How many cars per family?
Printed From: OHbaby!
Category: General Chat
Forum Name: General Chat
Forum Description: For mums, dads, parents-to-be, grandparents, friends -- you name it! And you name the topic you want to chat about!
URL: https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=39431
Printed Date: 29 August 2025 at 4:38pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.10 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: How many cars per family?
Posted By: GenevieVe1234
Subject: How many cars per family?
Date Posted: 03 June 2011 at 11:52am
|
I am thinking of selling my truck, which means we will only have one vehicle. DH goes to work 5 days a week from 7:30 - 5:30.
I live in Dunedin, public transport is ok, but horrible in winter. How do you cope with one car, or is it best to just have two? Any tips/experiences please :) |
Replies:
Posted By: Hopes
Date Posted: 03 June 2011 at 11:56am
We've got one, we find it easy (except when someone runs into it and then TWO MONTHS later the insurance still isn't sorted... were having a few hassles at the moment and have no car )
DH's work is within biking distance, so he bikes most days. On the days he needs to (or it's raining and he's lazy, and I don't otherwise need it) he takes the car. Otherwise it sits in the garage - I'll use it if I need to go out, but I try and avoid going out every day, I can walk to a grocery shop, the Warehouse, the bank and the library, so I can often manage without it. Two would be nice sometimes... but too much money for us to bother. -------------   
|
Posted By: kebakat
Date Posted: 03 June 2011 at 12:01pm
| I couldnt cope without my car |
Posted By: YODA18-
Date Posted: 03 June 2011 at 12:02pm
|
LOL!
We have 4...... One of them is DH's old car that he uses for Circuit Racing he has a work hack which is a Subaru Legacy as hes a builder he has a Nissan Silvia Spec R which is his personal car that he uses in the weekend and I have a evo which has just finished being paid off he brought it for me as a wedding present :) he is thinking of getting rid of his circuit car as doesn't really have the time for it.... now that I work from home my car doesnt get used much but it was and still is my dream car so couldnt imagine ever parting with it! -------------   
|
Posted By: T_Rex
Date Posted: 03 June 2011 at 12:06pm
|
We had one until I was about 8 months pregnant with DD. We live rural but worked nearby each other, so it made sense to share the commute. However, there were no options of public transport for either of us, and it's a bit far for DH to bike to work, so we bought a second car once I was going to be home on my own while DH was at work. Without it, having DD would have been a really isolating experience for me. Truthfully we hardly use the second car much, but it was a godsend having it there on the days when I desperately needed to get out of the house and go and see someone.
If you have public transport as an option though, I'm sure you'd be ok without it. When is your bub due? Perhaps if it's due in the depths of winter it might make more sense to have a car, but if it'll be a couple of months old by the time it gets really cold, then you should be experienced enough to dress it appropriately for the weather. If you are going to have only one car though, then a decent pram and a good baby carrier would both be worthwhile purchases I think. ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
|
Posted By: High9
Date Posted: 03 June 2011 at 12:16pm
|
We have one car and DP used it all last year and I took public transport, it required timing things right so dd and I didn't get caught in the rain etc!
This year DP carpools with a friend for $25 a week... His car is about $160 in petrol otherwise! So the car is at home if I need it but I prefer public transport tbh! ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
|
Posted By: Kellz
Date Posted: 03 June 2011 at 12:23pm
| We have managed fine with one car for ages now. DH bikes to work, but got a lift from work last winter with a freind from work- that friend has since moved house, so now DH has bought wet weather gear so he can now ride his bike in all weather. I always have the car and use it each day to take DD to kindy etc. When we did have 2cars one was only used to get DH to and from work and thats it- became too epxensive to have a car for just that! |
Posted By: Mucky_Tiger
Date Posted: 03 June 2011 at 1:19pm
|
we have two. one each.
