Do any Bluemooners live without a car

[mexico1970]

Theres an old saying that if you can't spot the weirdo on your bus maybe it's you.

:-)

 

[Tuearts right boot]

The only "fair" one of these sorts of buyers were Cazoo, and they went bump because people were taking in cars with serious faults that weren't picked up, and getting top dollar for them. They tried to change their model to include giving the cars a proper checkover before paying but I'm guessing too little too late.

Something dodgy about that outfit. Must have spent millions on marketing, advertising and sponsorship

 

[maxwellblue]

Being a petrolhead and earning my living restoring classic cars for the last 40 years I couldn't live without a car. I also enjoy driving. However with the number of cars on the road with the majority of them having a complete fcukwit being the wheel I don't drive as much and when I do for pleasure it is normally at times when the roads are quieter. The state of the roads is also another factor along with where you park these days if you have to use the car without it getting damaged.
If I have to go into Bury or Manchester city centre it is a no brainer to use the bus. No idiots on the road to deal with, no parking charges and no worry about coming back to your car with a dent.

 

[jimharri]

I’m 54 and I’ve never driven, apart from a few unofficial “lessons” off the other half not long after we met about 16 years ago on the Showcase Cinema car park at Belle Vue and down around Phillips Park near the stadium. Nearly ended up smashing her car up, and that was the end of that!

I was keen on getting driving lessons when I was 18 and had just landed my first office job but I never got round to it and over the years I lost interest in the idea, apart from the above-mentioned lessons which I half enjoyed in a way, but seeing some of the loons out driving these days makes me kind of glad that I don’t drive. Living close to the city obviously helps me cope without driving as the public transport options are decent but I do accept it would be handy to have the ability to drive as a fall back option from time to time and certainly if I lived out in the sticks the need to drive would be a lot greater. The other half still runs a car - largely paid for by me lol - and the amount of times she remonstrates about shit drivers when I’m in there with her is off the scale.

Never driven on the road? In 54 years? Wow.

 

[kaz7]

Got three appointments in the next couple of weeks then i am taking the 5k offer . Need to clear out car so i can take lots of pics and put it through the car wash, i am not looking fowards to selling it, i know it makes sense but i really be losing my independence , the whole last year has been bit by bit i am even more confined to the house and less able to do anything

My heart is saying no dont do it but my head and lack of heating is winning

 

[DiscoSteve]

Since passing my test in 1983, I've only ever had 3 bouts of not having a car, each about 3 months (in 2015, 2021 and 2023) - each time due to the delay between selling a previous vehicle (all went to WBAC as it happens, all at a price which was acceptable to me) and the arrival of a brand spanking new one. Whilst I still had occasional use of SWMBO's car, when she was at work and I needed to get in the office, it was the Walk/Train/Tram combo - it was alright in the summer but f**king 3rd world nonsense in the winter! Now I know better and just use Uber for one off's (boozing) whilst my EV sits on the drive!

 

[Banshee]

Never learnt to drive or had the need when I lived in the UK. Work, family, shopping and nightlife were within walking distance. Moved to the US, small midwest town, with 1 dive bar and 1 cafe. Any nightlife or restaurant was a 30 minute drive away. I do enjoy driving and especially like long road trips. Couldn't be without a car here but if I moved back to the UK probably wouldn't have one.

 

[idahoblues]

Being a petrolhead and earning my living restoring classic cars for the last 40 years I couldn't live without a car. I also enjoy driving. However with the number of cars on the road with the majority of them having a complete fcukwit being the wheel I don't drive as much and when I do for pleasure it is normally at times when the roads are quieter. The state of the roads is also another factor along with where you park these days if you have to use the car without it getting damaged.
If I have to go into Bury or Manchester city centre it is a no brainer to use the bus. No idiots on the road to deal with, no parking charges and no worry about coming back to your car with a dent.

What are you working on at the moment?

 

[flook]

Something dodgy about that outfit. Must have spent millions on marketing, advertising and sponsorship

I sold 2 cars to them, first time I was in and out in 5 minutes, got 10% more than WBAC's initial offer, and the money was in my bank before I left the showroom. Second one, they had tightened up their process because of the abuse I mentioned above, so was there nearly 2 hours whilst they checked the car over. After their check, they paid me what they had initially offered, and again the money hit my account immediately.

