Car clubs

[alex_b]

With the looming ULEZ extension and the fact we almost never drive anymore anyway we're thinking of selling our car and relying on a car club where necessary instead. I had a quick search of the forum and couldn't find anything specific; does anyone have recommendations? We're on Adys Road as that might affect people's recommendations.

[Sally Eva]

We did this and subscribed to Zip Car for a year. That made it clear that we didn't need a car at all but it was a good transitional stage. I think their rules may have changed and this https://www.zipcar.com/en-gb/car-hire-london/southwark may well be out of date

[Otto2]

We researched this ages ago with Zipcar as there is a space for one near us and found it was cheaper to take taxis or rent occasionally when needed but maybe that has changed and it will also depend on how much usage of a car you need - for us, as we very rarely need one, it was not worth joining a car club. Also, you know you can always get a taxi or rental vs wondering if the zip car there and available...

[alex_b]

Thanks both, I am wondering for the tiny number of times we use a car whether an Uber would just be easier. Perhaps useful for occasional Costco runs though.

[Otto2]

We almost signed up but realised it was more expensive and less convenient for us. For someone that would use it more, it is probably good though! Sixt car rental in Battersea will do delivery and pickup of vehicles to your door (though we cycle over).

[nivag]

I done this a few years ago, I use the Basic plan on Zipcar, doesn't cost anything per year to be a member. I mainly use it for the Flex cars than the per hour rental.

I have a motorbike so only use it when I need to carry something bulky and local. Otherwise a cab might be a better option.

[mima08]

I've been toying with this idea but couldn't quite make the numbers work.

We almost never use the car - the occasional trip to the recycling centre, a day trip and twice a year visit family in rural Devon. It's the latter that makes a car club not work: no clubs down there, no public transport but taking a zip car from here to have down there for a week become super expensive (as does hiring a car down there).

We're currently resigned to keeping ours on the thinking you only pay ULEZ when you drive, not when the car is parked on the street - do I have that right?

[KidKruger]

My understanding is if you?re parked in the ULEZ zone, and your car doesn?t satisfy regs, it?s like ?11 per day (?300+ per month).

I post this half-hoping I?m wrong and will be corrected !

[richard tudor]

I thought you only got charged if you actually had the wheels moving in or though the ULEZ zone. Thought the cost was ?12.50 each time you drove.Hope you are wrong.

[nivag]

If it gets caught on camera you pay, it'll be interesting if they use the same ANPR van used to catch parked untaxed vehicles for ULEZ.

mima08 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I've been toying with this idea but couldn't quite

> make the numbers work.

>

> We almost never use the car - the occasional trip

> to the recycling centre, a day trip and twice a

> year visit family in rural Devon. It's the latter

> that makes a car club not work: no clubs down

> there, no public transport but taking a zip car

> from here to have down there for a week become

> super expensive (as does hiring a car down there).

>

>

> We're currently resigned to keeping ours on the

> thinking you only pay ULEZ when you drive, not

> when the car is parked on the street - do I have

> that right?

Long/multiple day journeys are definitely the ones that add up, though if more than 1 person travelling the costs come down compared to buying a train ticket unless you can plan in advance and don't stress whether there's going to be engineering works the weekend you decide to get away.

[Sally Eva]

https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/ultra-low-emission-zone/ulez-where-and-when

Even if you make a short trip in the zone using a vehicle that doesn't meet the ULEZ emissions standards, you need to pay the daily change. However. if you are parked within the zone but don't drive, you don't need to pay the ULEZ charge.

[Nigello]

Some firms have special rates for Zipcar, which would make it cheaper. (I don't drive but am sometimes a passenger in them and think they're a good addition, especially the ones you don't have to bring back to the place from which you hired it.)

[alex_b]

mima08 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I've been toying with this idea but couldn't quite

> make the numbers work.

>

> We almost never use the car - the occasional trip

> to the recycling centre, a day trip and twice a

> year visit family in rural Devon. It's the latter

> that makes a car club not work: no clubs down

> there, no public transport but taking a zip car

> from here to have down there for a week become

> super expensive (as does hiring a car down there).

>

>

> We're currently resigned to keeping ours on the

> thinking you only pay ULEZ when you drive, not

> when the car is parked on the street - do I have

> that right?

I think you only pay when it?s moving. As for the Devon trips, wouldn?t a normal hire car from enterprise, Avis etc be more reasonable. Even at a couple of hundred pounds a week you?re still likely better off than insurance, servicing etc.

[SE22_2020er]

Has anyone got any experience of putting a roof box on a hire car? Is it allowed and or possible to get a car either with roof bars or to put your own roof bars on a hire car?

[nivag]

SE22_2020er Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Has anyone got any experience of putting a roof

> box on a hire car? Is it allowed and or possible

> to get a car either with roof bars or to put your

> own roof bars on a hire car?

