Owning a car in central London
Discussion
Is it worth it?
I am moving to London in March (not sure where yet, somewhere near Canary Wharf, maybe Greenwich, so not quite central London I suppose). I currently have a Fiat 124 Spider on PCP, but I will probably sell it before I move, as I cba driving it to London, making sure I find a flat with parking, etc. etc. After a few months, if I think I need/want a car, I think I'll buy a toy - something relatively cheap in cash probably with two seats and a big engine.
Is there any point though? Or will it just sit outside my flat doing very little as nobody in London needs to drive anywhere? Can you get in and out of the city on a weekend to things worth seeing without too much hassle? Or is it easier just to get the train and hire a car on the rare occasion I need one.
I am moving to London in March (not sure where yet, somewhere near Canary Wharf, maybe Greenwich, so not quite central London I suppose). I currently have a Fiat 124 Spider on PCP, but I will probably sell it before I move, as I cba driving it to London, making sure I find a flat with parking, etc. etc. After a few months, if I think I need/want a car, I think I'll buy a toy - something relatively cheap in cash probably with two seats and a big engine.
Is there any point though? Or will it just sit outside my flat doing very little as nobody in London needs to drive anywhere? Can you get in and out of the city on a weekend to things worth seeing without too much hassle? Or is it easier just to get the train and hire a car on the rare occasion I need one.
It all depends.....
You would not use a car during the working week in London - I am in London most days and it's not really feasible to even use a taxi these days... bit of an exaggeration, but some part are just a car park.
So you're left with weekends - and that depends on what you want to do. If you played golf (for example) or had a social life outside of London. Being without a car at weekends could be difficult. But if you're likely to spend your time at home or in town - then why bother with one?
If your new property has safe parking and you could have a car that wouldn't cost you much to maintain and insure - then why not? But depends on the above.
A question for insurance experts.... when do you lose your NCB? After 2 years of no insurance?
You would not use a car during the working week in London - I am in London most days and it's not really feasible to even use a taxi these days... bit of an exaggeration, but some part are just a car park.
So you're left with weekends - and that depends on what you want to do. If you played golf (for example) or had a social life outside of London. Being without a car at weekends could be difficult. But if you're likely to spend your time at home or in town - then why bother with one?
If your new property has safe parking and you could have a car that wouldn't cost you much to maintain and insure - then why not? But depends on the above.
A question for insurance experts.... when do you lose your NCB? After 2 years of no insurance?
NDA said:
If your new property has safe parking and you could have a car that wouldn't cost you much to maintain and insure - then why not? But depends on the above.
That was my thinking. I commute into the City by train and even as a pedestrian you can see that driving is not an ideal choice of transport. If you are planning on driving out of London at the weekends and like NDA says, you have safe secure parking then it's an option. Depends how much time you spend outside of London.
Saleen836 said:
Also remember the 'toy' will have to meet the new ULEZ criteria depending on where in London you chose to live
I thought that Greenwich etc would be outside it but actually from 2021 it will be inside it. Wouldn't want to buy a car I would find difficult to sell in a few years. That's painful. It means I can't buy what I want anyway. 
Unless I deliberately find somewhere to live outside it. Alex_225 said:
That was my thinking. I commute into the City by train and even as a pedestrian you can see that driving is not an ideal choice of transport.
If you are planning on driving out of London at the weekends and like NDA says, you have safe secure parking then it's an option. Depends how much time you spend outside of London.
I would walk to work, so it would only be for driving out of London at the weekends to do things, which I may do. Is getting in and out at the weekends a relatively painless task? If it would involve spending hours in traffic I probably cba. If you are planning on driving out of London at the weekends and like NDA says, you have safe secure parking then it's an option. Depends how much time you spend outside of London.
Integroo said:
Is there any point though? Or will it just sit outside my flat doing very little as nobody in London needs to drive anywhere? Can you get in and out of the city on a weekend to things worth seeing without too much hassle? Or is it easier just to get the train and hire a car on the rare occasion I need one.
Only you can answer that. Train/hire might be cheaper in the long run depending on how often you plan on getting out of London, but it's a lot of hassle and hire cars are boring. It depends on how much you value owning a car you actually enjoy driving and how much you're willing to prioritise car ownership over other responsibilities. So, again, only you can answer this question.
I live in zone 3 in North East London and will be within the ULEZ as of 2021. It's very easy for me to get out of London from there, being close to both the North Circular and the M11. I have family in Kent and a girlfriend in South East London, both of which I prefer the flexibility and speed of being able to drive to rather than get the train.
