Why do cars cost so much?
By android
@android (895)
August 2, 2009 6:43am CST
I'm in a family of five people including my children and I am currently without a car which is a nightmare. I'm not on full time income as if I started working full time I would actually be worse off (due to the pathetic way this country operates (UK)). I have been saving for about a year now to buy a car and I still don't have enough money, not even to buy the cheapest car I can find!
The problem is, once I've bought a car I then need to keep it taxed, MOT'd and insured which is just money money money. So, even though I desperately need to get a car so I can take my family out and about and go on holidays, etc, it doesn't look like I'd be able to afford to keep it on the road and that's without even thinking of the cost of petrol, oil and maintenance.
Why on earth is the cost of living so ridiculously expensive in comparison to the amount of money attainable to live off?
Minimum wage in this country is £5.35. If I worked full time I would bring home (after deductions) about £160 per week. Straight away I have to pay rent (£75) plus council tax (£20). That leaves me with £65 to feed a family a five and without taking into consideration bills like TV license, water fees, broadband fees, clothing, etc. Our food alone costs more than that each week!
Why is the world in such a mess?? It really gets me down sometimes!
4 people like this
13 responses
@echomonster (2226)
• Greenwood, Mississippi
2 Aug 09
I sympathize with you. Cars really are expensive. Government is part of the problem because they can basically tax the heck out of anything car-related and say it's about safety and/or the environment. It's very hard to deregulate autos because few want to be seen as advocating a change that will cause more accidents and hurt the environment. The maintenance cars require can be a nightmare as well. I have some hope that electric cars will be cheaper to power and maintain, but who knows if reality will match the hype. Still, if I ever get a new car (I've currently got one that's just a few years younger than I am!), I think it'll be an electric.
1 person likes this
@agv0419 (3022)
• Philippines
2 Aug 09
We also can't buy car because it is so expensive. Some Filipinos bought second hand cars to save money but sometimes it is defective or not in a good condition. If only we have car so we can go anywhere we want but sad to say to economy is not good and buying a car is not practical now a days. I don't know why ordinary citizen like us can't buy car unlike some people live abroad that they can afford it. When I been working in the Car Manufacturing company back then some making jokes about why us can't buy car even if we are the one making the parts of the car and the managers there can't also afford to buy one.
1 person likes this
@a_ce_e (1422)
• Philippines
2 Aug 09
If the cars are cheap in philippines there will be a heavy traffic everyday. Public utility vehicles are enough in able for Filipinos to travel on their way home, work, school and other places. Unlike in other country which public utility vehicles are seldom and car are really necessity.
@android (895)
•
4 Aug 09
Yeah, it's amazing how they tax absolutely everything. And also the fact that they already know how to run cars on electricity and water but then they wouldn't be able to tax us on petrol so they won't do it. Seems that most of the money in the world is held by the governments themselves.
@a_ce_e (1422)
• Philippines
2 Aug 09
Don't feel so desperate about the world, it just how life is. If you think you were unlucky enough how much more the others who can't even buy their food to eat and can't even eat a regular meal? Cars are costly since it has been designed and prepared its mechanism by engineers and so they deserve to have a pay for their intelligence on it. Why insurance? because in able for you to have something to get in case your car got damage. Why taxes because the government need to maintain the road and other amennities for us. YOu don't have other choise but to be wise and budgeting and tighten your expenses to save a little from your salary.
1 person likes this
@android (895)
•
4 Aug 09
I totally understand where you're coming from, insurance is there for your own personal safety, etc. I've also been in the situation in the past where I couldn't afford to eat and was homeless and this is basically nothing compared - a car is a luxury, I just feel a bit sorry for my children sometimes as I can't take them far. I believe the problem is not to do with all the necessities themselves but the fact that the economy is in such a state. Minimun wage is too low but because of the credit crunch there's just no money out there at the moment.
@smileonstar (4007)
• United States
2 Aug 09
Hello,
You sound so hard in your lifestyle. if you dont mind, I want to know is your wife works? Or you are not married? if you want a car then it need two income to do it. I have two cars and it is hard sometimes ... I responsible for both of them and I have to work full time.
Of course life is hard but it is happening to everyone here as well... you are not alone. So, if you can save then just save for now and car get it next time
1 person likes this
@android (895)
•
4 Aug 09
I guess saving and being patient is the only real way of actually getting there. My only concern then is that I need to make sure I've got the money to keep it taxed because if the tax runs out and I've got no money I've also got nowhere to keep it off road and then I'll end up with a hefty fine. So really it's about maintaining enough money to keep it on the road. My wife doesn't make a great deal of money but I guess every little helps.
