kenav

Thinking of going to Scotland - about to make plane reservations. However, just found out that gas (petrol) is 5 GBP a gallon. That's about $9/gallon U.S.

We're driving for 8 days and figure about 500 miles.

Has anyone decided not to drive or go to Scotland because of these prices? Anyone just come back and found that the price I've quoted is correct or not?

Also, - Booked a car rental through AutoEurope and got a "Rover". Seems this car maker went out of business in '05 so we're wondering if this car will be any good. Anyone ever drive/rent one?

chartley

We were in Scotland last week, and the price of fuel varies considerably between the urban and rural areas. The urban areas are expensive, and the rural areas are very expensive. We did not go to the far north or the islands, but I understand they are even more expensive. I suggest you rent a diesel, and fill up before you leave the urban area, preferably at a supermarket, where fuel is usually cheapest. Driving 500 miles in a small diesel will probably cost about £70 for fuel.

Incidentally, there was no shortage of cars on the roads, but it may be that overseas visitors are more susceptible to high prices.

Hire cars are usually less than year old, and you are unlikely to get a Rover. I don't know why AutoEurope still lists the Rover on its USA site, it is not on the U.K. site, which seems to have a quite different range of cars.

kenav

Hi Chartley -

Thought Diesel was more expensive, not less (shows you how much I know.) The car comes with a full tank of gas and we're picking it up in the AM in Glasgow and immediately heading out to the Isle of Mull.

Maybe we should contact AutoEurope and find out what's going on with their listing of the Rover.

janisj

It probably didn't say you would get a Rover - but something like "Rover 25 or similar"

They need to update the models on the website.

BTW - Scotland is no different that any other European country. You will pay a lot more for petrol than you do at home. But the cars are smaller/more fuel efficient and the distances are much less that you may be used to driving.

And no - cost of fuel would not make a bit of difference to me.

travel2live2

The cost of fuel would not make a difference to me at all. My love for Scotland exceeds gas prices and other costs. The only thing that would prevent me from going would be illness/injury/death.

We are paying over $6 per gallon in Canada right now...

slcullen

We're going to Portsoy & Balmerino for two week mid July. Will take train from London to Aberdeen, rent car in Aberdeen, return it to EDI and train back to London. Don't relish paying the high fuel costs, but it isn't a deal breaker for our trip. Got to find a way to hide the checks in London from by frugal wife! But then again, you never saw a Brinks truck following a hearse! Spencer in Tallahassee

kenav

We actually don't drive much here in the U.S. - We live in NYC and don't have a car.

We rented a midsize just to make sure we have enough room in the trunk for our luggage (once rented a car in Canada with a hatchback that wouldn't close - and our luggage is not very big.)

Also rented an automatic although my husband can drive a manual. But we figure with the driving on the other side of the road thingy, he has enough to think about without having to use the "wrong" hand to shift gears. Both the size of the car and it being an automatic does add onto the fee.

Still have to check on the "Rover" stuff.

travel2live2

Have you driven in the UK before? We have found the trickiest thing not to be actually driving the vehicle, nor driving on the left side, but the tiny and twisty roads we are not used to in North America. Is can really be unnerving as it usually seems as though vehicles are coming straight for you. Driving in wee villages (as much as we love it) can be tricky, too, as vehicles are parked literally two inches from where you are driving.

However, driving in Scotland is a delight as the scenery is so stunning. Everywhere you look is a postcard!

janisj

I'd <u>really</u> reconsider the mid-sized car. Is it just for the two of you? If so you should not need that large a car. Smaller = less expensive to rent, = less petrol expenses, = and much easier to navigate the narrow roads etc.

You don't need to get one of the smallest classes - but a compact of some sort will be better/easier just all around . . . . .

alanRow

&lt;&lt;&lt; I suggest you rent a diesel &gt;&gt;&gt;

Diesel is about 15p per litre more than petrol now so the cost for 500 miles is going to be similar - plus a petrol car is cheaper to rent

Of course if you are out in the sticks the extra range a tankful of diesel will give you might be advantageous

If there is 2 of you then a car in the Vauxhall Corsa / Nissan Micra class will be cheaper and still hold all your luggage

chartley

Diesel and petrol models of the same car have the same size fuel tank, so a diesel will go further on a full tank. Since fuel is much more expensive in rural areas in Scotland, you can save money by only buying in urban areas at supermarkets. You will also be less worried a bout running out of fuel.

