I currently have 2 cars, both are now off the road.
My real car, a diesel Peugeot 406, failed on me last August. After some extensive work to try and fix it, it now needs a new engine. We've been looking for around 4 months for a new one, but nothing suitable has come up. It's estimated that it'll cost me roughly ã500 for a new engine (including work to connect it all up). The car is only worth about ã1000.
As a temporary measure, I bought a Fiesta XR2 from a friend of Nicole's brother, who was desperate for some cash. About the only good thing I had to say about it, was that it got me to work and back. Well that was until this week. This temporary measure is now looking like costing a small fortune to put right.
I'm now considering cutting my losses and just getting a new car, and selling the others as spares or repairs.
If only Nicole had let me buy the nice shiny Purple Vauxhall Vectra that I wanted, I would probably never had this much hassle. She now sees the error in her judgement, but it's a bit late now :(
We don't have any cars. The money we save on not running a car easily covers the cost of using a train to get to work, car hire now and then, and there is a lot of cash left over to spend on other things. I know not everyone can avoid running a car, but an awful lot of people make excuses for their expensive environment and bank balance destorying cars....
Re:Car = Money
barbie on 2005-05-09T18:35:26
I would love to travel on public transport again, as when I was working in Brum it was just £30 a month. The car costs me about £30 every 3 days. However, public transport would cost around £40 per day. Just to get there takes 2 buses and 2 trains, taking around 2 hours. By car it's a 45 minute journey. The rail network between Birmingham and Gloucester isn't commuter friendly.I'm hoping I can car share at some point in the future, or work from home more often, once IS finally get my VPN working!
Re:Car = Money
ajt on 2005-05-09T19:15:47
It can be done though, but I accept it's not for everyone. An awful lot of people in our village drive from their house to the village centre, and then spend more time trying to find a parking spot that it would have taken them to walk. To add insult to injury, then then complain that there are not enough car parking spaces....
Re:Car = Money
vsergu on 2005-05-09T19:25:40
Yes, but do they also worry that they're not getting enough exercise, or is that just an American thing?Re:Car = Money
ajt on 2005-05-09T20:34:22
That too, but they do drive to the gym to get fitter...
Re:Car = Money
barbie on 2005-05-09T20:04:53
I think I was fortunate growing up. Holmes Chapel had a major station between Crewe and Manchester, and the bus services to the surrounding towns was excellent. If I fancied the exercise, I'd bike it to Congleton or Sandbach (8 miles in either direction).These days both train and bus service are only great if you live in the right catchment area. Bikes don't seem to be as popular as they once were, mainly due to the number of cars making it dangerous. Driving into Rubery village would just be silly, but then it's surprising how many people do it.
Re:Car = Money
ajt on 2005-05-09T20:56:53
I wasn't so lucky growing up, there were no trains in the area, and the bus service was limted and expensive. I use to bike to work, and it was cheap, and great for getting fitter, but where I now work the roads are far too dangerous to use, and the train company is very anti-bike. I just walk and train now, which is okay, but bike and train would be better...
At the weekends we bike about a bit, it's usually safe round the village, but the rare car on the minor roads are a pest, they think they own the road...
