Many Australians are working from home and have been in lockdown, meaning we aren’t going anywhere. This raises the question, do we really need our cars?
According to car share company, GoGet, you could save up to $4758 a year, if you use a GoGet car share instead of owning a Toyota Yaris.
The annual cost of owning a Yaris is $7338 before you even hit the road. According to research by GoGet, the on-the-road price of a Yaris is $20,624, running costs are $16.13/km (such as fuel, tyres and servicing) and total standing cost of $94/week (such as depreciation, interest, insurance, Roadside costs per week). In other words, the annual cost of owning a Yaris car can amount to $7338.
On the other hand, GoGet car share has plans for people who use a car every now and then, with membership fees ranging from $49 a year to $30 a month. The higher membership fee gives you a much cheaper hourly rate and “are worth it if you drive more than a few hours a week,” said GoGet’s website.
In addition, GoGet will pay for the registration of the car, insurance, petrol, maintenance and cleaning.
In the yearly cost breakdown between a private car owner and a GoGet car share, the company said a car owner driving 3000km a year would end up paying $8223 a year whereas a GoGet car share would cost $3465 a year – this would save you $4758 a year in costs.
“And here’s something cool – you’ll probably drive less as a GoGet member and save even more money. Car share members drive an average of 50 per cent less than people who own a car because they drive smarter, getting more done each trip.
“That means instead of saving $4758 a year, you could save over $9000,” the company said.
And if you are student or senior citizen, you will get special rates with low fees and maximum flexibility.
So is car share cheaper than owning a car?
“Basically, yes. If you drive less than 10,000km a year, you’ll probably save money using GoGet car share instead. Especially once you start driving smarter, getting more done with less trips,” the company said.
GoGet car share has 150,000 members and 3500 cars operating from 5 cities in Australia.
According to car rental company, Car Next Door, cars are one of the biggest expenses for Australians especially for two-car households.
With more Australians locked down at home, many households have one or more cars in the garage gathering dust – and dollars.
Car Next Door recommends renting your car out through its peer-to-peer car sharing platform where an individual can rent privately-owned vehicles on an hourly or daily basis to other registered users.
“Most people on the platform are able to offset the cost of owning the car – even making some extra cash on top. If you really want to cut down on the expense, consider getting rid of the car altogether – especially if it is the second or third car in the household – and renting one from your neighbours instead,” the company suggested.
Only approved Car Next Door members can book your car. The company has more than 190,000 car sharers to help put your idle car to work.