Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
After my car was totalled, I was scared to drive. The other driver ran a red light & creamed my car.
It took about 6 months before I was tired of waiting on transportation & finally bought another car. I still don't drive a lot but don't want to ever go back to waiting on others to get around.
I should calculate the cost of the car I bought in school and drove for 20 years and still own.
I paid $800 for it... it let me down once at a gas station of all places... the timing chain let go and had AAA tow me the 5 miles home... $40 in parts and my 72 Plymouth Valiant was back on the road... other than that the only non maintenance item was a re-cored radiator... and this is putting 180,000 miles on it towing trailers, hauling tools... etc.
Cars don't have to be expensive.... then again I have never sold a car for less than I paid so it has worked out.
Older Toyota and Honda do real well here as the mild climate means no snow or ice...
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
34,901 posts, read 58,613,296 times
Reputation: 46476
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr5150
Well keeping a car is a personal decision and I won't address that point. But I will address the cost. ... At 29 cents a mile, your yearly cost is closer to $2000.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ultrarunner
I should calculate the cost of the car I bought in school and drove for 20 years and still own.
...
Cars don't have to be expensive....
...
If older car... liability insurance is ~$400 / yr, tabs ~ $50, + Occasional service ~$100 - $200 / yr, unless serious problem)) so.. likely <$1000.
Quote:
... My car mostly sits. ... Where I am located I have access to Uber and Lyft, taxi's, and public transit. I can even have the city transit pick me up at my house. I also have a car rental agency close by. ...
Comments appreciated, thanks.
I didn't see your age / ability / climate / 'walk-ability' of your neighborhood. Those will all be part of the decision.
yeah, take the advice to 'Give it a try' for a month (While keeping the car). We have helped give rides to many 'farmers' in our community who gave up their car. (for various reasons). It has worked out fine for those who need to get by without. Especially if you have a community van service available.
I may have a different situ than you since I live in an urban area. I did the math a long time ago & owning a vehicle didn't add up for me here with a middle class income. I deliberately situated myself a short walk from a subway that took me to work & most other places & use the commuter train to get out to the 'burbs to visit. I occasionally use a taxi & a few times a year rent a car which is a little over $100/day here.
The money I saved doing that enabled me to retire when I did quite frankly, I added up the costs of owning a vehicle & they were in the thousands each year esp. if you depreciate the purchase price over time, let alone insurance, repairs, fuel, etc..
I have no qualms about taking public transit - it makes me walk more too. When I visit family in the 'burbs & go to the supermarket I see a lot of huge people walking from to those parking lots & driving to streets with sidewalks that end nowhere, discourages walking. Plus at this age I get a senior discount, many areas give a free pass to seniors. Easy call for me, but I am not a motorhead that dreams of driving a BMW or something like that.
$6100 is $508.33 a month.......do the math, do you really spend that?
If your car gets just 18 mpg, then you spend about $80 a month on fuel (7000 miles/12 months = 583 miles a month). 583/18 =32 gallons of gas X 2.40 gallon = $76.80 in fuel per month.
508.33- 76.80 = $431 month for insurance/tags/maintenance seems high unless you drive a Caddy on 26's in Detroit!
I agree with the comment about trying it out for a month.
For me, 7000 miles a year would be enough to justify still owning a car, assuming I felt comfortable driving, and parking cost/availability is not an issue. It's just too convenient and would cost nowhere near $6100 annually if the car is high mileage and mostly depreciated.
When they pry my cold, stiff fingers from my steering wheel.....
Yeah, I used to think that, but when we moved down here---the cars had to go. You know, it's not that bad! I am amazed, as I loved driving and road trips. Granted, it's only been a year now but we don't miss it at all. We take a bus to the market (one dollar) and a taxi back since we have a lot of bags ($7). Drivers are crazy here so we wouldn't even want to drive. Friends take us to the mall, or social events---it's great. Let us retire with lots more income..........
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
