One car vs two in retirement?

[Glynda]

I can not imagine our only having one car! We are rarely going in the same direction on week days and I like it that way!

This topic is adding to my identity crisis! These days I look in the mirror and wonder who that old woman is staring back at me! I looked down at my bare feet the other day and jumped up exclaiming that something had happened to my feet! They were as unfamiliar to me as if I looked at them having just awakened after surgery during which a donor's feet were transplanted on to my ankles! I fell in love with a puppy recently and had to force myself to admit that, even though I have a Pet Trust, it just wouldn't responsible to adopt it. One car? Before i have to give up driving? No. Please no.

 

[mjm1]

Thank you this thread and insights that everyone has shared.

We just had this conversation too. We have two cars of the same model but an ‘07 (only 75k miles) and a ‘17. I just spoke with our insurance company and the savings would only be about $550 per year due to the two car discount we get. Normal maintenance isn’t very expensive either.

My DW really likes the idea of having two cars because I play golf, like others have mentioned too, and some times she may want to go somewhere while I’m out. For now it makes sense to keep the older car, but it is something I will keep in mind as we move forward. If it comes time to replace the older car we will consider the one car option or buying a preowned car.

Best regards.

Mike

 

[Patri]

I am the only driver and still have two cars. An old reliable van is necessary for occasionally transporting disabled DH. He needs to step up to get into and step down to get out of a vehicle. The wheelchair fits nicely in the back. I have a small gas efficient car for my daily needs and road trips. Even in the future, I'm not sure I would ever have only one car, since the larger one is handy for hauling big stuff. When it dies, maybe I would settle for one midsize. The cost of owning two cars is not great.

 

[Xan]

If you downsize to only one commuter car then it is time to add a sports car!!

Just make sure you can get back out of the sports car after a long drive! I have that exact issue, but we are looking to sell the car, since we don’t take it out of the garage if there’s a chance of rain, plus in a couple of years we will be moving to a state that has “Winter”, and this car is not going that route! It’s too valuable at this point!

I vote for 2 cars, even if the second car is just Incase the other car is in use.

I hate being felt like I’m trapped at home, and I’m not sure about depending on Uber or any other services for transport, with an unknown driver!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[cgeidl]

We are retired and we’ve gone from being a four vehicle family( two cars, an RV, and a road licensed golf cart) to a one vehicle family of 2. We have only had three instances in 4 years where we both needed a vehicle and the 4 Lyft rides were well under a hundred dollars total. Our car is old at 15 years but has had no repair bills t o date other than brakes,tires, and gas. As we only drive about 4000 miles per year now we will keep our old relic until,we can sell it as an antique classic.

 

[Sea Six]

I still have a Corvette and an SUV. Plus my wife has an MX-5. I do want to get back down to 2 cars, but not 1.

 

[geekette]

...
I hate being felt like I’m trapped at home, and I’m not sure about depending on Uber or any other services for transport, with an unknown driver!
...

Yes. I realize Uber and Lyft are popular, but my parents taught me to not get in a car with a stranger and I won't do it. Occasionally you hear of something gone bad with a cab ride, but super rare compared to the horror stories in such a short time in the any-person-as-your-driver emergence.

I am single, may remain so the rest of my days. When I can't drive, just add that to the list of tasks that my live in helper will do.

 

[vacationhopeful]

I just downsized to 2 cars ... my 18yo nephew got my Ford Focus 4 door (4 door with trunk). I am NOT getting rid of my Ford Ranger 4x4 (the small truck with wing doors & jump seats) nor the all-wheel drive 4 door Suberu Forester.

As for my nephew, his parents NOW have 5 cars on their insurance policy and in their driveway.

And rumor has it Ford is going to start building a NEW small pickup truck again.

 

[DrQ]

And rumor has it Ford is going to start building a NEW small pickup truck again.

It called a Ranger, but it is NOT small nor cheap.

 

[vacationhopeful]

It called a Ranger, but it is NOT small nor cheap.

I have had a small Ford Courier and F-100/150s ... all considered 'small' plus several small Rangers ... including my current 2007 STX Ranger 4x4 Supercab. Needed for work.

Oh, I have had people ASK if I wanted to sell this Ranger truck over the years ... my rule is, unless I need to move stuff or use it for work, that truck sits in my driveway.

 

[simpsontruckdriver]

As I have said in another post, I drive for LYFT. Occasionally, I pick up retirees who do not have a car. That would be another option! The company pays for the insurance, the driver pays the gasoline and monthly payments, and the rider pays for a quality driver and car. Being that Orlando is home to the largest (student population) university in the country, college students also use Lyft more than buying their own car.

TS

 

[easyrider]

I still have a Corvette and an SUV. Plus my wife has an MX-5. I do want to get back down to 2 cars, but not 1.

I have had a small Ford Courier and F-100/150s ... all considered 'small' plus several small Rangers ... including my current 2007 STX Ranger 4x4 Supercab. Needed for work.

Oh, I have had people ASK if I wanted to sell this Ranger truck over the years ... my rule is, unless I need to move stuff or use it for work, that truck sits in my driveway.

