Carless living

[barrett]

Thanks for the numbers, Mountaineer. I had figured that it costs less per mile in the early stages of owning a vehicle (we got our 2008 model car in late 2010, so the drive-it-off-the-lot depreciation was already taken into account) simply because stuff hasn't started wearing out as much. I'm pretty sure our car costs more than 51 cents a mile but your gas # looks right on. The per-mile figure is important to me because both my wife and I have to drive a lot for work and we rent when it's 200+ miles total just because we figure it's cheaper. Now I am wondering by how much.

Moda's point is interesting as well because most of our rentals are way less safe than our two-ton Volvo (I find myself secretly hoping I'll have at least one accident just to see how solid that sucker is).

I too had misread the thread as "Careless Living." I thought PS was going to be boozing it up in Thailand.

[Mountaineer]

I too had misread the thread as "Careless Living." I thought PS was going to be boozing it up in Thailand.

Confession is good for the soul!  So, I confess I also misread the thread as Careless Living the first time around. 

I thought it might have a good debate going among PS, kshartle, moda, Jan VanM, and Xan  .  Oh, and MG on the merits of the Permanent Careless Living philosophy.

... Mountaineer

[Pointedstick]

Jeez, I feel old 

But along with my liberation via vehicle, my information inputs are just fine.  From where I sit I can see a Samsung Galaxy Note II, two Windows 8 machines, a Raspberry Pi, a Samsung tablet, a Roku, and there is a relatively new GPS (large screen for weak "boomer" eyes) in my vehicle.  Although on further reflection, perhaps my seeking information flow is just symptomatic of another boomer failing - not acting our age 

LOL! I didn't mean it as a criticism, just a hopelessly generalized observation. FWIW, IMHO, YMMV, OMG, BBQ, all that jazz.

[Mountaineer]

Thanks for the numbers, Mountaineer. I had figured that it costs less per mile in the early stages of owning a vehicle (we got our 2008 model car in late 2010, so the drive-it-off-the-lot depreciation was already taken into account) simply because stuff hasn't started wearing out as much. I'm pretty sure our car costs more than 51 cents a mile but your gas # looks right on. The per-mile figure is important to me because both my wife and I have to drive a lot for work and we rent when it's 200+ miles total just because we figure it's cheaper. Now I am wondering by how much.

Moda's point is interesting as well because most of our rentals are way less safe than our two-ton Volvo (I find myself secretly hoping I'll have at least one accident just to see how solid that sucker is).

I too had misread the thread as "Careless Living." I thought PS was going to be boozing it up in Thailand.

I should add that my fuel cost of 20 cents/mile is at current ~$4/gal gas ... not the under $1/gal price it was when I first purchased the vehicle.  All the maintenance dollars were actual dollars.

... Mountaineer

[MediumTex]

I drive a stick shift and I like it.

Three of my last four vehicles have been stick shifts.

[doodle]

I drive a stick shift and I like it.

Three of my last four vehicles have been stick shifts.

To each his own I guess. I don't see what the upside is. On the highway you don't really have to shift. In traffic its a pain in the neck to be shifting all the time. You cant eat while you drive or talk on the phone.

If I were on a racetrack, sure Id prefer a stick.....but on the street? I just don't get it.

[barrett]

Mountaineer, I too was figuring the fuel cost per mile based on today's gas prices. Just a thought though... If you are using actual dollars shouldn't there be a nominal cost and a real cost? Like an inflation-adjusted cost? You had your car a long time based on the numbers you gave. A dollar in 1995 or so would surely be worth two or three now, no? Or maybe I have just been spending too much time on this forum.

[MediumTex]

I drive a stick shift and I like it.

Three of my last four vehicles have been stick shifts.

To each his own I guess. I don't see what the upside is. On the highway you don't really have to shift. In traffic its a pain in the neck to be shifting all the time. You cant eat while you drive or talk on the phone.

If I were on a racetrack, sure Id prefer a stick.....but on the street? I just don't get it.

Here are the things I like about it:

1. Cheaper to buy upfront.

2. Better mileage out of the same size engine.

3. Fewer transmission-related maintenance and repair issues.

4. Makes a smaller engine feel more powerful.

5. More fun to drive (though "fun" is obviously subjective).

[l82start]

i haven't gone car-less, love the freedom, convenience and long road trips to much, i did live in a small town for a while where i rode a bike for all my in town trips and only used the car for out of town excursions, which worked real well i could easily get from any point A in town to any point B faster than a car anyway. living in a city the car is just to much more convenient than a bike or transit (likely varies from city to city location to location),
currently driving a jeep (small for easy parking, convenient for carrying tools and stuff... and unbeatable for going anywhere....) 
i definitely prefer stick shift and have been using one for so long that all the movements and adjustments for eating drinking etc while shifting have long ago become an unconscious muscle memory activity..

[moda0306]

I drive a stick shift and I like it.

Three of my last four vehicles have been stick shifts.

To each his own I guess. I don't see what the upside is. On the highway you don't really have to shift. In traffic its a pain in the neck to be shifting all the time. You cant eat while you drive or talk on the phone.

If I were on a racetrack, sure Id prefer a stick.....but on the street? I just don't get it.

The cool thing is, it makes streets feel more like a race track.

