[alexander_busek]

2019 car, probably my last buy, sits in the garage most of the week.

I've never understood the economics of owning a motor vehicle, paying roughly $20 a day for it (when you consider all of your accident insurance, liability insurance, annual maintenance, oil changes, switching winter/summer tires, etc. - I'm not even mentioning depreciation or the cost of having a garage), and then driving it only twice a week.

$20 a day - that's more than $7,000 annually! Or, for you as a 75-year-old, roughly a third of a million dollars, total! (Assuming that you've owned a car for the past 50 years.)

I must admit, however, that I do feel for people not served by adequate public transportation, or unwilling to employ "mare's shanks."

Regards,

[citizen]

I've never understood the economics of owning a motor vehicle...

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No public transportation near me. I don't mean down the street, I mean within miles. Anyway, whether it's bus, train, cab, taxi, the news says they all can be dangerous, if you are the unlucky one. And lucky or not, they are all slow and I value my time. And dealing with rain, cold or heat waiting on a bus or train...no thanks.

My auto was $35k, USD. I drive regularly but usually not so far, excepting for medical, friend and relative visits or the occasional elective drive. Something less than 1000 miles/year so operational costs are virtually nothing beyond gasoline, tag fee and insurance. Those costs I would easily surpass paying for hired transportation several times a week. Oh, did I mention I don't like waiting...?

[EVO X]

I must admit, however, that I do feel for people not served by adequate public transportation, or unwilling to employ "mare's shanks."

I've done my share of taking the bus when I was younger, now I don't have to. Constant car payments can absolutely wreck retirement. I've read that ~1/3 of auto loans are underwater by ~$6K. My take is if one can't pay off the loan in 3 to 4 years, maybe they should be taking the bus..

[TexasGator]

“I’ve never understood the economics of owning a motor vehicle, ... $20 a day - that’s more than $7,000 annually! “

Your math is way off for a seven year old car lightly driven. And you say you are not counting depreciation.

“$20 a day for it (when you consider all of your accident insurance, liability insurance, annual maintenance, oil changes, switching winter/summer tires, etc.”

Less than $5 a day.

“I’m not even mentioning depreciation or the cost of having a garage),”

The depreciation on a seven year old car is minimal.

The garage is an appreciating asset.