I only learnt to drive last summer (at the age of 33), but the usefulness of having a car now is something I wouldn't want to give up. The 2021 ULEZ requirement came up as I was purchasing a car, so I got a ULEZ compliant 2007 Mazda 3 for under £2k. I commute to work by tube in central, and occasionally my car goes a week without being used, but that's rare.
Both Greenwich and Canary Wharf aren't too bad to get out of London, particularly at weekends, with the A13, A12, A2, close by, etc.
I only learnt to drive last summer (at the age of 33), but the usefulness of having a car now is something I wouldn't want to give up. The 2021 ULEZ requirement came up as I was purchasing a car, so I got a ULEZ compliant 2007 Mazda 3 for under £2k. I commute to work by tube in central, and occasionally my car goes a week without being used, but that's rare.
Both Greenwich and Canary Wharf aren't too bad to get out of London, particularly at weekends, with the A13, A12, A2, close by, etc.
Edited by jagot on Monday 14th January 10:57
nurseholliday said:
Only you can answer that. Train/hire might be cheaper in the long run depending on how often you plan on getting out of London, but it's a lot of hassle and hire cars are boring.
It depends on how much you value owning a car you actually enjoy driving and how much you're willing to prioritise car ownership over other responsibilities. So, again, only you can answer this question.
Indeed. My intention had been to buy something interesting that won't depreciate - given I won't do many miles - and spend a bit keeping it in good shape. My relocation comes with a big salary hike so I can afford to buy something a bit more expensive to run. Maybe an Audi TT with the 3.2 V6, a 350Z, an Alfa with a Busso V6, a 3.0 Z4 or even push the boat out and get a Monaro with the V8...but ULEZ may put paid to that idea. It depends on how much you value owning a car you actually enjoy driving and how much you're willing to prioritise car ownership over other responsibilities. So, again, only you can answer this question.
Currently both my cars fall foul of ULEZ and I'm in zone 2 so it's very much an issue for me. I've resigned myself to the fact that I can afford £12.50 every time I drive the track/fun car, it's going to be once a week tbh, maybe less sometimes. It's not going to cost £12.50 a day parked up.
So if the 124 doesn't excite you, and paying PCP on a car you barely drive doesn't make sense to you either, why not go for a fun car, and just know you'll be hit with a £12.50 charge when you want to drive it. Let's say you drive it once a week, that's less than a coffee a day during the week, and trust me if you're moving to central London, it's easy to get in the trap of buying coffee from a coffee shop. So save on coffee to fund the ULEZ charge and you're sorted.
So if the 124 doesn't excite you, and paying PCP on a car you barely drive doesn't make sense to you either, why not go for a fun car, and just know you'll be hit with a £12.50 charge when you want to drive it. Let's say you drive it once a week, that's less than a coffee a day during the week, and trust me if you're moving to central London, it's easy to get in the trap of buying coffee from a coffee shop. So save on coffee to fund the ULEZ charge and you're sorted.
Integroo said:
Alex_225 said:
That was my thinking. I commute into the City by train and even as a pedestrian you can see that driving is not an ideal choice of transport.
If you are planning on driving out of London at the weekends and like NDA says, you have safe secure parking then it's an option. Depends how much time you spend outside of London.
I would walk to work, so it would only be for driving out of London at the weekends to do things, which I may do. Is getting in and out at the weekends a relatively painless task? If it would involve spending hours in traffic I probably cba. If you are planning on driving out of London at the weekends and like NDA says, you have safe secure parking then it's an option. Depends how much time you spend outside of London.
nurseholliday said:
Currently both my cars fall foul of ULEZ and I'm in zone 2 so it's very much an issue for me. I've resigned myself to the fact that I can afford £12.50 every time I drive the track/fun car, it's going to be once a week tbh, maybe less sometimes. It's not going to cost £12.50 a day parked up.
So if the 124 doesn't excite you, and paying PCP on a car you barely drive doesn't make sense to you either, why not go for a fun car, and just know you'll be hit with a £12.50 charge when you want to drive it. Let's say you drive it once a week, that's less than a coffee a day during the week, and trust me if you're moving to central London, it's easy to get in the trap of buying coffee from a coffee shop. So save on coffee to fund the ULEZ charge and you're sorted.
