Deciding to get rid of car - has anybody?

My car is 2006. I have never had a minutes trouble with it. I am 81. I wouldn't get rid of it. I am moving back to where I used to live, it is a village, with little public transport. I may look at replacing it once I am settled. Just had an insurance quote for September, received a quote from present insurer for £700 same insurer on line offering £453.56. It is the cheapest so will be going on line with them. It is a joke though, no claims or accidents.

I'd say get a new one. Giving up driving is giving up your independence in my book. I'm sure you're not ready for that Kangaroo73. Your name would suggest you're not!

If you’re in London, and you’re over 60, I can see no good reason for having a car unless you have money to burn. Subsidised public transport in London is brilliant, and car parking is difficult and often expensive.

Have you considered leasing a small car? You would be surprised at the cost- one or two are around £140 a month or less to give you an idea. Good luck.

I decided to try going without a car five years ago. Initially prompted by a simple desire to see if I could live a slightly 'greener' life by using public transport, I quickly found that I loved it! I live near shops and bus stops so that's handy but what I like most is the slower pace of life. I was always jumping in my car to 'quickly do this' or 'just pop there'. I find it very relaxing without a car and have no fear of using public transport right now as hardly anyone is on the buses where I live. Prior to mask-wearing I also enjoyed the social aspect as I found people were friendly on buses.

Don’t go to Halfords! All those companies work out fantastically expensive. If you have a local Facebook site ask for recommendations for a mobile mechanic, I found that to be a much better deal!

I had a 2006 vehicle and gave it to my son when he came back from abroad. It's actually held it's value rather well as it's in pristine condition with fairly low milage. Well it did have I suspect he's racked up a fair few miles in the time he's had it. I loved that car and it's never cost me a bean in repairs but I was fed up being unable to drive it because I'm now disabled. He did ask me to sell it to him but I didn't want him coming back to me if it did incur a large repair bill so felt better just handing it over. If I was still able bodied there's no way I'd give up my freedom but that decision was taken away from me. I'm in London with great transport links but nothing compares to the freedom of your own vehicle Imo.

While I remember. Re car insurance, try going to a broker first before going to any of the big name companies. I saved an absolute fortune last time and wished I'd known to do that before.

My father decided to get rid of the car as he had a few close calls.

We'd been on at him for ages to stop driving but he wasn't having it

One morning we got a phone call. My poor Mum, who was still able to drive safely, saw the car being taken away

Father had decided that if he wasn't to drive neither was she.

She went out and got herself a small car but the arguments with my rather difficult (putting it mildly) father became too much and she gave in

Rather sad and for the rest of her life she'd tell us on an almost daily basis how much she missed driving.

Obviously we're all different and you might manage very well without your car, kangaroo73!

As others have said, it depends where you live and what public transport is like.

I used to live in Nottinghamshire on the outskirts of a small town. I had a bus stop a 5 min walk away and a train station 20 mins walk away, Taxis were quite reasonable. I used all these quite a lot.

I moved to Cornwall 6 years ago and I could not do without my car now. I live in a very small hamlet. Cornwall is classified as rural with just over 50% of population living outside towns. I thought buses would be quite often but no. I visit the main hospital frequently (did and soon will be again). It takes me 40 mins to drive there. By bus would take me 2hr 15 mins from local village.

My brother and sister in law gave up owning a car when they moved to Brighton as the bus and train services are fantastic - a bus comes past every couple of minutes. If they want to visit friends or family they hire a car. We, on the other hand, live in a small village, where the bus is hourly, and stops altogether before 8pm so we have to get an expensive taxi home if we want to go out for a meal. We couldn't do without our car.