Petrol / travel costs -- more info / advice please

[Sharonimo]

Hi guys,

Now I now I first started a thread on "advice on renting + taking redundancy" in the Private section, and apologies for starting a new separate thread, but things have moved on and I want to pick a few more brains (please!).

On my first thread about "advice on renting and taking redundancy" the ever useful Karlos offered this advice:

Running costs of a second hand car for average 10,000 miles a year are about 44p a mile and fuel is only going to get more expensive not less so you need to factor that in to your budget. Two services a year will cost you £300 plus any repairs tyres etc.

I really want to know what specific petrol per mile costs are to calculate specific distances in Devon. (Ignoring the overall running costs of a car for the moment -- as I will need a car eventually anyway -- I will need it to travel the 60 miles from Devon to my family in Dorset, and possibly other places as well.)

The question then arises: will I actually need to use the car for the specific journey to work 5 days a week and how much will the petrol (just petrol alone) cost.

I've been using a figure of 0.50p per mile (based on Karlos' previous advice) .... but that might be on the high side.

Any drivers know how much petrol per mile costs work out at? (any car I buy will be likely to be a small economical hatchback like a Ford Ka altho I don't have the car yet)

 

[Sharonimo]

So I have an interview lined up next week for a particular job in a specific location on the southern side of Exeter.

If I am successful in this interview, the firm want to recruit and the person to start mid June .... so I may not get the luxury of spending a week in a lovely hotel in Paignton, I might have to be up and running with proper accommodation sorted by 18 June, so I have had to start seriously looking at properties currently advertised to rent (or "available from" mid June).

I am now trying to work out petrol / travel /overall budget costs for 3 particular properties. I won't post the links to the particular adverts here, as I don't want people to be affected by "oooh that one looks cute" or anything ...... I am just trying to work out the cost differences, travel wise (and in relation to what the rental is for that particular property).

1. OPTION 1 = 3 miles away from interview location
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Could possibly walk or cycle, but this particular property is "in the sticks" not near any other public transport (buses or train stations) ..... and I would definitely need a car to travel anywhere else from this particular location.

So would I end up using the car to get to work as well ....?

3 miles = 6 miles a day = 30 miles a week x 0.50p -- £15 ???

(but this is where the question arises whether 0.50p for petrol only is the correct figure ???)

2. OPTION 2 = 10 miles away from interview location
=============================
However, this property is very close to Exmouth train station and a 20 minute train journey to the "target location" costing £4 a day / £20 a week by train (probably even less by bus -- there is also a number 56, 57 or 58 bus that goes from Exmouth to Exeter but I do not yet know the bus prices -- although I am guessing the bus would be somewhat slower than the 20 minute train journey).

Property 2 might allow me to not need to buy a car for a long time, as being sooooooo close to Exmouth train station (and therefore Exeter bus / coach / train stations) I could "get by" on public transport for a lot longer.

3. OPTION 3 = 23 miles away from target location
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This location would require a car as it is (sort of) in the Babbacombe area of Torquay and quite some distance from Torquay train station.

23 miles = (say) 50 miles a day = 250 miles a week

250 miles x 0.50p = £125 ???

NOTE RE: OPTION 3 / PROPERTY 3
=====================
(a) it is the cheapest of all 3 properties
(b) it is available fully furnished which would consideraby cut down on me needing to (i) bring any of my junk from London, (ii) buy loads of furniture for an unfurnished flat.

(Both option 1 and option 2 and most others are only available totally unfurnished.)

ADVICE PLEASE !!!!!!

 

[wildchild]

Sharon,
You will also need to consider if the place of potential employment has free staff parking, otherwise you could be paying anything up to £10 a day just to park.

Buying a second hand car is also a minefield, I would suggest when you have seen the car you wish to own get it fully inspected by somebody like the AA (about £200). This will at least give you piece of mind.

Second hand cars should always be bought on condition and not just low mileage hence the AA report.

Sorry to add in more variables. I'm self employed and drive over 1000 miles a week with lots of motorway driving, so my car needs to be reliable. Its not new by any means and returns 45miles per gallon but it is a diesel which are generally more expensive to buy.

Victoria

 

[lornabatt]

Hi Sharon, I live in Exeter.

I don't drive, but the £0.50 per mile rate sounds very high!

It can be quite a long journey due to traffic and holiday makers from Torquay to Exeter. Lots of people do it, but it does add to your day. Better to pay a bit more rent if you can and save your self time etc in the future.

If I were you, I would pick the Exmouth option and travel by train. It is also the best option for local travel around the region and the ablity to have a social life with your new co-workers if you choose to do so.


Lorna

 

[suzie290304]

Yes option 2 does sound the best x

 

[CCPM]

I travel 50 miles per day return to my office and on top of that probably drive another 100 miles per week. I drive a small hatchback and do this mileage on a tank full of petrol which currently costs me in the region of £40 as prices are continually fluctuating. The hatchback does approx 12,000 miles per year and the manufacturers state it needs servicing once for that mileage which last time cost me £125 but it did not need any parts, the older the car the more likely new parts will be required. Tires cost £85 each and usually last me about 2-3 years. On top of that if the car is over 3 years old it will need an MOT prices vary but we get it done at £39.95. Road tax for my energy efficient Hyundai is £35 per annum but is much more for larger, less 'green' cars. Insurance is the major cost at £39.81 per month which is the amount payable for me with 30 years of a clean licence and no accidents resulting in a 70% discount, again this varies dramatically according to your driving history. So all these costs layer on to give the final cost of motoring.

