to buy or not to buy a car...

[teuchter]

well, depends where in Scotland you want to go. To go to my parents, I have to get a train to glasgow and then back to ayr and it takes 8.5 hours on the train and costs £100 return.

You know you could change at Carlisle and save yourself an hour or two?

 

[teuchter]

Train gets cancelled, wait around for an hour for another, no more reservation

It happens a lot

Have you travelled on a Sunday? The last time I did, it was a right twat

Oh yeah, and I like public transport, but decided to mix it up a bit

Yeah, it happens now and again. Just like you sometimes you get caught up in a traffic jam or diverted around roadworks.

I do quite a lot of longish-distance rail journeys and in my experience it's rare that I don't get a seat or that I am delayed by any really significant amount. In which case I usually make a complaint and receive a fairly generous compensation.

I will grant you that travelling on a Sunday can sometimes be a pain, especially in the last few years with all the work going on on the West coast line.

 

[roryer]

So if we take Matty and Teucher's costs as the basic fixed costs of a car then we have
300 - 350 quid insurance
115 Road tax
50 mot
200 servicing
We have around £800.

We then have a cost for buying the car: £800

Running a car:
Petrol - we know that she only wants to use it at weekends so say 100 miles per week, of which a majority will be on motorways which give good miles per gallon say 40mpg, but some on other roads, in congestion, in cities etc at 20 mpg. So 5000 miles a year, about £4 per gallon, at around 30 mpg = £667

Assume that you ocassionally need to pay for parking, say £100 per year.

This works out at over 2 grand without any unexpected events like breaking down, having an accident etc.

I might be wrong though, even £1 per year would be £1 wasted in my book.

 

[christonabike]

The last eight times I have travelled on a Sunday, I have done some part of my journey by coach and have always got home late - I pay for a train journey, not a coach trip around the houses

[QUOTEespecially in the last few years with all the work going on ][/QUOTE]

When I started travelling by train, over twenty years ago, the same happened, but I thought, no worries, when all the repairs are finished there will be no more of this fucking about with delays, and here we are twenty years later ........... the fucking same - wouldn't mind if it was half price on a Sunday

As I said, I'm mixing up my travel now, much the same as those who care for the enviroment make up their own own reasons for flying

 

[Spymaster]

This works out at over 2 grand without any unexpected events like breaking down, having an accident etc.

An absolute bargain for the freedom and convenience in my book. You can also subtract from your figure all of the saved public transport fares to make this even more of a no-brainer.

 

[Mallard]

Good milage but check the body work/battery tray and the state of the steering wheel/seats and the service record to see if it's been 'clocked'.

 

[Cobbles]

Note that the last train is at 20.09, not 19.05. I think you need to sack your travel agent.

OO-er I can stay as late as 8 o'clock - woweeeee-a-rooty-toot-toot

Miss it and you're deeply stuffed - let's see £50-175 for a bed for the night - at least the room sleeps 2 so that's only an extra £25-90 a head. Mind you if there'd been 2 travelling in a car, then the saving would have paid for an overnight stay..........

Perhaps you could consider making a reservation? It only costs £0.

If there's seats available on the train that I want to get on in 30 minutes time (it left Reading jam packed 2 hours ago already). Funny, there's always seats available in the car (none of which are next to an ASBO laden reprobate on his 5th lager) so I'll have another coffee and then go when I feel like it.

 

[teuchter]

The last eight times I have travelled on a Sunday, I have done some part of my journey by coach and have always got home late - I pay for a train journey, not a coach trip around the houses



When I started travelling by train, over twenty years ago, the same happened, but I thought, no worries, when all the repairs are finished there will be no more of this fucking about with delays, and here we are twenty years later ........... the fucking same - wouldn't mind if it was half price on a Sunday

I think the difference is though that twenty years ago, they would have diverted the train by another route rather than shunting everyone and their luggage onto a coach.

I quite agree with you that if you pay for a train journey, you should get a train journey. The increasing use of bus substitution annoys me too.

In the railways' defence, all of these Sunday engineering works are planned in advance, so it is possible to check beforehand. Although sometimes it isn't made that clear to you that part of the journy will in fact be by bus.

 

[crustychick]

You know you could change at Carlisle and save yourself an hour or two?

it's a right faff

they don't run trains up the west much any more...

 

[crustychick]

The last eight times I have travelled on a Sunday, I have done some part of my journey by coach and have always got home late - I pay for a train journey, not a coach trip around the houses

which is a right fucker if you're going mountain biking! cos they don't let you take your bike on the bus

 

[Pie 1]

So if we take Matty and Teucher's costs as the basic fixed costs of a car then we have
300 - 350 quid insurance
115 Road tax
50 mot
200 servicing
We have around £800.

We then have a cost for buying the car: £800

Running a car:
Petrol - we know that she only wants to use it at weekends so say 100 miles per week, of which a majority will be on motorways which give good miles per gallon say 40mpg, but some on other roads, in congestion, in cities etc at 20 mpg. So 5000 miles a year, about £4 per gallon, at around 30 mpg = £667

Assume that you ocassionally need to pay for parking, say £100 per year.

This works out at over 2 grand without any unexpected events like breaking down, having an accident etc.

Well for starters you only buy the car once, don't you?
So lets assume FTSofA that you have the car for 4 years, that's £200 per year then isn't it?
Then subtract all the ludicrous train fairs you would have paid for....

...like I said, you're talking bollocks.

 

[teuchter]

OO-er I can stay as late as 8 o'clock - woweeeee-a-rooty-toot-toot

Miss it and you're deeply stuffed - let's see £50-175 for a bed for the night - at least the room sleeps 2 so that's only an extra £25-90 a head. Mind you if there'd been 2 travelling in a car, then the saving would have paid for an overnight stay..........

