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ONE OF THE MAIN issues for consumers in 2016 has been the rising cost of motor insurance.
Increases of upwards of 300% have been reported by motorists with claims that insurance companies are engaged in ‘unspoken co-ordination’ over prices.
Added to insurance, taxes, fuel, the NCT and repairs all mean the cost of owning a car is as high as it’s ever been. So is it still worth it?
Our poll, Is owning a car worth the money?
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Where is the ‘a car is a necessity not a choice’ option? For many of us that is the reality and a lot of sacrifices have to be made to keep the car on the road.
Here here
This poll was clearly written by D4 and Blackrock IPA-sipping dimwits that never leave the M50 and Dart loop.
If I have no car I have no job as there is no public transport from where I live to where I work.
Carmel – quit your job and won’t have to get to work. I’m a problem solver so no need for thanks!
Need to eat? Stop eating!
Charlie Brown ™ will solve your problems!
Exactly. No choice for me.
Don’t mean to be disrespectful but “no car… no job” followed by “no public transport… to work” so a little unclear. That aside I get the idea of no public transport. Much of the country is under serviced (due to a lack of population). Vague memory of some rural train routes potentially being cut next year. Outside the lack of public transport in lowly dispersed areas, the cost of public transport is a farce. Friends of mine who depend on public transport in cork spend anything between 25-30e a week. I drive, I put that into my car and generally can get to and from work (approximately a 12-15 minute journey one way) and if I’m going home to Kerry for the weekend on 30e. Excessively expensive for a public commodity.
No its not worth the cost but until there’s a half decent public transport to replace it, we find stuck owning one with the government and insurance companies squeezing us by the johnsons
@Tony Skillington: I totally agree Tony. I look at countries in Europe. They invest a lot of money in
Public transport especially trains. It is past time that this government invested more money in public
Transport. What has happened to the metro? What about companies who plan to relocate to Ireland, because of Brexit?
Maybe, because of bad public transport they could relocate somewhere else. Ireland could miss out
On a golden opportunity as we are the only English speaking country in The EU.
@Anita OGalligan: What about Wicklow, It’s a growing commuter town yet only about 6 trains per day.
Ok, there is an hourly bus service to Dublin which takes about 1hour 30 mins to Dublin. The train takes
about 1 hour. A train is more convenient and comfortable. Investment in a good rail service would cut the traffic jams which is a nightmare for drivers.
I live in the sticks, no public transport or even taxis….. A car consumes a large part of my income but its better than walking!
I would rather not own one, but where I live and where I work make it a necessity.
The question assumes people have a car by choice rather than necessity..for anyone that lives or works in a rural area a car is a necessity…no car no work.
it depends on where you live .. if you live in the sticks you have no choice but to own a car .. no public transport .
At a cost of ca. 1,750 per annum I’m seriously considering not having a car by the next NCT, I use the Dart for work which takes 6 minutes to walk to , 1,750 would buy me a lot of taxis when I need to go elsewhere
@Martin fagan: Really? For tyres, test, petrol, insurance, tax? And they’re just the obvious annuals. Those alone for me, would be 4.5k.
@Martin fagan:1750 if you are lucky. Was doing my costs petrol 35 fill ups by 60 =1950. Car tax 520. Insurance 500. Capital costs 2000. Just shy of 5k. Would love to get rid of the car. Work, picking up kids, not an option.
@Mr Snuffleupagus: See Alan above.
@Alan Duggan: 250,000 1983 onwards BMW E30s in UK, €56 annual tax, appreciates in value, €175 classic insurance.
@Martin fagan: the cost is the main reason we went for an electric. Wipe the cost of petrol off your yearly spend, as well as cutting tax down to 150 and pretty much eliminating things like oil changes, spark plugs,timing belt etc.
Has saved us thousands.
Jeez 1750 is nothing spend more than that alone on petrol mind you I drive a big car smiles per gallon for luxury but worth it
@Martin fagan: Get rid of it Martin !
@lavbeer: my 1750 was a bit conservative I suppose but it’s an 04, so worthless, so no addition for depreciation, the car was paid for years ago. Biggest problem would be coming out to an empty driveway, something to get used to
@Martin fagan: Very true, a car is an expensive item if we include having to pay for it through a bank or finance company. Many people would be better off financially if they made do with an older model especially if their annual mileage is low or they don’t use the car as part of their job.