HTH

M

 

[wannabeminime]

Mitchelmores is no where near the main train station I'm afraid! You'd have to travel to sowton train station (or bus it). I don't know whether you can get off here from Exmouth, our whether to would need to go into Exeter and out again. I suspect you would. I would still want a car too, for getting about, so I may as well use it for work!

 

[JO28172]

To add to all of the above, 14p a mile will cover fuel alone (just) that's what my company reimburses its co car users....it only goes up to 40p per mile for users using their own cars because of allowing for wear n tear etc

 

[Karlos]

Average petrol costs £1.36 per litre x 4.5 = £6.12 per gallon

The cost per mile is dependant upon the miles per gallon your car achieves on the journey you have to make each day. This will depend on a number of factors including how long it takes for your car to warm up, worn engines take longer to warm up and are less fuel efficient, the types of road you will drive on, traffic levels, the number of start stops you have to make at junctions etc, how big the car is, the tyres you have fitted, and your skill as a driver.

If your car can achieve an average of 30mpg then the cost per mile for just fuel is 20p. If it does less say 25mpg which is more realistic on short journeys then it would rise to 25p.

My 50p per mile total running costs takes into account the real running costs of private cars and before you question my figures you should know I have a certificate of professional competence in fleet maintenance and transport management and qualified as an associate of the institute of road transport engineers

 

[lornabatt]

The Exmouth train goes direct to Digby and Sowton station. I used to work in an office by Mitchelmores and a number of people got the train. I think it is about a 10 minute walk.

There is not a lot of off road parking around there if you don't get office parking.

Knowing the location of the office, I would still go with option 2. You then have the choice between public transport and a car when you get one.

 

[Yvessa]

I travel 35 miles on working days. Maybe another 10-15 miles on the weekends. This costs me 35 pounds weekly. I get just over 30mpg. On top of that I pay 80 a month on insurance and £170 a year for tax plus service. The service itself is not too costly and you can always get deals, but beware tyre changes etc.

 

[Sharonimo]

Thanks all for your replies.

The firm in question (Michelmores) does provide a free onsite car park for *all* staff, so parking (for this particular job) would not be a problem. However if this job did not turn out to be "the one" and I had to consider other firms that might be in central Exeter then parking might be an issue.

Although I have had a full licence for more than 20 years, I have not driven for the last 12 years since living in London .... and I was unaware how much car insurance had gone up until I read some of your replies.

For most of my other queries I have been able to work things out using various online travel websites, such as Welcome to megabus and Chester-le-Track and Devon Transport

But working out petrol / running costs after being a "non driver" for the past 12 years was beyond me ...... it is going to be all a bit new to me, getting back to being a driver and I will take some refresher lessons.

 

[SARAH S]

One of the main things you need to be aware of is that Devon is a rural county and even the high city of Exeter will not have the convenience of Public Transport that you are accustomed to in the metropolis. As someone who lives in this sort of area I couldn't imagine being without a car.

You can get some really good deals with some of the major dealerships, offering contract deals etc. These would have the best mileage, no need for MOT's, often they have lower emissions so lower if any road tax and services and spares are minimal....just another thing for you to ponder.

As to moving to Torquay or Exmouth, both are a far cry from the speed and facelessness of London....lucky you

 

[wannabeminime]

Hi Sharon, if you arent too keen on driving again, you'd be much better off in Exmouth or Exeter. However, i really think that, if you can pick it up again, it is best to drive around here. There are so many beautiful places to explore (coast, moors etc) that are difficult to do so on public transport. If you're going to move to Devon, you need to be able to enjoy it! Otherwise you may as well stay in London!

 

[Sharonimo]

Hi Sharon, if you arent too keen on driving again, you'd be much better off in Exmouth or Exeter.

I am keen to return to driving and being independent again, I have been for some time, but have been stuck in accommodation above shops with no parking (absolutely none) and even before this flat, most of the previous places I rented in London had zero parking for tenants.

If I had chosen to stay in London, I would have been planning to move further out (i.e. possibly Gravesend, Kent) to an area where I would have been able to afford a large ground floor flat with parking *and* garden or a small 1 bed cluster house.

However, altho the finances for doing that would stack up, the downside would be extra commuting time, at least 90 mins from Gravesend (could even be up to 2 hours depending on which part of Gravesend and where I had to travel into).

The 7 am - 8 pm commute / lack of life time swung me in favour of Devon, because hopefully (fingers crossed) I can rent somewhere much closer to where I will be working, and gain extra quality of life at the same time (or have a 20 - 30 min drive to work).

I have wanted to get back to driving for several years, as I feel at nearly 45 years old it is a bit ridiculous to be totally reliant on public transport and when I do go to Dorset to visit Dad / brothers / nieces / nephews etc, I am reliant on *their* cars for lifts to get me places, or back to the train station etc.

I only mentioned that I would take some refresher lessons as a precaution / to be sensible ..... before I start playing skittles ("how many points for running over a dopey Exeter Uni student?") with the residents of Exeter !!!