MSE News: Driving costs soar in 12 months

Road_Hog

Caddyman wrote: »

I also think it is high time the Government changed the rules on MOT's too. Every year (after the initial 3 year from new period) is too frequent imo for an MOT.

The MOT test will be switched to every two years, not for the public's benefit or any other sensible reason, but because the EU demands that we fall into line with the rest of Europe.

Just the motorway increase to 80MPH, nothing to do with increased business benefits and better for the economy, but to bring us into line with the rest of the EU. Strange how the BBC and the press haven't had all the safety campaigners lined up moaning about how dangerous it would be and that speed kills.

Why, because it is an EU diktat, so none of the opposition parties will complain (because they're all in love with the EU) and all the speed kills quangos, NGOs, think tanks, charities, ROSPA et al, have been told to wind their neck in.

Pincher

I have been cutting back on the car for ten years.

Ten years ago, I had a Mitsubishi Sigma, sort of BMW 5 series equivalent.

The next one was a Peugeot 406 1.9L DT, which was remarkably economical, and both roomy and comfy.

2005, a Mitsubishi COLT 1.3L petrol 5 door.

2010, a Mitsubishi COLT 1.5L diesel 5 door.

The 5 door COLT is as small as I can go, the 3 door is just a little too short, as I've noticed so many things will just fit in the 5 door.

If the costs keep climbing, I will have to switch to a car club.
Zipcar has a Honda Jazz near me, which is big enough.

mikey72

What car costs over £6.5k a year?
We run 5 for what it costs to run 1 here to within a few hundred pounds.

N1AK

What's with this trend to nonsense the original claim with anecdotal denials not backed up by figures or evidence? If you want to check their figures I'm sure you could find the details and make an informed case.

Anyone who claims they are running a car for £1,300pa including insurance, depreciation, breakdown cover, maintenance and taxes is either leaving it in their garage or innumerate. It looks pretty pathetic too, like someone trying to 'win' by bragging about how much money they make / can save.

Personally running my 8 year old hatchback (~18k miles pa) is costing in the region of £4,750. Based on that I don't think their calculation is too far out for a newer car.

N1AK

Road_Hog wrote: »

Green Taxes are a myth, nothing is done with them.

Green taxes work exactly as intended. The government 'needs' to raise taxes, it does so in a way that makes environmentally costly decisions more expensive compared to eco-friendly options. It's hardly rocket science.

People need to think for a couple of seconds next time they attack a specific tax. Either you want less government spending (so then should shut up moaning about not seeing police about, fortnightly bin collections and poor care for the elderly) or the spending needs paying for whether it is by increased fuel tax, higher employer NI, inheritance tax or whatever.

Handsome90

Road_Hog wrote: »

Rubbish, the more you pollute the more you pay? If we switched to a clean fuel. they'd still tax it, it's all about raising revenue. About 25% of the Road Tax (call it what you like) is spent on roads, the rest is pocketed by the government as general tax. Road Tax covers the cost of roads several times over.

If it were pay to pollute, why don't they switch to a tax on fuel? The answer is because we could leave our cars in the garage most of the time, only do short journeys etc. and avoid it. With Road Tax, even if the car is only used once a week they still get their full money.

Green Taxes are a myth, nothing is done with them. If they were really worried about pollution, why aren't they giving the Green Taxes to car manufacturer's R&D that are well advanced down the fuel cell route? Answer, because if we all jump in clean fuel car, the tax revenues dries up.

Same with air passenger duty, nothing green done with it at all, all goes in the government's coffers.

I agree with Dave that the more you pollute the more you pay. Electric cars don't pay VED (road tax if you want to call it). I don't think Toyota Prius pay VED as well (not 100% sure though). For this reason cycles don't pay VED.

And you do pay duty on fuel for the car. Why do you think petrol is so expensive? Most of the cost of petrol goes to the government.

However, I don't think the government cares too much about the environment. Why does the government tax fuel for trains but not for planes? Why don't the passengers of private jet have to pay taxes?

gilbert_and_sullivan

So basically the article states that it's expensive to buy and own a new car.

Brilliant, if there's any well salaried jobs going where all you have to do is state the bleeding obvious, get me an application form.

New cars have always been expensive when compared to the average wage, forgetting the cost of new the depreciation alone is staggering, that's why years ago only the very well heeled, or those with big car loans, bought new cars, it's been like this all the years i've owned cars.

Ther rest of us mere mortals bought second hand jalopies and serviced and repaired our own, either that or walk.

Buy an older car in a reasonable insurance group with affordable VED that needs fixing, fix it, service it regularly, drive it sensibly...get your hands dirty, the days of borrow and have it now are over and not before time.

Next thing there'll be a report that the poor lambs can't afford to have their cars cleaned by the local car wash crew and might have to get off their fat back sides and do their own...questions should be asked in the House.

TrickyWicky

michaels wrote: »

We run 2 cars for about 40% of what it allegedly costs to run 1?

Not everyone has small cars though. Sounds to me like you've downsized at some point.

My missus has a 1.3 and her costs have gone up twofold. She only works 2 miles away but her petrol costs have gone up by at least 1/3.

If you've not noticed this too then you're not the normal motorist.

B00st

Those figures do show just how much of an impact the cost of depreciation and any finance have on running a car.

My daily is a 12 year Saab 9-5 Aero Estate.

No depreciation to worry about (bought for £950 2.5 years ago and still worth around that) and the running costs come in at around £3000 a year.

£215 VED
£385 Insurance
£2000 fuel (10000 miles pa, 30mpg, £5.90 gallon)
£500 or maintenance

The Elise is very similar, again no depreciation (no loan to purchase either)

£215 VED (pre '02 so caught by having an engine larger than 1.6ltrs)
£375 Insurance (5000 miles, limited)
£700 fuel (5000 miles pa, 40mpg, £5.90 gallon)
£1000 maintenance and tweaking

Azari

There was an article on the BBC news site a day or so back saying that another four million cars are due to hit the roads in the next few years.

We can only hope that these increases keep coming so that that figure is reduced, preferably to zero.

Sadly, as the cost of motoring goes up, so people still undertake ever more road journeys.