The True Cost of Car Ownership!

[@HelloRoad]

Do you want some of this money back in your pockets? Also, some notes. My $14k/yr figure is likely too high because the $712/mo payment was an average for new cars, I mistakenly believed it was for a mix of new/used. $503/mo is the average for used cars so it’s likely somewhere in between. I also didn’t properly calculate depreciation. Perhaps it’s better to look at household car expenses as reported by the BLS, which comes in at $9562 (2020) which is still a lot. After 50 years of driving we could still be at $478,100 spent. I also didn’t properly include tax/inflation for the opportunity cost so I will recalculate and add to the comments here. Thx. For those that enjoy my videos with old '80s/'90s cars, don't fret. I don't really hate cars, I just really hate car dependency. New videos with my 1990 Pontiac Grand Am SE and 1988 Chevy Nova Twin Cam are coming soon. Thanks for watching and for your support.

[@rightlanehog3151]

NOVA!!!!

[@n_ux]

I'm buying a e unicycle.

[@RailRide]

Ideal candiate for a pinned comment.

[@robglenn4844]

You should pin this one. It's good supplemental info, but I had to scroll quite a way down the comments before I saw it.

[@HelloRoad]

@@robglenn4844 It was supposed to be pinned. It is now. Thanks!

[@cra_55]

I love how you describe it as "socialism for cars", because most Americans would call you a "commie" for simply suggesting the idea that car-dependent suburbs may not be the most pleasant places to live

[@diegosilang4823]

At the time, they dont call it socialism, it is investing on long term benefits such as public school and highways and creating jobs. Government invested on infrastructure they believe at the time have long term benefits. Of course everything have limits as population of people grows and so are the number of cars and put the highway to the limits leading to gridlocks. The socialism we are now hearing all about is throwing money on things have no long term economic benefits and giving away to perpetually dependent individuals and easily exploited by bad people (we call it parasites) this includes abortion, birth control pills, welfare, stimulus checks and corporate/bank bail outs. Yes the government priorities could have been diverted to building better transit.

[@unconventionalideas5683]

I don’t think that most Americans would say that anymore.

[@bobbirdsong6825]

You have not seen the daily wire then

[@MrMarinus18]

I'm more a take on "socialism for the rich, capitalism for the poor" that is the state of the US right now.

[@kohai-kun9261]

​@@unconventionalideas5683 I hate to break it to ya but it really is that bad. At least down here in the south :( Hate to see it, but until the Republican party is dissolved entirely, and is replaced by parties (multiple) that advocate for more progressive politics, you're going to end up with a bunch of very undereducated, very opinionated people with very bad takes just like that.

[@WaynePittenger]

The rental advice is the best. I found myself needing a truck only once in the past 2 years. I spent $30 on the rental, picked up and dropped off what I needed, dropped off the the truck, and moved on with my day.

[@geoffreyreuther5260]

I can't stress this enough. I know way too many people who own full-size trucks and commute with them just so they can haul their camper/boat twice a year. If they downsized to a mid-size car (not even a hybrid version) they'd save so much in gas they could not only pay for the truck rental to haul it, but also fuel their boat or rent the campsite or what have you. (And of course these people bitch about gas prices constantly, but can't see how they've set themselves up for this problem)

[@Dave435l]

100% Especially went you can just rent directly from the hardware store nowadays

[@mjc0961]

@@geoffreyreuther5260 I work with a few of these people and they're always blaming Joe Biden for how much they spend on gas. 1. The president doesn't set gas prices 2. Joe Biden didn't force you to commute in a giant truck because you tow something once, maybe twice a year, my dude.

[@MCatwar]

@@mjc0961the other compromise is what i just found. i was daily driving a diesel f250 for a while and while it got 20mpg it wasn’t even the fuel cost that was frustrating. it was how large it was. i did need to tow and move stuff with it very often but i ended up putting it away and only using it when i need to after getting a $300 mazda that gets 35mpg. it’s been great! truck is old and paid off and gets used when it needs to. mazda is cheap and efficient and gets used when it needs to:)

[@alexcarrillo12]

I love how you are paying attention to the other side of car ownership and car-centric infrastructure. We need more people talking about this. Thank you for bringing attention to this! Also, you're videos are well done. Looking forward to seeing more of your videos.

[@n_ux]

I'm buying a e unicycle.

