Car ownership cost me a LOT of money. I'm done.

Thanks for watching!!

[IWouldLikeToRemainAnonymous]

You heard it here first ladies! Alex is looking for a girl to settle down with within the coming 8 years and she ought to love biking and be willing to adopt 3 teenagers who aren't even Alex's.

[SquozeLemons]

Fun story:

Applying for disability Social Security in the US is a long, expensive process. You basically always get denied and have to appeal to prove that you're "really disabled." Often people have to enlist the help of an attorney who specializes in Social Security to get their application approved.

But you know what really fast-tracks an application, attorney or no?

Losing your ability to drive.

The Federal Government just casually accepts that if you can't drive, you can't participate in American society.

[orestvoloshchuk]

The incredible thing is, this is on the very low end of car costs. The car seems to be about as cheap and reliable as you can get, and reasonably fuel efficient. Your average Canadian can expect to pay 2-3 times more.

[frankshattuck]

I live in a central Texas town of 40, 000 and I sold my auto and use an E Trike for all my transportation needs. It saves me $400 monthly. Being 80 yrs. old and on SS that is one helluva raise. I lived many years in Colombia and never needed a car because of cheap public transportation.

[richardbennett]

It's why my stepmother called her automobile an "expensive convenience."

[lavillenouvelle]

Going car-free was one of my best financial decisions.

[Cornerboy]

I somehow never got around to buying a car and I'm almost 50. I never planned it that way, but I was too broke when I was young and I always managed to find a home that was either walking distance or a short bus ride to work here in the city. I could never justify the cost, especially since city driving here is just start/stopping to the next red light. I think they are convenient; I'll rent one if needed for an occasion or something, but the costs were always far to hight to justify for my scenario. I don't regret it.

[FlyingOverTrut]

I've easily spent over $30, 000 on cars in my life. Probably far more than that since I'm just being conservative. A very expensive lesson. I've been car free in Los Angeles and loving it for over a year and a half.

[piccalillipit]

4 Years ago I moved to a 15 Minute city and sold my care - never had as much free cash as this in my life - OH MY GOD CARS ARE EXPENSIVE...

[morethantransitt]

This is a really insightful video about the cost of owning a car! We're definitely burdening ourselves financially with automobile ownership!

[tbbbo]

Man I love being a car enthusiast, I love driving my car and enjoying every* second of it. Nothing beats the joy I get from doing that.

HOWEVER, I DESPISE how expensive it is as a hobby. I hate that I'm forced to sit in my car through HOURS of soul crushing traffic (above asterisk was refering to this) every day because my city does not build viable alternatives to traveling by car.

SO... If my city decided to build up its infrastructure so that I could bike or transit everywhere I need to go RELIABLY, I would then save on gas, insurance, maintenance, and other assorted automobile related expenses, making my hobby MUCH more financially attainable.

I seriously don't understand how more car enthusiasts such as myself aren't urbanists too. It really sucks to see car people demonizing bikers and public transit when their existence only serves to help people like us enjoy what we like.

[vwuigzb]

Dutchie here. $40K for a $500 car. Considering gas is still dirt cheap in Canada (1.39 USD/l compared to the 2.2 USD/l in the Netherlands), the benefits here might even be bigger.
Especially since we have mild winters, world class bike-infrastructure, good public transport.😊

[bkucenski]

I tracked nearly every receipt for my brand new 2011 Nissan Versa. The car cost $15, 144. $17, 700 in maintenance. $21, 000 in gas. $10, 000 for insurance. It has 228, 801 miles on it and I still have it. I used to drive an insane number of miles because of my commute. Now I work from home. I have a 2021 Toyota and just don't track it anymore.

[TheRuralUrbanist]

Yeah, I am shocked at how much I saved my moving to Germany and buying a really cheap bike. It has been great not to worry about maintenence and gas!

[JohnFromAccounting]

Spending 40 grand on a car that was basically free sounds like a bad investment to me. Imagine how much worse it is for people that buy new cars and have to watch the depreciation.

[nicthedoor]

I am using my car as little as possible. Both my mental health and bank account are better off!

[Sho-tdwg]

A car is definitely a money pit, but i just can't see giving it up. The distances and time constraints for work and family are too great. As a user of public transit for commuting half the time, it is cheaper but it's also less pleasant especially when trains experience their version of traffic congestion. 😮

[zumazuma]

When you started talking about what you'll spend the transport money on, my first thought was "a trip to France sounds nice" because in my mind that counted as transport too 😅

[brianarbenz]

I have been car free for nine years and have done quite well, while living in the worst city per capita for mass transit in North America, Louisville. Ky. I am retiring soon and would love to move to a city with strong rail and bus transit in a nation where money does not equal speech, the court doctrine that has erased democracy from the U.S.

[SeanHemenway]

NJB gave you a shoutout! If anyone else was looking for this video after listening to the urbanist agenda podcast- “from pickup driver to cargo bike urbanist, this is the one, and it doesn’t disappoint. A high quality honest video here!