I have had a driving licence for around 48 years and a car solely for my own use for maybe 44 years of that time. The lady of the house is in a very similar position.
We live in the great Metrolops with its free buses, trains and tubes and quite simply we don't need two cars - one each. Two cars are easily afforded and money is not the issue, but I can go for weeks without using mine, and I just can't let go of it.
Do I need to visit an addiction clinic?
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No, you should keep it and enjoy it whenever you choose to, no matter how rarely.
Hang on to what makes you happy!
Pat
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we have two, and a genuine need for both, we are often in different places having got there by car.
In truth however, hers could be replaced by a PEV. if I lived in London with access to its extensive public transport, one would go, genuinely cant conceive we would need both under those circumstances nor would want to.
Last edited by: Zero on Wed 31 Jan 18 at 18:32
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Getting rid of stuff you don’t need or use can be liberating. A car unused on the driveway is just a liability. It’s just a lump of metal. I’d rid.
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We always had two cars, though when I sold my 123d I had not lined up a new car and the old 120i became our main car for a while, we managed more than adequately for a few months and actually took it all over the country, though there were a very few occasions that we needed two cars so I bought a run around, a 2.0 Clio, that was actually newer and lower mileage than the 120i though was very much the second car.
Subsequently the Clio was getting little use so it went to WBAC, it then came to replacing the 120i as the main car and along came the M135i, though of course the 120i was not replaced, rather it was relegated to second car again.
So we still have two cars.
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We have three, and I think we should be able to manage with no more than two. But the Outlander pulls the caravan, herself won't relinquish the Roomster, and neither is a substitute for the MX-5.
I'm working on it.
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>> We have three, and I think we should be able to manage with no more
>> than two. But the Outlander pulls the caravan, herself won't relinquish the Roomster, and neither is a substitute for the MX-5.
>>
Decadence ;-)
There's the problem though, the caravan, get rid of that and you won't need to tow it, put a small tent in the MX5 or stay in bijou B&B' and small luxury hotels like anyone else ;-)
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We've two and do low miles (10k between us) but quite often need them at the same time. Mind you a change of circumstances will mean almost certainly one will be binned off, possibly sorned. It'll be an easy way to save a few quid.
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>> I'm working on it.
So is jezza, as one of the rich with too much of the wealth, he will confiscate your palace to house the homeless, so you will be living in the caravan
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>> So is jezza, as one of the rich with too much of the wealth, he
>> will confiscate your palace to house the homeless, so you will be living in the
>> caravan
The palace isn't much bigger than the caravan!
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gonna be a tad snug with 8000 homeless in it then
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We're in exactly the same position as The Dugong. Three cars. Substitute Rav4, Micra and Jowett in the same order. I'm not working on it, however.
If the caravan is sold then the Rav will go and I'll probably just use the Jowett...No MOT, free tax, sub £80 insurance.
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We currently have four cars, though only really need two. They each have a purpose though, sort of... some action does need to be taken though, as another one will be arriving in 4 weeks... The plan is:
Stick the Audi convertible back on eBay. Don’t really need two convertibles
Stick the e-tron on autotrader and try one of the webuyanycar type places as well, as a floor price, to shift it
Then we will be back to 3.
The manual BMW that I use most of the time.
An Audi A2 as an appreciating classic ;).
And as a taking stuff to the tip, garden centre run, leaving at the station type of car.
An Ibiza with a DSG ‘box for my partner.
Interestingly, or not, of the four we currently have, one is at the garage (the A2), one is at ChipsAway (wheel refurb on the A3), one is on the drive not working (Audi Cabriolet). So only one actually works ;)
Last edited by: PeterS on Wed 31 Jan 18 at 19:24
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>> An Audi A2 as an appreciating classic ;).
As you are probably the only person that appreciates it, I doubt it will ever be a classic
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It has an owners club and everything :p
Plus, you can get the remains of 2 8’ Christmas trees in it :)
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>> It has an owners club and everything :p
I see its in good company then
www.allegroclubint.org.uk/
www.facebook.com/morrismarinaownersclub/
Last edited by: Zero on Wed 31 Jan 18 at 19:52
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We have two cars, but we both work (Mrs O'Reliant part time) and like Zeddo we need our cars at the same time. If we could manage with one I'd get shot of the other in a heartbeat.
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>> We have two cars, but we both work (Mrs O'Reliant part time) and like Zeddo
>> we need our cars at the same time. If we could manage with one I'd
>> get shot of the other in a heartbeat.
Pretty much same here. If we had London's level of public transport or even a bus every 20minutes I could get to work without a car. As it is the last regular (hourly) bus home leaves at 6, an hour before I finish. Even if there were one at 7pm I'd miss it regularly because calls to/from public don't run to a timetable.
Last edited by: Bromptonaut on Wed 31 Jan 18 at 20:24
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>>
>> >> An Audi A2 as an appreciating classic ;).
>>
>> As you are probably the only person that appreciates it, I doubt it will ever
>> be a classic
>>
Actually I quite like the A2, it was before it's time, the A2 and the TT* have stood the test of time.
Petrol or diesel Peter?
* Except that the original TT was built for hobbits ...
Last edited by: Hard Cheese on Thu 1 Feb 18 at 11:58
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>> Actually I quite like the A2,
There you go, kiss of death on the classic front.
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>> >> Actually I quite like the A2,
>>
>> There you go, kiss of death on the classic front.
>>
Some of us have taste ...
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Indeed we do, but for you I'm afraid its too late.
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I said "us" Z not you ...
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>> I said "us" Z not you ...
Us? you and your other little gang of tasteless cheeses, the babybels?
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>> Actually I quite like the A2, it was before it's time, the A2 and the
>> TT* have stood the test of time.
