Owning 2 cars- when is 2 ‘too much?’
Discussion
We are a 2 car household, I am the ‘main’ driver doing about 20-30k a year for work. The missus also has a car. In the 2.5 years we have had it, it has done less than 10,000 miles, most of which I have driven (including a trip to France in June of around 2k miles). It gets used mainly at the weekend as the ‘family car’ when we could just as easily use mine.
The missus uses it for work rarely . She works in the local town which she gets the bus, sometimes has an out of town event when she may drive. Daughter goes to nursery a 5 min walk away and her schools will be walkable too. I’d say I’ve done 75% of the 9000 odd miles in her car.
Her car is a Lexus UX which is on pcp. We got a great deal back in 2021, chopped in an Audi TT and the monthly payment is less than £200. However, fully aware that when it does go back we can either pay the balloon, or trade the equity for something else (not a fan of the pcp model myself but it’d her car). I’m trying to soften the blow now that she won’t get anything like the deal she has now, and we should consider going down to one car, take the equity out and either save it or maybe put it towards one bigger family car.
Just wondered what others thoughts were on this? My thoughts are on the days we need a second car to just hire one, other option is to buy a shed that isn’t going to depreciate too much sat idle for a week or more at a time! Only problem with this is the missus isn’t keen on driving around in a heap…
The missus uses it for work rarely . She works in the local town which she gets the bus, sometimes has an out of town event when she may drive. Daughter goes to nursery a 5 min walk away and her schools will be walkable too. I’d say I’ve done 75% of the 9000 odd miles in her car.
Her car is a Lexus UX which is on pcp. We got a great deal back in 2021, chopped in an Audi TT and the monthly payment is less than £200. However, fully aware that when it does go back we can either pay the balloon, or trade the equity for something else (not a fan of the pcp model myself but it’d her car). I’m trying to soften the blow now that she won’t get anything like the deal she has now, and we should consider going down to one car, take the equity out and either save it or maybe put it towards one bigger family car.
Just wondered what others thoughts were on this? My thoughts are on the days we need a second car to just hire one, other option is to buy a shed that isn’t going to depreciate too much sat idle for a week or more at a time! Only problem with this is the missus isn’t keen on driving around in a heap…
If there are genuinely never any times of urgently "needing" the second car then get rid. Shedding won't work for a second car if your OH doesn't want to drive a shed and if there are non-urgent times a second car is needed then you can rent as others have said.
FWIW I am in a similar position but the "family" car is what gets most of the use and my car is the "shed" - but I prefer to drive something that isn't a diesel estate land yacht when driving places that don't require a huge boot or miserly fuel economy, and the running costs of a decent shed are so low as to be laughable in comparison to any PCP or finance deal.
FWIW I am in a similar position but the "family" car is what gets most of the use and my car is the "shed" - but I prefer to drive something that isn't a diesel estate land yacht when driving places that don't require a huge boot or miserly fuel economy, and the running costs of a decent shed are so low as to be laughable in comparison to any PCP or finance deal.
Zarco said:
I agree, it seems a needless expense.
Chop it in for a sportscar that you can really enjoy at the weekend.
Chop it in for a sportscar that you can really enjoy at the weekend.
This sounds like an ideal model for a ridiculous and impractical 2nd car. Econo version though - get a 3k MX5, it'll be reliable, cheap to keep on the road, they make perfect infrequently used 2nd or 3rd cars.
Edited by GeniusOfLove on Tuesday 7th November 13:08
Depends whether you could use the money elsewhere and manage quite happily.
I may get something else with a big V8 next year, but I want to keep my existing car, and I keep thinking its a waste, two lots of insurance, two lots of VED, two MOTs etc etc.
But, I can afford it and if it doesnt work I can sell one of them, life changes for a lot of us to having to make everything the best value to, later in life making more of the time you have.
I dont do many miles but probably wouldnt want a big V8 if I did anyway.
People spend thousands on maintaining a twenty a day fag habit, going in the pub every night, having holidays every month or two or many other things that they enjoy, need to remind myself not everything has to make total financial sense.
Lad I know smoke and drinks a lot, conservatively 15k a year on 20 fags a day plus £25/30 in the pub every single night on 5/6 pints, £1500 on taxing an insuring a car doesnt seem so bad and bit of depreciation.