@grace118224 (1038)
• China
2 Aug 09
Most of people in this world are living such a life , i think. Well cars in our country are the luxurious goods indeed and only rich people here can get cars . A lot of people work very hard just wanting to feed their family . It takes a whole life time to have a house . Most of people are not happy at all. Our government has to do sth with this really .
1 person likes this
@android (895)
•
4 Aug 09
Yep, the government have definitely got it all wrong. At least I've got a license though. When I passed my test it was just a basic driving test with a few questions on theory at the end. Now you have to an entire theory test alongside the normal driving test and then a computerized hazard test on top of that and the license costs even more now. Also, they now expire every ten years whereas they used to expire on your 75th birthday.
@phillip_shiny (2330)
• India
2 Aug 09
Hi there,
Really pathetic to read your situation. Blessings comes from Lord. In our country we too felt the same way that buying a car is a nightmare. But things have changed today. Even a middle class family can buy a car now. Because a car concern came up with a idea to sell cars with a cheap rate for people and now most of us own a car. Earth revolves and rotates. So somehow situations has to change. Don't worry.
God bless. Cheers...
@cutepenguin (6431)
• Canada
2 Aug 09
It's frustrating because it feels like we get stuck in a cycle - you need a job to make money, you need money to be able to afford a job. We had a car, but we no longer have it, which is going to make working a lot more difficult. I'm fortunate that public transit works fairly well here, and so I can mostly get to work by bus. We joined a car-sharing program for things like going out or getting groceries.
@android (895)
•
4 Aug 09
It certainly is very frustrating and it's a difficult cycle to try and overcome. Money is hard to attain and easy to spend mainly because of the cost of living, inflation, etc. It's good that your public transport is good, ours is very unreliable. I remember waiting about an hour one morning for a bus to take me to work, the bus just didn't turn up... ever.
@royal52gens (5488)
• United States
2 Aug 09
I can not answer most of your questions. Maybe I can cheer you up a bit.
The cars are actually free.
But the tires? Those are extra, so is the steering wheel and the engine, did you want seats in the car?, that rear view mirror is going to cost you a pretty penny, You wanted the windshield wipers to actually work? You don't need headlights, just use two large flashlights.
@android (895)
•
10 Aug 09
I think the main problem in UK is for families, there's basically just no help available. It's easier for a family to live on government benefits, if they went out and got full time work they'd be even worse off. I believe the average UK family would be about £140 a week worse off if they were working full time, than if they were claiming benefits which is just ridiculous and that's taking working families tax credit into consideration. It's a total mess, but they can't raise minimum wage as there's already no money in the economy and businesses can't afford to pay their staff as it is.
@suzu12345 (470)
• India
2 Aug 09
welll!!!yeah sorry for you cars are really cost and are very important in ones work also!!!!they requires long one time investment and are very costy to maintaina also!!!in my country,india!!!!!tata motors have launched a car that cost only rupees 1.25 lakhs that means near about 2500 dollars ,,is not that cheap!!!i guess the cheapest car in the world!!his iniciative was to promte the middle class families using cars!!!hats off to that man
@crysontherocks77 (1273)
• United States
2 Aug 09
It is rough. I was looking at my credit score and I have some credit available but I can't get a job to cover the cost of a payment. Of course here in the US they are starting that Cash for Clunkers program but my car doesn't qualify because even though its a 91 its also a honda and gets great gas mileage at 27-28 miles to the gallon. So I'm not saving much by getting a newer car right now. I hope things turn out better for you and your family. I would make a suggestion and look on the internet in your classifieds section and also look on Ebay on the UK site. I'm pretty sure they have one. That might be something to look at.
@LetranKnight25 (33121)
• Philippines
11 Aug 09
I don't want to buy a car unless it is run by another fuel source and that for me android is not oil. it can't be help if car has it's own taxes and insurance. it's even too expensive to keep refueling because of the high oil prices too. id rather commute than just driving on a traffic road.
...@android (895)
•
11 Aug 09
Unfortunately there's nowhere to go within walking distance or within public transport travelling distance. Being stuck in the house with my children through the six weeks (maybe increased to four) summer holidays is certainly no good for them. But then again, we don't have much choice, it's what we're forced into by government propaganda.
@Excelsus (16)
• United States
2 Aug 09
I can agree with you. I'm not sure how it completely is there, I'm in america, and with the way economy is here, things are a bit hectic here too. Most of the dealerships are trying to sell cars like crazy so they don't lose business altogether, and i tend to worry about, how these things will amount overtime. most companies are starting to use these guarentees and such to boost their image, but I wonder just how much they can contribute or sell themselves before people find out its lies and they ruin themselves.
