Author Topic: Time to be a one car family?  (Read 1412 times)

Zola.

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Time to be a one car family?
« on: September 12, 2019, 03:21:20 AM »
Yesterday, on my way back from a meeting, my old VW blew up... it died on mile 247,625. Quite a machine! It is now gone to the scrap heap.

Now I am in a dilemma... to buy another car, or not?  We have a 2014 1 Series which is the family 'good car', my other car was more of a run around (e.g. garden waste, grocery shopping etc). There was a freedom in not caring if someone dinged it! 

My wife and I both work in the same part of town, so commute together each morning. The only tricky thing is getting son to and from daycare if my wife has a meeting somewhere early, or if we both need to be somewhere different at the same time, which probably doesn't happen too often.  I could also get a ride with work colleagues if that was the case.

Any of you with kids, how do you manage with one car? Give me the pros and face punch me into not buying another motor, please! :)

Hirondelle

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Re: Time to be a one car family?
« Reply #1 on: September 12, 2019, 04:37:25 AM »
There's recently been another thread on exactly this topic.

I guess since the car already blew up you may just try it for a while and if inconveniences happen too often you can decide to get back to having a 2nd car?

Any options for biking/public transport on inconvenient days? Colleagues are also a good option.

Khaetra

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Re: Time to be a one car family?
« Reply #2 on: September 12, 2019, 04:49:26 AM »
Give it a try for awhile and see how it goes.  If it get's to be too much of a hassle then buy yourself another 'around town' beater.

theSlowTurtle

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Re: Time to be a one car family?
« Reply #3 on: September 12, 2019, 05:35:52 AM »
Not sure how old the kids are, but I have fond memories of riding in the back of the car every morning and evening when my mom dropped my dad off at the metro station. I used to close my eyes and and try see if I could figure out where we were based on the car movements haha

If you already commute together it might not be a big deal. Can always find used Corollas for 3k that have years left on them

Car Jack

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Re: Time to be a one car family?
« Reply #4 on: September 12, 2019, 06:58:21 AM »
Sorry to be opposite MMM, but to me this is clear as day.  Buy another car.

pbkmaine

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Re: Time to be a one car family?
« Reply #5 on: September 12, 2019, 07:29:35 AM »
As has been said above, this is an ideal chance to try having one car. If it’s too constricting, then you can buy another. In similar circumstances we made do with one car for two years, but then bought a used Smart car.