Would you get rid of the car, if you could?

H3llR4iser

Please forgive the rant(ish) nature of the post, but the basic premises constitute a legitimate question that I believe more people should ask themselves.

Insurance for the next 12 months is most likely going to be between 1000 and 1500 Euro, depending on how some "numbers cruncher" left bed that morning.

It's getting to the point where I seriously question the whole concept of owning a car; I go to work using the DART during the week (central Dublin) and only drive at the week end; if I do so, it's usually within a relatively short radius to do the weekly shopping, visit friends or just pleasure. While, to be entirely frank, I could easily afford to pay a 1000, 1500 or even a 2000 Euro premium, I can't get the concept out of my head that it's a lot of money to buy essentially nothing (unless one hopes to be in a crash and even so - often the outcome is to pay out of your pocket to avoid...premium spikes!) and that I could use in quite a few different ways.

I've been a car nut since early childhood - to me the car is something to enjoy rather than mere transportation, yet insurance premium pricing is slowly forcing me out of it; And I drive a 1.9 petrol Alfa 159, which although rare as hen's teeth in Ireland (Porsche 911s seem to actually be more common), is nothing more than a 4 door saloon, or "family car" as they call them.

As a matter of fact, if I wanted to upgrade to something more zingy, say a 2.5 or a 3.0 V6, while I could certainly afford the car most insurers refuse to quote me at all - this at 36, holding an EU license since 18, never having had a single traffic violation to my name, never having made a single insurance claim in my life.

I was looking forward to the new Giulia but the way things are looking, I'm considering the fact that the next one might be my last insurance renewal for quite a while.

I am not sure I'll go with it, unfortunately Ireland still is a completely car-dependant country and there are things you can't do without and places you simply can't reach, but I'll definitely give it careful consideration over the next 12 months.

I warmly recommend everyone who doesn't have an absolute, daily need for a car to do the same. Think about it. There has to be a point where the whole industry realizes it's better to cut prices of a few percent points, than to loose swathes of customers altogether - especially the ones who never make claims.

draiochtanois

This post has been deleted.

Harry Palmr

If I still had a car the answer would be yes!

As I don't I was in the position of wondering if I should shell out for a runabout with a recent change in job circumstances but I decided the costs meant it made no sense. With taxis I pay as I go, and no car eating my money while sat in the drive. Obviously for many it's just not practical but anyone who's on a decent public transport route and uses their car mainly for commuting and shopping really should think about ditching the car if on a medium to low income. Hell the mortgage of a modest house doesn't cost much more than running many cars these days!

Senecio

Great idea and in theory I could easily survive without a car. But to me it would be surviving and not living. A car provides freedom. Freedom from timetables, DART lines, bus routes, unreliable taxis...... If I get home from work and want to take the dog to the beach, I can. Or nip out for nine holes of golf after work in the summer.

In short, could I survive without a car. Yes
Would I want to. No

drunkmonkey

Why won't they quote you, I've had high powered cars all along and I'm only a couple of years older, first car on my own insurance at 20 was a 318is, had Subaru Sti, golf Gti's, m3, Silvia etc, current car is 260bhp and my insurance is sub €500. No claims and no points and spent a good few years living in dublin.

H3llR4iser

drunkmonkey wrote: »

Why won't they quote you, I've had high powered cars all along and I'm only a couple of years older, first car on my own insurance at 20 was a 318is, had Subaru Sti, golf Gti's, m3, Silvia etc, current car is 260bhp and my insurance is sub €500. No claims and no points and spent a good few years living in dublin.

No idea, because of course they wouldn't say, "business secret" and such. Some companies see EU licenses like the Devil - even 'though the test in most continental Europe is actually harder than in Ireland (the theory test, to begin with, is 40 questions and you have a 4 mistakes "allowance" - that's an 89% pass mark...). But I always try to run the quotes "as if" I had an Irish license as well, and the ones who refuse normally keep refusing.

I just replied to another user getting a sub-600 Euro quote for a 520d, a car that for all purposes is very similar to my current one, because I'd be damn'd if I can get a sub-1000 quote. even with those companies who do not scam EU-licensed drivers.

SureWhyNotNow

Can't use the car sitting on the driveway,so already done that ))

I'm pretty interested in an electric car- Nissan Leaf or something. Ugly as sin but they're not TOO bad on price and range is enough for me.

I'd commute to dublin with the train or the bus and similarly use the car on weekends,get to the MTB trails or whatever. 100km of range is grand.

Only question is if insurers count it as an electric car or just lump it in with '1.0l' and telling me to **** off with 3.5k quotes.

miezekatze

I don't use my car much either. I take the luas to work and have shops within walking distance, I don't absolutely need a car. However, I've always had a car since I was 18 (grew up in the countryside) and I think I'd really miss the freedom that comes with having a car. It's nice to be able to go for drives at weekends, visit people without having to rely on public transport, etc. Public transport in Ireland is not great. I live near the luas so it's not too bad, but if I want to go somewhere that's not on the luas line it's difficult enough. Having a car is very expensive, but for me it's still worth it.

CorkMan_

To put it simply I'd be lost without a car. So to answer your question, I wouldn't get rid of the car!

oinkely

SureWhyNotNow wrote: »

Can't use the car sitting on the driveway,so already done that ))

I'm pretty interested in an electric car- Nissan Leaf or something. Ugly as sin but they're not TOO bad on price and range is enough for me.

I'd commute to dublin with the train or the bus and similarly use the car on weekends,get to the MTB trails or whatever. 100km of range is grand.

Only question is if insurers count it as an electric car or just lump it in with '1.0l' and telling me to **** off with 3.5k quotes.

FWIW - we have two nissan leafs insured at the moment. Both are cheaper than the previous car. Wifes policy went down by €50 coming from a 2002 1.4 scenic. My van insurance is over a grand at this stage, while fully comp on the Leaf is €400. And they are brilliant cars that cost buttons to run.

Arcade_Tryer

If I lived in Dublin. Probably.

Anywhere else. No.

It really is a necessity in this country due to the poor and often non existent public transport, and not a luxury or privilege as many claim. Hence the exploitation by both Government and insurance companies.