Car free house?

[email hidden] (Simon Mason) wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

The car is now stuck in a Kwikfit who can't fix it and what's more
they've flattened the battery and have no means of starting it. It
might be the day to get rid of it altogether and become a car free
family. I'm cycling to work even on nights, Our Lass is walking
everywhere and I'm saving a bomb on fuel. Only thing is I'll have to
pay someone to scrap it ;-)

Well done! I passed my driving test over two years ago now but had no
reason yet to buy a car - anything too far for a bike ride I use the train.
99.9% of people I try to explain it to don't understand.

Iain Jones said:

[email hidden] (Simon Mason) wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

The car is now stuck in a Kwikfit who can't fix it and what's more
they've flattened the battery and have no means of starting it. It
might be the day to get rid of it altogether and become a car free
family. I'm cycling to work even on nights, Our Lass is walking
everywhere and I'm saving a bomb on fuel. Only thing is I'll have to
pay someone to scrap it ;-)

Well done! I passed my driving test over two years ago now but had no
reason yet to buy a car - anything too far for a bike ride I use the
train.
99.9% of people I try to explain it to don't understand.

Unless you need your car for work (no public transport and way too far to
cycle) then there must be a lot to be said for *hiring* a car on the few
days you really need one. It means you do not get hit with big repair bills
(if you have an old car) and you don't get hit with huge depreciation losses
(if it's less than about 3 years old). Also you save on fixed costs like
tax and insurance, which will pay for quite a few days hire *alone*!

"Iain Jones" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

[email hidden] (Simon Mason) wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

The car is now stuck in a Kwikfit who can't fix it and what's more
they've flattened the battery and have no means of starting it. It
might be the day to get rid of it altogether and become a car free
family. I'm cycling to work even on nights, Our Lass is walking
everywhere and I'm saving a bomb on fuel. Only thing is I'll have to
pay someone to scrap it ;-)

Well done! I passed my driving test over two years ago now but had no
reason yet to buy a car - anything too far for a bike ride I use the
train.
99.9% of people I try to explain it to don't understand.

99.9% of people assume that I must have lost my licence. Then I ask them how
much their car costs them a month. They start to figure out why I don't
bother.

In article said:

Our Lass turned up on Saturday night in the car at 2030 with all of
the brake fluid drained out of the brake system (don't ask me!).

Happened to me once. The AA sent a Relay truck without insisting on
seeing if it could be fixed in place first. (Cracked brake caliper,
which I replaced myself, but yours might be something trickier.)

"Adrian Boliston" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Unless you need your car for work (no public transport and way too far to
cycle) then there must be a lot to be said for *hiring* a car on the few
days you really need one. It means you do not get hit with big repair

bills

Quoted message said:

(if you have an old car) and you don't get hit with huge depreciation

losses

Quoted message said:

(if it's less than about 3 years old). Also you save on fixed costs like
tax and insurance, which will pay for quite a few days hire *alone*!

I do almost exactly the opposite of what you suggest. Car isn't used for
work (or shopping), only for allowing me to do leisure things.

Old car isn't necessarily the same as big repair bills if you know what
you're doing. The brompton broke the rule that the car must cost less than
the bikes (car was 500sq).

Car hire isn't really helpful either - I can be as mucky as I like with my
car, and the tandem tends to go on a roof rack.

cheers,
clive

"there must be a lot to be said for *hiring* a car on the few
days you really need one."
I've gotta disagree.
A few years ago when I didn't have a car. I was faced with two seperate long journeys over easter weekend. I looked at the cost of hiring a car and decided it was cheaper to buy an old car and scrap it if necessary after the weekend. Worked for me.
I commute by bike, and only use the car very occassionally but buy old cars and find this much cheaper than hiring a car.
On the other hand my mother-in-law hates driving and makes a whole load of journeys by taxi. I used to think she was crazy but as you say no tax, insurance, or repair bills and she reckons its a whole lot cheaper.