I have nothing but good things to say about them, which is unique when it comes to my experiences with the motor trade over the last 40 years.

Having said that, for all I know they may have been a front for some organised crime gang, I have no clue :)

 

[maxwellblue]

What are you working on at the moment?

Retired now and only work on my own. When I did though I specialised in the Triumph TR7 so 95% of the work was on them.

 

[idahoblues]

Retired now and only work on my own. When I did though I specialised in the Triumph TR7 so 95% of the work was on them.

I remember my Uncle spent years renovating a Stag, only drove it a couple of hundred miles and some asshole crashed into it and it was a right off

 

[Scottyboi]

I sold 2 cars to them, first time I was in and out in 5 minutes, got 10% more than WBAC's initial offer, and the money was in my bank before I left the showroom. Second one, they had tightened up their process because of the abuse I mentioned above, so was there nearly 2 hours whilst they checked the car over. After their check, they paid me what they had initially offered, and again the money hit my account immediately.

I have nothing but good things to say about them, which is unique when it comes to my experiences with the motor trade over the last 40 years.

Having said that, for all I know they may have been a front for some organised crime gang, I have no clue :)

They aggressively over expanded and spent a fortune on marketing, they failed to try and break into mainland Europe. All them lemons they bought went to auction, the 2 I sold them ended up at auction, wish I kept the first one would have saved me a fortune.

Their business plan was just about pure volume and wafer thin margins. Going try and sell my current car on motorway and get myself a Vellfire.

 

[maxwellblue]

I remember my Uncle spent years renovating a Stag, only drove it a couple of hundred miles and some asshole crashed into it and it was a right off

Done a few Stags, lovely cars. Did an engine rebuild on one owned by Mr Motivator.

 

[KPXBLN]

Public transport in Berlin is quite good, and also cheap, so I've never once considered owning one since I've been here (six years.) Having access to a hire car or one of those car-sharing apps is good though, I've had to use them plenty of times for e.g. carting stuff back from Ikea or the equivalent of B&Q.

 

[East Level 2]

Theres an old saying that if you can't spot the weirdo on your bus maybe it's you.

That's why I always try to get the Witchway express bus into town. They come from Burnley or Rawtenstall so there are bound to be bigger weirdoes than me already on it.

 

[mexico1970]

That's why I always try to get the Witchway express bus into town. They come from Burnley or Rawtenstall so there are bound to be bigger weirdoes than me already on it.

The buses are so modern yet they are by some distance the most uncomfortable seats ever put on a bus.

 

[Blue Til Death]

I couldn’t envisage such a thing in this country, public transport being what it is..
We will go down to one car though when me and Mrs Death retire in a few years time :-)

 

[calumdown]

What is that in comparison to the locals monthly income? Sounds good if you're a wealthy expat like.

i'm not what could be called wealthy, not at all.
that's why i chose to live in marok,
because i can manage just fine here
and now have no financial worries,
unlike in england where it's tough for the majority.

your question is a good one though
and it's all relative, isn't it.
the difference is the vast majority here are self-employed,
scraping a living somehow in one way or another.

the poor here are very very poor.
they live on less than a quid a day.
even the lower working classes earn a pittance,
maybe a fiver to a tenner a day.
none of the above ever take taxis.

i'd hazard a guess that 25% of locals can afford one.

 

[Scottyboi]

i'm not what could be called wealthy, not at all.
that's why i chose to live in marok,
because i can manage just fine here
and now have no financial worries,
unlike in england where it's tough for the majority.

your question is a good one though
and it's all relative, isn't it.
the difference is the vast majority here are self-employed,
scraping a living somehow in one way or another.

the poor here are very very poor.
they live on less than a quid a day.
even the lower working classes earn a pittance,
maybe a fiver to a tenner a day.
none of the above ever take taxis.

i'd hazard a guess that 25% of locals can afford one.

It is an eye opener to true poverty isn't it, I remember living like a king in Malaysia for a couple of months and in England I am far from wealthy but obviously in comparison to the locals I was rich.

 

[Crouchinho]

Never owned a car. All my jobs have been less than ten minute walk. I'm in a major city now, public transport for the most part is reliable and free return in a two hour window.

For the price of the initial car, general maintenance, major repairs, petrol, insurance, depreciation of an asset it makes no sense for me to be out of pocket. I find most non-drivers have more in their pocket but they sacrifice a bit of their freedom and convenience.