I may get something else with a big V8 next year, but I want to keep my existing car, and I keep thinking its a waste, two lots of insurance, two lots of VED, two MOTs etc etc.
But, I can afford it and if it doesnt work I can sell one of them, life changes for a lot of us to having to make everything the best value to, later in life making more of the time you have.
I dont do many miles but probably wouldnt want a big V8 if I did anyway.
People spend thousands on maintaining a twenty a day fag habit, going in the pub every night, having holidays every month or two or many other things that they enjoy, need to remind myself not everything has to make total financial sense.
Lad I know smoke and drinks a lot, conservatively 15k a year on 20 fags a day plus £25/30 in the pub every single night on 5/6 pints, £1500 on taxing an insuring a car doesnt seem so bad and bit of depreciation.
I would ditch the idea of getting another car on any lease/pcp/pch etc. Rather than Shedding it, there must be a happy medium of cost vs. benefit, say a £5k keep forever car.
Mrs V.'s Mitsubishi is now 15 years old. We bought it for £3k 10 years ago and from comparable adverts it still seems to worth the same amount. Tax £30pa and Insurance £140. With both Vikingettes off to Uni, the annual mileage has plummeted to 747 miles in 2022 and 1k in 2023. There's a no brainer in keeping it. It still serves a purpose in mobility - try getting a taxi at 8am or 5pm, when the other cars needs a service or maintenance or I'm away and transport is needed. The convenience of transportation NOW beats any car scheme or taxi.
Mrs V.'s Mitsubishi is now 15 years old. We bought it for £3k 10 years ago and from comparable adverts it still seems to worth the same amount. Tax £30pa and Insurance £140. With both Vikingettes off to Uni, the annual mileage has plummeted to 747 miles in 2022 and 1k in 2023. There's a no brainer in keeping it. It still serves a purpose in mobility - try getting a taxi at 8am or 5pm, when the other cars needs a service or maintenance or I'm away and transport is needed. The convenience of transportation NOW beats any car scheme or taxi.
GeniusOfLove said:
Zarco said:
I agree, it seems a needless expense.
Chop it in for a sportscar that you can really enjoy at the weekend.
Chop it in for a sportscar that you can really enjoy at the weekend.
This sounds like an ideal model for a ridiculous and impractical 2nd car. Econo version though - get a 3k MX5, it'll be reliable, cheap to keep on the road, they make perfect infrequently used 2nd or 3rd cars.
Edited by GeniusOfLove on Tuesday 7th November 13:08
GeniusOfLove said:
This sounds like an ideal model for a ridiculous and impractical 2nd car. Econo version though - get a 3k MX5, it'll be reliable, cheap to keep on the road, they make perfect infrequently used 2nd or 3rd cars.
Edited by GeniusOfLove on Tuesday 7th November 13:08
I personally really missed having a second car when I went back down to one to be honest a few years ago(so much so that my missus has 1 car now and I currently have 3 other cars as well!). However if you can get by with only 1 car and it suits your circumstances, then why not?
I'm a bit car mad though, so I just like knowing that I have them, even though 2 of them hardly ever get used in fairness. So arguably they are a waste in some ways I think.
I'm a bit car mad though, so I just like knowing that I have them, even though 2 of them hardly ever get used in fairness. So arguably they are a waste in some ways I think.
vikingaero said:
I would ditch the idea of getting another car on any lease/pcp/pch etc. Rather than Shedding it, there must be a happy medium of cost vs. benefit, say a £5k keep forever car.
Mrs V.'s Mitsubishi is now 15 years old. We bought it for £3k 10 years ago and from comparable adverts it still seems to worth the same amount. Tax £30pa and Insurance £140. With both Vikingettes off to Uni, the annual mileage has plummeted to 747 miles in 2022 and 1k in 2023. There's a no brainer in keeping it. It still serves a purpose in mobility - try getting a taxi at 8am or 5pm, when the other cars needs a service or maintenance or I'm away and transport is needed. The convenience of transportation NOW beats any car scheme or taxi.
