Cost of running a car - 1976

[Cliff Ton 10,466]

Digging around in an old diary (for 1976) I discovered I'd kept a record of all the expenditure on it for a few months. It was a 4 year-old Vauxhall Viva which I got from Hooleys on Derby Road for £595. So this is how much it cost to run a car in Nottingham 36 years ago.

Petrol - 4.2 gallons for £3

which makes it 71p a gallon (or 24p a litre in today's money)

Various bit I bought over a few months......

Battery - £9.12

2 x tyres - £26.15

Set of points (remember them?) - 83p

Air filter - £1.70

Pair of wiper blades - £1.50

Monthly HP payment - £22.67

But some things aren't so bad............

Back in 1976 I paid £15 for 6 months road tax...........and I only pay £30 a year on what I've got now!

All for one of these

[poohbear 1,360]

I've got a Nissan now...8 years old 1800cc...Just a common or garden small car not even 2 litre and it's £245 road tax.It's ruddy disgusting,I doubt if I could even sell it now.It's all right having tax on cars at £30 but I couldn't possibly afford one of those models.These taxes might encourage the better off to buy these models,but when you're on a pension you get screwed as you're forced to buy one that's more expensive to tax.....More taxes to help the better off...typical.

[mick2me 3,033]

Cliff

I passed my test in 1971 having being tutored in Viva just like that only light blue.

I saw an identical car the other day and meant to make a post about it.

I was trained by the driving school by the bridge on Arkwright street (name?)

6 lessons £8. then my driving instructor left and I was give a youing guy who had

just passed his test, who had more interest in my DJ'ing activities than teaching

me to drive. I moved on to 'Stocks' and an old instructor called Ellis Wiser, who

deemed I only needed one more lesson before my test, then the test.

Passed first time at West Bridgford

[mick2me 3,033]

I see I covered this in another topic!

Driving lessons in Nottingham 1970's - Nottstalgia Nottingham Forums

[Cliff Ton 10,466]

I was trained by the driving school by the bridge on Arkwright street (name?)

...and I've just looked at the other thread you referred to.......

I had my driving lessons at the same place, Trent School of Motoring on Arkwright Street. Second half of 1974 in a Hillman Avenger. First time I drove anywhere with them was Victoria Embankment on a Sunday morning.

And I've always remembered...... the guy who seemed to be the manager of the place had a really bad toupee which didn't match the rest of his head

[Beefsteak 305]

My Dad had two Vivas , MCW 35H and NNU 640P. aint it daft that I can remember both those reg's (From the early 70s) and can't remember mine now !!

Maybe because my Dad named his cars from their number plates, the first was Betsie Macawber, the second was Mork and Mindy ....EH? from the TV show of the same name , Morks catch phrase being "Nanu Nanu"

[mick2me 3,033]

As posted elsewhere, you could save some money with this.

The Colortune Plug for tuning your carb?

Google tells me you can still buy them.

[Tim in the North East 200]

In 1972, when I started working, my Dad told me that I should not even think of running a car until I was earning at least £1000 per year. Given that I then earned £600 per year I stuck with my Raleigh moped.

Mind you in 1974 when I was a student I bought a Morris 1000 Traveller for £350 and took summer holiday jobs to get enough cash to just about keep it on the road.