Wellcome in advance JimmyRay. May I offer some useful advice for when you get here. You'll need to learn the language so here's a few words to start off with. Sidewalk = Pavement Pavement = Road Pants = Trousers Garbage/Trash = Harley Davidson Good-time girl = Slaaag Etc. Etc......... Don't forget, when adding up we do the maths (plural). Remember all the above and you'll soon fit right in.
Ha! trunk = boot soccer = futball or football french fries = chips tires = tyres license = licence lawn = garden Z = Zed I think I got this down!
just to add. i find the more expensive a 4x4 the bigger the depreciation. in 4 years 40k will become 25k
You'll go far Just remember: Gas - Gas Fuel - Petrol/Diesel Hooker - Rugby player there you go, proppa engrish
But remember a fanny is completely different in the UK....we certainly don't wear "fanny packs" over here....
Last year one of the privateer racers at the Isle Of Man had converted a van previously used as a prison transport vehicle into a racebike transporter-cum-motorhome. Quite a novel approach & it semed to work very well, although I don't know how much a former prisoner transporter would cost.
Well, weve got an old 04 Renault megane as the family car - its done 50k and apart from tyres, 1 battery, handbrake replacement and rear springs replaced its never missed a beat (although I suspect the spring problem being me hauling bootloads of concrete blocks from B&Q when I was doing the garden....) Its never not started and the repairs have only come around from going through the mot - id not have noticed otherwise. In agreement Ive got a Toyota IQ as my daily hack to work when the weather is bad and that's not had a problem with it either. I think more than anything the culture shock for our American Friend is going to be the cost of fuel....all very well getting a range rover that could pull a house down with the torque but the man will have to have a second mortgage to fill it up...
While models are often the same, standards are not always the sane. A good example is the vw jetta. While identical to the us model European market cars are built in Germany to a very high standard. In the us they are built in Mexico, and nothing like as good. I'd look for a passat tdi estate, and use a trailer for bikes.
That's one of the models I've been looking at along with the Golf's. I've also been checking out older model Audi A4 estate's.
It's not the same as the tag and title business you guys have. The vehicle will come with a license plate which it was allocated when it was registered for road use and you would only really change it if you want to have plate with your name in or something. Each vehicle has a V5C form, also known as a log book. This is the document that registers the legal owner of the vehicle and displays the VIN, license number, engine number and other info. When you buy a car you fill out the 'new keeper' section on page 2 of the V5C and the small green slip on page 3. Page 2 is returned to the DVLA and they send you a new V5C which shows you as the registered keeper and a previous owners number that is higher by 1. You keep the small green slip on page three until the new V5C arrives and can use that to purchase Vehicle Excise Duty (road tax) from the local Post Office. You must have a valid MOT and Insurance to buy road tax. Vehicles do not need an MOT until they are 3 years old, after which they must have a new MOT inspection every 12 months. Fuel is around $10 per US gallon. You can't use your phone whilst driving at all if it's in your hand. You can use hands free. Drinking and driving is completely socially unacceptable. I have noticed it's not so frowned upon in some parts of the US but over here it's a big no no.
I have a trailer for sale when you get over here. It's a twin axle, all steel, 8x4 foot bed with a bike groove and folding out tailgate/ramp. I'm not too far from Mildenhall/Lakenheath so message me and I will send you a pic if you're interested. Chris
There isn't a massive list to check with passats and a4's - they are generally very durable. A decent volkswagen group car can easily run to 500,000 miles. Check dual mass flywheels on manuals (knocking at idle and snatch in the drivetrain) and beware that a lot of the inline engines in fwd format had a CVT auto in the audi a4 which can cause problems - go for a manual or a Quattro (Quattro had a proper epicyclic auto)
Just out of interest what part of the country are you moving too? I've been involved with a few Americans transportation requirements. The majority of the guys I've had dealings with seem to struggle with just how different our European cars are. Sure you'll know the brands but the engines under the bonnet(hood) always seem to be the biggest shock - diesels! Start looking at Autotrader.co.uk
Nice. I'll keep you in mind when I get there. I hoping to arrive in late June. Moving to Lakenheath area. I know my way around a car pretty good and I'm away of the different engines you guys have there. I've just been wondering on what models you guys have and whats reliable there. Because cars like Audi's, Mercedes, some VW's, and BMW's are known to be big maintenance problems here and pricey to fix, but they are mostly petrol engines. We don't get all the diesel engines options you guys have.
There is loads of info about this on AFN and their websites. In fact, if you can't see AFN right now, I will keep my eyes open for the commercial that gives the info about moving to Europe and I'll send it to you.
jimmy i think i have the answer to all your problems. you want a car or van to transport your dogs and motorcycles, for large dogs your gonna want something with a lowish floor height to save you lifting 100lbs+,, maybe something not to big with a tow bar for your bikes, something stylish that wont depreciate and is inexpensive to maintain but still has plenty boom boom. P.M. me and i will send you details of my 2006 fiat doblo dynamic J.T.D in black with its very own toe bar, good service history £2000 that will still be worth £1200 when you return to sunnier climes. cheers fin. i look forward to hearing from you.
Easy, just do what all the Yank serviceman/women that I come across do, buy a gas guzzling, left hand drive, American car/day van off someone on the base who's back off to the States!
Unless he has planned a short term stay at Lakenheath, he may be better off getting a removal van, because it seems that Lakenheath is going to be closed........... 1) It would save 300 million a year and 2) It is too far away to be useful in conflict zones............both according to a recent report which appears will be actioned.