with knowing where you live in town (im dunedin too) i say if you can downgrade cars to a cheap reliable run about instead of a truck you will be better off. the busses arent that great and frequently stop running when its icy, and if you need to get baby to a Dr or appt you wont want to be taking them on a 40min bus ride with strangers, or having to call and ambulance and pay $54 for it. yearly registration on a petrol car is $287 and 3rd party insurance is pretty cheap too, so a small economic car wouldn't cost you too much more than a bus in a year than to use a bus to get to your end of town would by the time you made a return trip |
Posted By: Hopes
Date Posted: 03 June 2011 at 1:30pm
|
There's not just the rego - there's the warrants (and with an older car, there's often the cost of things that need doing to get it warranted, sadly), services (if you choose too - but if you don't things go wrong faster), tyres, and at least in my case, the extra petrol Id use that I really don't need to.
It's worth mentioning that I don't use public transport - I find it too difficult with a baby who likes his routine a lot to get to and from where I want to go without a meltdown because the little Mr wants to be in bed. I dont think we'd cope very well if DH needed the car every day. Does your DH, or could he get to work some other way half the time? -------------
|
Posted By: kiwisj
Date Posted: 03 June 2011 at 1:40pm
|
We are a one car family but live in a place with brilliant public transport (reliable and much more regular than in NZ). DH takes the train or the bus to work but I don't use the car during the week, I prefer to take the boys on the train or walk. We didn't have a car at all when DS1 was born and it forced me to do a lot more locally - friends within our neighbourhood or easy public transport distance, local doctor, supermarket, shopping centre etc etc. It really depends on where you live though, I agree! ------------- SJ Callum - Dec 2008 Daniel - Oct 2010 |
Posted By: GenevieVe1234
Date Posted: 03 June 2011 at 1:56pm
|
Thanks for the input, I live at the very top of pinehill (by mt. cargill) so its a bit of a hike up from the bus stop.
I am thinking I could just drop DH and pick him up after work? he is the one with regular hours not me so should be easy, no-one we know lives around here for him to get a ride. I think a cheaper car might be the best option, my truck while great for dogs and going on the family farm is just a bit of pain in terms of parking and upkeep etc. I would much rather have only one car though so will try my hardest to see if this will work! I have a horse, if only it was still feasable to ride it to town haha. |
Posted By: _SMS_
Date Posted: 03 June 2011 at 1:59pm
|
We tried and failed going down to one car. We have 2 cars one each.
Being pregnant with a toddler having to use public transport was horrible 
Also things like doctors, needing milk, getting out the house for sanity  you do really need a car. A few times i had to bus out and got stuck in bad rain 
Even though i have my car again, i tend to put in $20 a week petrol. That is enough to take me out a few times. But i generally stay close to home. -------------  
|
Posted By: julz85
Date Posted: 03 June 2011 at 2:00pm
|
when my dd was first born i was a solo mum and at the time didnt drive so i had to bus absolutly everywhere which was hard as i had a baby born right in the middle of winter but i managed and it wasnt too too bad, 4mths later i met my partner and he had one car so it got alot easier , i still had to use the bus during the day when he was at work but at least i was able to do grocerys and stuff with him in the car . i bought my own car a year ago and also my dp now has a work van as well so we went from having one car between us and me not driving to having a car each and a work van and i drive lol so lifes ALOT easier now , esspecially since the earthquake here in chch public transport is very hard to use as theres no city centre anymore. it can be a bit harder with one car but its definatly do-able ------------- http://lilypie.com">  
|
Posted By: MamaT
Date Posted: 03 June 2011 at 2:07pm
|
Ww sold our second car about three months ago, it was becoming too expensive in services/repairs/petrol etc and we moved to the South Island and didn't want to drag it down with us.
