Today I didn't ride to work. This always leaves me in a less than ideal mood. The reason: the MOT for the car.
It got worse.. Using Francis' method of accounting I am minus one shiny new bike.. Bah! Front brakes, suspension, cat converter, and a few other odds and sods. 800 quid.. that is startign to add up to a significant amount per mile (annual mileage is about 4K, about the same as the bike).
Time to start looking again at serious alternatives to the current personal transport options..
"David Martin" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Today I didn't ride to work. This always leaves me in a less than ideal mood. The reason: the MOT for the car.
It got worse.. Using Francis' method of accounting I am minus one shiny new bike.. Bah! Front brakes, suspension, cat converter, and a few other odds and sods. 800 quid.. that is startign to add up to a significant amount per mile (annual mileage is about 4K, about the same as the bike).
Mine was 560 for service/MOT/Tax, but I won our works draw of 600 quid the same day meaning I stayed 40 quid up :-)
"David Martin" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Today I didn't ride to work. This always leaves me in a less than ideal mood. The reason: the MOT for the car.
It got worse.. Using Francis' method of accounting I am minus one shiny new bike.. Bah! Front brakes, suspension, cat converter, and a few other odds and sods. 800 quid.. that is startign to add up to a significant amount per mile (annual mileage is about 4K, about the same as the bike).
Time to start looking again at serious alternatives to the current personal transport options..
I used to have a car, then met the same problem as you. Did the sums, discovered that it was cheaper to hire a car or use a taxi rather than own one for the amount I used it. It is also worth checking out whether you have access to a car club. If you don't, consider setting up an informal one with your neighbours. You'll all save money, still have the convenience, and you'll all be thinking more about how you travel, and the effects of that travel, if only on your wallet.
Today I didn't ride to work. This always leaves me in a less than ideal mood. The reason: the MOT for the car.
It got worse.. Using Francis' method of accounting I am minus one shiny new bike.. Bah! Front brakes, suspension, cat converter, and a few other odds and sods. 800 quid.. that is startign to add up to a significant amount per mile (annual mileage is about 4K, about the same as the bike).
On the premise that the car probably isn't direct usually direct competition to the bike, that's a lot of bus, train, taxi or car hire fares.
Last time I drove was when I hired a white van to move house, two months ago. Let the hire company manage the three-figure bills: it's their business, not mine.
Today I didn't ride to work. This always leaves me in a less than ideal mood. The reason: the MOT for the car.
It got worse.. Using Francis' method of accounting I am minus one shiny new bike.. Bah! Front brakes, suspension, cat converter, and a few other odds and sods. 800 quid.. that is startign to add up to a significant amount per mile (annual mileage is about 4K, about the same as the bike).
Time to start looking again at serious alternatives to the current personal transport options..
..d
Took mine in for a service & MOT last week. They charged me £220 for the service & then failed the MOT. Have to go back on Friday & its going to cost me between £390 & £600 🙁 Its a shame that my contract states that I MUST have a car available for work.
On 17/5/05 6:47 pm, in article [email hidden], "Simon
Mason said:
"David Martin" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Today I didn't ride to work. This always leaves me in a less than ideal mood. The reason: the MOT for the car.
It got worse.. Using Francis' method of accounting I am minus one shiny new bike.. Bah! Front brakes, suspension, cat converter, and a few other odds and sods. 800 quid.. that is startign to add up to a significant amount per mile (annual mileage is about 4K, about the same as the bike).
Mine was 560 for service/MOT/Tax, but I won our works draw of 600 quid the same day meaning I stayed 40 quid up :-)
Mine was/is 800 before adding VED. It is always a bit diconcerting to walk past the garage on your way into work and see most of your car on the ramps and people at the rest of it with big hammers..
I hear the Dark Side calling. It's saying "Byeeee!"
But on the good side, I have an extra day for York as I don't have to be back home till Monday afternoon.
Today I didn't ride to work. This always leaves me in a less than ideal mood. The reason: the MOT for the car.
It got worse.. Using Francis' method of accounting I am minus one shiny new bike.. Bah! Front brakes, suspension, cat converter, and a few other odds and sods. 800 quid.. that is startign to add up to a significant amount per mile (annual mileage is about 4K, about the same as the bike).
Time to start looking again at serious alternatives to the current personal transport options..
..d
Took mine in for a service & MOT last week. They charged me £220 for the service & then failed the MOT. Have to go back on Friday & its going to cost me between £390 & £600 🙁 Its a shame that my contract states that I MUST have a car available for work.
How often do you use it for work? Can you have an arrangement with a hire place?
I know it would be cheaper to do away with the car and use bus/taxi/etc., hiring a car for when we need one. The main factor is the immediate convenience. In the face of annual runnning costs of about 1600, that makes about 40p per mile.. but the marginal cost per mile is much less. Fixed costs this year excluding depreciation are about 1300 GBP.
I still end up doign more mileage on the bikes, especially Igor which has replaced a significant proportion of car journeys.
Today I didn't ride to work. This always leaves me in a less than ideal mood. The reason: the MOT for the car.
It got worse.. Using Francis' method of accounting I am minus one shiny new bike.. Bah! Front brakes, suspension, cat converter, and a few other odds and sods. 800 quid.. that is startign to add up to a significant amount per mile (annual mileage is about 4K, about the same as the bike).
Time to start looking again at serious alternatives to the current personal transport options..
..d
Took mine in for a service & MOT last week. They charged me £220 for the service & then failed the MOT. Have to go back on Friday & its going to cost me between £390 & £600 🙁 Its a shame that my contract states that I MUST have a car available for work.
How often do you use it for work? Can you have an arrangement with a hire place?
I know it would be cheaper to do away with the car and use bus/taxi/etc., hiring a car for when we need one. The main factor is the immediate convenience. In the face of annual runnning costs of about 1600, that makes about 40p per mile.. but the marginal cost per mile is much less. Fixed costs this year excluding depreciation are about 1300 GBP.
I still end up doign more mileage on the bikes, especially Igor which has replaced a significant proportion of car journeys.
..d
Unfortunately this is not possible for me. I work technical support for schools and can be required to visit a school on any day at short notice. Work does have pool cars that I should theoretically be able to use but you need to book them two weeks in advance. I sometimes park the car near work on Monday & then cycle back & forth. On the up side I do get 40p a mile so work mileage pretty much covers most of the costs.
Stan Cox
P.s. On a couple of occasions I have had to cycle to schools to fix problems which was not only fun but the most Ive ever been paid to ride the bike. We had to check in advance that the schools in question didnt mind a fat bloke in lycra turning up 🙂
