What does less driving mean for society?
05-15-20, 10:57 AM
#1
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
iTrader: (20)
What does less driving mean for society?
With tons of people working from home now, and the likelihood that they're not going back possibly until at least next year or maybe never, why do they need to keep a car? They can uber to the grocery store in many cases.
i'm really all over the map thinking about what car i might get next year. I've been working from home for the past couple of months, only taking the car out maybe once a week, just to get out, and maybe get something from a store.
So what's the point in spending a lot of money on a fancy car that just sits here most of the time?
On the other hand, 'cheap' cars just don't do it for me, but maybe if i'm only driving one once a week, it doesn't matter?
i could buy the g90 out of the lease ($31K) which will certainly be a low mileage 2018 model!
i'm really all over the map thinking about what car i might get next year. I've been working from home for the past couple of months, only taking the car out maybe once a week, just to get out, and maybe get something from a store.
So what's the point in spending a lot of money on a fancy car that just sits here most of the time?
On the other hand, 'cheap' cars just don't do it for me, but maybe if i'm only driving one once a week, it doesn't matter?
i could buy the g90 out of the lease ($31K) which will certainly be a low mileage 2018 model!
05-15-20, 11:03 AM
#2
Lexus Fanatic
Originally Posted by bitkahuna
What does less driving mean for society?
i could buy the g90 out of the lease ($31K) which will certainly be a low mileage 2018 model!
Last edited by mmarshall; 05-15-20 at 11:11 AM.
05-15-20, 11:12 AM
#3
Lexus Fanatic
It is a quandary I agree. I'm still driving a good bit for work but I don't need to drive a car every day, maybe 2-3 times a week. Paying a huge payment for something I drive 2-3 times a week is a tough expenditure. And I drive the van a lot, because I don't like eating in the Lexus and you can't grab food and go in and eat anywhere. So the Lexus gets driven maybe once a week. Thats...$300 a drive. Thats a lot LOL
I think it will depend on what things look like next year when your lease is up. The other thought is, once of the reasons I have a car like this is the hours I spend in it. If I'm not going to spend those many hours in it, do I get something more fun and less comfortable?
I think it will depend on what things look like next year when your lease is up. The other thought is, once of the reasons I have a car like this is the hours I spend in it. If I'm not going to spend those many hours in it, do I get something more fun and less comfortable?
05-15-20, 11:36 AM
#6
Super Moderator
In Miami, you need a car. The joke when I went to high school here 30 years ago was not if you were going to get a car, but what kind. The public transportation system has gotten somewhat better since then, but still I need to drive and when I do, it is usually to the next county north, Broward or just northern Miami-Dade. When I parted with my RX300 in January, I likely had kept that vehicle longer than I should have simply because I was not driving as much as say when I lived in Mexico which was a daily commute, but 18 years with me was a long time and thinking ahead to a vehicle that might stay with me just as long, that is another reason my 2016 CT200h came into view. Having picked it up for 17K and with 32K miles, not bad compared to the 26K I spent for my RX300 that had about 42K miles then. I hope I drive less for sure and I am getting some clues that a lot of people I know may work more virtually in the future in part because so many saw immediate savings in terms of gas in commute during COVID-19 and realized that a lot of meetings need not be in person. We will see.
05-15-20, 11:37 AM
#7
Lexus Fanatic
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05-15-20, 11:41 AM
#8
If things stay the same as today (substantially less driving), I would consider a less expensive car. I will drive this car into the ground, then when the time comes, buy or lease a less expensive model. I cannot justify a high payment just for the car to sit in the garage. I am assuming we will go back to a more normal situation in the next few months, but maybe not. Either way, I am not in the market for a new vehicle.
05-15-20, 11:45 AM
#9
Yes we have 2 cars and both of us are working from home indefinitely. Contemplating selling one of them.
selling at this market will take a bit hit. So the question is whether to take a hit now or just keep paying registration and insurance etc.
selling at this market will take a bit hit. So the question is whether to take a hit now or just keep paying registration and insurance etc.