>>
>> Petrol or diesel Peter?
>>
>> * Except that the original TT was built for hobbits ...
>>
It’s a 1.4 petrol, so should avoid the EML issues of the 1.6 FSI. The 1.4 has more than enough power - it’s only a light car :)
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Similar story to the OP. Owned my own cars since 1971. We now have 2 cars, a caravan and a motorbike. Having completely failed to find a suitable replacement, we need the C8 to tow the caravan. We've tried motorbiking to 'bijou hotels' but Mrs H likes her own space in the caravan. Mrs H claims to need her C3, which is developing a bit of a thirst for engine oil, but she's retired now. Sometimes logic has to take a holiday. I will still be working evenings and Sundays until July, then I'll be fully retired apart from some volunteer work 1 day a month. If Mrs H would entertain driving a 'big' car again, we could sell the C3. We'll probably cling on to the status quo until something mechanical or human breaks.
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We have been looking at our situation as I will be retiring in the next couple of years, we have always run one decent car, i.e. whatever I have as a company car and one car as a second car for SWMBO to use for kid transport to school etc & for her to travel to school etc since she went back into teaching 20 years ago.
SWMBO is a car keeper and is only on her 3rd car ever, a 2001 Golf Mk4. so her car basically costs peanuts to run so we will probably carry on with this approach with me replacing the company car with something decent for longer runs etc and keep the Golf till it finally expires.
Plus the Commer of course.
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I understand some people can get emotional with cars but a car is nothing but a consumer goods not much different (except on price) from washing machine, PC etc.
Except few rare classics, a car is a depreciating asset or liability for most of us.
Your case is ideal for an electric car though.
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>> Your case is ideal for an electric car though.
>>
Do you mean my case??
If so how do you make that out?
SWMBO's car costs peanuts to own and run, no sense in replacing that
The "decent car" will possibly be replaced by a hybrid/PHEV, indeed my last company car will be a PHEV, and as for replacing the Commer with anything......
Last edited by: commerdriver on Thu 1 Feb 18 at 11:15
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>> If so how do you make that out?
Any family with 1+ cars and not needing to travel far on a regular basis (e.g. commuting) can be ideal with 2nd car being electric.
Low running cost and low maintenance. Of course, there is purchase price associated with procuring the EV.
Now whether it is cheaper to sell ICE car and procure an EV is cost effective or not that's a different calculation (though a valid one).
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>> >> If so how do you make that out?
>>
>> Any family with 1+ cars and not needing to travel far on a regular basis
>> (e.g. commuting) can be ideal with 2nd car being electric.
>>
A little bit of a broad assumption, there are other requirements to consider such as what or who you need to carry and whether both cars might need to do long journeys in different directions for family reasons for example, have done many times and would expect to do again.
>> Low running cost and low maintenance. Of course, there is purchase price associated with >> procuring the EV.
And the depreciation on it and, to do a little bit of eco, why burn a whole lot of energy making an EV to replace an ICE car built 20 years ago which does v low mileage
>> Now whether it is cheaper to sell ICE car and procure an EV is cost
>> effective or not that's a different calculation (though a valid one).
>>
I think the solution of a hybrid/PHEV as the main car probably best matches our needs and will do for the foreseeable future. Most likely long term solution would probably be one hybrid and the Commer which I do not expect to sell until I give up driving.
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>> I understand some people can get emotional with cars but a car is nothing but
>> a consumer goods not much different (except on price) from washing machine, PC etc.
It still doesn't hurt to look after them to make them last a little bit longer though. I know some women who get emotional over their consumer goods. The slightest scratch on the washing machine of freezer and world war three can break out.
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I know some women who get emotional over their consumer goods.
Clearly you mix with a different breed of woman to those most of us know.
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>> I know some women who get emotional over their consumer goods.
>>
>> Clearly you mix with a different breed of woman to those most of us know.
>>
Don't know any who are emotional over consumer goods although younger D-i-L sounds almost emotional about the new kitchen in their new house.
Wife and daughter, however definitely have emotional attachments to their cars, both cars have had names since they got them and although the cars are 17 an d 19 year old respectively, both openly admit that they will only change when the costs get terminal and will miss them when they have to go.
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>> I know some women who get emotional over their consumer goods.
>>
>> Clearly you mix with a different breed of woman to those most of us know.
>>
>>
I can see the advantages - a vacuum cleaner for birthday and perhaps a tumble d for Xmas?
:)
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I wouldn't bother Sherlock, the only emotion a woman shows over white goods is when the other half *tries* to repair them.
Pat
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As Hawkeye just said - " We'll probably cling on to the status quo until something mechanical or human breaks. "
In the meantime, we are well suited to the concept of a fossil fuelled long distance car for those 500 miles in day french jaunts and an electric one for pottering about. We even have a garage and a drive which we never use and wouldn't use for electric charging. Why you may wonder? Well, morons are constantly parking across the dropped kerb so I'd often end up with a perfectly useful car that I couldn't use.
Oh the excuses when the selfish idiots are challenged: "I didn't see the drive", "well I'm leaving now so it's not a problem", " So what ! I'll park where I like" and so on.
I've just thought that now I know why we keep two cars - one's to park over the dropped kerb to keep it free !
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I'd happily lose the purchase and running costs of a second car, but we would struggle without two cars.
To pick today as a random example, one of us is in Bracknell with one of the cars, and one of us in Cardiff with the other. Last week it was Reading and Warrington on the same day. This sort of thing is pretty common.
What we will do is seriously look at an EV to replace one of them next time round, if there's anything interesting and affordable on the market in a few years time. It's rare both cars do long journeys on the same.
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Probably one of the biggest decisions of my life - Pat
