what is the difference between car purchases in the UK and the US?

Question

In the US people seem to express their standing or success by the type of vehicle they drive. I seem to see fewer people driving BMW's and SUV's in the UK and more small compact vehicles, regardless of their job or income.

Answer 1

In addition to what Graham said, many Brits are very conscious of the damage to the environment and aware of their health. There are many city workers/high flyers who use their bikes to get to work for these reasons. Also, smaller cars consume less gas, also another environmental reason.

Sometimes, the smaller the car, the higher the status, too, eg, convertible BMWs, porches, classic cars, etc. In the UK, people's status are not generally expressed in the car they drive, more the way they are, their clothes label (discrete and classic). Very quiet, conservative sort of expression of success - as you would expect of the British, really.

Answer 2

People have the same tendency in the UK too, but this is tempered by practical constraints. BMWs and SUVs are relatively more expensive to purchase and run in the UK, so people may choose to spend their income on something else instead, which of course may still be a status symbol. Parking may not be so readily available, so driving a large car can be more stressful. Finally, families will usually choose to have a variety of vehicles available, so generally there will only be one SUV or MPV per household.

Answer 3

there are probably 3 reasons for this. first the price of fuel, over $2.00 a litre. historically fuel prices have been high because of tax, but in recent years tax has been even higher because of the Kyoto agreement, trying to cut fuel use by keeping the price high. secondly, a lot of people have cars supplied by the companies they work for, more so than in the u.s..thirdly, different makes and types of car seem to signify certain attitudes. BMW's seemed to be linked with sleazy, slime bag salesmen, nuovo riche and criminals.suvs generate a lot of anger. unlike in the u.s. most of or urban roads are quiet narrow, park up an suv on the road and sometimes other road users have to mount the opposite sidewalk to get by. often i am held up by school run mums parking their suvs on both sides of the road. and someone once pointed out suvs kill more than a 100 times more of our children tha paedophiles.

Answer 4

Vehicles are cheaper in the US. Gas is cheaper and the country is bigger. All of which go to allow the US consumer much more choice than in the UK.

Answer 5

plenty of Mercs, Land Cruisers etc on the M3 every morning. It depends where you look in the UK.

Answer 6

Left hand drive and Right hand drive

Answer 7

i think we just go for practicallity here in this country, where as the us like you said go on how wealthy they are.