The ACTUAL cost of a car

[Buzzinonbikes]

I'm going for the Peugot just add fuel deal soon seeing as insurance for me is more than what I would pay per month on a car anyway. No real value in running a car into the ground for me anyway so swap it for a new one after 3 years.

 

[Saluki]

Blimey. The bike test is a faff nowadays. I passed my (one part) test on a GT250 in 1981 & that was that. Although I do agree with the CBT to teach people a bit of control.

If you do go for a scooter or bike of any sort, always insure fully comp. Quite often TPFT is more than fully comp. When getting a quote ask for fully comp and then ask how much TPFT would be as a 'comparison'. If you ask first for TPFT it often ramps up the quote. I used to work for Norwich Union and insured Cars, Bikes, Horses, Home Insurance, the lot and you would be astounded at the things that you learn working in that sort of job.

 

[sabian92]

Regardless of affordability, what's the point of buying something thing that I feel that have no need for? I weigh up the risk and the risk is pretty much infinitesimal, just like with cycling. Bicycles do more than 30mph are you suggesting leathers for cyclists also?

Anyway, no way am I wearing anything not cool on my Vespa

Each to their own. I'm not going to not wear something that will allow me to crash and not shred my skin but I'm not that vain. If you think you're cool in your sunglasses and chinos then be my guest - if you go down the road at 30mph into a metal barrier you aren't going to get up. If you feel you're a good enough rider to dodge other drivers and their stupidity then maybe you're a little naive. See how "cool" you look with a smashed face or a body that looks like some sadistic bugger has put a electric sander on with some coarse grit paper.

No, I am not suggesting cyclists wear leathers, but then if I'm going to be doing over double that speed on a motorcycle then I want something a bit thicker than a hoodie and jeans. I don't particularly like wearing lycra shorts and a thin jersey but tough innit? Can't wear armour with it.

Looks like the main spend on a bike is the bike itself. Decent ones are around the £1000-£2000 mark. You can even get a brand new one for £2500.

Thanks for all the help on here. It has probably saved me a lot of money.

I am currently trying to find out if I have to do a CBT on a 50 or a 125. As, when you have completed the CBT, you can drive a 125 with L's. But if you cant take the test on one, can you hire a 50 from the motorcycle training place?

You can do it on either but for an A1 (125) test your bike MUST be between 120 and 124cc. Any less and it isn't legal and for obvious reasons any more and it isn't legal either.

You can sit your CBT on a 50cc scooter or a 125 bike and it's valid for both but I'd suggest you sit it on a geared 125 - if not you are legally allowed to ride a geared bike but you have no idea how the gears work!

If you want new, Yamaha are doing a YBR125 brand new on 0% finance over 3 years at the moment - 2500 quid, about 60 quid a month. Worth a look if you plan on keeping it for 3 years and don't want anything more powerful.

 

[Boris Bajic]

Blimey. The bike test is a faff nowadays. I passed my (one part) test on a GT250 in 1981 & that was that. Although I do agree with the CBT to teach people a bit of control.

If you do go for a scooter or bike of any sort, always insure fully comp. Quite often TPFT is more than fully comp. When getting a quote ask for fully comp and then ask how much TPFT would be as a 'comparison'. If you ask first for TPFT it often ramps up the quote. I used to work for Norwich Union and insured Cars, Bikes, Horses, Home Insurance, the lot and you would be astounded at the things that you learn working in that sort of job.

I did that old test too... and frankly it was barely worth the paper.

A bloke walking around watching as I did a left-handed block and a right-handed block.

I was so cocky by the time he stepped out for the emergency stop that I went far too fast and locked the read, stalling the motor.

He passed me anyway, as he appreciated me kicking it back to live without dabbing... but I was convinced I'd failed after the stall.

The thought that in those days I could have sauntered off and bought a Laverda Jota or a Suzuki GS1000 is simply terrifying... Much safer this way!

 

[MarkF]

Each to their own. I'm not going to not wear something that will allow me to crash and not shred my skin but I'm not that vain. If you think you're cool in your sunglasses and chinos then be my guest - if you go down the road at 30mph into a metal barrier you aren't going to get up.

Should have left it at "Each to their own"..............you advised him to spend mega cash and told him it was a NEED, that is total nonsense for a small commuter that can't go much faster than a bicycle. Why would I crash into a metal barrier at 30mph, do you think I am nuts?

.

If you feel you're a good enough rider to dodge other drivers and their stupidity then maybe you're a little naive. See how "cool" you look with a smashed face or a body that looks like some sadistic bugger has put a electric sander on with some coarse grit paper.

Your mind is racing with all sorts of calamities that might, possibly happen, to somebody, somewhere. I don't want to frighten you but this is how pretty much every scooter rider in Barcelona looks like, including the cops, they must all be naive eh?

 

[vernon]

How are they unsupported by facts? The fact is that if you ride something that slow on a fast and often narrow road you are a danger to yourself and to others. Rightly or wrongly if you are on a road with a 70mph limit drivers expect to see you doing at least around that speed, give or take 10% or so. Doing less than half the speed limit is just outrageous. It's exactly the same as when people on bicycles doing 30 get pulled out on - drivers don't expect you to go that fast, and likewise drivers don't expect you to go that slowly on a road with a 70mph limit.

