Where Do You Stand?
Buying a car is a decision every driver needs to think twice before making. Owning a vehicle can cause high maintenance and insurance costs, but it can also allow you the freedom to go anywhere you want. With that in mind, here are 10 reasons to avoid owning a car, and 10 to make that leap.
Photo By: Kaboompics.com on Pexels
1. Gas Prices
One of the most frustrating aspects of car ownership is the never-ending cost of fuel. Gas prices vary so much that it can be hard to budget for the daily commute or long trips. A small increase at the pump can easily add up to a large monthly expense.
2. Expensive Insurance
The next negative aspect of car ownership is insurance. Premiums are absurdly high based on your age, driving record, and vehicle type. One small claim or modification to your coverage plan will balloon your monthly costs.
3. Maintenance Costs
Car ownership also entails maintenance expenses that can accumulate. Routine services such as oil changes, tire rotations, and brake replacements are essential for safe operation. Unforeseen repairs like engine or transmission problems can be both expensive and frustrating.
4. Parking
Car ownership is always full of parking headaches. From hunting for a spot in a crowded lot to paying for daily or overnight parking, there are always hassles. If street parking is scarce, you can get frustrated and waste time spinning your wheels, searching for a place to park. In cities, you can rack up big parking bills.
5. Depreciating Value
Cars are not a good investment because they depreciate in value the moment you drive them off the lot. This loss of value can be significant, particularly in the case of new vehicles, and it continues to decrease as the car ages. If you sell your vehicle or trade it in, you will receive a fraction of what you paid for it.
6. Emissions
Car ownership leads to environmental emissions by releasing carbon dioxide and other pollutants into the atmosphere. These emissions contribute to climate change and air pollution, which can harm public health. Even vehicles with high fuel efficiency still emit greenhouse gases.
7. Traffic
Then there is the matter of traffic. There’s nothing more crushing than having to sit for hours behind a row of cars trying to make your way through a big city. Driving’s plenty fun on an open road, but open roads are a rare thing.
8. Safety
Driving a car places you at risk from all of the unsafe drivers on the road. The safest driver in the world can still be involved in an accident with a drunk, distracted, or reckless driver. This is why driving a car can be such a stressful and sometimes dangerous activity.
9. Theft
Theft and vandalism are the two perils a car owner faces every day. If you own a car, the possibility of it getting stolen or vandalized is always on your mind. Going for a day out with your car should not be a stressful event.
10. Limited Mobility
Cities with great public transportation systems make car ownership feel more like a hassle than a luxury. Traffic, parking, and maintenance take up more time than going by bus, train, or bike. In such urban areas, a car is often an underused item sitting in the garage for most of the week.
Now that we talked about the downsides of cars, here are 10 reasons they’re worth it.
1. Convenience
Owning a car is the most convenient way to get around. You can go wherever and whenever you like, without being restricted by timetables or routes. Need to pick up some groceries, or drive to work? Need to take a trip at a moment’s notice? With a car, you can.
2. Privacy
Having your own car is special because it allows you to have your own space. In a car, you can listen to music or talk on the phone without anyone disturbing you. It’s also your own space and not like on public transportation where you have to be around other people and strangers.
3. Flexibility
Driving provides freedom of mobility. Owning a car means that you can go where you want and when you want without being at the mercy of a public transport schedule or route. You can take trips at odd hours, run errands late at night, or explore off the beaten path where public transport might not reach.
4. Comfort
Cars are so comfortable because you have all the amenities to yourself. You can blast the heat, choose your seat, play your music, and create your atmosphere. This allows you to make long drives or daily commutes as comfortable and enjoyable as possible.
5. Commuting
If you own a car, going to work becomes faster and less uncertain than taking public transport. You can set your own departure time, use the shortest route, and avoid packed buses or trains. The convenience allows for less stress and more control over your day.
6. Weather Protection
Driving a car offers consistent safety from rain, snow, wind, and extreme heat or cold on the road. Being dry, warm, or cool is not dependent on the weather outside. This makes transportation and errands much more comfortable and reliable, no matter the season.
7. Varying Affordability
Cars can be quite cheap to own, particularly if you opt for a low-fuel consumption car or a second-hand one. In many cities, the overall price tag of having to own, insure, and maintain a car can be less than the cost of using non-stop Uber and Lyfts or public transportation.
8. Personal Expression
Driving a car that’s truly a representation of you can be a liberating feeling. Let your car be an extension of your personality through custom paint, rims, interior accents, and more. Whether it’s a large sedan or a cozy coupe, a car can really showcase who you are.
9. Fun
Driving a car can be a pleasurable and fulfilling experience for many. The feeling of power under your foot, the thrill of a twisty road, and the ultimate sense of control can make even the most mundane commute an enjoyable experience. It’s the open road, the winding bends, or simply cruising along a scenic route that can make driving so enjoyable for so many people.
10. Control
You can go anywhere you want, whenever you want with your own car. You can take the routes you like without following the schedule, and you can avoid traffic jams. You can also stop by whenever you like, and you can decide by yourself who you want to go with.