Clive George said:

"Adrian Boliston" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Unless you need your car for work (no public transport and way too far to
cycle) then there must be a lot to be said for *hiring* a car on the few
days you really need one. It means you do not get hit with big repair

bills

Quoted message said:

(if you have an old car) and you don't get hit with huge depreciation

losses

Quoted message said:

(if it's less than about 3 years old). Also you save on fixed costs like
tax and insurance, which will pay for quite a few days hire *alone*!

I do almost exactly the opposite of what you suggest. Car isn't used for
work (or shopping), only for allowing me to do leisure things.

Old car isn't necessarily the same as big repair bills if you know what
you're doing.

Even if you don't really know what you are doing (like me), a cheap old
car can be extremely cheap to run. I had a Nissan Micra for about 6
years, it was old when I bought it but it hardly ever broke down and I
even managed to recoup some of the fixed costs by using it on business
trips. If you are prepared to drive a rusty heap, then it can be a very
cheap mode of transport indeed. Of course, those who get caught up in
the status/ego/new car/upgrade treadmill will pay a lot more...

It was still running well (with a nearly-new engine, the one major
expense it had required) when I left the country and sold it for 250 quid.

James
--
If I have seen further than others, it is
by treading on the toes of giants.
http://www.ne.jp/asahi/julesandjames/home/

In article <[email hidden]>,

(Simon Mason) said:

The car is now stuck in a Kwikfit who can't fix it and what's more
they've flattened the battery and have no means of starting it. It
might be the day to get rid of it altogether and become a car free
family.

I've been carfree most of my life.

I did get a car whilst in Italy. After about 10 months without,
I was getting really miserable at the lack of anywhere local I could
cycle or walk. No off-road areas, no network of minor roads, just
main roads and a few dead ends. Even inner London has minor roads,
parks, and pavements that can be walked, all of which I missed.

On returning to Blighty I brought it with me. Used it occasionally,
but with the luxury of some decent cycling and walking that dwindled
to hardly ever, and eventually it was a relief to be rid of it.

OTOH a 12 mile journey without the option of public transport isn't
bad going. If you can make it through the next three months -
especially January - without regrets, you're there!

--
Nick Kew

On Tue, 09 Nov 2004 21:02:58 GMT, "elyob" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

"Iain Jones" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

[email hidden] (Simon Mason) wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

The car is now stuck in a Kwikfit who can't fix it and what's more
they've flattened the battery and have no means of starting it. It
might be the day to get rid of it altogether and become a car free
family. I'm cycling to work even on nights, Our Lass is walking
everywhere and I'm saving a bomb on fuel. Only thing is I'll have to
pay someone to scrap it ;-)

Well done! I passed my driving test over two years ago now but had no
reason yet to buy a car - anything too far for a bike ride I use the
train.
99.9% of people I try to explain it to don't understand.

99.9% of people assume that I must have lost my licence. Then I ask them how
much their car costs them a month. They start to figure out why I don't
bother.

IME most people don't really have much of a clue how much their car
costs them. I know I didn't until I sat down with Excel and worked out
that I was paying over £450 a month to do next to no miles.

I'm amazed at the number of people who think I'm recklessly
extravagant because I now use a lot of taxis and travel first by rail.
But I'm still better off by an average of £300 a month.

A shame I've had a real bad cold this week (2 taxi commutes) and have
to do a trip to Plymouth. Until Monday, I was forecasting a total
spend on travel of £0.00 this month[1].

[1] Or rather, £20. Which is what I put aside each month to cover bike
depreciation, maintenance and as "self insurance".

Came to that conclusion myself ages ago! Nephew offered me his 'runner' as a
gift. Declined! Asked - 'why not' - replied the 'running costs'. Just how
many taxis, trains, buses etc can you get for all the costs of running a
car?

Besides have got bus pass now and qualify for 34% discount on trains.

"James Annan" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:2vcsqeF2k9hpaU1@uni-

Quoted message said:

Even if you don't really know what you are doing (like me), a cheap old
car can be extremely cheap to run. I had a Nissan Micra for about 6 years,
it was old when I bought it but it hardly ever broke down and I even
managed to recoup some of the fixed costs by using it on business trips.
If you are prepared to drive a rusty heap, then it can be a very cheap
mode of transport indeed.

My mate at work still commutes in an Escort XR3 that he bought new in 1980
which is simple enough to service himself.

