Private Car Ownership Is Going To Be A Thing Of The Past By 2035

[Social Justice League]

Private cars are going to be laughed at by future generations.  I've come to the realisation that even paying current taxi prices is still cheaper than running a depreciating asset over the course of a year.

I still see huge amounts of people driving crap cars and all they are doing is burning money.  Car's are cash pit hell holes that once you get out of the game, you realise how much they actually cost to run per year.  Totally ridiculous and most people might as well just burn money on their BBQ, than run a diesel pisher.

Fook the car industry and the dealer filth who pedal PCP ripoffs.

[Frugal Git]

5 hours ago, Social Justice League said:

Private cars are going to be laughed at by future generations.  I've come to the realisation that even paying current taxi prices is still cheaper than running a depreciating asset over the course of a year.

I still see huge amounts of people driving crap cars and all they are doing is burning money.  Car's are cash pit hell holes that once you get out of the game, you realise how much they actually cost to run per year.  Totally ridiculous and most people might as well just burn money on their BBQ, than run a diesel pisher.

Fook the car industry and the dealer filth who pedal PCP ripoffs.

I don't disagree. Even with bangernomics, it's not cheap to run one. You're right, hiring or taxis make a lot of sense for light users. 

Does anyone run a car for ~10k miles per year for less than £200 p/m all in (that's depreciation, insurance, fuel, tax, tyres, maintenance) p/m? If so that's impressive. 

I'm currently in a state of blissful delusion, because my owned outright Tesla costs me nothing to charge, and maintenance is negligible. But even if I amortise the cost over the 15-20 years I plan on owning it, and cross my fingers for no big bills, the opportunity cost of otherwise investing the enormous capital sum I sunk into it makes it a total nonsense purchase.

Edited May 9, 2021 by Frugal Git

[hughjass]

I hope you are right, was round a friends  house the other and the daughter of another friend was recalling the story of her Skoda Fabio new last december its been into the garage with a fault and they cant find it. Checked the prices out later and they are £14000  plus to buy. I think hers would be on pcp, As an aside shes very busy at work dealing with surveys and mortgage requests for an estate agent! 

It seems a national obsession to have as many cars on the drive as possible, I go out cycling a lot in  Northj Leics and the amount of traffic is ridiculous  plenty must  still be on furlough.

[Gbob]

The cost of motoring will have to increase dramatically to pry people away from their cars. Especially folk who live 10 or 15 miles from where they work and don't have public transport. They're not going to rely on a taxi or uber or an AI driven robot tuk tuk or whatever the future holds for us. 

When I worked in SE London I cycled and most days it was quicker than using the car. But thats just not possible for a lot of people. And its miserable in bad weather.

[reddog]

Well I don't quite think there will be no private cars by 2035, but that is the general direction we are going.  Personally I haven't owned one for about 10 years, and although I do end up with the occasional hefty taxi fare, it is well worth it (also one less thing to worry about getting damaged or stolen).

 

Will be interesting if/when self driving becomes a reality.  The main cost of a taxi is paying the driver.  If that is gone, then it will be a no brainer.

[Mikhail Liebenstein]

47 minutes ago, Glenn said:

The cost of motoring will have to increase dramatically to pry people away from their cars. Especially folk who live 10 or 15 miles from where they work and don't have public transport. They're not going to rely on a taxi or uber or an AI driven robot tuk tuk or whatever the future holds for us. 

When I worked in SE London I cycled and most days it was quicker than using the car. But thats just not possible for a lot of people. And its miserable in bad weather.

Running distance surely!

Though you need to get back as well. 

[Innkeeper]

26 minutes ago, reddog said:

 

Will be interesting if/when self driving becomes a reality.  The main cost of a taxi is paying the driver.  If that is gone, then it will be a no brainer.

Except in reality, the price drop may be marginal with the costs saved in drivers being hoovered up by technology and regulatory costs and the profits for big corporate who will undoubtedly control the service.  Electric scooters/bikes for hire seem to be the almost the same price as taxis and you’re the driver!!

