How much do you spend on your car each month?

[BridgeTroll]

$1200 per year is a bargain compared to $12,000!

I'm not in Chicago, but while there it was very rare to need a car. Groceries were right around the corner. We left the city by train, plane, or sometimes [rented] automobile.

I didn't need to carry many large items, but it was never an issue. Just grab a large cab and go. Or rent the size vehicle you need without paying for it year round. Or just order it online. Lots of options for every scenario.

Cool.  I guess where I was going was... there are hidden costs involved with NOT owning a car and relying on public transport.  Cabs are not cheap... delivery charges, car rentals/insurance.  Planes and trains are great but not very flexible and if you are going to a not so big city... you will likely need a car.  For the completely "immersed" urbanite I suppose life without a vehicle is no big deal... but... I want to go to the cabin... the beach... perhaps I have friends in the exurbs.  The car provides convenience and freedom... the price one pays for that is certainly up to the buyer...

[thelakelander]

^I guess, the major benefit in a city with decent mass transit and an abundance of walkable mixed-use neighborhoods is that you could possibly operate with one car per household instead of two or three. That's convenience, freedom and disposal income right at your fingertips.

[Lunican]

^Seriously, if you don't have to use a car for every single thing you do, you save a ton of money. As we've seen in this thread, people are spending a lot of money on this.

[thelakelander]

Funny you mention that. I was in DC having drinks with a friend a few weeks back. She lives in Adams Morgan and mentioned she's been trying to convince her husband to get rid of his car.  From her viewpoint, it was a major hassle (they're only using it once a week or so) and they'd make a couple extra hundred a month (not counting money saved on insurance/maintenance, etc.), by renting their driveway to neighbors.

[Tacachale]

I don't think "big cities" are a good comparison as there are a lot of other costs (including transportation costs as BT says) as well as benefits that don't match up entirely. My friends in San Fran, Miami and Boston absolutely have a higher cost of living than I do even if they don't have cars (several do anyway).

I consider what we pay for our one car (@ $400 a month between 2 people) to be a reasonable cost for the convenience and autonomy of wheels when we want or need them. What I think this is Lunican's strongest point, is that this isnt workable for many people here, and if our situation changed even slightly, a second car would be all but necessary to get by. That's rough; I don't want to be totally car-independent, but I don't want to be totally car dependent. --~~~~

[BridgeTroll]

^Seriously, if you don't have to use a car for every single thing you do, you save a ton of money. As we've seen in this thread, people are spending a lot of money on this.

If "every single thing you do" happens to occur within the radius of a city with great public transport and walking then you undoubtedly will save a ton of money.  So the answer is yes... personal transportation "car" costs monies that could be spent elseware if ones priorities are such.  The same could be said I suppose for overpriced 1 bedroom lofts in the downtown of Chicago or NY...

[Overstreet]

I pay about $1000 per month to operate three vehicles on a normal month.  Since I'm out of town add another $300-400 per month.  Of course I don't drive all of them at the same time. A good chunk of that is reimbursed.  I cannot use public transportation and do what I do.  Sometimes there is no road before I get there. Most times public transportation won't make the schedule work or tow what needs towing.  A lot of my miles could be discretionary and not done,  but life would then be dull.

[GoldenEst82]

I just want to put this out there:
If my previous post wasn't plain, I am a car nut.
Even as a car nut, I would happily leave her at home in favor of public trans.
There is very little (other than visiting outlying family) that I do is outside the realistic coverage of public trans.
This is actually very relevant to me at the moment...
My car is currently down- and over the last week-I have had to get between my house (close to McDuff and 10) and my studio on Hogan st.
It was 7.80 for a cab to take me from my house to the convention center skyway. To get home, it is 11.00. (Its late by the time I leave) If I could get on a direct bus/trolley- I would use the bus- but I would have to go the whole way around the Edgewood loop to get DT- a 40 minute ride.

I have met people who have lost their jobs because of JTA's inefficiency, and its one of those things where you shake your head and say, it doesn't have to be that way!

[Debbie Thompson]

But then, companies could be more flexible.  I used to park at the Convention Center and ride the skyway to Central Station when I worked downtown.  Another lady often arrived the same time I did in the morning, and we would chat.  Twice (only twice!) in a couple of years, the skyway was down temporarily, and we had to ride a shuttle bus supplied by JTA.  Consequently, we were maybe 10 minutes late to work.  Twice.  In two years.  My supervisor was fine. Hers....told her she had better find another place to park or she could lose her job.  Really?

[Coolyfett]

I fill up once a month normally about 23 dollars to fill to full. Car insurance is 78 a month, tune up every 6 months 55 bucks, so id say 110 dollars a month. Its a Honda....what's maintenance??

[Coolyfett]

It's no wonder that the people that have to rely on JTA are regarded as shit in this town! They're not paying all of that money every month to keep those assholes pockets padded!

LOL

[mandy6488]

Hmm, car payment of $320, insurance $104 (because I have turbo), fill  up 3 times a month so about $120.

All of that money is worth the shitty 5 months I had to deal with JTA buses. Left my house at 6:05 and got to work right at 8am. No thanks.  It's a 15 min drive in my car.