[@rightlanehog3151]

Ethan, Thanks for this perceptive overview. I feel that Part 3 barely scratched the surface of 'socialism for cars'. A bill recently passed Congress authorizing untold $Billions for the direct subsidy of personal car purchases. This money is on top of the $Billions in direct corporate welfare transferred annually from middle class citizens to profitable transnational car makers. Let me assure younger viewers this was not always the case. Believe it or not, for most of the history of the automobile, carmakers used to pay for their own factories with their own money. The fact these subsidies are handed out a time when corporate income taxes as well as taxes on the wealthiest are a fraction of historic levels, makes them even more repugnant. Beyond these dubious inducements to buy and produce even more cars, we have the outrageous loopholes within the US tax code which have for decades incentivized the purchase of oversized, gas guzzling SUVs and luxury pickups over more efficient options. These misbegotten programs and policies epitomize the concept of socialism for the rich. They also left the much more socially responsible public transit systems cash starved and withering on the vine. Before anyone else says it, I know I am only scratching the surface but these egregious policies are rarely discussed in car friendly spaces.

[@ATOM-vv3xu]

Subsidizing a product is not socialism (instead it is social market economy). In socialism the state would either give you the car directly or indirectly (through money) or the state would consider your car a means of production and thus own your car while allowing you to use it

[@johnmitchell8925]

You didn't mention how many millions of people are permanently injured in automobile crashes every year

[@eurosonly]

He's done a different video on that.

[@karikling6751]

It's also worth mentioning e-cargo bikes. They really can be car replacement bikes for the vast majority of trips, and on the rare occasion you might need to haul something huge, you can rent a van or truck. Seriously, those bikes are big enough that you can haul Christmas trees in them.

[@Skupperful]

I got rid of my car last year and bought a cargo bike. No regrets at all, - I'm healthier and better off mentally.

[@jan-lukas]

You can carry any Christmas tree with two people anyways, why take the bike when you can walk? Though maybe I'm just to European

[@micosstar]

​@@jan-lukas you're right; with so many stores selling what you need (i.e. christmas trees), just call a friend and carry it home

[@jcwms17]

I carried my Christmas tree solo a couple years ago! Thankfully it was only 2 blocks; the weight was nothing but the SAP…lolol. I do have an e-cargo bike though and I agree, a brilliant alternative

[@johndelapena3484]

depends where u live, for my suburb in outer LA, there’s barely any bike lanes, and roads with super narrow sidewalks (street signs, pedestrians, and blind driveways make it dangerous af so have to go super slow) it’d be more practical for me to own a cheap econobox car OR a scooter/motorcycle. I only ride a bike if I’m going less than 2.5 miles away cus otherwise I’m wasting too much time. For me, a bike/electric scooter with narrow handlebars is best

[@DragPakMerc]

Good points. I bought a new car once. In 1989. Learned I hated making payments. So when it was paid off, I started saving the money. Every car I've purchased since has been used, and bought for cash. Only buying depreciated cars and avoiding financing charges hasn't saved me $11 million, but it's still been an amazing amount of money over the years.

[@mexicanspec]

There is nothing better than buying a 2 year old car for half what it sold for new.

[@martinicc67]

It's refreshing to see car enthusiasts going against the status quo. I regret finding your videos so late.

[@mikeydude750]

we want bad drivers who don't care to learn how to drive well off the road. if they can take the bus or train to work instead that means more room for us to have fun

[@Phillydreaming]

I have always been someone who is a car enthusiast but hates cars as a dependency. I moved to northern california from soflo just for the walkability, but also finally got my drivers license in this state. I love drifting and JDM (and the occasional nascar), but I refuse to own/register a car as a method of transportation because that just validates more urban sprawl. Its hard on the rare occasion that I have to go somewhere far like an appointment but I manage, and I could definitely not afford to live here if I owned one. The transit here is amazing too, compared to what is available in the south. When people talk about it sucking I try to inform them that the sun-tran bus back home literally went to about 5 or 6 different streets only.

[@wesleycanada3675]

yep people say down town is expensive but if it means car-free living it pencils out

[@mikeydude750]

@@wesleycanada3675 it depends. most places that are truly walkable/transit-able without needing to own a car are going to be far more expensive than just owning a cheaper car and living out in the cheaper suburbs.

