Hi Folks,
One idea is to keep a second car but make it a very cheap one, hardly used, and maintain just third party cover on it.
I did reply earlier but can't seem to see it anywhere.
Did a couple of very quick quote on GoCompare for one 'mature' driver with full No-Claims Bonus and no No-Claims Bonus. Difference about £200 which surprised me being less than I thought. Keeping the second car would cost more than that with tax, service, MOT, fuel and after year one would starto to earn No-Claims Bonus.
The question then is which car to keep. Ford Ka, Skoda Fabia auto.
Logically the Ka is the better choice. It's what Mrs B drives, cheaper to run (the car not Mrs B), tax etc, nppy and parkable around town, not a slouch or uncomfortable on a long journey and we will be doing fewer of those as time goes on. Surprisingly spacious. Only two doors which is a disadvantage/advantage 'sometimes'as it discourages other 'mature' people having a lift as getting in the back is a young persons game.
Fabia is more expensive to run, bigger, four doors, roomier (which we don't really need - gone are the days of ferrying chidren and stuff around Gone are the days of moving teenagers from one Uni accommodation to another. I love the auto, Mrs B has not driven it yet. I think she has to have a go before we make a decision. Some people just don't like the way an auto 'takes over', but in traffic jams and threading your way through urban streets that you are not too familar with, 'taking over' is great. On the motorway there's no real differnce.
I think that decision will come later this year.
All these things to look forward to as we get older, but who wants to die young.
Ray