Your Car: Is it worth it?

[Jay]

This is a motorsports forum, so I realize this is probably a biased survey, but I would like to ask you guys if, after taking the yearly costs into consideration, is it worth having a car?

Canada is the second cheapest country in the world and according to the CAA (Canadian Automobile Association) it costs an average of between $6000 and $9000 a year to drive a mid-sized car 20, 000 km a year. That translates into a $18-23 cab ride every day for a year! These are in Canadian dollars and a $20 cab ride (where I live) will take you about 30 km.

Now these prices are for Canada, and as I said it is the second cheapest country in the world to own a car. The USA is the cheapest, and the UK and European countries are more expensive per km. However, most Europeans drive less and use less gas than North Americans.

Another statistic that I saw in the CBC report was that Canadians spend an average of 35% of their income on their cars.

So I ask, where you live, is it worth the cost?

PS
I realize that there are some that are in a situation where they require a car (ie no Transit), so be sure to mention that.

(All stats from the CAA on a CBC report)

[Crash Test]

Well I seem to be living without one...

I dunno, maybe it's because Im such a sweet talker, I am able to scab rides everywhere, and if that fails, public transport is sufficent.

Taxi: Well umm, only use them if you are drunk/lost/it is after the last bus...even then you've got to share with someone or the cost can be astronomical...

[Sparky]

Well, I have four cars, three of which are 'on the road' as it were, and yet I work about 60 seconds from my front door. It seems I spend all my 'leisure' money on at least one of them every week, but then I don't drink, smoke or scuba-dive, so why not.

The figures you quote are Ok, but only take into consideration the economic aspects, not the desire to drive (or own).

I certainly could survive without the use of a car, but as long as I am able, I'll never be without (at least) one. In fact, I'd probably still own one if petrol was £50 a gallon. It all depends how you view the car. If it's a means to an end, as in transport only, you could just as easily take a cab. If however the actual 'ownership' of a particular vehicle is what matters to you, then increased running costs will simply result in less usage given equal financial constraints.

Cars are not like washing machines! I have shelves upon shelves full of motoring books and paraphernalia. I buy about 15 to 18 car magazines each month. If it were like any other machine in my house, I wouldn't care. It would be there to do a job. But I'm passionate about cars, whether they be racing, exhibited, being restored or simply being used.

Ask Maisie why she will forever hang on to her Maestro. It's now been accident damaged, and to many (sorry Maisie) the Maestro would not be their No1 choice of car. But to Maisie, 'Hexie' isn't transport, she's a true friend.

For example, I've just spent £450.00 on a pair of Mk1 Escort front wings. To most, a car front wing holds little excitement, but I'm pleased to have bought one of the few remaining pairs of genuine Ford RS wings anywhere. Pretty soon, this stuff won't be available at all. That £450.00 would buy a complete, useable car, but that's not what I was after. OK, I know I've gone WAY off topic here, I'm just trying to illustrate that cars represent many things to many people.

When we did the 'Your Road Car' thread a little while ago, I was amazed at the number of people here, dedicated race fans, who didn't own a car. I do understand, though. You can be interested in something without actually being involved.

I do agree, though, that governments seem to be pricing the motorist off the road, in an attempt to make him switch to public transport. This is fine for citizens who just need to get to work, and live close to family and friends.

But I couldn't imagine life without my car...

[Diabando]

What a topic!

No way, could I ever, go without my car.

With my lifestyle, it would be ridiculous to try and attempt to work my way around on public transport...a trip to the horses that would normally take maybe 35 minutes by car, would take a day of changing trains and buses... not to mention my work, which requires me to drive to my employers house twice a week..a round trip would take (including time spent there) 3 hours...try and do it with public transport, you can make that 5-6 hours.

Now, on another level, in Melbourne, it is more expensive to take public transport to the city, than to drive a fully worked V8 in and pay for parking (so long as you get the earlybird rate). I consider this crazy...and a good example of how stupid the current Victorian government is.