[@wesleycanada3675]

@@mikeydude750 the average cost of car ownership per year is 10k. that gives 830 dollars extra for rent

[@mikeydude750]

@@wesleycanada3675 it can cost a thousand dollars more to live in a place walkable enough compared to a cheaper car-centric suburb. that also doesn't account for the times you need to rent a car when you go somewhere outside your tiny little neighborhood, or the extra costs you pay for delivery apps for the stuff you need to buy out of transit range

[@jasonbrown7258]

I'm from Michigan and I used public transportation a couple of times and I was NOT impressed in the least bit. The bus reaked like ass was dirty and I really didn't feel safe and the trip actually took twice as long because the bus would only go 35 in a 55 because of all the stops. I'll never use public transportation again if I can help it. I'd rather spend more time in my clean safe car where I'll know I won't have to depend on someone else.

[@michaelprice3031]

The problem with biking everywhere, for me at least , is not so much that the infrastructure sucks, but rather there isn't usually a good place to leave a bike without fearing it will be stolen.

[@jezzarisky]

I mostly use bikes and scooters in cases where I can take them inside with me. Especially for things like grocery shopping, a bike is the same size as a grocery cart and have never been talked to for using it as one.

[@Free-g8r]

Ya luckily my city has a bike share system for when I need to bike somewhere and leave the bike for a long time. I only take my own bike if it's a quick in and out trip to a store or something. But if I'm going to leave it for hours I'll just use bike share instead.

[@mikeydude750]

True that. I moved close to work and initially biked to work for the first 3-4 months. Problem is, even though it was only a 10-12 minute bike ride, it was unprotected and I had far too many close calls for comfort. I like to be alive at the end of the day, so I drive to work instead.

[@vincentnnyc]

Get a brompton. I got a brompton since 2009 and take it with me everywhere

[@MARC-FENIX]

Such a lucid human being! I love that you bring the right amount of reason to the emotional side of car ownership. 🤗👍

[@johnchedsey1306]

Not sure why KZbin decided to start recommending your videos, but I'm glad they did. There's even more costs associated with a car/oil dependent infrastructure. Just think about the military costs of ensuring we can get access to "cheap" oil to run our fleet of cars nationwide. Someone once estimated that it essentially means we're paying well over $10/gallon for gas factoring in that hidden cost. Probably closer to $20/gallon in today's money. I absolutely love my road trips and I'm willing to spend a portion of my income to explore the US west and all the beautiful places I can visit on these trips. I have literally 10s of thousands of photos taken on these trips and those memories are priceless. But, at the same time, I've stuck with an older used vehicle that gets decent mileage (A Nissan Juke Nismo RS, which is both practical for my lifestyle and still a little fun). Clearly status is not a big deal for me. I've worked remotely for over a decade and essentially have been fortunate to just drive for pleasure. But I feel for all those who are stuck in this cycle that essentially allows so many hands to get into their pockets for the "privilege" of commuting.

[@ave14401]

the fact you were able to be a car person and understand the reality of this situation gives me a lot of hope.. ive been really down in the dumps that so many people are not just blinded to this issue but so dogmatic and aggressive about it. keep doing what you're doing and i appreciate you taking the time to make this video!

[@jonathanmcgovern2464]

Sad how people/society say renting is always a waste of money yet owning a car isn't.. Propaganda.

[@lannynavitka8949]

Learning how to fix your own vehicles is basically a retirement plan.

[@Katzelle3]

Or just don't have a car

[@manireik]

One thing to keep in mind--those hundreds-to-thousands spent each month on cars can instead cover a lot of rent/mortgage costs, unlocking the ability to live in mixed-use, walkable and bikeable places (and regain all that lost time and quality-of-life). If the cost of "affordable" housing is 2x cars and all their fixed and variable costs--the housing is not actually affordable! And conversely, somewhat more "expensive" housing that sheds all those car costs can turn out to be cheaper. That's why I haven't driven in 18 years, and have been able to afford to live in fun, convenient, interesting, even beautiful apartments and neighborhoods, on a typical middle-class (or lower) income (even with significant student debt payments).

[@keilan7896]

I like the direction you are headed with this channel 👍. You earned a subscriber!

[@alpharius5178]

Living car free in Japan was really liberating.

