Reducing number of autos

[Ronstar]

We have 3. 2012 Acura, 2017 F150, and 2021 Wrangler. Going down to one would be difficult, but we have had only 1 while snowbirding for 3 months. So it is possible.

 

[RobbieB]

I'll stay with one car per person. One for me (that I like) and one for her (that she likes) and if one breaks down (always happens) there's still one running.

 

[Sunset]

Every time my car has been in the shop for a repair or recall, something other than an oil change. They loan me a car for a day or two.

For us, we will keep both cars although it's a waste. The issue will become more important when it's time to replace the 25 yr old car.
Will DW really want to spend ~$30K on a car

 

[swakyaby]

As long as we have 2 drivers in the household and 2 parking spaces, we’ll always have 2 cars. It just allows each of us to persue our personal interests without having to coordinate it with the other. One is an SUV to haul gardening supplies, tow our travel trailer, and longer road travel. The other is a smaller electric car for local shopping and easier parking in compact parking lots.

 

[Bamaman]

We live about 10 miles out in the country, and we have too many cars. I've had a 2008 Lexus since new, and I grounded it for 2 1/2 years after my daughter ran it thru a ditch. I'm finally giving it to her since she's finally got a job working night shift. We use the new Venza hybrid SUV to run errands and take the wife to doctors in 3 different cities. And I have a 2 year old F150 used to tow our boat and haul a zero turn mower between home and our lake house 65 miles away. I'm fixing up my 19 year old F250 diesel to give to a grandson--and we're not driving it.

I'll be down to 2 vehicles which is enough. If I didn't have the boat and if I didn't chronically haul building supplies, I could make do with one vehicle and my utility trailer. My wife really doesn't really drive that much right now. But I spend a big part of my weeks "on the road" driving her to appointments.

 

[cyber888]

One newer car is doable if you don't travel by land most of the time. I've survived with one car when I shifted jobs. Dear Wife don't drive. We have 2 cars and only drive around 2000 miles each year.

 

[skyking1]

We also have 3 vehicles. DW has a 2019 Tiguan, i have a 2003 TDI Beetle, and we have a 2007 Ram 3500 SRW 4x4. The biggest expense is insurance on them, and we are not ready to let loose of the Beetle just yet. If I multiplied the miles driven with it by the fuel savings over the truck, I would probably be compelled to part with it.
When I was commuting with it, it was easy to justify. Now I have a 4th vehicle in the driveway, a company 1 ton tool truck with a fuel card. I have no commute to speak of.

 

[brucethebroker]

Broke the 2 car habit 9 years ago. The first couple of years (during second car withdrawl), we tracked how often we were seriously inconvenienced by not having two. As mentioned earlier, only 4-5 x a year. Once, when DW drove to an out of state get together, I rented a car for a couple of days. Other times, Uber, walking and biking help out. A single car offers big savings over original cost, depreciation, ins. and repairs on two, in our case.

We found retirement to be the perfect time to go to one car-no job commute, and flexibility of scheduling-Being able to bunch up appoints/errands to a couple of days a week. Keeping a calendar when each person needs the car for a day. Interestingly, we are driving fewer miles with one, than we did with two. But, one car is not for everyone.

 

[DrRoy]

After about 6 months, we decided to go down to 1 car. In 5 years, we have not had a conflict that we couldn't manage with one of us dropping the other one off, and then go back to pick up later.

 

[savory]

Just one other story that might provide confidence for some people. We have a DF whose second car went through a long repair period which gave him time to test the one car approach.

In his case, his Ebike turned out to be a remarkable replacement. He lives around 1.5 miles from town up a hill that is a steady climb and includes 10%+ grades. I never asked him when he takes the car vs Ebike but I know he bikes when we meet for coffee and errands. I think he makes it his first vehicle choice. He also uses it recreationally,

You would not mistake him for an athlete. But the increased riding has had a positive impact on his weight and health.