I catch the bus pretty much everyday as DH works long hours, although we can juggle things if need be for me to have the car. It has been pretty easy dealing with not having a car, and nice not having the added expense. Unfortunately though the public transport service here is really average, so often have to kill time in town waiting for a bus, but the library is always great for that  -------------  
|
Posted By: ToniF
Date Posted: 03 June 2011 at 2:25pm
|
We only have one car although DH mostly walks to work so its usually available if i needed it during the day. We live within walking distance to the supermarket, pharmacy, doctor & preschool so most days i don't need a car anyway & we have a good buggy. In saying that if DH had the car away all day during the week I think i would want a wee run-about or at least the option of him able to take time off at short notice to take us to Dr or where necessary. To be honest with my first child if it was a crappy day in the middle of winter we just didn't go out if didn't have too ;-)
|
Posted By: EmDee
Date Posted: 03 June 2011 at 2:30pm
|
We currently have 2 cars, though will be selling one soon (it was FIL's, but he passed away in Feb & we need to sell it and spilt the money between DH's siblings). The cost of petrol, insurance, WOF, regos and repairs for 2 vehicles are just too much. It's soo much easier with 2 cars, but I know we can manage with just one. We are lucky that we have OK public transport and DH can bus to & from work. ------------- DS 8 DD 6 DS 4 DD 2 |
Posted By: Delli
Date Posted: 03 June 2011 at 3:04pm
|
We survived with one vehicle for a year but at times it was a PITA. DP only gets every second weekend off work and usually only the middle of the day off when he is working. So if we wanted to go to a family lunch for instance - we had to shoot off at around ten/eleven when DP finished morning work, drive to where ever we were going and then hastily eat lunch and get back in the car to drive home so that DP could be home for afternoon milking. It would have been much easier if I could have gone by myself with the kids and DP come and gone when he needed to.
We have recently bought a new vehicle. We will keep the old vehicle for 6 months to see how much we use it - having the convenience of a second vehicle may not be worth it after having to pay for two sets of insurance, WOF, Rego, Maintenance etc. ETA - When we lived in Dunedin we had two cars but hardly ever used the second car. DP would bike to work and I would drive to work. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
|
Posted By: kiwigal
Date Posted: 03 June 2011 at 3:24pm
|
We have two and TBH couldn't survive without the second one. At Dh's old job he was gone from 6.30am- 5 most days and needed a car to get to and from work. Having the second car makes life so much easier when I had to take my kids to the doctor, shopping or whatever it was so great to jump in the car and go. |
Posted By: Shezamumof3
Date Posted: 03 June 2011 at 4:32pm
Same!! DH has his car to go to work and I have my car to do the stuff I want to do. I live rural out in the wops so having no car would be a disaster for us! ------------- |
kebakat wrote:Posted By: caliandjack
Date Posted: 03 June 2011 at 4:37pm
|
I couldn't cope without mine either and I'd hate to even try to attempt to use Auckland Public Transport with DD.
Being able to get out of the house is my lifeline to the outside world. Especially with DH being away it would be easy for me to go several days without seeing anyone but DD and that would drive me crazy. ------------- http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow">   [/url] Angel June 2012 |
Posted By: myfullhouse
Date Posted: 03 June 2011 at 4:59pm
I couldn't either! Although we are lucky as DH has a work van so we don't have to pay anything for it. He can kind of use it on the weekend depending on where he is going, but I do find it frustrating sometimes when he might need to take the car and I need to pop out as well ------------- Lindsey 
|
Posted By: sbeach
Date Posted: 03 June 2011 at 5:13pm
|
We are a 2 car house but DH hardly uses his as he now takes the train to work. With petrol over $2/litre it makes it cheaper for him to train.
