Can I Live Well Without A Car?

 

There is a dilemma I was hoping to postpone until next year, yet the time has arrived: Do I buy a new car? And if not, is relying on rideshare services a practical and financially feasible option?  

My nearly 13-year old Honda Fit - which featured prominently in an older post, Why Everything I Own Fits In My Car - is having issues. It’s still driveable, thank goodness, but it needs a new compressor, which will cost nearly $1,000 USD. In the meantime, I have no AC, and the defroster won’t work once the weather turns cooler. I could get it fixed, but I have a feeling it’s just a matter of time before the repair bills start rolling in. I’d rather put the repair money towards a new car if I decide to replace it. 

If I lived in a major city or a walkable community, this would be an easy decision. But since I live in a suburban area bordering on rural with no public transportation nearby, it’s a serious consideration. I presume most people in my situation would say, “You need a car; it’s not practical otherwise,” and perhaps this is true. But I’ve never been one to assume mainstream beliefs are correct or even beneficial, plus I clearly see cars as the depreciating money pits they are, and dealing with automotive issues is personally one of my least favorite things in the world. I love finding ways of eliminating or at least minimizing things I dislike, hence my considering alternatives to owning a car.

The closest and most frequent destinations for my social activities are 1.5 to 5 miles away, and shopping is 6 miles away. Although I love to walk, the nearby roads are not what I consider safe for pedestrians or cyclists, with vehicle speeds at 55 mph. My local family members live 16 and 22 miles away.

Shopping is the easiest issue to solve. I would have groceries delivered to my home at a cost less than what I’m currently paying for car insurance, and shelf stable and other household items would be ordered from major online retailers to take advantage of free shipping. This also has the added benefit of saving me time and the hassle of shopping, which is a chore I don’t especially enjoy.

After downloading a couple rideshare apps, I’ve played around with pricing out my most commonly visited destinations. This can be tricky, as prices vary based on time of day, availability of drivers, and probably other factors unknown to me. I’ve determined some averages and added a bit of padding to my numbers to account for variability and tipping. I did a similar exercise for buying a new car - upfront costs, insurance, fuel, maintenance, and guesstimates on repairs. Comparing the two over a 10-year period, I could potentially save $7,000 by using rideshare services.

Financially for my circumstances, ridesharing is probably a win. I say probably because I can’t predict the future, despite being a tarot card reader, and there are many unknowable variables both with rideshare and car ownership. How will inflation affect prices? Will my transportation needs change? How reliable will my car be? Will some uninsured idiot or an act of nature damage my car?

I grew to despise driving after living in the DC metro area for nearly 20 years, so the idea of being chauffeured sounds quite luxurious to me. But I realize that even good things have their downsides, and in this case it’s the loss of flexibility. I’m a planner by nature, so thinking ahead to request a ride isn’t a big deal, but there’s the potential that I may be stuck someplace longer than I’d like because I’m waiting for a ride to be available. I also worry that not having a car might limit my choices and freedom. As an adult I’ve never not owned a car, so there is some fear of the unknown, though simultaneously a feeling of relief in my imaginings of not having to be responsible for a vehicle.

I have a number of prior commitments throughout July, some of which I now realize I would’ve opted out of if I didn’t own a car. Reflecting upon transportation options has made it easier to determine where I’d prefer to spend my time and money. If I wouldn’t be willing to pay money to go to a certain place or attend a particular event, then I need to consider why I’m spending my time on it now just because I have the convenience of a car. Simply doing that mental exercise has been an unexpected benefit.

I’m grateful to be in the fortunate position of being retired and not having to commute regularly as well as being able to afford a new car. This isn’t a financial problem per se, though I’m frugal and dislike wasting money. Ultimately it’s more of a lifestyle decision and determining what will make my life easier and more pleasant.

Where does this all leave me? At the moment I’m leaning towards driving my current car through July while I wrap up some loose ends, then possibly selling it in August while experimenting using rideshare for a month or two to see how it goes. I can always buy a car if I decide that owning one will ease and simplify life enough to be worth the inherent hassles and expense.

What are your thoughts? Would you consider living without a car? Do you have any insights I haven’t yet considered? Leave your comments below; I’d love to know what you think!