I think many people could eliminate a car given the advantages and capabilities of a pedal assist Ebike. To be clear, I know this will not work for everyone for many reasons.

 

[Mykle57]

4 cars and currently purchasing a motor home (15 Jeep suv, 08 sports car, 01 beater Benz, '57 classic).
Problem is when something breaks, they all seem to break at the same time! And while busy with a construction project. (Sigh)

Sent from my SM-G998U1 using Early Retirement Forum mobile app

 

[Koolau]

I don't worry too much about how much we have "invested" in our cars. We buy used (relatively old, relatively low mileage) so the cars will last quite a while no more than we use them.

One of our cars (22 years old) finally failed us and it wasn't worth fixing so we were down to one car here in Paradise. We decided to live with one car here. We have one car on the mainland as well.

It's been just "okay" for a year to live with one car. She doesn't like the main (only) car (too big/trucky for her.) I don't like that we very occasionally need a second car but don't have it. When the battery died in the only car, we were actually stranded to the point we had to have someone bring a battery to us. It was a minor nightmare with a money grubbing guy who tried to take advantage. Fortunately, I outlasted him, but DW wouldn't have known how to handle the bad situation.

SO, a good friend is leaving the Islands and has a 21 year old Toyota with 55K on the OD. I hope to snag that puppy before someone else does - paying a fair price of course.

To me, the real issue is that it will cost the better part of a $grand to keep insurance and tags on each vehicle. It's been nice not renewing either on the dead car and I do hate the thought of taking on that expense again - just to have a car for "in case." BUT, I'll do it if it works out. YMMV

 

[skyking1]

Just one other story that might provide confidence for some people. We have a DF whose second car went through a long repair period which gave him time to test the one car approach.

In his case, his Ebike turned out to be a remarkable replacement. He lives around 1.5 miles from town up a hill that is a steady climb and includes 10%+ grades. I never asked him when he takes the car vs Ebike but I know he bikes when we meet for coffee and errands. I think he makes it his first vehicle choice. He also uses it recreationally,

You would not mistake him for an athlete. But the increased riding has had a positive impact on his weight and health.

I think many people could eliminate a car given the advantages and capabilities of a pedal assist Ebike. To be clear, I know this will not work for everyone for many reasons.

At the retirement property, this will certainly factor in to our decisions.
0.9 to groceries and 1.4 to Coscto/Home Depot.
I ride a regular bike, but DW will enjoy an Ebike and I think one with some cargo capability would work for her, and myself on a big grocery run. If it did not fit on my bike racks, perhaps I can take hers.
The current location is a no-go for bikes. It is really a dangerous situation to get around the neighborhood on a bike.

 

[Fermion]

We have two, a 2017 4x4 F150 and a 2018 Ford Transit van. Both of them are worth nearly what we paid for them new (low miles on both and current crazy prices).

The van is great during spring/summer/fall, keeps stuff dry, holds way more, has a bit more security.

The truck is a must have during winter snow, the van can't even move 10 feet in 5 inches of snow. You can maybe chain it and put 3000 pounds in the back but what is the fun in that?

We only drive one at a time, ever...so yes I do hate having to have two vehicles. But i bet people with a cane hate to have to have a cane too.

 

[RetMD21]

We have been getting by fine with 1 vehicle for the past couple of years. It takes a little planning. We transferred my car to one of the kids to replace an unreliable vehicle and never got around to replacing it. In retrospect DW's small suv isn't an ideal all around vehicle and we may replace it when the supply shortages ease.

 

[eytonxav]

Since DD moved back home after a divorce, we had 3 cars counting hers, but only a 2 car garage and small driveway. I got rid of my foreign hot rod, and DW and I have shared a car for the past 9 months. It does save on insurance and has worked OK so far, but I find myself driving her around now more than I did previously. Not sure she likes the new Audi Q5 we got last summer.