I could not be without a car. I only live a 15min drive from most of my friends and family but if I had to take public transport it would take over an hour and multiple buses! thats auckland transport for you, if you want to go across the city!! ------------- http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow">  http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow"> 
|
Posted By: My3Sons
Date Posted: 03 June 2011 at 6:12pm
|
same here, we are also rural and I need the car to get to and from school/kindy etc. DHs doubles as his work vehicle so he definelty needs one. ------------- Mum to Mr 10, Mr 6 and Mr 4 
 
|
Posted By: Nikki
Date Posted: 03 June 2011 at 9:26pm
|
I couldn't cope without my car either! 3 days a week I have to take two kids to daycare then get to work, then back to get them and back home .... this is an hour round trip already in the morning and afternoon .... even if I could get buses etc it would probably take me 3 hours and I don't know how many buses = not much work done in a day! lol. On days off we do coffee group / playcentre and catch up with friends so I need a car then too.
Even at the weekend we sometimes use both, like if DH takes Jake to soccer and me and Morgy do the groceries at the same time. Or he has to do some work and I take the kids out. One car is something we could not consider in auckland at all. My sisters hubby bikes to work and if the weather is bad will ferry / bus / train home .... but my DH is a builder so no way he could get all his tools on a bus or bike! lol. ------------- DS (5yrs) and DD (3yrs) |
Posted By: JadeC
Date Posted: 03 June 2011 at 10:25pm
|
We have one and I HATE IT SO MUCH. So much. Everything is a trade-off, I get it one day a week, but then DH leaves an hour earlier (and wakes the baby with the alarm) and gets home 45mins later (so I have to do more bedtime stuff with DS). We are totally buying another one as soon as humanly possible. ------------- http://pregnancy.baby-gaga.com/" rel="nofollow"> 
|
Posted By: pudgy
Date Posted: 04 June 2011 at 12:06am
|
We only have one, but I don't drive so it doesn't bother me. I walk or use public transport. Sometimes it's a pita but most of the time it's great. It's good exercise too. But we live close to supermarkets and shops etc.
I've used buses and trains with both kids and it's fine. If I ever bother getting my licence we'll still only have one car, it'd be too expensive to run two on one income. ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
|
Posted By: jaycee
Date Posted: 04 June 2011 at 8:16am
We have 2 cars - mine is the every day car and then there is DHs car that sits in the garage and hardly ever gets used. DH takes the bus to and from work as the bus stop is right outside our house 
When we go away we use his car as it is really big and fits in all the stuff for us 4 and the dog. My car would never cope!! We could totally manage with one car and just hire a car for the weekend we need to have a bigger car but DHs car is his dream car and I can not tell him/ask him to sell it -------------   
|
Posted By: tishy
Date Posted: 04 June 2011 at 9:28am
That's us too! (well other than the and the Previa being DHs dream car. Oh and replace the dog with dive gear )
We had one car for 5 years and only recently got a second smaller one as the weekly petrol costs were around $120!  Now it's $70 for 1.5 weeks.
I could never had survived on one car for so long, if it meant DH taking it to work each day. |
Posted By: JAFAjaffa
Date Posted: 04 June 2011 at 11:06am
|
We have 2 cars. The car with the baby seat in it is the 'good' car - the one that's less than 10 years old! The other one is a 1989 Suzuki Swift that we use if we don't have to take DS with us somewhere. Whoever has the baby has the good car is our rule!
I think we could cope with one car (we always have only had one prior to DS) but when I have another baby I'd hate to be at home with no transport. ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
|
Posted By: Plushie
Date Posted: 04 June 2011 at 2:29pm
| Not that i have to share my car, but i couldnt cope without it either. I'd downgrade to a little run-a-bout. When you say truck though i'm assuming you have a hilux or safari or something massive. |
Posted By: fallen
Date Posted: 04 June 2011 at 2:38pm
|
We have two cars and wouldn't be able to make do without them both. DF and my work are in different directions both about 30 minutes drive peak hour away. Plus there the school/daycare/playcentre drop offs and pick ups. ------------- |
Posted By: yermasyada
Date Posted: 04 June 2011 at 4:04pm
We live in Auckland, and neither myself or my OH can drive, so no we don't have a car. We manage just fine 
|
Posted By: mrsturtle
Date Posted: 04 June 2011 at 7:17pm
|
hmm i would never never cope with 1 car! with where you live i think getting a runabout car would be a better idea, we have just sold our 4wd truck that hubby used to drive and he got a wee holden astra which is so much better cause it has 4 doors!
