Two cars, or not two cars, that is the question.

[Deleted User]

Langtang said:

missile said:

Langtang said:

It's been great reading all the responses to my question, thanks very much. A divided opinion it would seem.

I think, whilst we can still afford to, we'll continue with 2 cars. Perhaps around SPA (2030) we'll look to change to a forever car that we both feel comfortable driving.

By then of course, the new electric rules will be in operation. I hope by then that the charging situation is better than it is at present.

I intend to ensure I have a nearly new combustion engine car(s) before they are banned.

This is my thinking, also. 2030 sees the new law come into force, along with my normal retirement age. It’s a sign. 

I am a geek at heart, and love new gadgets, so I would have thought an electric car would have been right up my street (a colleague, who has a Tesla, has said that once I drive an electric car I will be hooked) but I can see the practical drawbacks. 

Heavens, there’s plenty of places in the uk still struggling to get a decent broadband signal, decades after fast internet was announced. I envisage the same with charging points. 

 I’m not entirely sure on the new rulings though. Will it be entirely combustion cars that are banned, or will you still be able to get hybrids. Through all my searching online, I never did find a definitive answer. 

mark55man said:

missile said:

Langtang said:

It's been great reading all the responses to my question, thanks very much. A divided opinion it would seem.

I think, whilst we can still afford to, we'll continue with 2 cars. Perhaps around SPA (2030) we'll look to change to a forever car that we both feel comfortable driving.

By then of course, the new electric rules will be in operation. I hope by then that the charging situation is better than it is at present.

I intend to ensure I have a nearly new combustion engine car(s) before they are banned.

Think about how hard it might be to get Petrol at the end of that new cars lifespan - might be more difficult than it currently is to get a charge,  Although I have to say my thinking was a little along your lines, so it might be difficult either way

They can’t/won’t actually ban existing IC cars – because that would mean making them illegal

What they can (and probably will do) is make them prohibitively expensive to run – making petrol only available at specialist suppliers and hugely expensive and as for vehicle excise duty, the sky is the limit !

missile

Langtang said:

missile said:

Langtang said:

It's been great reading all the responses to my question, thanks very much. A divided opinion it would seem.

I think, whilst we can still afford to, we'll continue with 2 cars. Perhaps around SPA (2030) we'll look to change to a forever car that we both feel comfortable driving.

By then of course, the new electric rules will be in operation. I hope by then that the charging situation is better than it is at present.

I intend to ensure I have a nearly new combustion engine car(s) before they are banned.

This is my thinking, also. 2030 sees the new law come into force, along with my normal retirement age. It’s a sign. 

I am a geek at heart, and love new gadgets, so I would have thought an electric car would have been right up my street (a colleague, who has a Tesla, has said that once I drive an electric car I will be hooked) but I can see the practical drawbacks. 

Heavens, there’s plenty of places in the uk still struggling to get a decent broadband signal, decades after fast internet was announced. I envisage the same with charging points. 

 I’m not entirely sure on the new rulings though. Will it be entirely combustion cars that are banned, or will you still be able to get hybrids. Through all my searching online, I never did find a definitive answer. 

mark55man said:

missile said:

Langtang said:

It's been great reading all the responses to my question, thanks very much. A divided opinion it would seem.

I think, whilst we can still afford to, we'll continue with 2 cars. Perhaps around SPA (2030) we'll look to change to a forever car that we both feel comfortable driving.

By then of course, the new electric rules will be in operation. I hope by then that the charging situation is better than it is at present.

I intend to ensure I have a nearly new combustion engine car(s) before they are banned.

Think about how hard it might be to get Petrol at the end of that new cars lifespan - might be more difficult than it currently is to get a charge,  Although I have to say my thinking was a little along your lines, so it might be difficult either way

I can only imagine that it would be available, but at a premium (no pun intended) There’s so much more than cars that rely on it. Some of our neighbours have vintage cars, and they’ve been talking about not being able to use the new fuel mix that has become the norm. 

matelodave said:

One problem we've noticed with many couples who give up one car is that one of them tends to do most of the driving and the second (usually the wife) ends up as the passenger and loses the confidence to drive - especially long distances. It's happened to several people that we know.

That is exactly what happened to my MIL. 

So much so, that she reversed the car out of the garage after a long time of not driving and forgot to close the door before reversing out of the garage. The door buckled back on its hinges, left the garage, careered down the driveway almost hitting a neighbours house. She was in such a state of shock, she completely went blank on what to do to stop the car. 

