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Yes cars are extremely expensive. But for many the ability to live within driving distance of work is worth it. I know people who don't have cars. They reall
by Goladus 16y ago
Yes cars are extremely expensive. But for many the ability to live within driving distance of work is worth it. I know people who don't have cars. They really miss them. I can drive 250 miles to see my family on a whim. It takes 4-5 hours. Taking public transit requires 7-8 hours, and only gets me within 25 miles of my parents' house (which is pretty good compared to much of the US).
And something like reliability is difficult to quantify. The difference between a $20,000 car and a $4,000 car is often that the $4,000 car is more likely to fail on you unexpectedly. You'll wake up one morning to find the battery dead, or you'll be halfway to work and your brake lines will rupture, or maybe it's just that the door sticks and is a minor subconscious annoyance. Eventually the amount of money you have to sink into a clunker to keep it running will be as much as it would have cost to buy the newer car.
But yeah, anything more than that, unless you need the car to impress clients, is pure luxury. If I had to blow $50,000 on a luxury, it would not be a car.
- reitzensteinm 16y agoAnecdotally, for the first time in 6 years I don't have a car and I'm loving it. I'm living about 10 minutes walk from the CBD. To visit anyone I'd fly anyway, and the airport is only 15 minutes away by bus. Walking everywhere is much more satisfying, and not having to worry about breakdowns, oil changes, registration - not to mention the cost - is very nice. On the occasion that I decide to take a road trip, I can rent a car, for a small percentage of the annual cost of ownership. It probably helps that I live in a dense, pedestrian friendly city though (Wellington, New Zealand).
- shadowsun7 16y agoYou're truly blessed to be living in such an ideal location. I'd kill to be able to be 10 minutes away from both the CBD and the airport.
- reitzensteinm 16y agoI'm close to a national park as well! Wellington is crammed in really tight. Unfortunately the price is higher rent.
- jodrellblank 16y agoYou'd kill, but you wouldn't move?
- Periodic 16y agoThe market for hitmen is currently saturated, so even if he works overtime and does a few extra hits on the side under the table, he still isn't going to make enough to move into the more expensive, more central neighborhoods. Plus, there's all those fees to keep your contract-killer's license up to date.
- heresy 16y agoMiss Wellington, couldn't do that in Auckland. I tried for around 2 years, got too frustrating just not being able to get around without bumming lifts or using the very spotty bus/train coverage. CBD rents of $400-500 p.w. also suck the big one, for something not that great either.
- Goladus 16y agoI'd love to not need a car. I live in a very pedestrian friendly area myself and rarely drive anywhere except to commute to work (oddly, while I live about a 5 minute walk from MIT and lots of tech jobs, I work in the suburbs). But, since I do have one for commuting, I have to admit that it comes in handy other times as well. Also anecdotally, a friend of mine is buying me dinner because I'm driving her to a wedding this weekend.
- mattmichielsen 16y agoMy strategy is to own a few $500-$1200 cars (might be different in your area) that work buy might not look very nice. When one breaks down, drive one of the other ones until the best one is fixed. Of course, sometimes they sit in my garage or driveway broken for months at a time. But it's always a learning experience (and a little time away from the keyboard). Also, I'm not going to be impressing any clients with any of my vehicles.
- bps4484 16y agoyou keep insurance on a few cars at a time?
- Goladus 16y agoThat would be a huge pain for me in Cambridge. Parking is a major expense and hassle here. And by this point, I don't really care to learn much more about cars. There are tons of things I'd rather be doing than auto maintenance.
- warp 16y agoI prefer 7-8 hours on a train with a laptop or a book compared to 4-5 hours of driving. Driving is either boring (freeway) or annoying (cities), whereas I can usually either be productive or relax on public transport.
- Periodic 16y agoI'm the opposite. I enjoy a nice 1:00 - 3:00 drive occasionally because it lets my mind wander and think while keeping my body and the lower parts of my brain occupied. In an odd way it is a lot like taking a hike, only without the fresh air but with climate controll.
- Goladus 16y agoI prefer to be able to read a book or use my laptop than drive, but I'd rather spend those extra 4 hours with my family. If it was 6 hours instead of 8, it would be more worth it. But 8 hours is essentially an entire day of travel. I could drive home, visit, and drive back in the same day if I wanted to. And it's not just the elapsed time, either. I have to be at the train station at a specific time (preferably having purchased the ticket in advance), and then need to do the same thing for the return trip. I have to pack everything I want to bring in baggage and make sure not to lose anything. With a car, I can decide to go home and be there 5 hours later with no other planning at all. A few changes of clothes may already be packed inside. Not to mention that when I get to the destination, I'm stranded and dependent on people, because there's essentially no public transit where my family lives. Believe me, I am not a car person. I avoid driving whenever possible, the bicycle I bought a few weeks ago already one of the best purchases I've ever made. But for me, it's worth having a car, and I often choose to use it.