Has your car being sat on the drive made you rethink what you’d buy next?

Grumpy_chap

nirajn123 said:

miles driven in 2020 was about 300 miles

Car was sold 3 months ago and while I don't need the car, I'd like one just in case - 
I'd be lucky if the car is driven more than 3K a year.

In the past I always had some sort of aspirational car I wanted to buy, it is no longer the case, how do one even decide - far too much choice and prices seem to have gone up quite a bit due to ULEZ extension in London too.

If you are only doing 300 miles per year, then walk, cycle, public transport and UBER.

If you are doing 3k miles per year, then the same combination plus add in a hire car for longer trips.

Flight3287462

AdrianC said:

My nearest bus stop is five miles.

Luxury......

nirajn123

AdrianC said:

nirajn123 said:

AdrianC said:

If you're doing that few miles and ULEZ is a factor, do you live inside the circulars? If so, why on earth do you need a car at all? Public transport is utterly superb round you...

Just outside, yes - don't strictly need it, although I must say public transport isn't ideal for all sorts of local trips I use the car for. Something like Zip car would be an ideal compromise but it isn't available - nearest one is about 2 mile walk.

Gawd bless Londoners.

My nearest bus stop is five miles.

Well couple of mile walk either way is four miles, that for an hourly rental car makes no sense. There are all sorts of other things I use car for - playing cricket or badminton with my friends in the weekends or evenings, not ideal if you were to walk 2 miles after dropping the car post a long game, same goes for nice evening meal which isn't in your neighbourhood. 

London transport is great if you want to get into/out of town/zone 1, it isn't that good if you want to go to a club, shops or larger markets of your choice bit out of the way in Zone 4 and 5s.

Anyway, I said I do not 'need' a car - have lived without it for last 3 months now and finding excuses to not buy one, it does limit what you can and cannot do though.

nirajn123

Grumpy_chap said:

nirajn123 said:

miles driven in 2020 was about 300 miles

Car was sold 3 months ago and while I don't need the car, I'd like one just in case - 
I'd be lucky if the car is driven more than 3K a year.

In the past I always had some sort of aspirational car I wanted to buy, it is no longer the case, how do one even decide - far too much choice and prices seem to have gone up quite a bit due to ULEZ extension in London too.

If you are only doing 300 miles per year, then walk, cycle, public transport and UBER.

If you are doing 3k miles per year, then the same combination plus add in a hire car for longer trips.

Probably 3-5K, things are different currently and will change from how they were before 2020, I just need to see how badly I miss having a car.

Aletank

https://droiduk.com/shop/
Android head unit with Apple carplay, looks like original fit, reverse camera included

SharkMoney

Aletank said:

https://droiduk.com/shop/
Android head unit with Apple carplay, looks like original fit, reverse camera included

Looks good that!

SharkMoney

nirajn123 said:

I am in a same situation, over the last year or so I realised that the very expensive car I have got was only brought for vanity reasons, I'd rather have that money and not the car - miles driven in 2020 was about 300 miles - spent more time charging it than driving it. 

Car was sold 3 months ago and while I don't need the car, I'd like one just in case - no zip car or the likes nearby so may have to buy one. All previous regular use of the car no longer apply, and I'd be lucky if the car is driven more than 3K a year.

I am really at wits' end as to what car I should buy,  I guess I am bit spoilt but know I really don't want to spend stupid money on it, yet I keep gravitating towards nicer cars every time I look online. So far I was delaying it until the vaccination is all done and things to open up properly - running out of reasons to delay it any further. 

In the past I always had some sort of aspirational car I wanted to buy, it is no longer the case, how do one even decide - far too much choice and prices seem to have gone up quite a bit due to ULEZ extension in London too.

I am the same!

also my cars over the last 15 years have gotten progressively better and now i feel satisfied I’ve had one of the best so I don’t mind going down the ladder ! Well that is easier said than done I think. 

[Deleted User]

delete 123

Johnmcl7

Grumpy_chap said:

nirajn123 said:

miles driven in 2020 was about 300 miles

Car was sold 3 months ago and while I don't need the car, I'd like one just in case - 
I'd be lucky if the car is driven more than 3K a year.

In the past I always had some sort of aspirational car I wanted to buy, it is no longer the case, how do one even decide - far too much choice and prices seem to have gone up quite a bit due to ULEZ extension in London too.

If you are only doing 300 miles per year, then walk, cycle, public transport and UBER.

If you are doing 3k miles per year, then the same combination plus add in a hire car for longer trips.

My mileage is similar to the person you've quoted although the reason it's so low is because I use a pedal bike for most of my transport these days.  I've looked into a hire car for longer trips but even at 3,000 miles per year even putting aside the hire car being far less convenient, the hire car is also a lot more expensive.  I looked into a hiring a big estate for three weeks in August for a trip I have planned and despite being lower spec than my current car, it came to around £900 which is more than the entire year's running cost for my current car (depreciation is pretty much nothing for its age).  Out of interest I was checking prices now and the I can't even book a suitable car and that's over a month away.

With regards to the topic I have delayed buying a newer car as I had planned to do a lot more trips last year and went to buy a new car in February but thankfully the sales person was awful and talked me out of it.  With second hand car prices being quite high plus manual gearboxes and estates well out of fashion I've not seen a newer car I particularly want.

DrEskimo

nirajn123 said:

I am in a same situation, over the last year or so I realised that the very expensive car I have got was only brought for vanity reasons, I'd rather have that money and not the car - miles driven in 2020 was about 300 miles - spent more time charging it than driving it. 

Car was sold 3 months ago and while I don't need the car, I'd like one just in case - no zip car or the likes nearby so may have to buy one. All previous regular use of the car no longer apply, and I'd be lucky if the car is driven more than 3K a year.

I am really at wits' end as to what car I should buy,  I guess I am bit spoilt but know I really don't want to spend stupid money on it, yet I keep gravitating towards nicer cars every time I look online. So far I was delaying it until the vaccination is all done and things to open up properly - running out of reasons to delay it any further. 

In the past I always had some sort of aspirational car I wanted to buy, it is no longer the case, how do one even decide - far too much choice and prices seem to have gone up quite a bit due to ULEZ extension in London too.

I was in a similar situation a few years back. I didn't have parking, was running a stupidly expensive Audi S5 on finance and was barely driving it as I worked in London. I sold it and then went without a car at all for about 18months. I had access to my partners car and could use public transport, but it wasn't ideal (still involved getting picked up other side).

I was looking for a cheap run around where I knew cost would be higher, but main aim was to minimise as much as possible. Originally looked at small hybrids and that, but then looked at EVs.

In the end I went for a Zoe (battery owned 41kWh). Had it over 2yrs now and it costs me so little. Over all I think it's been around £2500-£3000 for all costs so far. That includes depreciation, insurance, electricity, servicing, MOT and maintenance. When you consider that petrol and VED would be around 1/3rd that cost alone, before you factor in what I think would be higher depreciation costs you realise how cheap they are.

Also for a small car they are great to drive. No gears, good power delivery, good equipment levels, etc.

Perhaps something you can consider? Charging is obviously a consideration, but even without home charging, with low mileage it can be easy to manage with a weekly charge.