Luckily, everyone was safe and uninjured. She rarely drove again after that, although she was very reluctant to give up the car/her licence. She felt it would mark a point in her life, and that it would be all downhill from there (again, no pun intended)

We were told buy diesel, then no diesel causes pollution. Now it is buy electric, it is better for the environment. No thought for dwindling supplies of materials needed to make the batteries or the child labour to mine it.

I have little faith in this government's "experts" and their ability to organise anything.

silverwhistle

Deleted_User said:

What they can (and probably will do) is make them prohibitively expensive to run –

To be honest, they won't have to make them so, it will happen naturally. Why keep your petrol pump open when it is only stroppy pensioners and a few boy racers with old souped up Corsas who are your customers?

On the question of charging there are two issues to resolve:

1) the capacity of fast charging for those longer trips which are longer than the range of the car. I've had mine a year, and although admittedly during covid times I haven't had to do enforced charging as all my trips have been within the range of my car and I charge at home, with a decent element of solar in that. I did one airport run where a free supermarket top up was useful whilst I waited for someone and enabled me to tank it home.

2) Charging for those who can't do so at home. I charge either free from solar or overnight at 5p a unit, so solutions need to be cheaper and speed won't matter so much for overnight usage.

Bear in mind the average mileage is about 7000 p.a. which on an annual basis is only about 5kWh a day.

[Deleted User]

silverwhistle said:

Deleted_User said:

What they can (and probably will do) is make them prohibitively expensive to run –

To be honest, they won't have to make them so, it will happen naturally. Why keep your petrol pump open when it is only stroppy pensioners and a few boy racers with old souped up Corsas who are your customers?

On the question of charging there are two issues to resolve:

1) the capacity of fast charging for those longer trips which are longer than the range of the car. I've had mine a year, and although admittedly during covid times I haven't had to do enforced charging as all my trips have been within the range of my car and I charge at home, with a decent element of solar in that. I did one airport run where a free supermarket top up was useful whilst I waited for someone and enabled me to tank it home.

2) Charging for those who can't do so at home. I charge either free from solar or overnight at 5p a unit, so solutions need to be cheaper and speed won't matter so much for overnight usage.

Bear in mind the average mileage is about 7000 p.a. which on an annual basis is only about 5kWh a day.

That's interesting

You charge by solar - how many panels do you have and how long would a full charge take ?

prowla

What is the big saving in going to one car?

On the one hand you save several hundred in insurance, Road Tax, and maintenance.

On the other, you will have a higher mileage on your one-car insurance, be wearing out the single car sooner, not have a spare if one is off the road for any reason for maintenance, and be having to add courtesy car to your insurance.

missile

I will not be changing to electric central heating either > PM sent grave warning as next crisis brewing: 'We could have another HGV situation' (msn.com)

[Deleted User]

prowla said:

What is the big saving in going to one car?

On the one hand you save several hundred in insurance, Road Tax, and maintenance.

On the other, you will have a higher mileage on your one-car insurance, be wearing out the single car sooner, not have a spare if one is off the road for any reason for maintenance, and be having to add courtesy car to your insurance.

We pay less than £300 for 2 cars insurance - so may save £150pa
Hardly worth even considering
Car tax - both are £30 pa

silverwhistle

That's interesting

You charge by solar - how many panels do you have and how long would a full charge take ?

I normally charge the car on cheap rate overnight, but when it is sunny I get a useful contribution from the panels. I only charge using a normal three pin plug and after my hot water tank has been heated (to a high temperature). Then I plug in the car if there is enough solar so that I don't buy any power from the grid at more expensive daytime rates. Three weeks (?) ago, for example, there were three really sunny days on the trot and I charged about 50/60+ miles worth, which is effectively cost free fuel as the panels have paid for themselves already. I did the same earlier in the summer, but now as we get into late autumn it's just a full tank of hot water free.

During sunny shoulder month cold weather when there is not enough for the car I use an oil-filled heater with 800w/1200/2kW settings as appropriate to use as much of my own power as possible.

silverwhistle

prowla said:

What is the big saving in going to one car?

You don't have the sunk cost in the car. It might be worth a bit more so to the running expenses you could add the capital cost. If it's not worth very much add in a bit for servicing and the annual MOT.

I've never had a courtesy car or hired when mine was off the road but I appreciate  some people find not having a car difficult and and are unable to be flexible in its absence. 

Ms_Chocaholic

If you do plan to go to one car, you can each take it in turns to have the insurance policy in your respective names with the other as a named driver, this means that you both keep your NCB if you do decide to get another car in the future.