[@stanwoody4988]

I am 76. I owned 5 cars during my adult life, which allowed me to retire at 55. My current vehicle, a 2010 Toyota Carola with 105,000 miles, may well be my last car. My first car out of college, a BMW 320i inoculated me against car fever. I had a flat tire and the dealership had to send to Germany for the replacement air. Where are the Fiestas, Darts and Beetles, cheap basic transportation without a seat warmer? The answer will be self driving Uber like services whose vehicles are never parked.

[@_JD_C]

Could not agree more, even the cheapest of cars costs a lot of money to maintain

[@Demopans5990]

Paradoxically. the cheaper cars are more expensive to maintain. Lemons are called lemons for a reason. A junker that barely manages 10 MPG is going to be more expensive than that 2015 Toyota that somehow still does 30 MPG (and is among the reason used Japanese and Korean cars hold their value much better than American or German brands)

[@emiliorescigno]

Keep this content up. I’ll keep watching.

[@DctrBread]

i will also add, even if walking unsafe, almost nothing is more dangerous than a lifetime of driving, particularly if you think theres a chance that you are a distracted driver, an angry driver, or if you will ever drink and drive

[@RetroCarsForever]

Really though-provoking and necessary video. Too many of us accept the way things are, and you're totally right. Americans always value freedom and independence above all else, and I think that's why we have such a love affair with cars. But we're at a tipping point, and I hope more people wake up to all this. BTW I made a video a few years back going over new cars as bad investments, and its SHOCKING seeing your video and how much worse the numbers have gotten over the past few years!

[@RetroCarsForever]

@@toniderdon Agreed.

[@Free-g8r]

Being forced to pay $15,000 per year to function in society is hardly freedom. Similarly a soul crushing commute in gridlocked traffic isn't freedom.

[@thunderb00m]

I love driving which is why i bike to work. i do not want to share the road with idiots who spend half their time on their phone while being forced to drive. when i drive its for pleasure. Traffic just crushes my love of driving.

[@sammyrice1182]

Yes, we should be honest with ourselves. Cars = car dependency. All big businesses try to create dependency among their users. Big car will never voluntarily shrink. They must have higher revenues and profits. No other way is possible.

[@DoubleHCreations]

This guy is officially my favorite car KZbin channel

[@euroschmau]

I'm in my 40s and never owned a car and live in a big dense East Coast city. I hate cars, they are the source of almost all that is wrong with America. I annually travel to Europe to escape this country and connect with a more civilized society where cars are a luxury. I hope for the day Americans wake up and realize how bad cars are, but I'm not holding my breath.

[@karankshah]

Remember kids, the more public transit people use, the more open the roads are.

[@stale2665]

Some buses in my area have stickers (decals?) saying "Be glad it's just me in front of you. It could have been 20 cars."

[@testchannelplsignore8509]

even a "cheap" car like a 2024 Toyota Corolla will run you ~$150k over 30-years for someone with excellent credit and no accidents. The majority of the cost being insurance. Cars for daily life are a total scam.

[@Parabueto]

Luckily I live in the UK where everything in general is much more walkable than in North America. I managed to get away with not owning a car until I hit thirty and I only bought the car because I want to fly birds of prey in the countryside, which requires private areas without many people around, obviously making public transport counterproductive. The cost is staggering. I'm spending well over £1.5k a year on a small used car which I drive maybe a thousand miles a year.

[@DaveSchrenk]

Showing my kids this video. Thanks Ethan.

[@MegaLokopo]

I have no college degree, and work in a warehouse at a small company. I have talked several companies or managers over the years into driving me to and from work every day, so I don't have to drive. If I can do it multiple times, so can you.

[@gdemorest7942]

You need to do a collaboration with Jason Slaughter at Not Just Bikes, Reece Martin at RM Transit, Rollie Williams at Climate Town, John Simmerman at Active Towns and Strong Towns.

[@johnjmunro]

This was great. So much useful information, so well put together. Thanks for putting it out there!

[@andrewlee88]

Its been a while since i binge watched your channel and things cooled down on your side, but its great to see a new drop! We missed you!

[@attorneyrobert]

This is an important video, and a great reminder that having more car than you truly need is really a costly waste of money.

[@eurosonly]

Biting off more than toy can chew has always been the American way.

[@iSvCrux]

Great video! I really love seeing how many people are trying to raise awareness about the cost of car ownership. One of the most important factors in a person being able to get out of impoverished situations is access to transportation. You can't take a job across town if you can't get there. When our only option is to drive, that really eats into a person's ability to save and make better decisions. I love your presentation style on the matter, and you were very thorough going through the options and alternatives.

