Give up the car?

Deminiman

Hi, Im weighing up my options as to wether I should take the leap and sell the car to buy a bike to use full time. Its been running around my head constantly since my car tax renewal came in the post few weeks ago (2.0 Diesel old tax)

I know there is a massive difference, with the car being so useful and factors like weather and everything to consider.... but has anybody ever taken this leap, and how did it work (is it working) for you? Is it really cheaper in the long term, or a silly dream of mine? Running the car is gone crazy now, and I also have a vintage car to spin about in if the weathers a real b**ch.

Please Kill Me

I did it a few years ago when I separated from my wife. I had to as a bike was all i could afford. So rain, hail or shine, going to work or out with my mates - it was all on the bike. It was like that up to a couple of years ago when I met my current girlfriend and we had a baby and I had to get a car too. If you're single and childless, then yeah it's feasible, but if you have kids, get a small runaround for yourself as well as the bike.

I did it a few months ago. I don't know if it is that much less expensive rigt now but it is more fun and convenient most of the time. My NCB had expired so my insurance was quite high.

I do have access to a car if I ever need one though, the decision would have been more difficult if not for that.

Richard tea

I debated the idea for years & only this week decided to go for it. I have my theory test booked for next month:D The initial cost will be high enough with buying a bike and getting insured but I hope the cost will level out over the next 3 years. I plan on taxing my car for the 3 months over winter and bike the rest of the time. I have the fail safe of the missus having a car if im really stuck.

Doylers

I did it a few months ago aswell didnt have a choice when i looked at the car insurance costs. Initial cost are high with he IBT and gear but like others in a year or too will be worth it. Its very handy having a bike going though traffic in the mornings, but their are times when I wish I had a car especially in the cold. The gear is annoying the be carrying most of the time. Its defo possible but its a big decision. Also €10er every two weeks on petrol, oh yeahhhh:D

El Guapo!

That's what I'm in the process of doing. I decided enough was enough with the car. Although I really love my car, it's costing me €60 a week on juice, plus almost €900 a year on tax. I'm not looking forward to the winter months on the bike though as I'm not a big fan of the cold! But I have the back-up of the girlfriends car if I need it.

Paparazzo

It depends on your situation. I've only had a bike for years. Obviously if you have kids you'll need a car. Do you have access to public transport for work? You will have a few days where you cant use the bike. The snow from, I think 2 winters ago, and the one before that too were bad.
I live and work within the M50 and can leave work after 9, so frost ice is normally never an issue. But if it is, I can get a bus.
It's handy to have a bike with luggage for shopping. But a ruck sack would do if you get a bit of shopping. On the GS I can comfortably put a 24 box of bottles of beer into a side pannier. Very handy.

rat_race

It's doable, I've sort of been doing it. I haven't given up the car yet, but I just put it up for sale...

Not a great country for it, at all...BUT, doable. The joy and efficiency of riding a bike makes the initial effort (i.e., putting on the gear, maybe taking a bike cover off, and suffering the cold/rain), makes it worthwhile.

BUT, the thing that still occasionally puts me off taking the bike is arriving at your destination with all the gear on, and having nowhere to change or nowhere safe to put your gear, etc., etc...or just looking very out of place.

Still tho, I plan to live without four wheels for as long as possible...

Obviously, kids means you almost certainly need a car tho...

AgileMyth

I'll be doing it in a couple of weeks when I move. Not worried/bothered to be honest. The car is a luxury to me anyway, bike is always number 1 vehicle. I've used one through the last three winters and only had about three days I absolutely couldn't use it, though there were a few more I just didn't fancy it!

I've hard panniers and a top-box and only live a couple of miles from work and college so I suppose that makes things a whole lot easier too.

