> there is no parking in central London anyway so driving to work is not viable.

By "closer to work", I didn't mean you need to buy the house closest to the center of London. I meant you can rent (or buy, if you have the capital) a flat near public transit, or bicycle-friendly infrastructure. Of course these options vary significantly, but even in my car-infested U.S. city there are decent options.

Also, I don't think it's honest to compare the sticker price of a car vs. a house. If you are in the market to buy a house, good for you. But my argument is more along these lines: put the monthly $$$ you would put into a car, into your rent instead. Get the best place you can, and you'll likely be happier than if you lived deep in a suburb. Of course not everyone will agree with this, but I don't think it's entirely unreasonable.