Some people - !

[simongt]

On my way home, I sometimes pass a fellow worker getting off the bus on the edge of the city. I recently asked him how much his bus fares cost him. He told me and when I equated the cost to a shade over £800 a year, he looked surprised'; he pays a monthly season ticket and hadn't extended the costs.
I said if he bought a bike at about say £500, especially on the Bike to Work scheme, add the bits & bobs; bash hat, weatherproof coat & rucksack or pannier, he saves about £300 in year one. After that, allow about £100 a year for servicing & consumables, then saving £700 or so every year after that. He even admitted that the bus is sometimes late and occasionally doesn't turn up at all.
After looking embarrassingly convinced by my financial logic, he admitted that perhaps he is just too lazy - !
At least he's honest - !

 

[Dogtrousers]

It's not compulsory. I could commute by bike and sometimes have done so. But I really don't like it. I prefer public transport.

You're right it is cheaper tho.

 

[Drago]

Buses are for commoners and poor people. I'd rather walk.

 

[Venod]

Buses are for commoners and poor people

At £800 a year

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Buses are for commoners and poor people. I'd rather walk.

I heard that the Duke of Edinburgh was looking for someone to walk with a red flag in front of his car

 

[Drago]

At £800 a year

Now you know why they're poor!

Now, if I worked and commuted 5000 miles a year, that's 438 quids worth of petrol @70 mpg in my Smart fortwo.

Insurance. £102 fully comp.

Car tax, £00.00

Depreciation, £00.00. It's a minter, and original 450 models like mine are actually rising f in value for low mileage beauties (mine has 42,000 miles)

In a year it'll need one service, as they come at 1 year or 9000 miles, whichever is the sooner, £150.

Throw in another £100 for minor repairs, tyres, wear on brakes etc, although mine has not needed a penny o. these things in the last year

Grand total =£790.

So it'd be cheaper to use my Smart than to get the bus. The Smart is never late, and I don't have to mix with commoners, and can also be used at other times if required. Where is the incentive to use public transport at those prices? No wonder the roads are a polluted mess.

 

[DCBassman]

So it'd be cheaper to use my Smart than to get the bus.

Certainly cheaper than my 04 (same year as yours?) E320 CDI estate...I'm not going to give the figures, it'd be too depressing.
Edit: But an E320 isn't travelling with the commoners, either...

 

[Drago]

Yeah, November 2004

 

[DCBassman]

I've had it 6.5 years, just reaching 100,000. That's 100,000 that I've put on it...Another 172,000 before me!

 

[Drago]

I got mine July 13th last year with 40,800 miles...I've done just over 1200 miles in the intervening year. I'm clearly doing better than Dame Emma Thompson!

 

[mjr]

Depreciation, £00.00. It's a minter, and original 450 models like mine are actually rising f in value for low mileage beauties (mine has 42,000 miles)

That seems a bit off because if you keep doing 5k/year commuting, it ain't gonna remain a "low mileage beauty" long, plus it won't remain mint with all the careless clowns on the roads and in car parks. (Yes, our car has been scratched again - probably an errant zip or something while some nobber climbed into their car parked next to it.)

Throw in another £100 for minor repairs, tyres, wear on brakes etc, although mine has not needed a penny o. these things in the last year

Seriously? One pair of brake pads alone cost £125 on ours I thought Smart was built by Daimler - are the spares cheap, then?

 

[Drago]

Brake pads for mine are...£8 for a set.

Consumables, tyres, brakes, wipers etc very, very cheap. Genuine parts for other repairs, such as body panels, door cables, suspension components, etc, are pricy, but there's a thriving used spares market for these wee skates and decent used parts are easy and cheap.

Plastic body work that doesn't dent or rust. Unless abused beyond reason or actually crashed into something they look as spangly as new for years and years. They don't scratch like normal paint does. The body structure is powder coated, not painted, and they simply dont rust. Neing smaller they take up less road real estate so are less likely to get bumped in the first place.

These little don't age like your typical euro boxes, which I'd bloody well hope considering mine was a shade under £17000 when it was new. Fortunately, someone else paid that eye watering bill, and I benefit further down the line.

 

[SuperHans123]

Brake pads for mine are...£8 for a set.

Consumables, tyres, brakes, wipers etc very, very cheap. Genuine parts for other repairs, such as body panels, door cables, suspension components, etc, are pricy, but there's a thriving used spares market for these wee skates and decent used parts are easy and cheap.

Plastic body work that doesn't dent or rust. Unless abused beyond reason or actually crashed into something they look as spangly as new for years and years. They don't scratch like normal paint does. The body structure is powder coated, not painted, and they simply dont rust. Neing smaller they take up less road real estate so are less likely to get bumped in the first place.

These little don't age like your typical euro boxes, which I'd bloody well hope considering mine was a shade under £17000 when it was new. Fortunately, someone else paid that eye watering bill, and I benefit further down the line.

One thing though, I bet it is utterly depressing to drive.

 

[Drago]

All cars are depressing to drive.

For fun with an engine you need a motorbike. I have 2.

 

[Crankarm]

All cars are depressing to drive.

For fun with an engine you need a motorbike. I have 2.

Not all.