Practical question - any cheap ways to run a car?

Hi

a very brief question here:

We own a car here, but sometimes my wife and i might both need it. I often use public transport for work, but sometimes that isn't possible or practical. As much as i like the idea of only having one car, it has its pros and cons.

In the UK it's possible to run a tiny engine car and get cheap tax and insurance. So - does anyone know of any such similar schemes here in Australia? It would only need to be used for me to drive around the city, generally on my own. It can be tiny like a small Nissan like the old folks drive - as long as it gets from one place to the next as cheaply as possible.

if anyone has any tips for this, please share here -Thank you in advance!

Hi

 

a very brief question here:

 

We own a car here, but sometimes my wife and i might both need it. I often use public transport for work, but sometimes that isn't possible or practical. As much as i like the idea of only having one car, it has its pros and cons.

 

In the UK it's possible to run a tiny engine car and get cheap tax and insurance. So - does anyone know of any such similar schemes here in Australia? It would only need to be used for me to drive around the city, generally on my own. It can be tiny like a small Nissan like the old folks drive - as long as it gets from one place to the next as cheaply as possible.

 

if anyone has any tips for this, please share here -Thank you in advance!

Ever thought about a scooter ? Would be perfect for around town.

Ever thought about a scooter ? Would be perfect for around town.

I have - but some of the other drivers here scare me a bit! They seem to race about, beeping at everyone and honking their horns. All while drinking coffee and using their phones. Maybe it's just a Sydney thing, but I am a little scared of them...

Bear in mind that depreciation is as important as running costs are - no point saving a few thousand dollars a year if your car is depreciating faster than that. Look around for a cheap, mid-late 1990s Daihatsu or Suzuki with a 3-cylinder engine, or even current model Micra. They run on the smell of an oily rag.

Thanks @ironchef - any idea if this tiny little cars get better deals for rego or insurance etc? Wondering if those type of expenses are less - they are in the uk now. Less tax etc

And if anyone knows much about mopeds, do they know if they are cheap to insure and tax?

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Motorbikes of all types are cheaper than cars for registration and running costs. Not so good on safety though! Most states base their registration on the number of cylinders the engine has, so 3 cylinders are the cheapest of the lot.

Ah good stuff - thanks.

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My motorbike rego in Victoria is only just slightly cheaper than for my cars.

Parking is free though! Park wherever you like within reason! [emoji2]

The only other real saving compared to a car is fuel usage and time! And depending on how much you twist the throttle, one increases greatly as the other drops!

Insurance, protective gear for all weathers, maintenance; all reasonably expensive for life on 2 wheels.

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My little 1994 mazda 121 has been as cheap as i could reasonably expect.

We purchased it in 2009 for $2500 with 327,000 km.

It goes to work and back, averages about 150km per week.

Its upto 368,000 now.

Ive replaced the alternator with a second hand one for $200,

I change the oil every 10,000km ($40) and the local mechanic does a service every other 10,000 for about $200.

The registration is $712 per year,

Insurance with woollies is $230 for third party F&T. Could probably get that down about $20 or so, but couldnt be arsed doing the research.

it gets about 6L/100km.

if i feel like replacing something that has broken or fallen off, like a sun visor, i just go to a local wreckers, get the bit, unscrew the old and screw in the (just as old) new bit. There was heaps of them sold over here, so spare parts are easy to find.

Everyone asks when im going to update, but the old girl still does what i need her to, costs virtually nothing, so i intend to drive it until it will drive no more.........

Smart cars are great for simple commute. Wife had hers in UK for 13 years and sold for a loss of £2,000 from original purchase price. Benefit of being ncap 4 rated which is pretty good for a small car. Cheap to run, very reliable however maintanance can be a little expensive given that they were developed by Mercedes (later models developed with Mitsibushi)

S

Not sure if possible where you live in Sydney but I sold my car and ride a bicycle here in Brisbane and stick mostly to bike paths/footpaths/back streets to avoid the solid minority of terrible anti-cyclist drivers we have here in Australia.

My wife keeps the bike rack in the back of the car. Occasionally, if we need to, I can ride to where she is, setup the bike rack and continue on from there. I can also ride the kids to school and the bikes can go on the rack when my wife does pickup for example. It is amazing how many logistical problems with children can be worked out with 1 bike and/or 1 car as the bike journey time is very reliable, even when the rest of the city if suffering terrible peak hour traffic.

The amount of money I have saved is incredible. Also feel 1000 times better, lost weight, my work has improved, I am happier and look forward to each commute. If possible for you to do I couldn't recommend it more.

Obviously you have to contend with that anti-cycling NSW transport minister who has ripped up cycle lanes, put cycling fines up 800% and introduced mandatory ID so there is that

Two options spring to mind - neither of which I know much about but someone else may be able to throw more light on them.

1. 'Go Get' type car share scheme - probably depends whether you live near one of their parking spots as to whether it would be practical / feasible

2. Electric assisted bike - if you've considered a moped but are nervous of the Sydney drivers then this might be a solution. Faster and easier than a normal bike, but still able to access the bike paths etc

Wouldn't it be cheaper to just Uber it when you need it? The problem with a 2nd car is the running costs and storage, for something you don't really want.

I enjoy driving, so I have nice (to me) cars. The expense? Meh, it's not worth the time and stress to worry about economy or rego costs. Just get something I like.

My little 1994 mazda 121 has been as cheap as i could reasonably expect.

 

We purchased it in 2009 for $2500 with 327,000 km.

 

It goes to work and back, averages about 150km per week.

 

Its upto 368,000 now.

 

Ive replaced the alternator with a second hand one for $200,

 

I change the oil every 10,000km ($40) and the local mechanic does a service every other 10,000 for about $200.

 

The registration is $712 per year,

 

Insurance with woollies is $230 for third party F&T. Could probably get that down about $20 or so, but couldnt be arsed doing the research.

 

it gets about 6L/100km.

 

if i feel like replacing something that has broken or fallen off, like a sun visor, i just go to a local wreckers, get the bit, unscrew the old and screw in the (just as old) new bit. There was heaps of them sold over here, so spare parts are easy to find.

 

Everyone asks when im going to update, but the old girl still does what i need her to, costs virtually nothing, so i intend to drive it until it will drive no more.........

This sounds like the kind of thing I need. Minimal costs, and something to get from home to work and back. 100km a week (max). Thanks

Try the Carsales and Autotrader websites and search your State and list the results by the cheapest price. You might be searching for a cheap car with a lot of underlying issues though. There could be some expense to get the vehicle roadworthy.

Or you might just get lucky if you browse around the local small-time dealers and find a car that a little old lady used once a week for her grocery shopping, and has minimal kilometers on it, some weathering, but it has a full service history. We were lucky that way when we got my wife's wee runabout 6 years ago.

Gumtree is your best bet for cheap bangers! Australia is home to thousands of them!