Live in a rural area without my car I would be sunk as the available public transport is a joke. So no choice.
I stopped driving my car in August because of the cost of insurance, full no claims bonus, full licence for 15 years, never had a claim against me and the cheapest quote I got was for 932, last year it was 420. Not worth paying that much
I’d give an arm and a leg for insurance of less than a grand
If you done that Ben… You would have to get a specially adapted car… would then cost a lot more… So hold onto your arm and leg
@Mick Sage: Be careful, if you let your insurance lapse you might be refused insurance in future.
It’s unlikely you have 20 years of claim free driving Ben Murphy, or a full licence for 15 so of course you’d love to get insurance for under a grand, my early insurance premiums were over 3000 Irish pounds on a 1litre Fiesta worth 400 pounds so I’ve done my stint of paying high premiums as a young driver, if you want to drive as a young driver u have to pay higher premiums.
You should have really highlighted that the poll is only for people who live in a city or large town-otherwise a car is not a lifestyle choice it’s a necessity.
Without a car I’d have to get up earlier. I’ll pay good money to avoid that.
France scrapped its annual Motor Tax in 2001. Personal transport is a basic need in modern world, especially in non urban areas .. basic needs should not be taxed. Irish 2-Tier Motor Tax is odious … biggest burden on those who can least afford it – those who cannot afford newer cars (post 2008)
@Neuville-Kepler62F: And theyre using the motor tax for other things, like setting up Irish Water. Absolutely ridiculous
Not in this country. fight back drivers,it’s a total farce now!! If ur a man under 25 tho ..Forget it
Where’s the button for I have no choice to own a car?
Why no option for owning a car because it is necessary. Public transport in this country is a joke outside the major urban centers. It is just another tax on people who live in the country as the public subvention is so high and of no use to three quarter of the population
It’s getting to the point where the cost is going to be too prohibitive. Public transport outside of cities is crap so a car is a necessity for most people. But, with the cost of fuel and insurance on the up and up, the cost of maintenance, parking costs in a lot of places, it’ll soon be out of reach for many.
Public transport is awful where I live so owning a car is a necessity. This I imagine is true for most living on this island.
Our family car is a 14yr old yaris. Tis falling apart but still going thank God. Costs about 3,000 to keep it on the road between tax, insurance, petrol. My husband uses it to get to work. We live in the bog so we need it. You cannot make wages here without a car
Absolutely Sinéad. I am at a point now where some insurance companies won’t entertain my 15 year old car even though it has passed the nct so time for an upgrade. More money
This business of insurance xompanies refusing to insure cars which have passed their NCTs must be addressed now. Why bother with an NCT if you can’t get insured? Yet Noonan says he can do nothing….
@ Sinead Hanley, agree with your post..but can’t get the image of a Yaris with twin tyres hauling all that turf out of the bog from my head…go easy on the clutch ffs..;)
@Max Johnson Powers: Chances are that your old car is getting beyond its sell by date, might be better to put your old car into an auction and get something more recent. Might cost you a couple of grand but will be insurable.
Stupid Fcuking poll!!
Without my car the government would be down €30k – €40k annually. They need me to be able to afford to keep it in the road.
Ireland has the worst public transport system going!! Nobody can rely on it full stop..so everyone has to drive.
I own a car, use it a lot, and doesn’t cost that much to run, if well looked after, ie: tyres at good pressure, keep filters etc. in check. Public transport where I live is ok, and I don’t live in Dublin. A lot of people live in rural areas so public transports is obviously not going to be as good as it is in the urban areas. What do people expect. Maybe try try car pool or something, but please stop whinging. Public transport in Ireland is not the worst in the world believe it or not. By reading some of the posts you think we live on the moon.
It’s not just a rural problem but a route to work issue because no matter where you live you may need at least two public transport options to get to and another two to get home and that lack of flexibility means over time is out and if you miss a link you loose hours of work. A car is essential for work and grocery shopping or to school if needed. On top of all this the government and insurance companies are actively trying to deter car owners with increasing penalty points…won’t be long before picking your nose will incur 3 points.
