Roughly how much to keep and run a car?

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philip_g_marshall2003

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Car for something half decent say minimum £1000

Insuarnce anything from about £500 upwards it depends on so many things. You can get cheaper but I suspect you won't have any no claims bonus, so you could be looking at £1000+.

Road tax, depends again on car but average £150 to £200.

Fuel £1.02 a litre of thereabouts at the moment.

MOT about £50 plus any repairs

Service at least £100 a year.

I think the main point for you though could be if you work in London there is the congestion charge, plus parking will be very expensive.

Most people I know who work in London commute in as it is too expensive to take the car in. And I know one of them pays about £3000 a year for a season ticket.
 
Keeping and running it will probably work out about the same all things being equal.

What tips the balance either way are your individual circumstances.
Yes I know folk moan about Public transport but London has about the best there is of any major city - Driving stress/Parking/Congestion charges all have to be factored in against the freedom and personal convenience to use the vehicle at will for purposes other than commuting after your house move.
Depends on your circumstances and inclinations.

As a general rule though at risk of being shot down in flames I would venture to argue that the rail commuter generally is being taken for a mug in terms of service received/price. They are a captive market being exploited.- and the only way prices will go is up.
Other major cities have better cheaper services.
 
Too bloody much!

If you work in Zone 2 (centre of london), then you are paying £10 per day just to drive in and park, plus petrol, etc. I think the rail ticket may work out better

Road tax - £15 p/m
Fuel - £80-90 p/m
Congestion zone - £25 p/w - 90-100 p/m (but some companies pay this)
Service - £90 p/a
MOT - £50 p/a

Totalling up, should work out at roughly £6200 p/a (the congestion charge being the main source at £4600, depending on where you work, you may not have to pay it).
 
The real cost is not in keeping and running the car, but the cost of the congestion charges and parking.

Of course, it really depends where in London you work and whether you have free parking.
 
I owned a car once in the US, but have always used dreadful public transport in the UK, where I now live. I work in London and am looking to move out, find a cheaper property and commute in. However, the rail season ticket prices scare the life out of me. Would it in theory (actual price of car aside) be cheaper annually to keep and run a car and drive to work from e.g. Surrey to London than to use public transport?
 
it depends on the cars fuel economy on top of congestion chargers, possible toll payments, tax, insurance, fuel, oil, chance you could break down or more likely be stuck in a jam for 2 hours

train seems cheaper but car more enjoyable
 
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