Enjoying cycling and saving money

[paul04]

I have been using the bike more and more now, riding to work and weekend rides, and the car just sits in the garage gathering dust, just using the car to go shopping a couple of times a week, and maybe the odd time going to work.

In April I did 40 miles in the car, cost £6 in petrol, and 454 miles on the bike.
In May I did 80 miles in the car, cost £12 in petrol, and 485 miles on the bike..
In june my aim is for 500 miles on the bike.

loving almost every minute while out on the bike, and the vast majority of car drivers are good, its just the odd few that don't have patience and will not wait a couple of seconds while you past.

And even better now the sun is shining and its getting warmer

 

[vickster]

Wouldn't you save not paying insurance, tax, MOT, maintenance, take taxis as needed? Use online shopping?

If you are saving money, you are not buying enough bikes and kit!

 

[Amack]

Having a 5 year old and and 7 year old rules me out of being able to use the car less. Both of them cycle but it would take them ages cycling 4 miles to school, that and poor (ie none) cycle paths/routes where we live.
If I had no family I wouldn't bother with a car and do as Vicster says taxi for special journeys and online shopping if necessary.

 

[paul04]

Wouldn't you save not paying insurance, tax, MOT, maintenance, take taxis as needed? Use online shopping

I am quite fortunate, as the car is only 18 months old, it does not need a MOT, and servicing is free for 3 years.
The tax and insurance is only £400 a year.
Having had a cars for 30 years, it would be hard to give it up, its nice just to have that backup just in case the car is needed

 

[400bhp]

Why do you have a new car and then don't drive it?

 

[fossyant]

Why do you have a new car and then don't drive it?

New convert to cycling. Depreciation is a killer. I tend to keep my cars a long time.

 

[paul04]

New convert to cycling. Depreciation is a killer. I tend to keep my cars a long time.

Spot on, only been cycling for 10 months, the car has done 5500 miles since I got it, only now the love of cycling has relegated the car to the garage.

 

[400bhp]

Best thing then, sell the car and buy an older one

 

[potsy]

Similar sort of car usage to me these days, gets used maybe once a week or twice if it's lucky.
Coming up to 7 years old now so will keep it until it's ready for the scrap yard, never had a car more than 3 years old until I got into cycling

 

[snorri]

I have been using the bike more and more now,

Keep up the effort there paul04

 

[The One That Got Away]

Best thing then, sell the car and buy an older one

Surely its better to have a new one as it will be more reliable, MOT not needed as mentioned, guarantees if it breaks down etc, He'd loose out on a lot of cash by selling it I would guess!

 

[400bhp]

Surely its better to have a new one as it will be more reliable, MOT not needed as mentioned, guarantees if it breaks down etc, He'd loose out on a lot of cash by selling it I would guess!

No, generally. Depreciation in the first few years is the greatest cost of car ownership .

 

[vickster]

Don't cars lose something like 30-50% of their new value in the first 3 years depending on the car? An MOT costs £50 and a service £100-200...not really equivalent to 30% depreciation on a 10k car (with most cars costing rather more new). Most cars won't be subject to big warranty claims in the first 3 years

My car was recently stolen, I umm'ed and ahh'd about whether to replace like for like or buy something less costly (to run, insure, tax). I only drive 4-5k miles a year but couldn't live without a car (especially given my propensity for injury and dislike of cold/rain ) - and when I do drive, I like some oomph from my right foot, so bought the same car

 

[fossyant]

Surely its better to have a new one as it will be more reliable, MOT not needed as mentioned, guarantees if it breaks down etc, He'd loose out on a lot of cash by selling it I would guess!

Nope. MOT costs £40 and my car only failed once on brake pads that cost £90 fitted - didn't have the tools to do the rears myself as needed a winder ! My car is now 11 years old and had it 10 years. £1000 in major repairs over 10 years - £400 air con radiator (damaged by debris) and a new cat recently (600). Just wear and tear parts otherwise

Bank on depreciation being at least £1000 a year after the initial one or two. Bought my car at 10 months old, like new, £7k off list price after 10 months - WTF.

 

[Arjimlad]

Having owned the same car since 2007 it's been interesting to note how the miles per year have come down, the more I have cycled. Last year less than 3,500 miles. It's not our main car and I do need a car for work about five times a month, also for weekend & leisure activities sometimes.