I want a second car, that isn't a car.
So, some context. And a bit of an essay.
I've had a driving licence for 30 years, but haven't driven for about 15. I take a folding bike on the train for my work commute, and cycle or walk if I need to get anywhere. I work in a city so I'm comfortable commuting in traffic. We live in a medium size market town, which is quieter.
The Mrs is the worst passenger ever, so has always driven, hence me not bothering. We have one car, which i'm not insured on and don't drive, but I could.
We have two kids, 12 and 15, who have 3 sport training sessions a week, plus matches at the weekend. Typically, they have training at the same time in different places, so I get to do a combination of early drop offs and hanging around for lifts home, drop offs with two folding bikes and cycle home, or taxi.
We've reached a point though where two methods of transport would be easier in terms of time saving.
My preference is a long tail ebike, but the kids are pretty much refusing to sit on the back of one. Which is fair enough, can't imagine how uncool that would be for a teenager.
I don't want a car (but might in a couple of years when the eldest what's to learn to drive).
I don't really want a motorbike, as I'm not going to commute to work on it, it's just for trips of 5 miles max.
Which I think leaves a 50cc or electric moped, but not sure how great that is two's up (kids are fine with that as a transport mode). Can ride that with my driving licence, but would do CBT anyway. Brand new Chinese one or second hand is cheap.
Or a tiny electric car like a Citroen Ami, as it'd pretty much just be two of us at a time. We have off-road parking so no bother charging.
Or just buy a banger and run it for a couple of years, including the eldest learning to drive?
Any suggestions?
If you want a banger I'm selling a Seat Exeo diesel estate with 9 months MOT on it for £500.
Tandem. With or without electric assist.
being a stoker on a tandem is less passive and “baby-ish” than sitting on the back of an cargo bike.
you could even let them be the pilot if you trust them not to crash!
Thread of the day surely! I've soooo many questions, but too little time. Easiest answer, and bearing in mind you set no budget, Toyota Aygo/C1/107, VW UP!, Skoda Citigo, those sorts of car. Cheap as chips to run, and buy SH, and will be the perfect car for the kids to learn in. Or.......the Renault 5 EV ( it's cool, really cool), Dacia Spring ( cheapest EV going ) or Wallace and Gromit motorbike and sidecar. You chose.
I want a second car, that isn't a car.
Tuk Tuk ? 😉
Friends have a Renault Twizy for local bombing around. Seems fun, but not sure how it rates on the teenager scale.
being a stoker on a tandem is less passive and “baby-ish” than sitting on the back of an cargo bike.
Yeah, I'm sure teenagers will think a tandem is really cool...
Which I think leaves a 50cc or electric moped, but not sure how great that is two's up (kids are fine with that as a transport mode).
...until it's pi$$ing with rain and they have to get to training.
I appreciate the sentiment, and applaud that you've managed to avoid needing a car to this point, but it sounds like you now, well, need a car. So this:
Easiest answer, and bearing in mind you set no budget, Toyota Aygo/C1/107, VW UP!, Skoda Citigo, those sorts of car. Cheap as chips to run, and buy SH, and will be the perfect car for the kids to learn in.
Actually, or, bikes/eBikes for the kids, and they get themselves to/from the training/matches
If you want a banger I'm selling a Seat Exeo diesel estate with 9 months MOT on it for £500
...hope username doesn't check out! 😀
If you want a banger I'm selling a Seat Exeo diesel estate with 9 months MOT on it for £500
...hope username doesn't check out! 😀
Car isn't and I don't anymore - it was a moniker bestowed upon me by a certain Simon Barnes once of this parish due to me smoking roll-ups mid-ride
I have no useful suggestions. So how about
Renault Twizy
Or
Tandem
We have our wee ones on a kiddy back tandem right now. I'm unconvinced we will still be riding a tandem when they are 15.
Twizy is electric, cool, but not particularly weather proof. I'm also unconvinced a teenager would agree on the cool part
A V8/v12 monster engine attached to a car?
Ta for the suggestions so far. As to what is acceptable or cool for current teenagers, who knows. The eldest is wandering round in crocs with socks pulled up mid calf, so my opinion is fairly irrelevant.
And don't you need a full motorbike licence to carry passengers?
This - well, I believe either the driver or the passenger has to have a full licence.
They're both old enough to be able to ride independently, so cargo bike to carry stuff, and a bike each for them?
This - well, I believe either the driver or the passenger has to have a full licence.
50cc - two-up and loaded down with sports clobber - be quicker to walk! 😀
If the OP is going to go three-wheeler, they should at least show a bit of class...
If you are planning on your kids learning to drive and then after having access to a car, then I would work back from that. Ie look at insurance costs for then with the kid as the main driver and you as the named driver as that will inform your car choices. Then you have to balance banger cars with (usually) higher insurance against newer cars with lower insurance as it's all a balancing game of total cost. You aren't just buying a car, you are buying an ongoing insurance group and cost etc. If you are just going to get them to a test pass, and no car access beyond, then go bangernomnics or whatever suits you as provisional kid is a cheap add to your insurance.