Depends how important staying after 8pm is to your particular circumstances, doesn't it. The train traveller can enjoy a couple of pints at 7pm, sleep them off on the train and be home by hald eleven or so. You can soberly enjoy the sights of Leeds until 9pm, and then spend 4hrs staring at a motorway and get home at 1am, if that's your thing.

Whatever floats your boat, as they say.

All I am objecting to is your posting up of blatantly wrong information without checking it.

 

[teuchter]

it's a right faff

they don't run trains up the west much any more...

Looks like an hourly-ish service to me.

 

[marty21]

So if we take Matty and Teucher's costs as the basic fixed costs of a car then we have
300 - 350 quid insurance
115 Road tax
50 mot
200 servicing
We have around £800.

We then have a cost for buying the car: £800

Running a car:
Petrol - we know that she only wants to use it at weekends so say 100 miles per week, of which a majority will be on motorways which give good miles per gallon say 40mpg, but some on other roads, in congestion, in cities etc at 20 mpg. So 5000 miles a year, about £4 per gallon, at around 30 mpg = £667

Assume that you ocassionally need to pay for parking, say £100 per year.

This works out at over 2 grand without any unexpected events like breaking down, having an accident etc.

I might be wrong though, even £1 per year would be £1 wasted in my book.

well it's personal choice isn't it..it's not illegal to own a car, and if someone wants to spend their own money on a car, then they can -

 

[editor]

In a car you get a seat.

...and a lovely view of the motorway for hours on end, barely any legroom, no chance of getting any work done, no buffet and the lovely sensation of feeling sick if you try and read anything. Oh, and a higher risk of getting injured or killed, of course while adding to more congestion and more misery for the towns you drive through.

 

[teuchter]

Well for starters you only buy the car once, don't you?
So lets assume FTSofA that you have the car for 4 years, that's £200 per year then isn't it?
Then subtract all the ludicrous train fairs you would have paid for....

...like I said, you're talking bollocks.

Still adds up to about £1700 a year for 5000 miles of travel

5000 miles = 10 return trips Oxford-Ayr

10 train journeys Oxford-Ayr = £1000 maximum

you've still got £700 for a few trips elsewhere.

 

[zenie]

well it's personal choice isn't it..it's not illegal to own a car, and if someone wants to spend their own money on a car, then they can -

*claps*

 

[editor]

Having just looked at your photos of New York, I assume you're all in favour of people having the 'right' to fly off on a polluting whim whenever the fancy takes them?

Bless. This old gem again!

Seeing as you're so keen on reasearching things to make a clever point, I suggest you look up my other posts on the subject and you'll find your question has already been answered in full.

Why have you got two log ins, by the way?

 

[fredfelt]

So Crusty, after consultation it seems that you do want a car. Hope it's a good un and gives you many mile of happy motoring!

On this thread I've been pleased to see that Cobbles and Teuchter have found their common love. Train timetables and ticket validity. That warms my heart!

Everyone's a winner.

 

[christonabike]

...and a lovely view of the motorway for hours on end, barely any legroom, no chance of getting any work done, no buffet and the lovely sensation of feeling sick if you try and read anything. Oh, and a higher risk of getting injured or killed, of course

No idea, have you?

lovely view of the motorway: not all the time, especially in the lake district

no chance of getting any work done: not all of us work on our journey

no buffet: there's not always a buffet on a train, but we take sandwiches in the van, and/or stop at a nice boozer somewhere

feeling sick reading: not everyone feels sick reading in a car, do you really think everyone is exactly the same as you, it sounds like it


I am no champion of the car but at least I don't sound like a stuck fucking record!

You can own a vehicle and use trains, do you realise this, haha

 

[marty21]

...and a lovely view of the motorway for hours on end, barely any legroom, no chance of getting any work done, no buffet and the lovely sensation of feeling sick if you try and read anything. Oh, and a higher risk of getting injured or killed, of course while adding to more congestion and more misery for the towns you drive through.

i often drive off the motorways and take the A roads, it can be very pleasant, stopping off for tea breaks and cake

 

[christonabike]

Seeing as you're so keen on reasearching things to make a clever point, I suggest you look up my other posts on the subject and you'll find your question has already been answered in full.

All my points are answered in full, but you still bang on (and on)

I know you are not replying to my post, but the point stands

 

[editor]

lovely view of the motorway: not all the time, especially in the lake district

What percentage of car journeys take place in the Lake District then? Care to hazard a guess?

 

[editor]

i often drive off the motorways and take the A roads, it can be very pleasant, stopping off for tea breaks and cake

Oh, and how your noisy car enhances the lives and environment of those pretty little villages you roar through!

 

[editor]

I know you are not replying to my post, but the point stands

 

[marty21]

Oh, and how your noisy car enhances the lives and environment of those pretty little villages you roar through!

i wouldn't say i roar through, but they seem happy to take my business

 

[christonabike]

What percentage of car journeys take place in the Lake District then? Care to hazard a guess?

For us, none, we walked about twenty miles a day, took a ferry, and then buses

Can't speak for everyone in the sodding world but am putting my point across

I don't get your point, though?

 

[zenie]

nvm

This all a rather superfluous argument

 

[christonabike]

Originally Posted by christonabike
I know you are not replying to my post, but the point stands

You were replying to someone else and their research

 

[christonabike]

Oh, and how your noisy car enhances the lives and environment of those pretty little villages you roar through!

I generally travel through a villlage at 20mph, as there are houses around, and children

It's the done thing

I forgot that you use those new silent trains that travel nowhere near towns and villages

You are generalising, I am talking about my personal experiences, it's all I can do really: the careful and considered use of a vehicle - fuck knows what you are on about?