Alkers

Have the bike only for the last 19 months, after loosing company car. You will need to think more carefully about what gear you buy and probably spend a bit more. E.g. you may want kevlar jeans and a non-bulky jacket if you're going to be going to places where you will be off the bike for a few hours without somewhere to get changed, also an idea to get two full sets of gear (especially gloves), one for the winter and one for the summer as during the winter it can be very cold and wet. It is manageable though. The biggest issue I have is grocery shopping e.g. buying cereal or toilet roll can fill up most of a backpack and you have to carry your lid around with you in store and guesstimate that what you're buying will fit on the bike to bring home. If you're relying on it as daily transport you will want to be able to fix a puncture roadside (kits available) and do your minor servicing yourself so you can do them on the weekend and have the bike for work Mon - Fri etc. I reckon the ideal situation would be for each person in a household to have a bike and maybe a car for every house or second house for the weekly shop, long trips etc

BlackWizard

I manage just fine. In winter I don't find it that cold. My throusers are warm, i wear a jumper under my jacket, gloves are winter gloves, hands are warm (hot grips a must) and my feet do get cold after a while. I also use a neck tube. I wouldn't drive without it.

When I'm going into town to meet friends or anything like that I just drive into town with my light casual black biker jacket instead of my yellow/black one. Then I hop off and put my helmet, gloves, throusers and boots into my top box. I would love permanant side paniers. But instead I have throw over ones that I can use if I'm doing big amounts of shopping or carrying stuff.

Driving bikes I think has potential to be a lot cheaper than a car but also it can become more expensive if you don't set a budget and stick to it. It's so easy to start spending money on little things like mods, cleaning products or even a whole new "better" bike.

KamiKazi

Haven't had a car in almost four years. I'm a named driver on my girlfriends car though which might be seen as cheating

Odysseus

I only have my bikes, so I have no other option. Been doing this past 9+ years, I have a long commute so I always keep a few days either from leave or time off in liue as bad weather days for when it is really nasty and just too dangerous to ride 80+km to get to work.

robot7080

Dean09 wrote: »

That's what I'm in the process of doing. I decided enough was enough with the car. Although I really love my car, it's costing me €60 a week on juice, plus almost €900 a year on tax. I'm not looking forward to the winter months on the bike though as I'm not a big fan of the cold! But I have the back-up of the girlfriends car if I need it.

If you can use the g/f's car for certain things then go for it. I went on the bike FT and got on grand but now I have access to her car too. The savings are unbelievable. Although the initial costs are very high after a while you'll get to know how to do most of the general servicing on the bike if youre any way handy with tools. Tax and Insurance are feck all although its worth using some of the savings on getting decent gear.

As for the cold and rain... you learn not to let it bother you. Hotgrips are a must have if it daily use and good winter and summer gloves really help.

El Guapo!

robot7080 wrote: »

If you can use the g/f's car for certain things then go for it. I went on the bike FT and got on grand but now I have access to her car too. The savings are unbelievable. Although the initial costs are very high after a while you'll get to know how to do most of the general servicing on the bike if youre any way handy with tools. Tax and Insurance are feck all although its worth using some of the savings on getting decent gear.

As for the cold and rain... you learn not to let it bother you. Hotgrips are a must have if it daily use and good winter and summer gloves really help.

Cheers for the advice.
I keep going back and forth in my mind whether I'll do it or not but I think I should just go for it. It HAS to be cheaper than running my car is.
As for doing the maintenance, I'm a car mechanic so I reckon it won't be too much of a leap to do all the work on the bike.

gone_fishing

I lived on the bike for about a year and a half but work forced me to drive a van now during the day but it is definitly cheaper in the long run but just make sure you have access to a car of some sort for those times when its just not possible to take the bike like in snow or severe ice. All in all though it is worth it and the time you spend putting on and off your gear each day is made up in the time saved getting from A to B. aslong as a bit of cold and wet now and then doesn't bother its a good decision. Best part of all is no tolls on the m50 and no sitting in traffic.

Doylers

gone_fishing wrote: »

I lived on the bike for about a year and a half but work forced me to drive a van now during the day but it is definitly cheaper in the long run but just make sure you have access to a car of some sort for those times when its just not possible to take the bike like in snow or severe ice. All in all though it is worth it and the time you spend putting on and off your gear each day is made up in the time saved getting from A to B. aslong as a bit of cold and wet now and then doesn't bother its a good decision. Best part of all is no tolls on the m50 and no sitting in traffic.