Own a car and I enjoy driving. I don’t enjoy the road users who don’t know how to drive
@john Reese you da man!
Whatever party of government is able to organize (and crucially deliver) a better and more efficient system of motor insurance would garner a lot of votes. However, it does not ( yet) seem to be a priority. Granted, there are other key priorities ( such as health, housing & homelessness) but I dread getting my next insurance quote in Feb. No claims, but still bound to go up. No credit for being a safe driver.
I hate my car, but need it.
Can we talk about the rising cost of health insurance , 25% increase this year but only a 20% increase if I drop the level of cover , no everyday stuff just increased hospital care and judging by the state of the public hospitals this is a necessity. Absolutely disgraceful.
@Terry Waldron: 35-40% on medical cards is a good starting point?
Not sure what that means.
If you have an alternative bicycle or bus take it and get rid of the car. Taxsaver with Bus Eireann for city bus services can work out less than 10euro per week. No motor tax,insurance,fuel or maintenance costs.
Do people still ride in their car?
Ladies and gentlemen Nissan is offering 2 years free car insurance when purchasing any car with them! Which I think is a fantastic offer! I swear I don’t work for them :)
If you live in Dublin close to public transport you don’t need a car most people certainly don’t need 2 cars !
A lot of people work shift and even in the major cities public transport does not help people on shift work,Before getting a car I had a 2 hour bus commute in Dublin. The car cut it down to 30 mins travelling time,As for the NCT which is a statuary test,How the government are letting insurance companies away with refusing older car owners insurance is a joke.
I gave up a car and use a pedelec ebike. I do a 23 km round trip on it every day for commuting. No insurance, fuel, NCT, depreciation, maintenance or other big ticket items. I have lost weight and get good exercise. So far, the ebike has been totally reliable. I can carry a lot in the panniers.
Oddly enough, because of the location of the mid crank motor and battery, the bike handles beautifully on corners much better than my lighter and ordinary bike.
If I’m stuck I use a taxi or hire a car fir when I need it.
I can’t believe how much money I have saved.
No public transport alternatives as I do not live in Dublin so I have no choice in order to get to work and back
You ask as if you have a choice. Ireland has the worst public transport system.
For city & suburban dwellers, it is increasingly of diminishing benefit, given the public transport options available. If more & free feeder services were offered to the trains & main bus routes, then more would drop car ownership, especially the second car.
We’re a two car family, one petrol the other electric (190km).The electric is used for commuting 100km a day and other trips. The EVs IF IT SUITS YOUR NEEDS, can be picked up cheaply in the UK. No real service costs (€100), lowish insurance and low tax. Running electric costs for 30k a year about €350 off peak.
If you need advice see boards.ie
Most jobs specifications and requirements need a car nowadays!. Not to mention how bad public transport is in Northern lreland . so having a car is very exepensive but l cannot live with minimum wage, l need a car no matter how expensive and to be able to practice as a professional otherwise l will always be a carer.
Maybe a lot of people are not aware but cost of owning a car is unacceptable especially you came to Ireland from outside of EU, bought a car but not able to use it because lowest insurance price i got is 3500€, just because I dont have driving history in Ireland.
No job no car,what I can’t understand how the council bought a house on a private estate 7 years ago where I live,an unmarried with girl two kids has a newer car than me and no morgage never worked a day in her life ,I’m missing a cosy lifestyle where I’m not a total slave to the system, I wish I could knew how live to such a high standard without working my button off.
I’m no expert on these things, but, how does motor tax affect people’s freedom of movement? The freedom of movement is one of the basic human rights. If motor tax and insurance makes this unaffordable, and public transport is unavailable, does that mean one has a case against the state as a result? With all the ludicrous court judgements lately, this is perfectly plausible in my mind.
If you live in the sticks then public transport is not an option. Light rail should have been installed along side the m3 to Dublin, but we all know why not!!! Tolls! And why does the M3 not at least end in Cavan. Makes no sense!
If you live outside the greater Dublin area or other cities you’ll probably need a car, and if you also happen to have kids you need a car full stop.
have your say