 3 towns!).

More information:

- Confused. com : Car insurance comparison website

- Auto Trader UK: New and Used cars throughout the UK

- Directgov UK: Information regarding the Road Tax
Hope this helps, if you have any question, feel free to use the contact form!