Have you ever evaluated...

[charbaby]

...how many hours per day that you spend in your vehicle?
I started thinking about this recently(must have too much time on my hands) and for myself, it isn't much! I may spend 30 minutes a day in my car. When I worked(retired now), I spent 15 min/each way to work. So, my car would spend 23.5 hours parked everyday either in my driveway or at my work parking lot.

Now that I am retired, I sometimes don't even go out unless I absolutely need to. We have cut down to one everyday car and the Firebird FORMULA (in sig) that has been in the garage(queen) for the past 38 years. My wife & I now split one vehicle instead of each having our own.

And when we each had our own vehicle, this scenario was X2. Each vehicle spent about 23.5 hours parked. Ok, Ok, except for the weekends and family travel however, that would be a different scenario. BUT, THINK ABOUT IT?

This isn't a complaint that I have, I was just thinking about the actual need for my vehicles and how much I can't live without one...and how much I do in fact love vehicles!

However, I did start thinking about how many hours that they're parked compared to how much they cost to own & depreciate in value just sitting there. This is just another way to think about our vehicles.

What say you, anyone care to comment?
No bashing, just fun!

 

[Shannow]

I play that all the time when I look out the window.

My family when I was a kid always got by with one car...until we couldn't due to competing work directions from my parents in an area of limited public transport.

Then back to one when we moved to Canberra, where public transport was decent...even when I got my licence, one car was enough for my parents, myself, and I was allowed to take the car to school one day per week...I could do my lawn mowing jobs, but also had to run all the errands.

Now we need two...no way out of that.

However, where my thoughts are now with the future...WHEN autonomous EVs are the norm, we may only have one (or none)...the cloud will know what time we commute, whether we slept through the alarm (one interview, Sophia told the audience how many had a decent nights sleep, were stressed, exercised etc...that will be the norm).

When we are assimilated, no street parking means denser housing, and all the Agenda 21 stuff will be ready to be placed.

 

[racer12306]

I think about it regularly, maybe in a difference sense than you are.

I bought my Focus with 36851 miles on it on April 7, 2018. I currently have almost 53000 miles on it and I didn't drive it the month of May, my wife did (her drive is 1/3 of mine). My drive is generally 55-60 minutes each way, but it's regularly 60-75 minutes on the way home and can be 90 minutes or worse when the stars are off kilter.

So for someone who's job doesn't involve driving, I spend my share of time in the car.

 

[philipp10]

For most people, their vehicle DOES in fact sit much of the day. That is why long term the car companies are in trouble. Once self driving cars are here....why own one? Just subscribe to your 30 minutes usage a day and let that car run 24/7. The world will be a somewhat greener place. Hard to fathom for us who all have had cars all our lives....but it's coming. And I think it will be goodbye to at least 1/2 of the car companies now in business.

 

[RayCJ]

For 10 years, I spent 2 hrs/day in a car, 5 days/week. For 2 years, I spent 3 hrs/day in a car, 5 days/week. For the remaining 30+ working years, I made sure my commutes would be no more than 1 hr/day. I'm semi-retired now (working as an engineering consultant) and look forward to taking road trips. I love driving on open roads but, really hated the bumper-to-bumper commutes.

I tend to think about the differences between gasoline and diesel engine service ratings. A typical gasoline automobile needs just a handful of horsepower to move it down the road -maybe 20-30 HP or thereabout. Even low end gasoline engines these days can produce 125HP so basically, they only use about 20% of what they are capable of. So many engines now can produce 200, 300+ HP and those only use 5-10% of what they are capable of. The 4 and 5 cylinder diesel delivery trucks used in crowded city areas produce only around 140 HP but need close to 50-60% of that power to haul their loads. On top of that, many are in service 6-8 (or more) hours per day in stop/go driving conditions. HUGE difference in service factor and usage conditions.