Never tried, with Zipcar you can hire a van as well if that helps you.

[malumbu]

Anyone any knowledge of local car shares ie where you set one up for say the street. There was thread a couple of years ago where one of the less known electric car manufacturers set up a scheme where you clubbed together. The admin could be a bit challenging. I shared a car with mate years ago and could be tempted to do this again.

Here's a link to peer to peer sharing but I imagine the owner will be making a profit rather than sharing at cost price with the community https://www.hiyacar.co.uk/

[malumbu]

And another link about community car clubs http://www.communitycarshare.org/ seems to be useful info rather than a tool to take this forward

[mima08]

alex_b Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> mima08 Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > I've been toying with this idea but couldn't

> quite

> > make the numbers work.

> >

> > We almost never use the car - the occasional

> trip

> > to the recycling centre, a day trip and twice a

> > year visit family in rural Devon. It's the

> latter

> > that makes a car club not work: no clubs down

> > there, no public transport but taking a zip car

> > from here to have down there for a week become

> > super expensive (as does hiring a car down

> there).

> >

> >

> > We're currently resigned to keeping ours on the

> > thinking you only pay ULEZ when you drive, not

> > when the car is parked on the street - do I

> have

> > that right?

>

> I think you only pay when it?s moving. As for the

> Devon trips, wouldn?t a normal hire car from

> enterprise, Avis etc be more reasonable. Even at a

> couple of hundred pounds a week you?re still

> likely better off than insurance, servicing etc.

Thanks - I understand ULEZ is only when you're driving, so hope that's right. I had looked into hiring in the past but it was very expensive (possibly because we go during school holidays/ bank holidays...). INsurance and servicing has been very low, so even with the ?12.5 for driving in ULEZ, it's cheaper... Personally, I'd love a non-car owning option that works out cheaper or at least the same!

[OutOfFocus]

Me too, things zip cars wouldn't work for are holidaus, tip (guess can arrange collection) and manure runs.

[malumbu]

Interesting that you only need a car for the tip and to pick up manure - I'd suggest a cheap run-around but those over 40 years old and hence no ULEZ charge are now considered classic vehicles and ????. There's lots of 15 year old petrol run-arounds on Autotrader that will be ULEZ exempt for under a grand. I've got unrealistic expectations of car hire, but generally have not been too shocked at the price and often, not always, you will get an upgrade.

[Sally Eva]

OutOfFocus Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Me too, things zip cars wouldn't work for are

> holidaus, tip (guess can arrange collection) and

> manure runs.

you can buy bags of compost from the council and they look clean enough to put in a zip car. https://www.southwark.gov.uk/bins-and-recycling/reduce-your-waste/organic-soil-conditioner-pro-grow

The southern railway stables have heaps of free horse manure which you can fork into your own bags and carry away in your car/zip van.

I don't see why zip vans wouldn't work for the tip. The last time we took anything there, there were so many zip vans that they were being asked for ID etc

[Otto2]

Adding up car insurance, tax, plus MOT per year will take you well over ?1000 in most cases. If you rent a car 3 times a year for a week's length each time, it will come in at about ?600 or lower (?200 per week though sometimes lower). That leaves about ?400 to spend on either hiring a cargo cycle company like the Pedalme guys to do runs to the dump, move things etc, or, a local taxi. I would think in most cases you'd save money. We did the numbers many years ago and it worked out but maybe you take more holidays in the UK than that. We need one for a week a year but not always, and sometimes a weekend. We now use our own cargo bike for moving bulky stuff but I appreciate that is not for everyone.

Apologies if my estimates are off - we did the maths years ago...

[malumbu]

Costs are probably much higher Otto, need to take into account wear and tear, depreciation, and that is before you consider fuel and parking and the like. Most don't see it like that though, ie in full economic costs, many just looking only at fuel, which can be a third of the actual cost. With the fixed costs, the lower your mileage, the higher the cost per mile, so an even stronger case to ditch the car if you are doing low mileage.

So when you argue that you wont pay ?100 on the train as it is too expensive, 450 mile drive to Manchester and back could cost you twice that much in terms of driving. Some would then take into account having passengers and convenience when at the location, but I'd also look at speed (train would be generally quicker), and convenience/comfort (I can look out of the window, read a book, sleep etc). Sadly whilst our trains have become faster, comfort in normal class has gone down for example ironing board seats, and higher density.

[Sue]

malumbu Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> There's lots of 15 year old petrol

> run-arounds on Autotrader that will be ULEZ exempt

> for under a grand.

But being ULEZ exempt does not depend on age.

My car is 23 years old, but it won't pass the emissions test and to the best of my knowledge is not ULEZ exempt.

You have to put in the actual registration number on the website to find out (which I did do. Sob.)

[Holmdeneresi]

I've used HiyaCar which is a peer to peer car lending platform - worked a treat for me!