I like the 124, but as you say no point spending 214pcm on a PCP deal on a car that I will barely drive, plus cba driving it all the way to London from Edinburgh, and I can likely get out of the deal without losing any money so makes sense. So if the 124 doesn't excite you, and paying PCP on a car you barely drive doesn't make sense to you either, why not go for a fun car, and just know you'll be hit with a £12.50 charge when you want to drive it. Let's say you drive it once a week, that's less than a coffee a day during the week, and trust me if you're moving to central London, it's easy to get in the trap of buying coffee from a coffee shop. So save on coffee to fund the ULEZ charge and you're sorted.
The areas I am looking at won't be ULEZ until 2021, which is a distance away, and I can always move outside the circular - Woolwich for example is less than 30 minutes on the DLR to CW.
I've owned cars while living in Z1-2 over the last 5 years, and it's a mixed bag. I managed for 6 years prior to this without a car.
Parking can be a pain, and can be oversubscribed in places, but permits generally tend to sort this out. You need to accept that your car will probably get scraped, dinged or damaged (even by vandalism) at some point - there are 9m people in London, and plenty of ar5eholes. I wouldn't recommend owning something you're overly precious about.
For short journeys inside the M25 at weekends (or the occasional evening) Zipcar/van is excellent value and very convenient, and there are now plenty of 'Flex' cars available for those one-way trips. For journeys inside Z1-3, I can't see any reason to use a car unless you're in a weird public transport blackspot - there are almost always better options on public transport.
The reason I've owned cars in (relatively) Central London is twofold. Firstly I do a lot of weekend trips outside of London to see friends/family (at least every other weekend), and the convenience of having your own car for this outweighs the hire/Zipcar option. Secondly, I really enjoy driving, and am currently selling my 330ci (replaced as a runabout by a 225 hybrid) to buy another dedicated track car.
It's definitely not impossible to own and enjoy a car in London, but it's important to understand how you use it and the potential limitations.
Things I'd recommend doing, in order:
1) Scope parking availability and cost where you live. This might kibosh your plans.
2) Really think about the types of journeys you do, and whether they can be covered with Zipcar/hiring.
3) If you're remotely precious about cars, buy something you can own without worrying about.
4) Think about the cost against the amount of use, and whether it's money that could be better spent on having a great time in London.
Good luck.
(and, FWIW, Greenwich definitely isn't "Central London"
)
Parking can be a pain, and can be oversubscribed in places, but permits generally tend to sort this out. You need to accept that your car will probably get scraped, dinged or damaged (even by vandalism) at some point - there are 9m people in London, and plenty of ar5eholes. I wouldn't recommend owning something you're overly precious about.
For short journeys inside the M25 at weekends (or the occasional evening) Zipcar/van is excellent value and very convenient, and there are now plenty of 'Flex' cars available for those one-way trips. For journeys inside Z1-3, I can't see any reason to use a car unless you're in a weird public transport blackspot - there are almost always better options on public transport.
The reason I've owned cars in (relatively) Central London is twofold. Firstly I do a lot of weekend trips outside of London to see friends/family (at least every other weekend), and the convenience of having your own car for this outweighs the hire/Zipcar option. Secondly, I really enjoy driving, and am currently selling my 330ci (replaced as a runabout by a 225 hybrid) to buy another dedicated track car.
It's definitely not impossible to own and enjoy a car in London, but it's important to understand how you use it and the potential limitations.
Things I'd recommend doing, in order:
1) Scope parking availability and cost where you live. This might kibosh your plans.
2) Really think about the types of journeys you do, and whether they can be covered with Zipcar/hiring.
3) If you're remotely precious about cars, buy something you can own without worrying about.
4) Think about the cost against the amount of use, and whether it's money that could be better spent on having a great time in London.
Good luck.
(and, FWIW, Greenwich definitely isn't "Central London"
)So apparently Euro 4 onwards is fine for petrols.
Anyone know of any interesting large engined sports cars that are Euro 4 and sub 10k?
As you know I am not a Londoner, Greenwich seems pretty central to me! Within the M25!
Anyone know of any interesting large engined sports cars that are Euro 4 and sub 10k?
C70R said:
I've owned cars while living in Z1-2 over the last 5 years, and it's a mixed bag. I managed for 6 years prior to this without a car.
Parking can be a pain, and can be oversubscribed in places, but permits generally tend to sort this out. You need to accept that your car will probably get scraped, dinged or damaged (even by vandalism) at some point - there are 9m people in London, and plenty of ar5eholes. I wouldn't recommend owning something you're overly precious about.
For short journeys inside the M25 at weekends (or the occasional evening) Zipcar/van is excellent value and very convenient, and there are now plenty of 'Flex' cars available for those one-way trips. For journeys inside Z1-3, I can't see any reason to use a car unless you're in a weird public transport blackspot - there are almost always better options on public transport.