[@LOLWTFWOW]

Cars are a symbol of status whether we want them to be or not

[@af3790]

What if I didn’t have car in the first place?? If I saved that amount of money rather than owning a car then I would have buy a home many years ago when housing market better than nowadays. Costs keep going up for consumer goods including costs of transportation and maintaining car and insurance, very expensive expenses for car owners.

[@Jet_Pilot525]

Great video. I'm like you in that I'm a big time car enthusiast who also hates car dependent cities. I'm living temporarily in Vegas and the city design is awful. It's all ugly, multi-lane stroads and lots of traffic. I came here from the northeast and made a cross country road trip. That was fun, especially driving I-70 through the Colorado mountains. But I'd rather just let my car sit at my apartment and walk or take public transit everywhere, then use the car to escape the city or in other special scenarios. I also suspect car dependency is part of the reason corporations are so against remote work. Less people commuting means they're spending less on driving and that's less revenue for the automotive and oil industries.

[@TheRealJohnWack]

As a Veloster N owner in PB, it was enjoyable to see the vehicle in the opening B-roll.

[@fgregerfeaxcwfeffece]

Went through the numbers for myself already and asked a few people. The conclusion was: calculate at least ~300$ (absolute floor) per month before you even moved the thing. Just maintenance, value deprecation, taxes and insurance. The first 2 always being the biggest. And they just get worse the more expensive the car is. Or f if god forbid you finance it (luckily no one does that eh? Oh..., guess that means the realistic average is way above that floor eh?) Owning a car is a very expensive hobby. If you can't admit that, it's no winder your finances are in shambles.

[@ianmcgregor8152]

great info, nice production, a joy to watch. Keep it up!!

[@richesofthepoor]

Important video, thanks for posting this. Hoping people listen! What kills me is seeing all these young people on minimum wage buying or leasing 40k- 50k + vehicles, destroying their financial futures with these poor decisions.. God help them and their parents lol

[@alexk1888]

Awesome video, love seeing content like this on your channel! This is a vital message that more people need to hear.

[@danielponder690]

the problem with buses in a lot of America is that people can A. Drive to work in 30 minutes, or take a knotty network of bus routes for 90 min plus to travel to the same destination

[@thatguythatdoesstuff5899]

Trouble is a car takes you directly from your home to your destination while a bus doesn't, so you have to walk some distance. And then the bus gets stuck in the same traffic as cars, but since it needs to stop at bus stops it makes travel time way longer. Dedicated bus lanes help A LOT and bus routes need to be on point. Population density is also important. American suburbs aren't easy to implement public transport in.

[@hananas2]

I really feel for those Americans who realise what you're missing out on if you could do without a car for everything.. Keep making videos like these, the word is spreading! Sincerely, a Belgian who used to be a car guy but now gets around by bike, cargo bike and train.

[@jonpata9869]

Damn this video is under-rated Wouldve loved a segment with examples of the extreme 100s millions construction costs of highway expanisions

[@aaron___6014]

The, my perspective section, nailed it for me. Give me a Prius because the majority of the driving I do is not fun, and never will be. The only exception is in winter when the roads are covered in snow and you can get a little wild with AWD or RWD. But even then you'll need an older car because a new car restricts all fun (how I miss my 98 CRV 5MT).

[@BobboNaught-YT]

Very under rated video. I've been kind of discovering this since visiting another country back in 2019 and making some changes and I REALLY wish more Americans and Canadians realized this stuff. You organized all this so well. One of my favorites is "buying a car for 99% of your use cases" and perhaps renting a vehicle for the occasional heavier needs. I realized I only use my truck bed a couple of times a year and I could just rent a Uhaul truck or trailer down the street for less than gas savings of a sedan or crossover. The benefit of Suburban houses IMO is not having to listen to your neighbors walking above your head, but that wouldn't be an issue if apartments were made of concrete like other parts of the world. And I would GLADLY trade my garage for being able to walk to a couple dozen stores and restaurants + having decent public transportation.

[@chrisgreen67]

Great video, as always, and thanks for sharing this viewpoint to an audience (like me) that surely needs it! For what it's worth, the shirt looks great.