I did not no that, great to know for next year

Doylers

Dean09 wrote: »

Cheers for the advice.
I keep going back and forth in my mind whether I'll do it or not but I think I should just go for it. It HAS to be cheaper than running my car is.
As for doing the maintenance, I'm a car mechanic so I reckon it won't be too much of a leap to do all the work on the bike.

Bikes dont really break like cars so alot can be fixed yourself, make sure you have a good bike that is reliable and comfy to be on. Get a nice big engine because I have a 125 and am pissed off going everywhere at 8000rpm

daenerysstormborn3

Myself and himself only have bikes. I don't even have a car licence. I drive to and from work regardless of the weather. Tesco deliver my shopping and I do most of my other shopping (clothes and whatnot) online. I don't really have a need for a car, I can get everything done on my bike.

However, I am currently on crutches and in a cast after an RTA 3 weeks ago and if ever there was a time when I wish we had a car, it's now. I'm either relying on friends to bring me to hospital appointments or else get taxis to the appointments and hope I can get a decent travel expenses claim into my special damages for my P.I. claim.

Paparazzo

Oh yeah, as pixiebean said, tesco deliver, whats what I've been doing for the last 3 years! When I lived in a shared house I was just buying stuff for myself, so it was smaller amounts.
Panniers and top box are great if you're a full time biker, if you go shopping, go into town for a stroll around grafton streets shops, or to a shopping centre like blanchardstown, you can throw your helmet and jacket into the panniers.

Maxav

Done it years ago and it's definitely doable but I don't know if I could give up the convenience of the car today......
One thing you may not have thought of though, you say you have access to a vintage car? AFAIK the powers that be(barstewards!) don't allow you to have a vintage as your only transport, in other words if you don't have another car taxed at full price then you can't tax it as vintage!! Don't think they'll accept the bike as primary transport in order to tax it, don't know if anyone's tried it.

Deminiman

Maxav wrote: »

Done it years ago and it's definitely doable but I don't know if I could give up the convenience of the car today......
One thing you may not have thought of though, you say you have access to a vintage car? AFAIK the powers that be(barstewards!) don't allow you to have a vintage as your only transport, in other words if you don't have another car taxed at full price then you can't tax it as vintage!! Don't think they'll accept the bike as primary transport in order to tax it, don't know if anyone's tried it.

Now theres one thing I never thought of!! I know I need another car to insure it, but never thought of the tax... must search for more info first!

Would b great if I could tax bike and car for less than 150 per year! Probably too good to be true in this country! :-/

gone_fishing

Maxav wrote: »

Done it years ago and it's definitely doable but I don't know if I could give up the convenience of the car today......
One thing you may not have thought of though, you say you have access to a vintage car? AFAIK the powers that be(barstewards!) don't allow you to have a vintage as your only transport, in other words if you don't have another car taxed at full price then you can't tax it as vintage!! Don't think they'll accept the bike as primary transport in order to tax it, don't know if anyone's tried it.

sorry dude your wrong there as long as you have any other mode of transport you can have your vintage and to be honest i never had to even prove i had the second mode of transport when i was getting vintage tax and insurance. All they asked was is the vehicle in every day use and i just said no.

Maxav

gone_fishing wrote: »

sorry dude your wrong there as long as you have any other mode of transport you can have your vintage and to be honest i never had to even prove i had the second mode of transport when i was getting vintage tax and insurance. All they asked was is the vehicle in every day use and i just said no.

I'm glad to be proved wrong:D Opens up a world of possibilities

Pataman

Just do it. I have been commuting 6 days for over a year. Dont worry about bad weather, your gear gets wet not you. Heated grips are a must. Enjoy sailing past all the muppets (half of which will be using a phone)!!

thehomeofDob

I did it for 2 years (before I got the car). Commuted in and out of town 5 days a week, my house the girlfriends, shopping, dates, holidays, all done on the bike. Snow/Ice is about the only thing that should keep you off the road, and even then only when it's bad. Do it!