The reason I've owned cars in (relatively) Central London is twofold. Firstly I do a lot of weekend trips outside of London to see friends/family (at least every other weekend), and the convenience of having your own car for this outweighs the hire/Zipcar option. Secondly, I really enjoy driving, and am currently selling my 330ci (replaced as a runabout by a 225 hybrid) to buy another dedicated track car.
It's definitely not impossible to own and enjoy a car in London, but it's important to understand how you use it and the potential limitations.
Things I'd recommend doing, in order:
1) Scope parking availability and cost where you live. This might kibosh your plans.
2) Really think about the types of journeys you do, and whether they can be covered with Zipcar/hiring.
3) If you're remotely precious about cars, buy something you can own without worrying about.
4) Think about the cost against the amount of use, and whether it's money that could be better spent on having a great time in London.
Good luck.
(and, FWIW, Greenwich definitely isn't "Central London")
Thanks! Parking is definitely one reason I don't want to have a car when I move. It is more if I do have parking, then I can consider buying a car. The intention had been something interesting but older. As for 4) I can certainly afford it - but the question is would it be better to stick 200 quid a month more into saving to buy!Parking can be a pain, and can be oversubscribed in places, but permits generally tend to sort this out. You need to accept that your car will probably get scraped, dinged or damaged (even by vandalism) at some point - there are 9m people in London, and plenty of ar5eholes. I wouldn't recommend owning something you're overly precious about.
For short journeys inside the M25 at weekends (or the occasional evening) Zipcar/van is excellent value and very convenient, and there are now plenty of 'Flex' cars available for those one-way trips. For journeys inside Z1-3, I can't see any reason to use a car unless you're in a weird public transport blackspot - there are almost always better options on public transport.
The reason I've owned cars in (relatively) Central London is twofold. Firstly I do a lot of weekend trips outside of London to see friends/family (at least every other weekend), and the convenience of having your own car for this outweighs the hire/Zipcar option. Secondly, I really enjoy driving, and am currently selling my 330ci (replaced as a runabout by a 225 hybrid) to buy another dedicated track car.
It's definitely not impossible to own and enjoy a car in London, but it's important to understand how you use it and the potential limitations.
Things I'd recommend doing, in order:
1) Scope parking availability and cost where you live. This might kibosh your plans.
2) Really think about the types of journeys you do, and whether they can be covered with Zipcar/hiring.
3) If you're remotely precious about cars, buy something you can own without worrying about.
4) Think about the cost against the amount of use, and whether it's money that could be better spent on having a great time in London.
Good luck.
(and, FWIW, Greenwich definitely isn't "Central London"
)As you know I am not a Londoner, Greenwich seems pretty central to me! Within the M25!
Edited by Integroo on Monday 14th January 11:09
Integroo said:
So apparently Euro 4 onwards is fine for petrols.
Anyone know of any interesting large engined sports cars that are Euro 4 and sub 10k?
As you know I am not a Londoner, Greenwich seems pretty central to me! Within the M25!
On-street parking is a doddle in most boroughs, and is just a case of paying a couple of hundred quid to the council for a year's permit. The cost thing is worth considering beyond your finance payments - my insurance is double what it would be if I lived in Surrey, and garage's hourly rates are significantly higher than out in the sticks...Anyone know of any interesting large engined sports cars that are Euro 4 and sub 10k?
C70R said:
I've owned cars while living in Z1-2 over the last 5 years, and it's a mixed bag. I managed for 6 years prior to this without a car.
Parking can be a pain, and can be oversubscribed in places, but permits generally tend to sort this out. You need to accept that your car will probably get scraped, dinged or damaged (even by vandalism) at some point - there are 9m people in London, and plenty of ar5eholes. I wouldn't recommend owning something you're overly precious about.
For short journeys inside the M25 at weekends (or the occasional evening) Zipcar/van is excellent value and very convenient, and there are now plenty of 'Flex' cars available for those one-way trips. For journeys inside Z1-3, I can't see any reason to use a car unless you're in a weird public transport blackspot - there are almost always better options on public transport.
The reason I've owned cars in (relatively) Central London is twofold. Firstly I do a lot of weekend trips outside of London to see friends/family (at least every other weekend), and the convenience of having your own car for this outweighs the hire/Zipcar option. Secondly, I really enjoy driving, and am currently selling my 330ci (replaced as a runabout by a 225 hybrid) to buy another dedicated track car.