 

 

Edited May 9, 2021 by Innkeeper

[markyh]

8 hours ago, Social Justice League said:

Private cars are going to be laughed at by future generations.  I've come to the realisation that even paying current taxi prices is still cheaper than running a depreciating asset over the course of a year.

I still see huge amounts of people driving crap cars and all they are doing is burning money.  Car's are cash pit hell holes that once you get out of the game, you realise how much they actually cost to run per year.  Totally ridiculous and most people might as well just burn money on their BBQ, than run a diesel pisher.

Fook the car industry and the dealer filth who pedal PCP ripoffs.

BEV wipe out all these costs. Nothing but tyres to replace, wheel bearings and CV joints at high miles (100kish). Brakes last 10 x ICE.  Every other cost is not there. 

[winkie]

No a few wealthy will own, the rest will be renting everything...... wealthy collecting the passive rents a forever income that is protected from inflation.......if transport can be taxed highly so therefore can land and buildings.....

[14stFlyer]

8 hours ago, Social Justice League said:

Private cars are going to be laughed at by future generations.  I've come to the realisation that even paying current taxi prices is still cheaper than running a depreciating asset over the course of a year.

 

I can see your point in cities. For the rest of us parochials, the view that private cars are on their way out is what will be laughed at. You cannot run your life effectively using just (unreliable) public transport and the local (unreliable) taxi firm. 

[Save me from the madness!]

8 hours ago, Social Justice League said:

Private cars are going to be laughed at by future generations.  I've come to the realisation that even paying current taxi prices is still cheaper than running a depreciating asset over the course of a year

Having a young family complicates your prediction I feel. Imagine reaching your destination with your two young kids and your autopilot uber taxi now wants to move to the next job, what are you going to do with the car seats, spare clothes, food etc? I agree it feels a crap reason to own a car. 

[jiltedjen]

But a cheap aluminium bodied car, free road tax, 90mpg, rock solid mechanicals. 

That’s cheap motoring, way cheaper than taxi. 

Certain Classic cars can be cheap if your good at dealing with them and putting some effort in (not cheap in time but cheap in cash) 

 

[ucnvpe0]

I think you are under estimating the proportion of the population which live in very rural areas.

Edited May 9, 2021 by ucnvpe0
.

[longgone]

Not too bad for me

15k car owned 7 years still worth 7k to webuyany car probably 9k private.

Tax 130 a year

Ins 325

Service 200 mot 50

 

[Riedquat]

Thing of the past by 2035? Hardly. Can't see everyone hiring a vehicle (taxi or otherwise) every time they need to travel more than a couple miles and / or move some things around that are a bit too heavy or bulky to carry by hand. You might have a somewhat significant reduction but the idea of them going altogether seems very much out of touch with reality.

To get past more than a certain level (i.e. convenient enough to do without for a lot of city dwellers)  a massive return to local non-centralised jobs, shops and services would be required, and that's not going to happen. Don't talk about living at work (more commonly referred to as working from home) or internet shopping; that'll take up some of it but by no means all.

So a reduction in the level of private car ownership, sure. Thing of the past? Nope.

 

[simon99]

Lots of people like spending their cash on cars, it's one of the things which give a reason to have any money in the first place, like holidays and houses. Not me I hasten to add, I have a low mileage 19 year old Focus, bought 3 years old for 6k. £200 to insure, £200 to tax, service / MOT £250 ish, plus petrol and maintenance, and I think it's already fully depreciated.

[Notting Hell]

The reasons to actually leave your home are decreasing very quickly (and therefore need a car)

• WFH (if this option is available to you)
• Supermarket deliveries effective zero cost
• Virtually everything else can be obtained online and delivered to you
• Remote medical care emerging where possible
• Parcels can be collected from house (no need to take returns to Post Office etc.)

Depends on your lifestyle of course (work commitment, socialising, children, medical need etc.).

Any other examples where traditionally you would have to leave home to get something done, but can now get people to come to you welcome.