As an example, our current diesel car (Citroen Picasso) will get at least 500 miles out of a full tank in rural areas, while the equivalent petrol model will only get 300 miles.

twina49

I'm with Spencer - might as well spend the money as you can't take it with you!

My sister, brother-in-law and I will be leaving next month for two weeks in Scotland and we'll probably be standing there hyperventilating at the petrol station, but it will be SO worth it!

kenav

Just looked at our reservation form from AutoEurope and I see that under &quot;Car Type&quot; is says &quot;IDANFP&quot;. Anyone know what that means?

We spoke to AutoEurope person when we made the reservation - they're located in Portland!

kenav

Just looked at the AutoEurope UK site and when I put all my information in (pickup-drop off dates and places) it came up with much more expensive cars for the same type. I see that the IDN-type of car is a Skoda Octavia on this UK site.

Our quote in U.S. was $307. On the UK site it was 248 Pounds ( =$390 U.S.)!

twk

I drove in Scotland last summer, and even then, the price of gas was about $8 per US gallon. So, if you want to look at it in a strange sort of way, driving in the UK is actually cheaper, relative to driving costs in the US, than it was a year ago (about 2.25 times the cost as opposed to about 4 times the cost). This is because so much of the price in the UK is tax and a good chunk of the price increase in the US is attributable to the falling dollar.

We had a party of 3 and got a larger car (a Saab 9-5) and still got 30 mpg. We needed a larger car so that we could get all our luggage out of sight in the trunk (don't want to leave stuff in view of theives when you are parked while check out the sights), but I agree that smaller is better, when possible.

kenav

Best way to get from Isle of Mull to Isle of Skye? By ferries, or back to mainland (also by a ferry) and then over the bridge?

GreenDragon

I am leaving for my Scotland trip tomorrow. I knew the gas prices going in - I also know the gas mileage on Scottish cars are usually much better than what we have in the US, so it pretty much evens out, IMHO.

We're probably driving about 1000 miles, but we have 3 weeks to do it

noe847

GreenDragon, have a great time!

kenav, we rented a car in Germany in March and I just gasped every time I filled the tank... I find the hardest thing about driving in Scotland is the parking lots - when I pull in and see other cars, my instincts kick in and I head right. It's easier on the roads, actually, to remember the left, imo.

Barbara_in_FL

We are just back from two weeks mostly on the Isle of Skye. The prices were similar to what you're expecting. Given the difference in mileage between what we were driving (a Passat) and what I drive at home (a minivan) it was, overall, not too much of a shock. (It was worse to come home and see prices of $4/gallon here in Tallahassee! Hello Spencer in Tallahassee, by the way...)

As for getting to Skye, we did it both ways -- on the way there we drove up and over the bridge, and on the way back we took the ferry from Armadale to Mallaig. I do not think there is any direct way to get from Mull to Skye by ferry. I'm sure you've checked this out, but here's a map:

http://www.calmac.co.uk/calmac-route-map.html

If you really WANTED to do it by ferry, you could go from Mull out to Uist, and then from there (or Harris) to Skye). That would be a nice little tour if you want to see the outer islands anyway. We did not make it out that far.

Otherwise, I would go back to Oban from Mull, then drive up to Mallaig and take the ferry over to Armadale. Or, here's an alternative route proposed by the ferry company:
http://www.calmac.co.uk/hopscotch_route7

Have a great trip! Where will you be staying on Skye?

Barbara_in_FL

I will just add -- not as a complaint, but an observation -- that gasping at gas prices was really the least of our worries. Everything is going to seem expensive -- the cost of petrol will just blend in. I won't even tell you what we spent for dinner at the Ardvasar Hotel (near the Armadale ferry) one night. We did not eat out very often at all (two adults, two children) but still had no trouble spending our entire food budget and then some.