Aside from all the above....I love cars, I love driving them, and in particular, I am very fond of my own HQ, I wouldnt give them up for the world

[Slowcoach]

I can remember a few years back there being a report published that said that if the average person took a taxi on all his or her journeys (excluding the commute to work)they would be quids in over the course of a year when compared with owning(depreciation) and running(petrol,servicing and insurance etc )a car.
Public transport is dire in the UK nowadays so its no wonder so many people now 'choose' to drive to work despite the cost of petrol and the cost/difficulty of parking - particularly in large cities not to mention the traffic jams which are a daily occurrence .
I have commuted by British Rail into London for the last 19 years (OMG!) and for the vast majority of that time the service has been dreadful with little or no explanation if something has gone wrong , however to drive instead would take 3 times as long and be 100 times more stressful. Having said that since June last year when I moved house I have had to drive to the station !, Argh !
Back to the thread - Of course its worth having a car ! I could easily live without one but I'd hate it !! But I am with Diabando - I would never want to go without a car !!
Like Sparky I am fortunate enough to have a number of cars but will always hanker after something else , something a little different or a little faster . Infact for the first 15 years or so since gaining my lic. I averaged a different car every 7 months , I've slowed down a bit now having had one of my current crop nearly 5 years now !
Even if I couldnt own one I'd still read about them look at them and catch rides in them , and I'd still look around longingly if I heard any hint of a V8 rumble.......it's just in my blood.

[elephino]

I couldn't live without my car. Mainly as I just enjoy driving.

Whether or not it is cheaper to own a car or not depends on what you use the car for and whether you can put a monetary value on convenience. Of being able to just get up and go where ever you want whenever you want.

I'm not entirely sure how much my car costs to run each year (I've only had it 4 months). Mind you, if I drove all the way into work, it would cost me $20 a day to park. By driving and then catching a train, it costs me that much in trainfare plus petrol and wear and tear. The cost of going by public transport all the way is probably less again but it is totally inconvenient despite a bus stop 30m from where I live as the buses don't where I need them to go. So which is better value?

[Maisie]

I'm not sure why I love my car so much. I've been developing full-blown car mania ever since I was a youngster. As Sparky says, the Maestro is not something a lot of people would choose as an everyday car, let alone a classic, but I love it. I don't know whether it's looks or personality (however you define that) but I do know that I'd rather sell several relatives than sell Hexie. Not only is he a huge source of personal pride to me, but he also gives others a lot of pleasure. When the owner of a Golf GTi compliments you on how shiny your car is, and how good a condition it's in, you can be happy. Plus, he gives me the perfect excuse to spend Sundays in the sun in the company of other Maestro nuts, as I did last weekend.

On a more practical level, I live in a semi-rural area, with fairly poor and infrequent public transport links. Plus, the majority of buses either go completely the wrong way, or take over an hour to get where you want to go. Witness this morning - a half hour car trip took me 1 hour 20 minutes on 2 buses. AND I was carrying a steering rack *sigh*. Which just goes to prove I'm mad - carrying a steering rack 1/2 a mile is not recommended if you want to keep your arm muscles.

I have to go now, typing hurts At least Hexie has his steering rack though.

[Sparky]

Sorry Maisie - I did it again... Hexie's a 'he'... Hexie's a 'he'

I've carried some strange bits and pieces on buses and trains in my time. I once brought my Mini gearbox (in a clear plastic bag) to work on the bus and the little old man across the aisle couldn't stop looking at it. Eventually I said that it wouldn't be long before the car would be complete once again. "Oh" he said, not totally convinced. I explained that it had broken down, and I had to get the car to the garage one way or another, so I was taking it bit by bit...!

[fatbloke]

I managed without a car of my own for six years after passing my test, due to always having a van on hand from work. However, I could never manage without some form of personal transport - be that bike, car, or van! How else could I finish work at 3pm and be at Oulton Park by 6.30 ?!

[Gerard]

I guess I could live without a car but then again why should I?
I can afford one and I like driving my car. Fast. Very fast.
I really can't tell you if it's worth it.
All I know is that I paid for it when I bought it and the rest is as they say, history.
I know in the Netherlands fuel prices are almost the highest in Europe, but I don't care.
I do not feel the same love for my car as Maisie or Sparky do. To me it's just a vehicle that brings me from one point to another.
That doesn't mean I'll buy just any car. I always bought cars that distinguished themselves from other cars.
Mostly sporting looking cars. Fast cars. With big wheels.
So, is my car worth it? Maybe not on a financial, but certainly on an emotional basis.

