Have car - need chauffeur

[Biggles]

I am just throwing ideas around in my head at the moment and wondered if another view from a different angle would throw any new light on the matter.

I have a large, family estate car, eight years old, very reliable. However, for probably twelve months I shall not be allowed to drive (medical reasons).

It’s probably not worth selling the car and buying another in a year’s time, so at present it stands on my driveway, untaxed and uninsured, gathering dust (or snow). Meanwhile, I have to use buses, taxis and trains to get around.

It occurred to me that someone who drives but doesn’t have a car might like the use of it. I thought maybe they would pay all running costs but, as part of the deal, they would make themselves available as my chauffeur as and when needed. Thus they would probably need to be either unemployed, self-employed or retired)

Maybe there'd need to be a brief MoU and maybe a limit on their total mileage; but then, cars can be clocked....

And how to find someone trustworthy? Will it be worth the hassle?

[redsturgeon]

So many variables in this one.

So what are they going to get out of it? The use of a car but they pay insurance, tax, servicing fuel? So what's the car worth say about £3000

So basically for a year they get the use of a £3000 asset, that might be worth about £500, so £10 per week. And what do you want in return for that?

I'd say unless you were looking at asking for no more than an hour or two of their time a week then it would be a non starter.

John

[DrFfybes]

The worst thing you can do is just to leave it sat there rotting, but I think paying someone to use it would be too expensive. You still need to tax, MOT, and probably insure it, and then get them as a named driver.

We have too many cars, some haven't moved since November, but they are under cover. If it is outside give it a good clean and a wax.

At the very least go out every week or so and run it for 15 mins to warm everything through properly (including the exhaust system), drive it up and down the drive (obviously you'd close the gate so it isn't a public place!) and then park it in gear with the handbrake off. Whist doing this run the aircon, move all the controls through their range of movement (fan, heater, steering, brake pedal, windows up and down, open all doors, etc and squirt some screenwash through the nozzles. This sounds like a lot of work, but 15 mins every fortnight can save you hours and £££ in 12 months.

Go to the local pound shop and buy a handful of those pellet dessicators like these http://i01.i.aliimg.com/img/pb/578/466/ ... 78_690.jpg and put a couple in the car and one in the boot. Don't forget to remove the foil sealing strip first

Paul

[Biggles]

So many variables in this one.

So what are they going to get out of it? The use of a car but they pay insurance, tax, servicing fuel? So what's the car worth say about £3000

So basically for a year they get the use of a £3000 asset, that might be worth about £500, so £10 per week. And what do you want in return for that?

I'd say unless you were looking at asking for no more than an hour or two of their time a week then it would be a non starter.

Y, like I say, just tossing ideas around at present. It seems a wasted asset, just sitting there, and I hate wasting an asset.

But you've really confirmed my feelings, that it would be really hard to balance value/benefit. And I'm in a small market town, so unless they happened to live very nearby it could mean them driving, say, 15 or 20 minutes just to get to and from my house. And - without attributing any bad motives to them - it could make it hard to call on them for a shortish taxi-ride, and easier for them to say, 'no I can't make it at the moment'.

[Biggles]

At the very least go out every week or so and run it for 15 mins to warm everything through properly (including the exhaust system), drive it up and down the drive (obviously you'd close the gate so it isn't a public place!) and then park it in gear with the handbrake off. Whist doing this run the aircon, move all the controls through their range of movement (fan, heater, steering, brake pedal, windows up and down, open all doors, etc and squirt some screenwash through the nozzles. This sounds like a lot of work, but 15 mins every fortnight can save you hours and £££ in 12 months.

Go to the local pound shop and buy a handful of those pellet dessicators like these http://i01.i.aliimg.com/img/pb/578/466/ ... 78_690.jpg and put a couple in the car and one in the boot. Don't forget to remove the foil sealing strip first

Some good ideas there, Paul. I'm already in 'preservation' mode, ie keeping battery charged, running engine every few weeks etc, but you've given me a few more things to do. And why not, it's boring just sitting there in a stationery car as it is! The desiccators I hadn't thought of but definitely sound worth it.

Thanks to both for your ideas!!

[redsturgeon]

So many variables in this one.