[Pointedstick]

To each his own I guess. I don't see what the upside is. On the highway you don't really have to shift. In traffic its a pain in the neck to be shifting all the time. You cant eat while you drive or talk on the phone.

If I were on a racetrack, sure Id prefer a stick.....but on the street? I just don't get it.

The cool thing is, it makes streets feel more like a race track.

This must be like a preference or personality thing because that sounds like hell to me!

[MediumTex]

To each his own I guess. I don't see what the upside is. On the highway you don't really have to shift. In traffic its a pain in the neck to be shifting all the time. You cant eat while you drive or talk on the phone.

If I were on a racetrack, sure Id prefer a stick.....but on the street? I just don't get it.

The cool thing is, it makes streets feel more like a race track.

This must be like a preference or personality thing because that sounds like hell to me!

I never give it a second thought.  I could drive a stick in my sleep.

People who hate sticks imagine it will be a much greater PITA than it actually is.

I rarely even think about the distinction in driving experience between a stick and automatic, other than in discussions like this.

[dualstow]

What you need is a stand-up car so that you don't spend all that time sitting while driving.

[clacy]

If you feel like you're trapped in a cage, get a jeep with a stick.  So fun.

[MediumTex]

What you need is a stand-up car so that you don't spend all that time sitting while driving.

It's funny how well you can get to know people in a setting like this, and yet there is that strange anonymity that goes along with it as well.
 

[moda0306]

The cool thing is, it makes streets feel more like a race track.

This must be like a preference or personality thing because that sounds like hell to me!

I never give it a second thought.  I could drive a stick in my sleep.

People who hate sticks imagine it will be a much greater PITA than it actually is.

I rarely even think about the distinction in driving experience between a stick and automatic, other than in discussions like this.

+1

It becomes so second nature while driving.

[Tyler]

I have a tough time imagining living car-free, but I look forward to eventually paring back to a one-car household to see how that works out. And counter to the modern electric commuter fad, I personally would lean towards a road trip vehicle with my one car and walking/biking as much as possible for shorter distances.

[MediumTex]

I find auto maintenance and seeing how long I can make a car last kind of fun, which takes a lot of the stress out of the whole car experience.

[doodle]

If you feel like you're trapped in a cage, get a jeep with a stick.  So fun.

Yes, going down the highway at 70 miles an hour with no doors is quite an experience.

[clacy]

If you feel like you're trapped in a cage, get a jeep with a stick.  So fun.

Yes, going down the highway at 70 miles an hour with no doors is quite an experience.

Yep, and they even give you a "role bar"!

[WiseOne]

Here are the things I like about it:

1. Cheaper to buy upfront.

2. Better mileage out of the same size engine.

3. Fewer transmission-related maintenance and repair issues.

4. Makes a smaller engine feel more powerful.

5. More fun to drive (though "fun" is obviously subjective).

Agreed!

To be fair, I developed knee problems from driving a stick shift in LA traffic.  Otherwise managing a stick shift in stop and go traffic is not that much of a hardship, since it gives you something to do in an otherwise thoroughly boring and time-wasting situation.

My brother used to pull out his pipe and bag of weed whenever he was caught in traffic.  He said it almost made him look forward to traffic jams.

[clacy]

Here are the things I like about it:

1. Cheaper to buy upfront.

2. Better mileage out of the same size engine.

3. Fewer transmission-related maintenance and repair issues.

4. Makes a smaller engine feel more powerful.

5. More fun to drive (though "fun" is obviously subjective).

Agreed!

To be fair, I developed knee problems from driving a stick shift in LA traffic.  Otherwise managing a stick shift in stop and go traffic is not that much of a hardship, since it gives you something to do in an otherwise thoroughly boring and time-wasting situation.

My brother used to pull out his pipe and bag of weed whenever he was caught in traffic.  He said it almost made him look forward to traffic jams.

Speaking of this, I'm amazed at how cavalier people are about smoking weed while driving.  I've seen 3 instances in the last month.  They don't even look around or try to conceal it.  I drive a lot, so I probably see it more than most and usually it's in a metro area either on a freeway or in stop and go traffic.

[dualstow]

[Speaking of this, I'm amazed at how cavalier people are about smoking weed while driving.  I've seen 3 instances in the last month.  They don't even look around or try to conceal it.  I drive a lot, so I probably see it more than most and usually it's in a metro area either on a freeway or in stop and go traffic.

Another vote for carless living? Of course the train driver isn't always straight nor off the phone either.

A friend of mine was driving his elderly parents somewhere when they got rear-ended. He immediately noticed that the other driver and his passengers were high, and much unpleasantness ensued.

[doodle]

You cant eat while you drive or talk on the phone.

I also find it difficult to text or shave while driving a stick. What's your point?

That it is easier to eat food while driving an automatic....

Then again, I text, eat, talk on the phone, rummage through my backpack, flip through my iPod etc while riding my bike......haven't started shaving while riding but it's worth a try

[moda0306]

You cant eat while you drive or talk on the phone.

I also find it difficult to text or shave while driving a stick. What's your point?

That it is easier to eat food while driving an automatic....

Then again, I text, eat, talk on the phone, rummage through my backpack, flip through my iPod etc while riding my bike......haven't started shaving while riding but it's worth a try

I used to deliver pizzas... I would drive a stick, eat, talk on the phone, look for addresses on houses and look back at the pizza box for the address all pretty much at the same exact time.