[@roger3958]

Yup I just heard Dave Ramsey talk about this. Love him or hate him he’s right about car payments.

[@trqrider94]

I’d love to see more videos about cost of car ownership. I’m also working on a project/website that helps people see the birds eye view of car ownership. The small details tend to be forgotten when adding together all the pieces: new windshield, tires, car washes, tire pressure, etc.

[@tonysdiecastcustoms]

2nd thumbs up brother and definitely agree with you it's expensive being a car owner especially if you have more than 2 and awesome episode and enjoyed watching and have a wonderful weekend brother 👍😎👊🔥💯

[@Free-g8r]

A reasonable and nuanced take on the downsides of car ownership from an auto focused KZbin channel... Who knew?

[@cloudyskies5497]

My spouse and I decided to go car-free, but still hustle up the money for it every year, and then deliberately put it toward something as extra. Last year it was the down payment on a home, and this year it'll be extra toward the principal of our home. Since this area has a lot of heavy vehicles due to snow, we approximated $10k per vehicle per year (I think the national average is $8k). For us both, that totals $20k. Whenever I'm in a really inconvenient situation, like the cars won't let me cross the street, or the snow plow builds an ice wall that I have to climb over to get to the sidewalk, I remind myself that I have twenty grand waiting to be put toward something great. I still like fun-driving. I think that should be something readily accessible: shuttle out to some place on the outskirts and like go-karts you pay a fee to get to drive a car around a beautiful place super fast and safe from other cars.

[@klang180]

Great video on an important topic. This is actually true of meat, dairy and processed food too, in that regardless of whether you eat it or not your taxes go to subsidise it's production. I like that you are mature enough to recognise that your love of cars shouldn't cost other people and wonder if you'd be able to do the same for your food too?

[@moosepatil5946]

Those comparisons aren't remotely the same. We need to eat, we don't need to own a car.

[@enkvadrat_]

@@moosepatil5946you do not need to eat processed foods, and you should probably not do it.

[@robbyzipp7573]

Hi. Awesome video. I can’t believe how much we pay for a vehicle now a days… I bought a new car 10 years ago and hated those monthly payments, and the car blew up a month after I paid it off… Today I own a 97 Civic with 94k, and a 02 Ranger with 54k… Both vehicles cost me less than $3k., and both are super reliable….

[@robbyzipp7573]

Ps. I’m in central NJ., super over populated… My girlfriend and I both live within 4 miles from our jobs.. We share my two vehicles, and I can’t complain 😉

[@RailRide]

For some reason I let the ad breaks play on this one. Five ad breaks, and four of them contained at least one car ad, car buying ad (i.e. carvana) or car (truck) accessory ad. I know about YT attempting to select ads based on content, but oh the irony 😅. (watched this one after running across and watching the 'starting to hate cars' video)

[@ionflow1073]

You got a like from me when you suggested that people stop thinking of cars as a status symbol. Start thinking of cars as symbols of debt. Perfect!

[@TheT1million]

You are an amazing critical thinker. Well done!

[@ms_cartographer]

Maybe instead of buying a brand new truck or SUV for 50k+, buy a used hatchback that's a couple of years old for way less. Hatchbacks are smaller and recession-proof.

[@davidjensen5074]

A very informative & thought provoking video.

[@Dino.808]

More videos like this, please.

[@swedneck]

I feel like the worst part of all this is that cars can totally be reasonable! But for some absurd reason the only thing we can think of is a car with 4-5 seats and a gigantic storage space.. Just removing the dedicated storage space and instead having foldable back seats is so vastly more efficient, and for most people they could get by totally fine with just two seats! And of course mopeds exist, and are basically the ideal personal transport for large distances (e-scooters being ideal for short distances)

[@TwoDollarGararge]

It's simple humans like the ability to store their s*** that is the reason we like stuff we like things that can haul all our crap around in Europe they figure this out 60 years ago because after world war 2 a lot of people were poor so they couldn't afford a nice car or a big we never had that here

[@mexicanspec]

Car companies used to sell cars like the Chevy Sprint and Geo Metro. People didn't want them.

[@TwoDollarGararge]

@@mexicanspec I was going to say at least here in the states they sold like crap

[@mexicanspec]

@@TwoDollarGararge They sold well to a certain demographic. I worked at a Chevy store in 1987/1988 when the Sprint was on sale and every one of them sold. They were not a popular car though. gas mileage has never been a concern for Americans.

