Attempting to go car-free

[raleighnut]

Yesterday I scrapped my car. I had it for two years before it dissolved and had to be scrapped. Previous to this I managed to avoid owning my own car for many years. I could borrow a neighbour's van if I had to get somewhere and used my wife's car in the evenings and weekends if I needed to.

Since yesterday I have wasted all my time looking for a new car. At some point this morning I snapped. I realised that excluding the cost of actually buying a car it costs me around £200 a month in tax, insurance, fuel etc. £200 a month for something I really couldn't give a toss about. The car I was about to buy was a Mondeo worth £500. The cheapest insurance quote I got was just under £900. The most expensive was a hilarious £4,342, third party, for a car worth £500! I have had a clean licence for 23 years and over ten years of no claims bonus.

So I'm trying to break down the need for my own car into problems with manageable solutions.

The first problem is the school run. The school is two miles away so isn't easily walkable with a five year old. This problem can be fixed by buying a cargo bike. I've got a £500 budget. What excites me is that if I spend £500 on a cargo bike it won't cost me £200 a month after that!

The next problem is family holidays. My wife is a gardener so owns a wee van. The van only has two seats. But the cost of hiring a car for holidays is surprisingly reasonable.

I'm a musician so it's useful to be able to get about. But I still have the neighbour's van I can use most evenings and weekends.

We're treating this as an experiment. I'm not saying I'll never own another car, but I'm going to try and do without one for a while.

 

[si_c]

If you get a cargo bike can't you move all your music gear using that?

 

[Andrew_Culture]

And you didn't even have to factor in the cost of all the time choosing and obtaining a new car, then the time lost keeping it roadworthy (including mechanically and regulations)!

Please keep posting updates on how it goes, those of you blazing this trail...

I have lost a day and a half of billable hours on looking at cars.

 

[Andrew_Culture]

You have an awesome neighbour. Can you not change your wife's van to be a cab pickup with more seats?

It's an option in the long term. Right now she has a tiny van that she bought off our mechanic for not a lot. It's just too perfect. And it has a dixie horn.

 

[Andrew_Culture]

The risk profile associated to the car, and the amount, and value of the claims made against people who drive them

Ah, Mondeo drivers . To be fair I got quotes for a bunch of different cars but they were all old.

 

[Andrew_Culture]

I'm pretty much car free. If I really need a car for anything, I can hire one. I really was spelunking a shed load of cash, for something I rarely used. I've not come across a situation where I couldn't either ride, or ride + train, for longer haul stuff, and I can always hire a car for days where I need to load lug.

I need a car next week so I've hired one. It cost £57! Silly cheap.

 

[Andrew_Culture]

If they are in your area (and I don't think they are near andrew) have a look at zip cars. You pay an annual fee then an hourly fee. It's a lot cheaper than keeping a car (annual fee is just a little more than a parking permit in my area)

I had a look, sadly not in Ipswich yet. We haven't even got Uber yet!

 

[Andrew_Culture]

If you get a cargo bike can't you move all your music gear using that?

I'm a bass player, my gear is huge! My cab alone is bigger than the box on most cargo bikes!

 

[Elybazza61]

I'm a bass player, my gear is huge! My cab alone is bigger than the box on most cargo bikes!

You need one of these


http://surlybikes.com/bikes/big_fat_dummy

We got one of these in at work this week and it's hilarious(in a good way) to ride,you can also tow a trailer.

Costs more than £500 though

 

[screenman]

Not sure you can call it car free when all you are doing is borrowing rather than owning. Saving money certainly, if that is your desire.

 

[Andrew_Culture]

Not sure you can call it car free when all you are doing is borrowing rather than owning. Saving money certainly, if that is your desire.

Technically it's a van I'm borrowing, not a car

 

[Andrew_Culture]

You need one of these


http://surlybikes.com/bikes/big_fat_dummy

View attachment 349806

We got one of these in at work this week and it's hilarious(in a good way) to ride,you can also tow a trailer.

Costs more than £500 though

I may need a few trailers:

 

[screenman]

So do you have to give up taking taxis or getting the bus in this pure world of yours?

Of course not, you know I am up for creating jobs.

 

[captain nemo1701]

Although I can drive, I've never owned a car. I've only driven a compnany vehicle once so far this year, so I'm car free about 99% of the time. It's great!. No lump of expensive depreciating metal on wheels to suck my bank account dry, no parking hassles, no worries about speeding tickets or knocking someone over (always paranoid about that in double-parked terrace streets). It's bike, train, bus & shanks' pony for me now. It's actually wonderfully stress free!.

If I'm over in the smoke, I use the tube, walk. Who in their right mind would drive in central London???. If I ever need a vehicle, I'll hire one. Still works out cheaper than buying and running one, even second hand. More money to spend on the other sucking money pit - my house.

 

[screenman]

Money often seems the major reason for going car free.