Imagine pushing the pram up the hill from the bus with groceries and then it might rain good old dunedin! |
Posted By: E&L+1
Date Posted: 04 June 2011 at 8:17pm
|
We only have one. We live 5 mins walk from DPs work so he walks whatever the weather and even if he needs to take it I can always pick it up. I commute 2 days a week into Hamilton from Te Aroha which is about an hour. I drop DD off at DC and pick her up.
The only time that is an issue is if I have to work late or DD needs to be picked up early (if she's sick and I can't leave work straight away) which has happened 2 or 3 times this year. All that means is that DP has to walk and pick her up which is about an hour round trip. A few times I've been left with no car over the weekend when DP has been away, which isn't so bad as it's a half hour walk to town and I make sure that I have enough food etc before he goes. I'd hate it at the moment though as I can't walk too far without getting sore. ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
|
Posted By: Keleho
Date Posted: 05 June 2011 at 7:56am
|
We only have the one but DH is a dairy farmer so doesnt leave home for work each day.
It works but I think it would be great to have a second vehicle, even a ute or something, so DH could go to town if I wasnt home or vice versa. ------------- http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow"> 
|
Posted By: HoneybunsMa
Date Posted: 05 June 2011 at 2:43pm
|
We have 2, but his doesn't work it died about the time DD was born. It's become the garden gnome at mum and dads.
He still has use of a car however. I have the 4door and he has the 2door. There's the odd time that he takes my car because he's driving an old 2door charade that just can't cope with drives to places like meremere. If thats the case then I can usually borrow another car if I need to. DP needs his car, a) he works in Auckland central and commutes from East Auck b) he works odd hours, 2pm-who knows when so can't catch public transport and I can't get him all the time, nor do I want to. I do things 3-4times a week with DD one of them I can walk to (15min walk) the others are at the same place and it would take about an hr if I was to try and catch a bus for a 10min drive. Public transport out my way is shiet then there are the other times I take DD out because she's driving me crazy so I take her to see her grandma at work, or the shops or something When we had one car it was fine as DP was in a different job and we lived closer to town so if I had to pick him up then I could and it would be a half hour round trip. Otherwise he caught the 9min train and walked the 40mins from the train station which he liked and on Sat when we needed the second car, we borrowed the car he uses now. ------------- http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker"> 
|
Posted By: Kazper
Date Posted: 05 June 2011 at 8:12pm
|
We have one car.
Work for DH is only 5km away so he walks. He likes to walk as he is stuck in office all day so its the only time he gets out in the fresh air. On rainy days or on odd occasion she doesn't feel like walking and I don't need car he will take it. I have been picking him up from work lately as its getting dark early and wants to get home to us sooner rather than later, but doesn't want to drive to work. I like it cause if I haven't gotten out all day its nice to get in the car with DD and go for a drive and she gets really excited when its time to pick up Daddy from work. We always had two cars before DD arrived, but adjusted to one car easily. If we have separate things to do on weekends we always find a way and compromise, but very rarely do we each want to go do different things at the same times these days ------------- http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/545141" rel="nofollow">  |
Posted By: TheKelly
Date Posted: 06 June 2011 at 12:47pm
|
When I was a single mum with just Caitlyn I had no car and relied on other people and Auckland's crappy public transport system,and I honestly don't know how I coped.