[@TwoDollarGararge]

@@mexicanspec my guess would be some old people bought them because they were cheap and you had young people who couldn't afford anything else or he broke college kids or something like that

[@micosstar]

thanks for sharing, Hello Road!

[@TheLonewolfPro]

Love your vids. Keep it up 👍🏻

[@HelloRoad]

Thank you :) :)

[@lexismart7555]

Love cars but I've been carless for 25 years living in a city with public transportation. You can do the savings math...🙂

[@VideoGameStarChannelSupreme]

I'd say be cautious about deciding to buy into the stock market. Over 50 years, the stock market had a lot of road bumps and checking into your account to see that big pothole that's going on through a rare time can cause a lot of anxiety for those who don't check in often.

[@BrieElizabeth]

DMV costs, driving lessons, parts, tires, AAA, insurance, car seats! I am so lucky to be driving what is basically a go kart (a Nissan Sentra) which uses barely any gas to get around. Even if you don’t own a car..then you pay for public transportation, taxis, Uber, for a friends gas for giving you a ride…a horse drawn carriage sounds great for my wallet right about now! Horses sound more fun to spend money on anyway 🙃

[@mdunne96]

How have you not mentioned depreciation? I new car loses 20% if it’s value as soon as it drives off the lot

[@jarikinnunen1718]

In Soviet, they waited 10 to 25 years to get car which relatively cost same than ferrari in west and had rat trap quality. It did need garage which cost nearly sama than car and locate some times other side of town. Cars are luxury items nearly everywhere. When I was young in Finland, car owners got relationship with woman easely. I did not have car...

[@topofthepalm]

Awesome video ethan....staggering statistics lol. You are making me hate cars, although...I can't wait to see your vw Foxx video! Have a great weekend

[@PootisHasBeenEngaged]

I wonder why car prices are so exorbitant in the US, I know there seems to be s "bigger bigger bigger" mentality with car size but 11k a year is insanity. I am from the UK, and although the cars still aren't cheap, they are not that bad... Great video though, very eye opening and well researched it seems!

[@jon6309]

I am 33 years old and driving never appealed to me because I was anxious of accidents and I’ve seen people get into really bad ones! I only started driving lessons now because of my Mother’s health condition and she may need me to take her for rides. Also some higher paying jobs may require me to get a drivers license. I currently use the bus which my employer subsidies my monthly pass and I’m thinking of getting an electric scooter to also go around places where there are no bus stops. I’ve accumulated a lot of money over the years from not driving and I’m seeing the expense creep in as I learn to drive! It cost money to learn how to drive, it cost money to maintain a license, safety inspect and register your vehicle. Even with cash an no auto loan you still have to pay for insurance and gas which all adds up overtime. I don’t have a well paying job but my lifestyle has allowed me to save over $300k in cash with just saving it in a money market account without the help of stocks. I would say home and car ownership can be wealth killers overtime if you are not careful but they do provide convenience for your standard of living!

[@pacerdanny]

You took on a lot in this video. Well done! (Also, not one but two clips of the crisply designed Hyundai Venue!)

[@seeranos]

This video is criminally underrated

[@mexicanspec]

Hi Ethan, none of my 7 cars are moving right now. I have found it pretty easy to get along without them. There are neighborhood stores within 1 block of me where I can buy most things but when I need to go to the big store an Uber costs $2.00 US. I still miss driving my own car though.

[@n_ux]

I'm buying a e unicycle.

[@milliedragon4418]

I wish it cost me only $2 to Uber

[@sambennett5441]

Keep in mind, virtually every problem that exists for cars, still exist for electric cars. Although they may be better for the environment, using EVs to fix 'car issues' is like using a putter on the driving range. It might be better than nothing, but it is not the right tool for the job. A single light rail line can move as many people than a 7 lane highway. Pound for pound, a freight train gets better mileage than a Prius. And that doesn't even begin to mention Americas complete lack of support for high speed rail. The highway system received more money in it's first year than Amtrak did in it's first 50 years (and that is without taking inflation into account). Travel by rail addresses congestion, emissions, and speed in ways that no other technology can compete. I just watched this and the car dependency video. They hit the nail right on the head. I couldn't agree more. I would love to see America where you have the freedom to choose how to travel. Instead of being submissive to the large companies who own us.