Ray

 

[Rolla07]

I work from home but drive my kid to daycare 5 mins each way morning and night...I keep looking to buy a new or newer car but everytime I look at the price I simply cant justify it for the little I drive..despite the fact I feel I deserve a replacement! My wife and I share our car, as she takes the bus into town for work. Does not help that my 2007 Corolla (162k miles) continues to drive beautifully with no issues. Cheap on gas and maintenance, so unless I win the lottery, I will keep the car going as long as I can!

 

[wander2039]

Thought about it last night after seeing everyone stuck in traffic. I'm glad I get to ride my bike to work and can avoid driving all together if I want to. 30-40 min commute that way, if I was to drive would only be 10 min but way more stressful. We have 5 vehicles but all are paid for and good condition, only plan on buying one more in the next twenty years. That one will be new since my wife has never had a new vehicle, I have had a new one and interested in another one.

 

[jimbrewer]

I hated commuting. The hidden costs are astronomical. With my 10 minute commute a whole world opens up;

1. Any car is a practical car for me.

2. When my kid got to driving age, I didn't have to get a car. Kid used mine and I bicycled to work. Skipped the gymn when I did.

3. I can keep my car as long as I want. It won't wear out until long after I've retired.

 

[StevieC]

It earns me a living and I spend about 30 hours a week in the vehicle for work and probably another 10 for personal stuff.

 

[SevenBizzos]

Commutes are 40-50 minutes each way. Could move closer, but like where I live and don't want to spend more for less.

Once I get to work, it's 4-6 hours a day in a work vehicle.

Add some weekend errands and such, I'm probably driving a vehicle 40 hours a week or so.

 

[WyrTwister]

Originally Posted by Char Baby
...how many hours per day that you spend in your vehicle?
I started thinking about this recently(must have too much time on my hands) and for myself, it isn't much! I may spend 30 minutes a day in my car. When I worked(retired now), I spent 15 min/each way to work. So, my car would spend 23.5 hours parked everyday either in my driveway or at my work parking lot.

Now that I am retired, I sometimes don't even go out unless I absolutely need to. We have cut down to one everyday car and the Firebird FORMULA (in sig) that has been in the garage(queen) for the past 38 years. My wife & I now split one vehicle instead of each having our own.

And when we each had our own vehicle, this scenario was X2. Each vehicle spent about 23.5 hours parked. Ok, Ok, except for the weekends and family travel however, that would be a different scenario. BUT, THINK ABOUT IT?

This isn't a complaint that I have, I was just thinking about the actual need for my vehicles and how much I can't live without one...and how much I do in fact love vehicles!

However, I did start thinking about how many hours that they're parked compared to how much they cost to own & depreciate in value just sitting there. This is just another way to think about our vehicles.

What say you, anyone care to comment?
No bashing, just fun!

Sounds like an electric vehicle could fit your driving pattern very well .

 

[WyrTwister]

Originally Posted by Shannow
I play that all the time when I look out the window.

My family when I was a kid always got by with one car...until we couldn't due to competing work directions from my parents in an area of limited public transport.

Then back to one when we moved to Canberra, where public transport was decent...even when I got my licence, one car was enough for my parents, myself, and I was allowed to take the car to school one day per week...I could do my lawn mowing jobs, but also had to run all the errands.

Now we need two...no way out of that.

However, where my thoughts are now with the future...WHEN autonomous EVs are the norm, we may only have one (or none)...the cloud will know what time we commute, whether we slept through the alarm (one interview, Sophia told the audience how many had a decent nights sleep, were stressed, exercised etc...that will be the norm).

When we are assimilated, no street parking means denser housing, and all the Agenda 21 stuff will be ready to be placed.


All that sounds like too much potential for " Big Brother " & 1984 ! :-(

I do not trust Big Business , I do not trust Big Government , I do not trust Big Labor .

 

[SwampSurvivor]

I spend more time sleeping in my DD car than driving it.

12 minutes to/from work every day. 1 hour on lunch every day sleeping in it.