I'm not going to scrap mine though as I have paid it all off, it's had the
cambelt done and been well looked after, so I know its provenance. I'll just
have to stump up some cash to get the brakes fixed. Some good has come out
of it though, it's made our lass discover that she has two legs.
--
Simon M.

"Nick Kew" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

OTOH a 12 mile journey without the option of public transport isn't
bad going. If you can make it through the next three months -
especially January - without regrets, you're there!

Well, I've done it for the last 5 years, so I should be OK. Difference this
time is commuting on night shift, but I coped with that with a heavy cold in
pouring rain.

--
Simon M.

nobody760 popped their head over the parapet saw what was going on and
said

Quoted message said:

Just how many taxis, trains, buses etc can you get
for all the costs of running a car?

Haven't got a site reference or anything but the figure
of 16,000 miles comes to mind. Less than that and it
is actually cheaper to use taxis,buses, hire cars etc
above this and it is cheapest to actually own a car
(assuming you get the car serviced and you haven't
got a pal in the garage trade who gives you a deal
on the price of fuel).

--
yours S

Nihil curo de ista tua stulta superstitione

soup said:

Haven't got a site reference or anything but the figure
of 16,000 miles comes to mind. Less than that and it
is actually cheaper to use taxis,buses, hire cars etc
above this and it is cheapest to actually own a car
(assuming you get the car serviced and you haven't
got a pal in the garage trade who gives you a deal
on the price of fuel).

And also assuming you don't cost in the time and inconvenience of
getting the hire car/bus/waiting for the taxi, versus just walking out
of the house and starting up the car...

James
--
If I have seen further than others, it is
by treading on the toes of giants.
http://www.ne.jp/asahi/julesandjames/home/

James Annan popped their head over the parapet saw what was going on
and said

Quoted message said:

soup said:

Haven't got a site reference or anything but the figure
of 16,000 miles comes to mind. Less than that and it
is actually cheaper to use taxis,buses, hire cars etc
above this and it is cheapest to actually own a car
(assuming you get the car serviced and you haven't
got a pal in the garage trade who gives you a deal
on the price of fuel).

And also assuming you don't cost in the time and inconvenience of
getting the hire car/bus/waiting for the taxi, versus just walking out
of the house and starting up the car...

James

Didn't say it was better/more convenient or anything like that
just that it was cheaper

--
yours S

Nihil curo de ista tua stulta superstitione

James Annan said:

And also assuming you don't cost in the time and inconvenience of
getting the hire car/bus/waiting for the taxi, versus just walking out
of the house and starting up the car...

And that you can hire a car with roofbars for the sea kayaks. I once tried
to hire a car with a towbar for my bike carrier and that didn't exist.

Roos

"Simon Mason" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I'm not going to scrap mine though as I have paid it all off, it's had the
cambelt done and been well looked after, so I know its provenance. I'll
just have to stump up some cash to get the brakes fixed. Some good has
come out of it though, it's made our lass discover that she has two legs.

Just ridden to the Kwikfit, put my road bike in the boot. The lads then
pushed me off as the battery was flat and I drove 2 miles on a wing and a
prayer with hardly any brakes to a local independent Alfa mechanic and left
it with him. Rode home and am now waiting for the bad news.

--
Simon M

Simon Mason said:

Just ridden to the Kwikfit, put my road bike in the boot. The lads then
pushed me off as the battery was flat

I can't believe Kwikfit have no means of starting a car or recharging a
battery. Are they really that bad? (I know they do tyres but I thought
they did a few other things too.)

Colin

"Colin Blackburn" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Simon Mason said:

Just ridden to the Kwikfit, put my road bike in the boot. The lads then
pushed me off as the battery was flat

I can't believe Kwikfit have no means of starting a car or recharging a
battery. Are they really that bad? (I know they do tyres but I thought
they did a few other things too.)

They actually asked my wife if she had any jump leads as the battery was
flat (it was OK when I left it there). I arrived there with my own personal
battery charger in my rucksack intending to plug it into their mains socket
but they pushed me off instead. I couldn't believe it either since they fit
batteries, brakes and exhausts as well as tyres.

--
Simon