[Liz]

I don't have a car, but that is because I can no longer safely drive one. (I could drive in the daylight if I had to, but you better hope you never meet me on the road). I get around pretty well with public transit and cadging rides, but it is frustrating not to be able to get to Mosport unless I get a ride, and the people I know would rather watch racing on TV ... *sigh*

When I had cars I enjoyed the freedom of just being able to go when I wanted to, and being able to schlep my gear in one trip and not in six - if I have things to take to the Drop-In Centre or Goodwill I have to carry it bit by bit.

If I could still drive a car I'd have one and save on something else. I'd have a Dino. Just looking at it would be worth the money.

[IAM]

I could live without a car, but I don't want to. I like the independence of going out and traveling when and where I want to........getting realy drunk and getting a cab home!

My car: $409.00 per month payment, $20.00 per week(Approx.) in Gas(petrol), $1,300.00 per year insurance(And I have a great record), $250.00 this year for registration. And about $100.00 per year in oil changes/lube. In 3 years 1 tyre for $178.00, that was cause I ran over a nail then drove on it flat.(Found a place where I can now get the same tyres at $80.00 each fitted.(3 needed in the next few months.

So, Yearly payments $4,908.00
Insurance $1,300.00
Registration $ 250.00
Gas $1,040.00
Oil $ 100.00
Total $7,598.00

So my car costs me $20.00 per day(or $0.55 per mile, ARRGGGHHH!) to have around, not including depreciation and I'm about it. Except for the 55c per mile.

That means I could have about 10 of em if I didn't eat or live anywhere

Ian

[Jay]

Liz, I empathize with you. My mother doesn't have a car for the same reason you don't and if I want to go anywhere I have to get rides with friends or their parents. That means I only get to go karting a few times a year , and have no way of getting to Mosport or Shannonville.

Sparky, your right that I did not add in there the pleasure of driving. Obviously driving brings many hours of pleasure to many people. However many do not consider how much it costs them. Few people take parking or gas into consideration when they go driving. Most people (at least in North America) view the price of gas and parking as companies (or govts) punishing them for owning a car.


I will probably get a car too, when I can afford one (likely a few years after University). However, I do not intend to use it the way many North Americans do - Like it was my legs. It always amazes me how short of distances people will drive when it would be easier to walk or bike.

[Liz]

You get used to it when it's always there.

A lot of the kind of people who roam Toronto City Hall seeking to get rid of cars forget the pleasure of driving. These are the same people whose letters clutter the Star every year asking if the Champ Cars have been through emission testing and complaining about the pollution - and don't understand even when it is pointed out to them that methane creates no pollution - they just hate cars for existing.

But then when I am on a stalled subway with someone's bawling children, I feel the same way about sprogs. So there you are.

[KC]

I too enjoy driving. A nice smooth country road with a decent handling vehicle is one of the joys of life.

I could not make it too work from where I live without my vehicle. I could ride my bicycle, but it was already 79 degrees F this morning at 7:00 am. I'd get too sweaty for working in the office. Even though I work in the city limits of Tulsa, we have no public transportation in our area. 99% of our public transport never leaves the downtown area.

I average about 18,000 miles per year on the road. That works out to around 960 gallons of gasoline for my truck at around $1.30 a gallon or about $1250.00 a year in fuel. Insurance is about $1100.00 a year. License tag is around $185.00 this year. My payments run me about $350.00 a month and oil changes run me about $80.00 a year. Thsi runs me $7165.00 a year without anything untoward happening. Per day it is $19.60 . I could cut my fuel costs near in half by changing vehicles to one in the 30 mpg range instead of the 19 mpg I get now. Hmmm, that Focus I was looking at just got a little more attractive.

[TimD]

KC, I'd like you to ponder on this. Thanks to you, I just did a swift calculation to compare my British fuel costs with your American ones.

I drive a GM sub-compact car. It covered 13,000 miles last year.

My fuel receipts work out conservatively at $2316.50. All other bills are roughly comparable.

What price running a car in England, eh?

[Neil C]

I would own a car even if I didnt need one, because I love to drive.

However, I agree w/ Jay that people get lazy when they drive somewhere that's walking or biking distance.