So what are they going to get out of it? The use of a car but they pay insurance, tax, servicing fuel? So what's the car worth say about £3000

So basically for a year they get the use of a £3000 asset, that might be worth about £500, so £10 per week. And what do you want in return for that?

I'd say unless you were looking at asking for no more than an hour or two of their time a week then it would be a non starter.

Y, like I say, just tossing ideas around at present. It seems a wasted asset, just sitting there, and I hate wasting an asset.

But you've really confirmed my feelings, that it would be really hard to balance value/benefit. And I'm in a small market town, so unless they happened to live very nearby it could mean them driving, say, 15 or 20 minutes just to get to and from my house. And - without attributing any bad motives to them - it could make it hard to call on them for a shortish taxi-ride, and easier for them to say, 'no I can't make it at the moment'.

I would say you are better to sell it and use the money for taxis etc for 12 months rather than have it deteriorating and depreciating on your drive for a year.

John

[didds]

I completely agree with John.

having been in a similar situation of having a car that wasn't needed, with no value really (£700 probably) we kept it for a year (doing all the above) and then found we had no use for it at all etc etc etc. We eventually sold it for £400.

Cash it in, and either use that cash on the taxis etc., or ring fence it in savings to purchase a vehicle as and when you do need one.

My mistake was being too attached to a piece of tin with a wheel in each corner for perceived financial reasons. they don't exist.

didds

[Clitheroekid]

How about getting a lodger, on terms that their rent is linked to the amount of driving they do for you? For example the nominal rent might be £100 per week but you could `pay' them 20p a mile, which would be knocked off the rent.

You might even supply them with a nice, neat uniform, maybe something on these lines - https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/or ... 76254a.jpg

[Biggles]

How about getting a lodger, on terms that their rent is linked to the amount of driving they do for you? For example the nominal rent might be £100 per week but you could `pay' them 20p a mile, which would be knocked off the rent.

You might even supply them with a nice, neat uniform, maybe something on these lines - https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/or ... 76254a.jpg

Now you're talking my language. She may even be able to drive as well.

[sg31]

I'm in this situation at present, my licence has been withdrawn for 6 months following a serious head injury. Just a couple of points to add, if the vehicle is a diesel don't run the engine for any length of time without a load. It can cause a varnish like build up in the bores and glaze out the cross hatching.

Also be careful charging the battery, If you remove the battery you must make sure you have the radio code and check with the main dealers that you won't bugger the computer or other electrics. If you aren't removing the battery only use a trickle charger because it is possible to fry some of the electronics if you use a more powerful charger.

If the car doesn't have electronic gismos you can just ignore all this.

[k333]

It’s probably not worth selling the car and buying another in a year’s time, so at present it stands on my driveway, untaxed and uninsured, gathering dust (or snow). Meanwhile, I have to use buses, taxis and trains to get around.

Given the car is reliable and a known quantity, I'd be very reluctant to sell and then have the bother of finding a replacemant later. But I would certainly want to follow Paul's advice about using the car in the drive, say every 2-3 weeks.

- K

[k333]

Also be careful charging the battery, If you remove the battery you must make sure you have the radio code and check with the main dealers that you won't bugger the computer or other electrics. If you aren't removing the battery only use a trickle charger because it is possible to fry some of the electronics if you use a more powerful charger.

So by the look of it, my 10.4 amp charger wouldn't be any use in modern cars and I'd have to use the 2.2 amp setting. I'd always wondered about that.

- K

[Biggles]

Yes, I've decided to keep it (only just over 11 months to go!). It's petrol and I have a trickle charger, so I'll just start it up and operate things every month or so in order to prevent anything seizing up.

Thanks to all for the helpful suggestions!

[Satsuma]

Do you know anyone who makes trips to out of town venues or long motorway journeys?

They may welcome the use of a large car for that sort of thing (am thinking of IKEA or Costco type trips where space is A Good Thing, or even short breaks away), and if you just charge fuel costs its goodwill all round? The car gets a good long drive in, possibly at nice decent speed and the user gets a nice roomy car to use.

There is of course the insurance angle to consider - most policies only offer 3rd party on other cars, but if it could be a regular friend or relative, they may be able to become a named driver or something?

Just throwing the idea out there.
Sats