It's definitely not impossible to own and enjoy a car in London, but it's important to understand how you use it and the potential limitations.
Things I'd recommend doing, in order:
1) Scope parking availability and cost where you live. This might kibosh your plans.
2) Really think about the types of journeys you do, and whether they can be covered with Zipcar/hiring.
3) If you're remotely precious about cars, buy something you can own without worrying about.
4) Think about the cost against the amount of use, and whether it's money that could be better spent on having a great time in London.
Good luck.
(and, FWIW, Greenwich definitely isn't "Central London")
Thanks! Parking is definitely one reason I don't want to have a car when I move. It is more if I do have parking, then I can consider buying a car. The intention had been something interesting but older. As for 4) I can certainly afford it - but the question is would it be better to stick 200 quid a month more into saving to buy!Parking can be a pain, and can be oversubscribed in places, but permits generally tend to sort this out. You need to accept that your car will probably get scraped, dinged or damaged (even by vandalism) at some point - there are 9m people in London, and plenty of ar5eholes. I wouldn't recommend owning something you're overly precious about.
For short journeys inside the M25 at weekends (or the occasional evening) Zipcar/van is excellent value and very convenient, and there are now plenty of 'Flex' cars available for those one-way trips. For journeys inside Z1-3, I can't see any reason to use a car unless you're in a weird public transport blackspot - there are almost always better options on public transport.
The reason I've owned cars in (relatively) Central London is twofold. Firstly I do a lot of weekend trips outside of London to see friends/family (at least every other weekend), and the convenience of having your own car for this outweighs the hire/Zipcar option. Secondly, I really enjoy driving, and am currently selling my 330ci (replaced as a runabout by a 225 hybrid) to buy another dedicated track car.
It's definitely not impossible to own and enjoy a car in London, but it's important to understand how you use it and the potential limitations.
Things I'd recommend doing, in order:
1) Scope parking availability and cost where you live. This might kibosh your plans.
2) Really think about the types of journeys you do, and whether they can be covered with Zipcar/hiring.
3) If you're remotely precious about cars, buy something you can own without worrying about.
4) Think about the cost against the amount of use, and whether it's money that could be better spent on having a great time in London.
Good luck.
(and, FWIW, Greenwich definitely isn't "Central London"
)As you know I am not a Londoner, Greenwich seems pretty central to me! Within the M25!
Edited by Integroo on Monday 14th January 11:09
C70R said:
On-street parking is a doddle in most boroughs, and is just a case of paying a couple of hundred quid to the council for a year's permit. The cost thing is worth considering beyond your finance payments - my insurance is double what it would be if I lived in Surrey, and garage's hourly rates are significantly higher than out in the sticks...
Ofc, but honestly the cost won't be a problem. Sounds like parking won't be a problem given I won't be living in central London ( 
). Also it seems that Euro 4 is basically any petrol car less than 13 year old, so perhaps ULEZ isn't really a problem either! If I were you I would move down first, give it a month or three and see if you need/can justify one...I live just outside the m25 on the thameslink and walk to work, barely use my car to the point that I usually have to find excuses to drive it.
However its only worth two grand, and the insurance and tax for the year is only £400...so it's cheap enough to keep regardless.
I sold my DC5 because it was utterly pointless having an expensive asset which I was paying to own sitting around mostly unused.
If i lived in central London this entire situation would be magnified tenfold...most of my mates that live in town rarely venture beyond zones 5/6.
How much would you be spending monthly on car payments/insurance/tax for something that will go largely unused?
However its only worth two grand, and the insurance and tax for the year is only £400...so it's cheap enough to keep regardless.
I sold my DC5 because it was utterly pointless having an expensive asset which I was paying to own sitting around mostly unused.
If i lived in central London this entire situation would be magnified tenfold...most of my mates that live in town rarely venture beyond zones 5/6.
How much would you be spending monthly on car payments/insurance/tax for something that will go largely unused?
If you are not committed to owning a car (i.e you're not, since your ownership is PCP), try to live without one and hire when you need one.
Cars in London parked on the road are at risk of being damaged (either intentionally or not) and unless you need to travel to somewhere which has an awkward public transport journey, you might use it once or twice a week.
Until you can get somewhere with offstreet parking I'd avoid.
Cars in London parked on the road are at risk of being damaged (either intentionally or not) and unless you need to travel to somewhere which has an awkward public transport journey, you might use it once or twice a week.
Until you can get somewhere with offstreet parking I'd avoid.
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