Agree, Yak indeed has the answer.
Wish I'd done that. Was replacing an idiotic V8 (Mrs a11y's description) a few years ago and started looking for a replacement that'd do the mini a11y's when eldest starts driving in a few years. Very boring so that idea went out the window and I bought a 2014 Mini Cooper SD... Yeah, good luck getting them insured on that.
Ta for the suggestions so far. As to what is acceptable or cool for current teenagers, who knows. The eldest is wandering round in crocs with socks pulled up mid calf, so my opinion is fairly irrelevant.
My soon not-to-be-a-teen (typing that makes me feel old) has just bought an OAP's car, so some of those saying 'not fashionable enough for a teen' probably need to speak to the teen's in question.
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Civic is a good shout. Son had a 1.4 just like that as his first car. Other option is a VW Up or one of the Seat/Skoda variants. Cheap(er) to insure as they only seat 4, including driver.
As an aside if you haven't driven for 15 years I'd recommend doing a couple of refresher sessions. Dunno where you live but increased traffic and reduced driving standards are the norm around here.
Citroen Ami seems pretty cool to me. You can drive it on a full moped license so when your eldest reaches 16 it is possible that he/she could drive it and be the coolest kid in the school - insurance costs allowing.
A Lexus CT200h might suit. Nice wee car, cheap to run, easy to drive, automatic, quiet, cheap to tax, reliable, posh/cool (without being in your face). What's not to like?
It's effectively a Prius (without looking like a taxi), so underneath it's very reliable and cheap to run. Keeps its value well, so you won't lose a lot if you decide to sell after a few years.
10 year or 100,000 mile warranty, so if you buy 7 year old car with 70k on it, you've effectively bought a car with 3 years of warranty remaining (as long as it's previously been serviced by a dealer).
Battery warranty is even longer still (but I can't remember how many miles/years).
I average 60 mpg in mine (careful driver). <2017 models have zero road tax. They moved the goal posts in 2018 IIRC (double check). It's ULEZ compliant too.
Just check the insurance costs first - CAT theft has increased it somewhat over the years. 👍
Here's mine on winter steelies. Snow never stops play.
That Bond Bug gave me the shivers. I was in one (hitch hiking back to London) that rolled on the M1 and I ended up getting 9 stitches in my head in Northampton GH. More kin dangerous than exposed climbing in Stoney Middleton.
you've done enough so far to have lots of happy Greta credits. I think you should blow them all on a Brabus Unimog.
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Ooh, Brabus do a Unimog? 😁
But if the OP is considering a tandem, even if the offspring aren't, then surely they can just ride to whoever they need to get to?
Ooh, Brabus do a Unimog? 😁
TBH you’d probably end up having to sell the kids(and possibly some others) to pay for it 🙂
Kids training x 3 a week, so they are obviously doing sport to a fairly high level and will be knackered from it. The idea of just getting them to pedal or be out in the elements is ridiculous
Yak had the answers. And make sure you buy a manual car . That way at least they future proof their licence for when everyone realises electric cars are evil and we go back to a power source with gears 😁
If you can charge at home older Nissan Leaf or Renault
Anyway, following my old-grown-up-git post above, I am following my advice as I have a new young driver.... and am going for a 1.4 manual civic. Obviously at my mid-life crisis age of life I should be in a R-Type or Caterham 7 or whatever, but this is the real world of balancing car cost with ongoing insurance costs for young drivers. If you put up to insurance group 5 into autotrader (obviously there are a lot of other insurance cost factors) then you get a few smaller cars... and 1.4 civics. Jazzes are a higher group fwiw. Unfortunately this means my van is going to get sold (in classifieds 😉) , but it's got to be done and I think civics look pretty good for getting bikes and kit in.
A mate has got a second hand Leaf with a slightly knackered battery and a slightly reduced range, so something similar or Yak's advice sounds best.
But.....
How's this for the worst of all worlds, Yamaha Tricity 300. Not sure about teen approval, but you can drive it on a car licence and its not a car...
If we're talking trikes - go big or go home!!...
...good shout though - could be an option - can ride a trike on a car licence.
When I lived in London, we spent most of the time with one car. I had a cargo bike as my 'second car' towards the end (although I did have a motorbike as well)
I've moved further south and have more than one car, but I've kept the cargo bike, which has now been electrified. My 12 and 13 year old are happy to get on it, as is my 6 year old. Huge bonus that I can actually take them to the front door of stuff, rather than park and walk in.
Could they cycle themselves and you have the cargo bike for taking all the kit? Or have you tried a cargo bike with them?
Your use case is the reason lots of people have 2 cars!
15 year old can now legally ride an ebike. Put them on the front of a longtail, 12 yo on the back?
My 14yo loves riding around on my longtail. Ebike trumps any uncoolness!
Kids training x 3 a week, so they are obviously doing sport to a fairly high level and will be knackered from it. The idea of just getting them to pedal or be out in the elements is ridiculous
And there, in one throwaway comment, is why we are getting so much extreme weather, and constant warnings about climate change.
