It’s almost August!
In August, Josh should be able to get his G2 licence. Yay! At least in theory.
I cannot tell you how much I am looking forward to not having to drive to and from Waterloo every single evening. Such as this week, when he works until 12am, which is quite past my bedtime because I work early days.
The snag is that we haven’t really had much time for driving practise, so after not driving for about 6 years I’m not sure he can just waltz in and pass his driving test and start driving himself to work right away. Boo. So we need to get out lots more in the next couple weeks.
Anyway.
I’m wondering what we should do once Josh takes the car to work. I can walk to and from work, since it’s only about a 15 minute walk. The only reason I started driving to work in the first place is that Josh has many shifts where I have to leave right from work in order to get him on time, and then it just evolved into a bitterness and unwillingness to “waste” any more of my time walking, when I already waste so much time every day driving to Waterloo. Also driving lets me get a few minute more sleep, which is in quite short supply lately. I don’t spend time travelling for fun; to me it’s a necessary evil needed to get from Point A to Point B.
Obviously, the most economical idea is to buy a bicycle. I’m probably going to do that anyway. There’s a used bicycle place near me, since I’m still pissed off about my bike being stolen and don’t really have the cash to spare to buy a fancy new one when I’m not really an avid cyclist. All I need is one that works (and a new lock). And I’ll put the dorkiest back basket or saddlebags I can find on it. Both to help carry things and to maybe make it too lame to steal.
But beyond that, we’ll eventually need two vehicles. I can walk/bike to work, but the bus system here is ass and sometimes I need to go places and buy things that I can’t carry on a bike. Like heavy groceries or large fabric or supplies too unwieldy to carry on a bike.
I’m somewhat attracted to the idea of something like a Vespa. Cute and cheap (like me, oh snap!). For less than the amount I could afford* for a crappy used car, I could get a shiny new Vespa (or other brand). Why get a whole car to schlep myself around the city when something small, lightweight and easy on gas could do it?
The pros:
1. Cheap. Cheap initial cost, at least. I haven’t done much research on repairs or fuel consumption, but the thing is small and rumours say they’re economical with fuel (the vespacanada site says 3.8 L/100 km which sounds good). Some other brands cheaper than Vespa even.
2. Sheer adorableness.
3. I’d be able to get around to where I need to go, when I needed to go
The cons:
1. WTF do I do in the winter? Despite the very short winter we had this past year, there was still loads of snow and dangerous driving conditions. How do those little scooter things hold up? Besides, I have no real desire to get soaked while driving.
2. Wouldn’t be able to pick up any other people if they needed a ride, or large items requiring a car trunk
3. I’d have to get an M class licence. Not a true “con” per se, but it’s an extra step and minor expense I wouldn’t have to do if I got a car. I don’t think this applies if I got a tiny one with less than 50cc and a lower top speed (or if those are even worth getting), but I read that factoid on a Vancouver forum, not a reliable (or even Ontario based) source.
4. I have no idea how scooter insurance works, and whether it would be more or less expensive than insurance on a second car.
However, my other top choice would be to get a Smart ForTwo. The new 2008s are even gas instead of diesel, and still quite efficient. And they’re even cuter than scooters, and eliminate the first and fourth con of scooters. Of course, the second still applies (to a point – they’ll definitely carry a second person, and a lot more than a scooter, and keep it dry to boot, but less than a “normal” car trunk and back seat), plus the added con of them being 4 or 5 times more than a scooter.
But if I had the cash, I’d get a ForTwo in a second, though maybe still consider a scooter for fun someday. But since I don’t have the ability to buy a new car… a scooter looks very attractive.
Except the getting rained on part. Maybe I could get a dorky rain cape. With the batman logo on it!
So this is what’s running through my head lately. Any insight?
*= “afford” may be too strong of a word. I still owe the majority of what my little Accent cost to the bank. I’ve been paying it down since I got my job, but the point is I don’t have the cash to pay it all off yet, let alone buy something new.
My dad has a Vespa. He takes it to work in the summer, but I wouldn’t want to be on one of those in the winter. 4 wheels seems a lot more stable.
If it’s just for occasional use when the car isn’t available, you’d probably be ok with something like that, but in the winter (or when it’s raining) you might wish you had a proper car, even if it’s a used one.