Yeah, it wouldn’t be a total shed but certainly a cash purchase if we were to go this route. Thinking some more about it if there were a day she needed the car she could have mine (‘23 Skoda Kamiq) and I’d take the ‘shed’ to work. So maybe that could work. Mrs V.'s Mitsubishi is now 15 years old. We bought it for £3k 10 years ago and from comparable adverts it still seems to worth the same amount. Tax £30pa and Insurance £140. With both Vikingettes off to Uni, the annual mileage has plummeted to 747 miles in 2022 and 1k in 2023. There's a no brainer in keeping it. It still serves a purpose in mobility - try getting a taxi at 8am or 5pm, when the other cars needs a service or maintenance or I'm away and transport is needed. The convenience of transportation NOW beats any car scheme or taxi.
Problem is she’s got this mentality of ‘my Audi TT money is in there’ so I think she thinks she’s going to get all or most 10k they gave us for it back, and is quite insistent/bloody minded on this despite the face she’s otherwise excellent with money- im the spender out of the two of us!
Definitely consider if you can manage with one car.
Even cheap run-arounds cost a lot. Just been stung £1k for a new set of tyres plus a service + brake fluid change plus new rear discs and pads for my daughters' Mini Cooper. Not really its fault that it all needed doing at once, but even so... does very few miles too, really.
The only reason two cars make sense is if one is for fun/a hobby (and gets some use, rather than needing to find reasons) or both get used a lot and you really couldn't manage without.
Even cheap run-arounds cost a lot. Just been stung £1k for a new set of tyres plus a service + brake fluid change plus new rear discs and pads for my daughters' Mini Cooper. Not really its fault that it all needed doing at once, but even so... does very few miles too, really.
The only reason two cars make sense is if one is for fun/a hobby (and gets some use, rather than needing to find reasons) or both get used a lot and you really couldn't manage without.
I agree with weekend car or shed. The missus had a pcp and used it to get to work and the odd social event, fast forward a bit and we bought a house a stones throw from work meaning for about 99% of the time she was paying £215 a month for a bollard.
We got on just fine with 1 car for ages when it went back and then due to a new job bought a car off her sister for £100. Its a banger but does everything it needs to... but lets not talk about how its currently broke
its also dar from aesthetically pleasing but a cheap cat doesnt have to be a heap. Ive got a 10 plate insignia for £1350 i bought earlier this year.
We got on just fine with 1 car for ages when it went back and then due to a new job bought a car off her sister for £100. Its a banger but does everything it needs to... but lets not talk about how its currently broke
its also dar from aesthetically pleasing but a cheap cat doesnt have to be a heap. Ive got a 10 plate insignia for £1350 i bought earlier this year.Robertb said:
Definitely consider if you can manage with one car.
Even cheap run-arounds cost a lot. Just been stung £1k for a new set of tyres plus a service + brake fluid change plus new rear discs and pads for my daughters' Mini Cooper. Not really its fault that it all needed doing at once, but even so... does very few miles too, really.
The only reason two cars make sense is if one is for fun/a hobby (and gets some use, rather than needing to find reasons) or both get used a lot and you really couldn't manage without.
True. Still i'd wager it will cost far less to do that then what were currently doing; rough cost this year, insurance, tax, service, monthly payments- £4k. thats without factoring in depreciation...Even cheap run-arounds cost a lot. Just been stung £1k for a new set of tyres plus a service + brake fluid change plus new rear discs and pads for my daughters' Mini Cooper. Not really its fault that it all needed doing at once, but even so... does very few miles too, really.
The only reason two cars make sense is if one is for fun/a hobby (and gets some use, rather than needing to find reasons) or both get used a lot and you really couldn't manage without.
fun car makes sense to me if we are to keep 2 cars, but i'm an enthusiast, so it would!
We were a 2 car couple until September when a lease expired. Looked at options for a replacement 2nd car but decided not to as Mrs Mobb works from home 99% of the time. Cars are so bloody expensive, not an affordability issue just didnt see the point of something sitting on the drive most of the time.
Instead, I got a 350cc moped for winter commuting that costs me £79 per month new and does 100mpg. Summer I will either cycle or take my Superduke.
I will be using it over winter, my teenage self had no issues with doing that, my 51 year old self may disagree. I will report back.
Instead, I got a 350cc moped for winter commuting that costs me £79 per month new and does 100mpg. Summer I will either cycle or take my Superduke.
I will be using it over winter, my teenage self had no issues with doing that, my 51 year old self may disagree. I will report back.
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