If you were riding a bicycle on the same road you can't expect people to give wide and slow passes because at that speed you're travelling too quickly to do what's basically an emergency stop if there's heavy traffic in the outside lane - it'll cause an accident if you swerve into other cars, or you'll get ran over. The fact is that drivers just do not expect to see people doing it because so many people won't do it because of the danger. You would never ride a bicycle in the inside lane of the motorway (aside from the fact it's illegal, but ignoring that) so why would you ride an equally slow vehicle on a road that's a lane narrower (and more dangerous) with the same speed limit?

A great manifestation of your inexperience and paranoia.

 

[vernon]

Snap......same here Archie only it was London to Beverley for me.

Pardon?

 

[sabian92]

Should have left it at "Each to their own"..............you advised him to spend mega cash and told him it was a NEED, that is total nonsense for a small commuter that can't go much faster than a bicycle. Why would I crash into a metal barrier at 30mph, do you think I am nuts?

Your mind is racing with all sorts of calamities that might, possibly happen, to somebody, somewhere. I don't want to frighten you but this is how pretty much every scooter rider in Barcelona looks like, including the cops, they must all be naive eh?

No, but somebody else could hit you, you could slide in the rain, there are infinite variables to do with accidents. I said it was a need because you should do as much as you can to mitigate injuries etc. If you don't think it's needed - great. You don't have to wear anything but a helmet. I personally think that a motorcycle requires a different train of thought to a bicycle because they go faster.

A great manifestation of your inexperience and paranoia.

Not really. Why do you think the police stop at an angle when they shut roads rather than just stop? So you notice it as the human eyes don't notice it anywhere near as easily if it's parked as if it was driving...

 

[Archie_tect]

What's a good job?

 

[MarkF]

No, but somebody else could hit you, you could slide in the rain, there are infinite variables to do with accidents. I said it was a need because you should do as much as you can to mitigate injuries etc. If you don't think it's needed - great. You don't have to wear anything but a helmet. I personally think that a motorcycle requires a different train of thought to a bicycle because they go faster.

I know, I know, anything can happen, I could get eaten by a gang of renegade guinea pigs before I make it safely to bed tonight.

Your "advice" was to a man contemplating a commuting machine not a high capacity motorbike.

 

[vernon]

Not really. Why do you think the police stop at an angle when they shut roads rather than just stop? So you notice it as the human eyes don't notice anywhere near as easily....

It's not to increase visibility to close off as much of the road as possible.

Yet another misconception by the inexperienced.

 

[Profpointy]

You've got to be at least 21 for HP. Thats from the manufacturer though, I dont know about local car sales places.

Hp is a very bad idea at this stage in life - what happens if car conks out badly? Quite apart from the interest You're now paying for a year or two for a car you've had to scrap!

 

[Profpointy]

Not (necessarily) if you choose carefully.

My car - a 16 year old Golf estate - wouldn't have fetched more than £500 on ebay for the last five years. During which time it's generally cost about £50 to get thru' its MOT (this year was zero, but that's unusual), plus the occasional few quid for bulbs and new tyres and the like (£36 a pop delivered, last time I got some).

Look for lowish mileage, some kind of service history, and a seller who doesn't strike you as an absolute rotter, and you could well get a perfectly reliable Jap/German car for that kind of money. Don't buy fancy, and don't buy French.

I say not necessarily, because you can follow all the above rules (and more) and still come a cropper - it's a risk you take at that price level. But £500 for a reliable runaround? Far from impossible.

Insurance will almost certainly be far & away your biggest cost for the first few years - there's not a lot you can do about that but suck it up & drive careful.

Whilst the best advice is certainly "don't get one", at least unless you really need one for work or whatever, the above poster talks a lot of sense. If you buy a good £500 car, which is far from impossible, you simply take it on the chin and scrap it if a major problem arises. Buy a £3k car, or a £5k car, what you gonna do when a a gearbox failes and the bill's £1800 - pay it? Don't have the money, or scrap it and take a real bath on it - especially if you've bought it on the drip as well

 

[Deleted member 1258]

I did that old test too... and frankly it was barely worth the paper.

A bloke walking around watching as I did a left-handed block and a right-handed block.

I was so cocky by the time he stepped out for the emergency stop that I went far too fast and locked the read, stalling the motor.

He passed me anyway, as he appreciated me kicking it back to live without dabbing... but I was convinced I'd failed after the stall.

The thought that in those days I could have sauntered off and bought a Laverda Jota or a Suzuki GS1000 is simply terrifying... Much safer this way!

I did that test too, in 1972 on a bright yellow Lambretta Vega, a 75cc two stroke, six months later I brought a 500cc Triumph speed twin.

 

[Saluki]

I did that old test too... and frankly it was barely worth the paper.

A bloke walking around watching as I did a left-handed block and a right-handed block.

I was so cocky by the time he stepped out for the emergency stop that I went far too fast and locked the read, stalling the motor.

He passed me anyway, as he appreciated me kicking it back to live without dabbing... but I was convinced I'd failed after the stall.

The thought that in those days I could have sauntered off and bought a Laverda Jota or a Suzuki GS1000 is simply terrifying... Much safer this way!

Oh I am not disputing that the new test is safer, because it is.
I had a chap walking around who told me go round the right handed block. He should have said second right somewhere on that block I reckon as he sent me up a cul-de-sac.
I didn't stay with the X7 as it scared the daylights out of me and got a nice old GT250 instead and then a Kawasaki Z400 which was much saner.

I did get involved with being a guinea pig when they brought in the persuit test so took my test 5 times a day for a week or so. I failed it more than I passed it, which was a bit worrying as I was a bike courier in those days.