05-15-20, 12:35 PM
#10
Lexus Champion
I'm working from home and haven't put gas in any of our cars since the first week of March.
But with that said, I have no plans to sell any of our current vehicles. I'm not sure to what levels things will resume for us, and fully accept that it may take years. I could be working from home for a long, long time.
I figure cars wear out the more miles you put on them, so in my twisted mind, I'm getting an exceptional deal of having cars right now that are getting closer to being paid off but not putting on the miles. So when I make the last payment on each, those cars will have fewer miles than they otherwise would. And since I like driving each one, it makes it that much more special and exciting when I do. Today I drove my GS for the first time in two weeks and it was glorious.
But with that said, I have no plans to sell any of our current vehicles. I'm not sure to what levels things will resume for us, and fully accept that it may take years. I could be working from home for a long, long time.
I figure cars wear out the more miles you put on them, so in my twisted mind, I'm getting an exceptional deal of having cars right now that are getting closer to being paid off but not putting on the miles. So when I make the last payment on each, those cars will have fewer miles than they otherwise would. And since I like driving each one, it makes it that much more special and exciting when I do. Today I drove my GS for the first time in two weeks and it was glorious.
05-15-20, 01:35 PM
#11
Lexus Fanatic
I drove the LS today for the first time in 4 or 5 days and it was pretty glorious lol
05-15-20, 01:37 PM
#12
Lexus Test Driver
I was out today driving and its 80 degrees in NY so everyone is out.
Bumper to bumper traffic is back in NYC and Long Island unfortunately.
Well it was fun while it lasted......
Bumper to bumper traffic is back in NYC and Long Island unfortunately.
Well it was fun while it lasted......
05-15-20, 02:04 PM
#13
Lexus Fanatic
IMO, owning a car outright takes out the need to worry about such a thing. Owners can do what they want without the payment/usage fiasco. Low mileage.....low usage..no big deal....
05-15-20, 02:17 PM
#14
I'm working from home and haven't put gas in any of our cars since the first week of March.
But with that said, I have no plans to sell any of our current vehicles. I'm not sure to what levels things will resume for us, and fully accept that it may take years. I could be working from home for a long, long time.
I figure cars wear out the more miles you put on them, so in my twisted mind, I'm getting an exceptional deal of having cars right now that are getting closer to being paid off but not putting on the miles. So when I make the last payment on each, those cars will have fewer miles than they otherwise would. And since I like driving each one, it makes it that much more special and exciting when I do. Today I drove my GS for the first time in two weeks and it was glorious.
But with that said, I have no plans to sell any of our current vehicles. I'm not sure to what levels things will resume for us, and fully accept that it may take years. I could be working from home for a long, long time.
I figure cars wear out the more miles you put on them, so in my twisted mind, I'm getting an exceptional deal of having cars right now that are getting closer to being paid off but not putting on the miles. So when I make the last payment on each, those cars will have fewer miles than they otherwise would. And since I like driving each one, it makes it that much more special and exciting when I do. Today I drove my GS for the first time in two weeks and it was glorious.
05-15-20, 02:30 PM
#15
Pole Position
"What does less driving mean for society?" Hopefully it means less pollution, less impact on climate change. Living in the San Francisco, South Bay Area, we've seen a tremendous improvement in our air quality. The views have been phenomenal. Since I do landscape photography as a hobby, this is a welcome perk!
I hope that businesses and people are realizing that much of our commuting and travel isn't necessary, and that working at home, Zooming, and flying less should be sustained to some degree, after the country "re-opens."
Personally, I miss driving, but I'm not sure why, as 90% of the time I'm dealing with godawful traffic and dumb***** drivers. That said, I love getting out in the country for a drive!
I hope that businesses and people are realizing that much of our commuting and travel isn't necessary, and that working at home, Zooming, and flying less should be sustained to some degree, after the country "re-opens."
Personally, I miss driving, but I'm not sure why, as 90% of the time I'm dealing with godawful traffic and dumb***** drivers. That said, I love getting out in the country for a drive!