My car is 17 years old and has stopped depreciating. I’ve owned it for over 15 years. Insurance, tax and maintenance costs me around £800 per year, or 8p per mile, so added to the 10p per mile on fuel, 26 miles costs me around £4.50 so nearer £5 than £3. My bad. But yes, as I use the car for more than commuting, I tend to think of fuel costs rather than overall costs. Train is still >2 times the daily price.
It's very, very hard to get below 20p a mile all in. I managed it with The Indestructible Mondeo but that was 4 years at 15k miles a year on a car that cost £600.
wilber, can I ask how long it took for your wife’s bus pass to arrive? I’m two months off my 60th and looking forward to free dry transport by the end if the year!
It’s 60 in Merseyside for the equivalent of the 60+ Oyster, I went for mine the day after my birthday. It’s handy if your travelling on the train as I buy a ticket from the last station on the network which can save a few quid.
Look into an electrically-assisted bike for the summer. Friends who have them say it more than doubles the distance they can comfortably cycle; or to put it another way, it’s the speed of cycling with no more effort than walking.
A good idea, however space is my limiting factor - I already have a regular bike which also goes on the Wahoo Kickr over winter, I'm not sure I have the space for a second one unfortunately.