Wow. I have a 1977 Ford Courier parked in the back of my construction lot. It was one of my first work trucks. It still has the rack and tool box. My grandson and his friend started it up last year so it still starts. No dents but the paint is shot and the seats are needing some help. Tires are rotted. I guess 20 mpg was pretty good for a 4 banger back in those days. That truck had six engines and two manual transmissions plus countless other parts. I bet we put a 500,000 miles on that truck in the twenty years we used it.

Bill

 

[bobpark56]

When retired, one on the road is better than 2 in the garage.

 

[elaine]

We might try 1 car when our other car dies in a few years. We’ll be in a retirement community. I commuted for 30 years and love to NOT drive. Either of us can bike to clubhouse, exercise, restaurant if needed. I could see DH playing golf but it’s 5 min away and i could drop him off or bike to car if I needed it to go somewhere farther.

 

[#1 Cowboys Fan]

We might try 1 car when our other car dies in a few years. We’ll be in a retirement community. I commuted for 30 years and love to NOT drive. Either of us can bike to clubhouse, exercise, restaurant if needed. I could see DH playing golf but it’s 5 min away and i could drop him off or bike to car if I needed it to go somewhere farther.

"....We’ll be in a retirement community....."

Just curious where that might be........................

Pat

 

[Steve Fatula]

We'll definitely have one car once the second one dies one day. No need for 2. We go most everywhere together, and, if we do not, no big deal.

 

[mdurette]

We are not retired.....but as I think ahead to what 1 car might look like. I'm ok with it. Because after a week of waiting on DH to come home from this or that so I could use the car I would be so annoyed that I would have stomped on his right foot so hard that the car would all mine for the years to come. "Sorry dude, you can't drive with that cast."

Making a mental note to ensure that the one car left is one I like because I'm not a fan of what he drives now.

Seriously though.....I simply can't envision it. Driving to me (right not at least) is as much as convenience is it is personal freedom. That may change someday, but I hope not.

 

[Patri]

When retired, one on the road is better than 2 in the garage.

Why is that the choice? The latter would be one in the garage and one on the road.

 

[Wyominguy]

Just make sure you can get back out of the sports car after a long drive! I have that exact issue, but we are looking to sell the car, since we don’t take it out of the garage if there’s a chance of rain, plus in a couple of years we will be moving to a state that has “Winter”, and this car is not going that route! It’s too valuable at this point!

I vote for 2 cars, even if the second car is just Incase the other car is in use.

I hate being felt like I’m trapped at home, and I’m not sure about depending on Uber or any other services for transport, with an unknown driver!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I live in snow country and just took the sports car out today for the first time since late October!! Having the sports car is my motivation to exercise so I can still get in and out of the car.

Neil

 

[MrockStar]

Wow. I have a 1977 Ford Courier parked in the back of my construction lot. It was one of my first work trucks. It still has the rack and tool box. My grandson and his friend started it up last year so it still starts. No dents but the paint is shot and the seats are needing some help. Tires are rotted. I guess 20 mpg was pretty good for a 4 banger back in those days. That truck had six engines and two manual transmissions plus countless other parts. I bet we put a 500,000 miles on that truck in the twenty years we used it.

Bill

wow the only ford courier i drove was a 1980 Navy duty pickup truck and it seemed underpowered and rode and handled poorly but it was reliable.

 

[rapmarks]

This is our twentieth year of retirement. Two cars in Florida , one car and a golf cart in Wisconsin. Now I am the only one who drives, so we will get rid of one car. Trouble is I don’t like the suv that much, hard to climb in and out of and to park. But for the five years that we only had one car in Florida, it was tough asi was usually the one that went without.

 

[joestein]

So funny how to look at this.

At one time, my wife and I had only one car. We lived in Queens (suburb part of NYC) and took the train to work. Shortly after we moved to NJ, we got a second car and have had one since (thought these days my second car is a company car). We both park our cars at the park and ride all day long during the week. However, on the weekends, we each run our own errands/plans and couldn't do that if we had just one car, not that we don't do plenty together as well.

I cant see how that will change after we retire. My wife will want to do her things at the same time that I might want to do mine. That includes socializing individually with the guys/ladies. One car would make that hard.

 

[elaine]

"....We’ll be in a retirement community....." Just curious where that might be........................

We looked at a lot of Mid-Atlantic developments and settled on a fixer in St James Plantation in Southport, NC. DH wanted coastal with warmer water. NC was as far south as I wanted. STJ had all infrastructure (pools, beach cabana, golf, clubhouses) already built (we got burned from a prior bankrupt developer with amenities not finished). Houses range from $230K for patio home to $1 million+. 30 minutes to Wilmington, 45 to Myrtle Beach, 6 hours from kids living in NoVA/DC area. Going to try PT every other week in the Fall (still working PT) and see how it goes....Two-thirds of residents seem to be from NE, Ohio, DC area.

 

[Luanne]

Today dh met his sister for coffee at 9:00 a.m., then had a doctor's appointment at 10:15. I had a haircut at 10:30, which last until a little after noon. Dh is off to a lecture from 1:00 to 3:00 and I have another appointment at 2:00 p.m. This is a pretty typical day for us. One car? No way!

 

[Nancy]

We tried the one car for awhile, but eventually went back to 2. That was before we retired. We still have 2 and will probably keep 2 only because we couldn't agree which one to keep and which one to get rid of.