[@electricerger]

I appreciate the wholistic perspective. Although, I would have appreciated acknowledging that licensing is another cost, especially since some States don't have an alternative form of Photo ID.

[@ferryvantichelen6521]

The funniest and most painful thing is when people drive their car to the gym and then go sit on an excercise bike when they're there

[@ThePhosee]

Nicely structured video. Good gob!

[@neckenwiler]

You're on fire, dude. Great video.

[@topofthegreen]

I save close to $10,00 a year by not having one.

[@DerekVuong7799]

This is all the more reason why we should work from home if possible.

[@stud_ley]

Stopped driving my car earlier this year and I have not regretted it

[@VelmaTheID]

I work from home and I can have everything I need delivered. I don’t need a car and it’s wonderful!

[@TheMELTDOWN911]

I really hope young people see this video and read the comments of old guys like me, I posted a comments few minutes ago, I love this video I will show it to all my family young members, I have tried to explain them that buying a new car on a 72 month loan is the first step for been a slave of the system, but most times they don't listen.....

[@HelloRoad]

Go away

[@AustinSersen]

Great video, especially coming from a car channel. Kudos!

[@HelloRoad]

Thanks, I appreciate it!

[@absolutelycitron1580]

Lmao algorithm chose carvanna as the ad for me. Love the video and the channel btw!

[@jacksonbangs6603]

To get to and from work I bicycle commute about 5 miles each day. This saves me money on electricity and gym membership fees. Most of all my overall health has drastically improved. Because my electric car is heavy, I am also saving money on tires.

[@infernoking7504]

Im never gonna buy any new cars im gonna take cars that where once new and keep them on the road. Example 1 my 1988 Lincoln town car my first car I got it for $700 now its worth $3500 with 92k miles on it and im almost done making it very nice its better to fix older cars and keep them running than scraping them and building shitty new cars.

[@bakbay2076]

Good message behind this vid 💯

[@yit555]

There’s still ways to own cars relatively cheaply. I have a ‘92 Geo Prizm that I bought for $1,500 five years ago. It costs $80/year to register, $36/month for liability insurance, about $100/month or less for gas (with current inflated prices), and then around $300/year in general maintenance/parts (I do my own mechanic work). That works out to just over $2,000 a year to own and drive the car, which isn’t too bad. And at 109k miles it has some life left in it. In rural Indiana you ~need~ a car. But I literally could not imagine what it must feel like to spend $700/month on JUST the car payment.

[@rightlanehog3151]

Bring back the Geo Prizm!!!

[@ZachValkyrie]

It's a cliche at this point, but still true: "You aren't stuck in traffic. You _are_ traffic."

[@markplenke]

Also, cars keep you poor.

[@DoubleHCreations]

You may have to go to the mechanics more often in an older car than a new one, but it’s often cheaper and easier to do so.

[@SadisticSenpai61]

We had to get a vehicle this year. It's amazing how much money that thing sucks up. But we'll need it at least until my partner gets a kidney transplant (most of his follow up visits should be nearby at least). At least we live just close enough to the hospital that does the transplants that they won't require us to get a hotel in the same city as the hospital. If we lived just 15 miles further north... Well, that said, we bought my grandmother's 2000 minivan and... Well, it _is_ a 2000 Town and Country. And my brother did a good job of trashing it before my parents sold it to me. But even if I were to only look at the cost of gas, it still just vacuums up money. Add in the issue with the bent front axle that eats tires? Ouch!

[@michaelkrenzer3296]

E-bike in addition to a car makes no financial sense. That said, replacing a second vehicle in combination with public transit can solve the "last mile" very common in suburban to downtown work scenario. Weather becomes a challenge in about a 1/2 of the nation (though for different reasons in Atlanta than Milwaukee).

[@HelloRoad]

E-bike along with a car could *possibly* make sense depending on fuel/maintenance savings. But yes, a 2 car family that downsizes to 1 car and uses car alternatives would make a much larger impact. Yep, agreed, weather is a challenge

[@siamiam]

@@HelloRoad if i could still ride i would just get a regular bike instead of a e-bike and save thousands on purchase price and electric rates

[@siamiam]

for the past decade on average i only drive about 3k mile a year , yet i currently own three vehicles at the moment i did sell 5 vehicles this summer, making decent profit on all of them . i usually like to have a main car and a emergency back up