I certainly couldn't do that now that I have a toddler and an infant and many more places to be since C is at school and you never know if you are going to get a phone call saying she is sick and could you pick her up...if shes sick,I don't want her to have to walk home with me. The things we need to get to,are too far away to be walking distance and im not catching the bus with the two little ones,far too much hassle especially with a toddler that would be a pita on the bus,and when I didn't have a car for a week I really felt the difference and hated it. I feel like I have a lot more freedom to do things with a car,im not restricted to only do things if I have money for a bus,or do things that are within walking distance. So we have 2,however DH's car is a work car,which makes a lot of difference cos he gets his petrol paid for,he needs one though cos he drives all over the place for his job,and I need one(which is the one we use in the weekends as its bigger ) during the week as well. So yeah,definitely a 2 car household. I've had no car,then only one car in the family and then 2 and I definitely know which I prefer ------------- 
http://lilypie.com"> 
|
Posted By: Lexidore
Date Posted: 06 June 2011 at 3:40pm
|
We have 1 car, DH works just a 5 or so minute drive from home though, so although its a pain sometimes, if I need the car I just drop him off and pick him up from work. I have a 2-3 car free days a week though mainly cause the budget doesn't stretch to being able to go out every day. We have a park and supermarket in walking distance, although the walk home is a bit of a killer. It can be done but of course it totally depends on your own personal circumstance ------------- 
|
Posted By: FullHouse
Date Posted: 06 June 2011 at 5:15pm
|
We have 2. DH works 6.30am-4.30pm and his work is 20min drive away and I have DD1 who goes to school DD2 at kindy and DS who goes to daycare twice a week so we need the two. DH has a ute and I have a ford terrioty which I got in preperation for my angel twins. So we decided to keep it as now we are expecting again so we need the space.
I couldn't cope without my car. ------------- Proud & busy mama of four earth walkers & two angels. About to get even busier! 
|
Posted By: TheBabe
Date Posted: 06 June 2011 at 5:31pm
We've always lived pretty rurally and DH has always commuted atleast half an hour. He had a motorbike to get to and from work and I used our hilux and we were gonna get a more family friendly car at the end of the year as well as what we have BUT the bike was written off in an accident a week ago so we might have to go car shopping sooner. I would so not be ok with not having a vehicle at my disposal, I feel trapped if I can't get out of the house easily even when I don't WANT to get out of the house. Weird yes but luckily DH is an understanding guy 
|
Posted By: RicKer
Date Posted: 06 June 2011 at 6:52pm
|
We have two. Could easily live with just one with town being approx 200m down the road and DP's work being right near the train station but we prefer having our cars and he hates public transport. He works 30-40mins away and i have uni two nights a week but he is always home before i leave for uni. This probably doesn't help haha. I can't see us ever being a one car family
|
Posted By: myonlineself
Date Posted: 06 June 2011 at 8:06pm
|
we had one car for about 6 or 7 years between us, DH would just catch the bus to work, and I'd take the car to work. Then my parents gave us their old car a few years ago... now DH drives to catch a (much cheaper) shuttle bus to work and I have the wagon with the carseat during the day. We could cope with one, and if our second car gives up the ghost, we probably wouldn't replace it in a hurry... its much easier having two, but without two, DH would just catch the normal bus from just outside our place - cost more than shuttle but less than buying a new car. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
|
Posted By: amalyse
Date Posted: 06 June 2011 at 11:48pm
|
We have 2 - Public transport is not an option for him and where his work is. If he started working in the city we may consider going down to 1 car...
I need a car, I just do... we have things to do! Public transport is not so great with a baby! ------------- 
|
Posted By: HoneybunsMa
Date Posted: 07 June 2011 at 3:33pm
|
Oh I should say before DD I didn't drive until I was 23 so it is possible to do public transport if you have a normal 9-5 job but I had no life as I couldn't go see friends unless I bussed and that meant going from home wherever that may be to city which would take an hr then have to go from town to where I wanted to go so upto if not more than 2hrs for a half hour car ride at most.
We now have 3 cars  I got my new car yesterday and DP still has his car and the other one which he is using as its more comfortable, he's only allowed it for a few weeks till we sell it though (trying to clean it up etc) He will notice how much he uses on gas its a 2.5ltr.------------- http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker">
|