Owning, & running, a car in Glasgow

[glasgowken]

Do you think it's a bad idea to own a car within Glasgow ?

I'm getting more & more pissed off with public transport, especially at night, so was thinking of getting a wee car, nothing fancy, just a small engine jobby.
If I lived in London (not that I would EVER live in London) I wouldn't even consider this, do you reckon GCC will go the same way with anti car policies ?

I'd especially like Alex's input on this question.


And a 2nd part, purely for the car owners here, how much does it cost you to run a car in Glasgow, and do you find it easy ? Would you ever go back to public transport ?

[Fat Cat]

Do you think it's a bad idea to own a car within Glasgow ?

I'm getting more & more pissed off with public transport, especially at night, so was thinking of getting a wee car, nothing fancy, just a small engine jobby.
If I lived in London (not that I would EVER live in London) I wouldn't even consider this, do you reckon GCC will go the same way with anti car policies ?

I'd especially like Alex's input on this question.


And a 2nd part, purely for the car owners here, how much does it cost you to run a car in Glasgow, and do you find it easy ? Would you ever go back to public transport ?

I was thinking the same thing recently. I get the bus to work but, to be honest, if you're relying on public transport to get about in the evenings or when you're trying to get your shopping in it's a bloody nightmare. Buses near us are almost non-existant in the evenings.

[John]

I run a car and it is expensive. I avoid using it to go into the city centre as much as possible as it is such a pain finding somewhere to park and you are generally quicker by bus/train. I also like the down time I get on the bus to look out of the window. My wife does use the car a lot for local trips; we have a 3 year old son so the car really does make life easier in that respect.

If I add up how much I pay in car loan repayments, petrol, road tax, car park charges etc I reckon that I could have a big white stretch limo on 24 hour call to take me to Asda, visit mum etc and still be up on the deal.

W

[Ally Doll]

I've got a car, and it's ok. I can usually get parked near my flat, unless I come home early and the street's still full of subway unofficial park'n'riders

I work in Paisley, so find it handier to take the car thru the tunnel every day than waste my time sitting on a bus. My folks live in Carluke, Wishaw and Motherwell so I find it quicker and more convenient to get to them by car as well. I usually use the subway to get into town (cheaper and quicker, unless it's Sunday), and I use the train quite often too.

My stress levels rocket whenever I'm stuck in traffic jams though, especially when idiots zoom up the side of me and try to cut in And taxi drivers!!! Don't get me started...

So - handy, but only if you think you'll use it often.

[Squigster]

I'm much the same as Ally Doll, I stay in Partick and work in Hillington.
It's a planes, tranes and automobiles job by public transport or 10 mins in the car.

I drive a small car ( Citroen Saxo ), and find the running costs to be well worth it especially as i rarely use it for anything other than work. The cost is offset against the cost i would have to pay for public transport.

[yoker brian]

I live in Yoker, work in Bellshill. I travel by train and walk to and from the stations at each end, door to door journey time approx 1Hr each way for the princely sum of £75 ish a month.

Compare that with at least £40 a week, + taxing, insuring and maintaining a car oh and sitting stuck in that great car park aka the M8.

I know what i prefer - public transport all the time - only downside is I often find myself getting off a train in town and making my way to a favourite purveyor of alcohol and spending a few hours sinking pints of the amber nectar.

[John]

I live in Yoker, work in Bellshill. I travel by train and walk to and from the stations at each end, door to door journey time approx 1Hr each way for the princely sum of £75 ish a month.

Compare that with at least £40 a week, + taxing, insuring and maintaining a car oh and sitting stuck in that great car park aka the M8.

I know what i prefer - public transport all the time - only downside is I often find myself getting off a train in town and making my way to a favourite purveyor of alcohol and spending a few hours sinking pints of the amber nectar.

And why is the sinking of amber nectar a downside?

[yoker brian]

And why is the sinking of amber nectar a downside?

The act of sinking the amber nectar isn't a downside in itself, it's my evil mates who know how easily led I am "Go on Brian you can't go home, you've only had a couple of pints......you've got ages yet before the last train"

[McShad]

World on two wheels


get a moped

[glasgowken]

£75 a month seems a lot, i'm sure I could run a car on that.

For me I don't think the running costs would be that high, a cash amount for an old banger, so no shitty loan repayments. Road tax paid in one go. Then £30 a month for insurance, the rest is just petrol costs, on a wee car, with around 40mpg, that shouldn't be a lot.

Have I missed anything ? Parking costs might be high, but I don't plan to use it in the city centre a lot. How much are parking costs btw ?

[onyirtodd]

£75 a month seems a lot, i'm sure I could run a car on that.

For me I don't think the running costs would be that high, a cash amount for an old banger, so no shitty loan repayments. Road tax paid in one go. Then £30 a month for insurance, the rest is just petrol costs, on a wee car, with around 40mpg, that shouldn't be a lot.

Have I missed anything ? Parking costs might be high, but I don't plan to use it in the city centre a lot. How much are parking costs btw ?

A resident parking permit for most areas of the west end is £50 per year. Hillhead, I think, is higher.

[McShad]

Parking is free for motorbikes and scooters

[Schiehallion]

A wee car is handy for nipping out to Asda or shooting about the south side taking past present pics. I use public transport for work but it's handy to have the wee heap of shite for jumping around the football or whatever. Driving into town in the morning is just stress, better with a wee read at the Metro.

This'll give you an idea about cost and consumption.

I've got a wee 1.2 Clio and it takes what, about £38 to fill up the tank I think.

Anyway if I only use the car for suburban, rural, motorway type stuff averaging 50-80 mph then I'll get 100 miles to a quarter of a tank which equates to £9.50 per 100 miles.

If I only use it to commute from the south side into town I get about 45 miles to a quarter tank, in other words, £21 per 100 miles.

[red_kola]

A resident parking permit for most areas of the west end is £50 per year. Hillhead, I think, is higher.

Most areas of the West End don't have parking restrictions (unless you are an estate agent ).

[glasgowken]

Sorry McShad got to be 4 wheels I'd actually like a Bedford Rascal van.

Those figures don't seem too bad, even a Zonecard is almost £18 a week. Add to that the times when I can't be arsed waiting on a bus and get a cab (especially at night) then the car is looking better all the time.