I tried to find a house within walking distance to work but they were too expensive, starting at $40k or more higher than what I have note

 

[charbaby]

While I've owned cars that I stored winters and only drove during the summers, I would spend more time washing & polishing them, than I did driving them. ;D

 

[KrisZ]

Originally Posted by philipp10
For most people, their vehicle DOES in fact sit much of the day. That is why long term the car companies are in trouble. Once self driving cars are here....why own one? Just subscribe to your 30 minutes usage a day and let that car run 24/7. The world will be a somewhat greener place. Hard to fathom for us who all have had cars all our lives....but it's coming. And I think it will be goodbye to at least 1/2 of the car companies now in business.


Or better yet, buy one and let it make money for you while you're at work or chillin in your home.

But it won't be a greener place, not a chance. Just look at the ride sharing programs, they were all hailed to reduce traffic in cities and be green. The opposite is happening. Uber, Lift and other drivers are literally driving around circles in highly populated areas, adding to pollution and congestion, constantly seeking rides to make money.

 

[skyactiv]

I'm 99% sure the VCDS I have shows engine hours if you dig into it.

 

[exranger06]

I love cars as much as the next "car guy," but I'll admit they are huge money pits. Between the purchase price, fuel, maintenance, repairs, insurance, taxes, registration, they cost thousands of dollars every year. It's insane how much money people (in general) spend to drive around. It's one of the main reasons I try to keep my cars as long as possible. I'm content with what I have and have never gotten the "new car itch," and I'm thankful for that. I can't see the point in spending thousands more for a new car, when my older cars do the same exact thing for a much lower cost. But even my old cars are expensive to keep around.

 

[Duffyjr]

I moved to the Denver area when work was slow around here (population 20k) back in the mid 80's and only lasted a year and a half. I was spending 2 hours sometimes more a day in traffic. Now if I hit all the lights (3 of them) I can't even finish a smoke by the time I get to work.

 

[philipp10]

Originally Posted by WyrTwister
Originally Posted by Shannow
I play that all the time when I look out the window.

My family when I was a kid always got by with one car...until we couldn't due to competing work directions from my parents in an area of limited public transport.

Then back to one when we moved to Canberra, where public transport was decent...even when I got my licence, one car was enough for my parents, myself, and I was allowed to take the car to school one day per week...I could do my lawn mowing jobs, but also had to run all the errands.

Now we need two...no way out of that.

However, where my thoughts are now with the future...WHEN autonomous EVs are the norm, we may only have one (or none)...the cloud will know what time we commute, whether we slept through the alarm (one interview, Sophia told the audience how many had a decent nights sleep, were stressed, exercised etc...that will be the norm).

When we are assimilated, no street parking means denser housing, and all the Agenda 21 stuff will be ready to be placed.


All that sounds like too much potential for " Big Brother " & 1984 ! :-(

I do not trust Big Business , I do not trust Big Government , I do not trust Big Labor .

ridiculous.....better wrap more foil around your head....they ARE spying on you.

 

[philipp10]

Originally Posted by KrisZ
Originally Posted by philipp10
For most people, their vehicle DOES in fact sit much of the day. That is why long term the car companies are in trouble. Once self driving cars are here....why own one? Just subscribe to your 30 minutes usage a day and let that car run 24/7. The world will be a somewhat greener place. Hard to fathom for us who all have had cars all our lives....but it's coming. And I think it will be goodbye to at least 1/2 of the car companies now in business.


Or better yet, buy one and let it make money for you while you're at work or chillin in your home.

But it won't be a greener place, not a chance. Just look at the ride sharing programs, they were all hailed to reduce traffic in cities and be green. The opposite is happening. Uber, Lift and other drivers are literally driving around circles in highly populated areas, adding to pollution and congestion, constantly seeking rides to make money.

The existence of Uber does not cause people to commute more. It just takes the place of other ways of getting around. It should be a greener future just by reducing the amount of vehicles produced that are sitting degrading in our driveways.