You can tax/insure/maintain/depreciation a car for less than £500/year if it is a banger (but reliable) like Toyota Corolla.

[Dorkins]

3 hours ago, ucnvpe0 said:

I think you are under estimating the proportion of the population which live in very rural areas.

Well, they live there now, doesn't mean they always will. Deep interior areas of France, Spain, Italy and Portugal are full of empty houses.

[locky82]

15 hours ago, Social Justice League said:

Private cars are going to be laughed at by future generations.  I've come to the realisation that even paying current taxi prices is still cheaper than running a depreciating asset over the course of a year.

I still see huge amounts of people driving crap cars and all they are doing is burning money.  Car's are cash pit hell holes that once you get out of the game, you realise how much they actually cost to run per year.  Totally ridiculous and most people might as well just burn money on their BBQ, than run a diesel pisher.

Fook the car industry and the dealer filth who pedal PCP ripoffs.

Completely disagree. My tax is 160 a year, insurance was 120 this year. I spend about 60 a month in petrol. So it can be done on the cheap. Unless you live in a city like London I don't understand how you can live without a car. 

[bartelbe]

People aren't rational, otherwise no-one would buy of lease a new car. Which is effectively burning money.

As for motoring being expensive, that is only true fro new and young drivers. I practice bangernomics and my total costs including fuel, tax, maintenance and insurance are less than it would cost me to rely on public transport.

It is cheaper for me to drive than use my local bus services.

[locky82]

1 minute ago, bartelbe said:

People aren't rational, otherwise no-one would buy of lease a new car. Which is effectively burning money.

As for motoring being expensive, that is only true fro new and young drivers. I practice bangernomics and my total costs including fuel, tax, maintenance and insurance are less than it would cost me to rely on public transport.

It is cheaper for me to drive than use my local bus services.

I bought new... 12 years ago. Really liked the old shape fiesta when it first was came out and there wasn't a second hand market. I would consider doing it again. But to get the value from a car you do generally have to be the last owner. 

[Riedquat]

1 hour ago, bartelbe said:

People aren't rational, otherwise no-one would buy of lease a new car. Which is effectively burning money.

Why's that not rational?

It's not the most economic way but without knowing someone's personal preferences, likes and dislikes, it's impossible to know how rational they're being with their spending.  Beware the "price of everything, value of nothing" trap. Personally speaking money isn't a big factor in my decisions, so I'm not all that interested in doing things for the least cost (not that I'm interested in getting a new car either). Yes, I'm fortunate to be in that position (not wealthy but better off than average, don't pay higher rate tax though), so if I wasn't so much I'd pay a bit more attention to it, but it doesn't make me irrational.

Irrational behaviour in my books is any that gets you less of what you really want, what really makes you happier.

Of course it's quite likely that they are being irrational too

[PeanutButter]

You’ve clearly never installed and/or uninstalled an i-size car seat. 

[bartelbe]

1 hour ago, Riedquat said:

Why's that not rational?

It's not the most economic way but without knowing someone's personal preferences, likes and dislikes, it's impossible to know how rational they're being with their spending.  Beware the "price of everything, value of nothing" trap. Personally speaking money isn't a big factor in my decisions, so I'm not all that interested in doing things for the least cost (not that I'm interested in getting a new car either). Yes, I'm fortunate to be in that position (not wealthy but better off than average, don't pay higher rate tax though), so if I wasn't so much I'd pay a bit more attention to it, but it doesn't make me irrational.

Irrational behaviour in my books is any that gets you less of what you really want, what really makes you happier.

Of course it's quite likely that they are being irrational too

Well it does make you a bit irrational because you could probably pick up the same model car you're driving at 2-3 years old for a fraction of the money.

So why pay more when you're getting exactly the same things?

[ucnvpe0]

3 hours ago, Dorkins said:

Well, they live there now, doesn't mean they always will. Deep interior areas of France, Spain, Italy and Portugal are full of empty houses.

If anything, the demand for these areas have grown significantly since covid.