 

[pacergal]

We currently have 2, 2015 Avalon and 2016 Camry Hybrid, both have about 50,000 miles. Very rarely do we both drive somewhere the same day, so we could easily get by with one. And have discussed only having one in the future. We drive so little now, that these two will last us many years.
So, yes, we could get by with only one auto. But choose not to at this time.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

One car is good for us. We have a grand total of ~6,500 miles on it after almost 2 years. Everything we need is close as is the AirPort. We cannot remember the last time we clashed on need the car. We pretty much do everything together anyway.

IF we ever do clash we will use Uber or whatever.

 

[N02L84ER]

We have primarily had only one car for the last 13 years. I prefer to not drive. There was a period of 9 months where we inherited a second car, but we did get rid of it. We do a have Goldwing motorcycle that we had to use one winter month when the car was being repaired. Overall, having just one vehicle has not been a problem for us. Having said all of that, I am thinking we may purchase an EV in a couple of years and keep the SUV for longer car trips until the SUV becomes unreliable.

 

[Ready-4-ER-at-14]

We have two cars, we briefly tried one car and in the first two weeks we both needed cars twice every week so it just didn't work. We get dings we get even parking away from the crowd, I cringe at the thought of a new car in narrow parking spots.

Part of the thing is location and roads around us and Chicago weather. We don't have car sharing or ebike rentals very close, and the only roads near us are 4 lane and not safe for biking as narrow with high curbs and narrowing at an underpass.

 

[jollystomper]

When I retired, one of my "gifts" to myself was going back to 3 cars, something we had not done for 5 years. We had compact and mid-size sedans (Corolla and Camry), and I added an mid size SUV. DW only drove the Corolla by her choice, she loved it.

Unfortunately DW was in an accident in December and the Corolla was totaled ( shame, as though it was a 2011 model it only had a little more than 70K miles on it). Since then we have 2 cars. For me it has been a little convenient, as DW is the type that gets "locked into" driving a car... so she was not comfortable driving either of the other cars and just in the last couple of weeks has begun driving them.

I prefer having more redundancy (designing highly available/redundant systems, networks, and applications was one of my IT specialties at Megacorp), so I am looking at going back to 3 cars. The current prices give me pause, but in truth it will not make a difference in our finances. DW has decided she likes a car that sits a little higher (she felt that was a factor in the accident), but not too big, so a small SUV is likely what we will look at. She will be doing lots of test drives .

 

[Koolau]

The actual "event" that got me thinking about going back to a 2nd car was going to the mechanic I've used for years. It's a big outfit that does all but engine and transmission rebuilds. I needed an oil change and I figured I'd just take it there - give them the business instead of one of the quick change places. SO, when I get there WITH an appointment, they say their standard oil change takes 3 and a half hours! Without a 2nd car (for DW to pick me up) I'd be stuck in their waiting room. I took back the keys and went to a quicky place instead.

It got me started thinking about a 2nd car. Not really a good reason for a second car, but hey, I HAVE been trying to adopt more of a BTD attitude and the experience gave me a shove in that direction. Now hoping my friend sells me the 2nd car instead of giving it to charity.

 

[old medic]

Music lover, what is a summer car?

Ours is a 2011 Road King Classic. I doubt we will ever get to just one vehicle. DW Jetta is a great car, comfortable for trips 35+ MPG, but wont haul the camper or tractor.

 

[street]

We had 3 vehicles all through the years till last year at this time. We sold two and bought one and kept truck. We would need two vehicles to make things work in life. Don't ever see us going to one unless one of us can't drive anymore.

 

[Koolau]

Ours is a 2011 Road King Classic. I doubt we will ever get to just one vehicle. DW Jetta is a great car, comfortable for trips 35+ MPG, but wont haul the camper or tractor.

Neither will the Road King Classic haul the camper or tractor - but what a great bike. Pulled a picture. Never a biker but think bikes - especially HD are cool! Ride safe!