Like people that drive 3 blocks to the gym to run 2 miles on a treadmill! idiots.

[IAM]

Now I resemble that remark Neil!

My local bar is about a 5 minute walk or less, I Drive.

My fitness center is in my apartment complex a 2 minute walk, Yes I drive.

The closest shopping center is about a 5 minute walk, I drive.

The swimming pool is a 30 second walk, I would drive, but I get to it before I reach my car

However, when I'm in England the local pub is about a 7 minute walk, I walk.

The fitness center...is the walk.

To go to the swimming pool it is a 15 to 20 minute walk and a 20 to 30 minute bus ride. That's what I do.

Ian

[KC]

There is no doubt that your petrol prices are higher than ours, but not because of the higher cost of importing fuel, its just taxes. We pay about US$.40 a gallon in federal and state taxes in Oklahoma, while I understand that Brits pay around US$5.00 a gallon in taxes. What does the government do with your taxes levied on fuel? Ours supposedly uses it for road improvement, but that is mostly a lie. They use it for whatever they choose.

[spnixon]

Tax on UK fuel just forms part of the tax burden on the country as a whole - I don't think the govt. pretend to spend it on just on roads/transport. If we don't pay tax on fuel, we'd just pay it somewhere else.

We've also got four cars, two of which are for 'fun' purposes only so comparing them to taxi rides is not really fair. Seems like the figures mentioned for running costs include a lot for loan payments and depreciation - not really valid if you keep an older car running yourself.

[Les]

I live in rural Suffolk and the car is a must. There is no way I can get to work for 8am except for a bus, train, bus and walk in all approx 2 hours if you can get the connections.
But I have to say I do hanker after my old motorbike. It was only a Yamaha 80 (just about a bike) but I loved it. now with one of them you could fill it up and drive for a fortnight.

[Bluebottle]

If I really had to, I could live without a car- I didn't buy my own car untill I was 23, because until then I didn't need one- then I got a girlfriend who lived 10 miles away with no public transport link!
I don't use a car to get to work but my wife works outside sensible cycling distance and there is no sensible public transport route from here to there- it can be done, but there would not be enough time left for either working or sleeping, she does use an electric powered bike when possible.
Without a car, it would be impossible for us to carry all our kit to band rehersals and gigs, it wouldn't be viable time and money-wise to hire a ven each time!
For most of life, I could live without a car,
But I don't want to
Cos it's fun!!
So there!!!
Value for money?- My wifes father bought a new Ford Granada in 1984, probably for around £10000- that car is our main vehicle, and the one we use for the band- If you assume the car to still be in the same family, thats beller value for money than if we had bought a fresh car every few years!

[DAVID PATERSON]

I have two cars, one which does 40 000km a year and costs me absolutlely nothing, thanks Boss and the other does less than 1 000km a year and costs over $4000 a year to run (excluding depreciation, because it doesn't and excluding repayments cos I paid cash).
Even without a company car I would still have to own one, because I truly enjoy driving and when I didn't have a car, a 20 minute car trip to work, meant a 2km walk to the busstop and a 75 minute!!! bus ride. Amazingly the weekly bus tickets cost as much as a week's supply of petrol.
My other car of course is purely for fun, I have never used it for transport. I would willingly spend more on it if I could afford too. I don't drink or smoke or go out much so it's all I've got in the way of recreational spending.

[Lorna]

Everything is so far apart in my town and the bus and taxi service is non existent I definitely need a car. I would like a newer and faster car than I have but the one I have suffices.

[enzo]

I can't imagine going without a car, except maybe if I lived in and worked downtown NYC. But even then, a car is necessary to get to places outside of the city.

I've always bought used cars, so the depretiation expense is minimal, the insurance rates are reasonable, and the purchase price not absurd.

I couldn't possibly get along without a car & live my life according to the way I want to, even if I live in a country with good public transportation. The ability to get to where I want to go, in the time frame I want, is an absolute necessity.

Maybe it's due to my American upbringing, but I think that the gas prices imposed on Europeans are absurd, and actually a detriment to the economic development of your countries. I have many friends who are transplanted Europeans, and to a person they are amased at how much easier it is to get things done over here, both business-wise, and personally, and couldn't imagine voluntarily re-subjecting themselves to life without easy & cheap personal transportation.