What about a used ForTwo.
They don’t start at much, so I always figured a previously enjoyed one (of a year or two old) would be even cheaper.
and with regard to your previous comments about leasing your next vehicle…
unless the luxury of switching cars every few years is really high on your list, leasing is good way to throw away money. you spend all this money and at the end of it… you have nothing to show for it.
also mileage restrictions that will really nail you if/when you go over.
my opinion has always been when buying new: buy the car. check out all of your financing options: dealer, bank, family, mob, whatever. And never tell the dealer you’re going to finance until you’ve already negotiated a price, until then you’re better off lying and telling them you’ll pay cash.
I have nothing but respect for Vespas. 2 wheels > 4 wheels, so what if you can’t ride it the full 12 months of the year. In Alberta, I have my bike out in Feb and I put it away in Oct. With a Vespa, it would be easy to store, meaning that as soon as the weather was suitable, you wouldn’t have much hassle getting it ready.
Bikes are awesome on gas. My current average fuel consumption for this year (upto and including this morning) is 5.86L/100Km. That’s with an 800cc bike. Your Vespa would be considerably less. People may balk that you can’t carry cargo/passengers (plural) on a bike, but I beg to differ. Remember that you’ll still have the car for those things. Just plan ahead.
My Class 6 (equivalent to an M) license was easy to get. I’m not sure the method in ON, but in AB with a class 5 (G) you can ride anything under 50cc (which are fine scooters for in the city) and anything OVER 50cc upto and including my sort of bike, so long as a licensed class 6 holder is with you (great for practicing).
My bike is insured year round for Fire, Theft and Vandalism for about $400 annually.
Of course you left out the option of taking the car to work, and making Josh ride the Vespa down the 401. That would be awesome.
I love how apparently everyone read my blog at nearly the same time. ^_^
@ Grant – I never knew your dad had a Vespa! Does he like it?
@ Tyler – True enough about lease vs own. I hate renting a place to live enough, but Josh likes the idea of leasing, mostly because we seem to be dumping soo much money into our current “owned” car all the time, and a lease would at least be new(ish) and under warranty. But I still don’t like thowing money down the rent-hole.
Good idea on the used ForTwo, though it’s just the new 2008s that are gas instead of diesel. I just haven’t seen anything that would convince me to switch fuel, but knowing me I’d probably spend every day being paranoid that I’d need to refuel and not be able to find a gas station that has diesel (despite the fact that I probably wouldn’t drive the thing out of town, and most stations have diesel anyway). Because I’m paranoid like that. :/
Maybe I could do that lease-to-buy thing, but that’s still too expensive if they’re new.
I’m curious as to why to not tell a dealer if you might be financing or not?
@ Gord – good to know the insurance wouldn’t be too bad!
I’d love to at least go try one out. Not sure how test driving one would work before I got a licence (if I need one), but that shouldn’t be too hard to figure out.
Though technically it’s all moot, since I don’t have the $3k-5k needed to get the scooter, let alone buy a used-but-fairly-new car. But I like to pretend I can do what I want.
Plus the business is doing pretty well right now. I’m having a big sale to pay off my transmission work, and I’ve made about 1/3 of what I need, so I’ll probably continue the sale all summer, and maybe make some extra cash
(which of course I should use to pay down debt, not buy more things, but oh well)
Not telling the dealer about financing is a tip I’ve read.
I believe the idea is that when deals know that you’re financing (ever notice they ask that really early in the buying process?) they factor that in to the pricing when you’re negotiating with them. Whereas when you’re doing cash it changes the equation around.
I was talking to a guy at work who’s in the process of getting his M license.
He just wrote the M1 test yesterday. He’s taking a course in August. I believe the course includes the test. So at the end of his 60 day M1 period, he will have passed his M2 test and taken the course.
Then, like the G license, you have your M2 for a while and eventually have to pass a test for that as well (which we all know is relatively trivial once you’ve already passed one test already).
I said it to sky and I’ll say it to you:
it’s completely impractical… but get an Ariel Atom (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaWoo82zNUA).
Interesting re: dealers and financing
I only have experience buying one car, and really my dad did all the talking and I just did the paying. So I’m not sure when it came up in the process. I paid by (loan) cheque anyway.
I will remember your tip, though!