British petrol sales drop to 23 year low as prices rise and insurance doubles - Polidicks

[B]Petrol sales slump to 23-year low as drivers suffer sky-high prices on the forecourts[/B] - British drivers are cutting back on petrol to record levels because of prices - Retailers' profit margins increased by 57 per cent over last four years - Typical insurance policy has also doubled in price since 2008 [URL]http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2316288/Petrol-sales-slump-23-year-low-drivers-suffer-sky-high-prices-forecourts.html[/URL]

on the plus side it's good for the environment, on the other hand it's shite for anyone who wants a hassle free life - for someone my age insurance costs more than a second hand car

[QUOTE=Generic.Monk;40467924]on the plus side it's good for the environment, on the other hand it's shite for anyone who wants a hassle free life - for someone my age insurance costs more than a second hand car[/QUOTE] To be fair, as a young male your insurance is probably less than a few years ago due to the gender equality ruling

My boyfriend was quoted something like 22k on a car that would cost £600 tops last year :v:

[QUOTE=matt.ant;40467939]To be fair, as a young male your insurance is probably less than a few years ago due to the gender equality ruling[/QUOTE] Nah it didnt change for men, just went up for women Was just a naive wish from the government that the prices would "meet in the middle" Insurance companies had a good laugh

[QUOTE=matt.ant;40467939]To be fair, as a young male your insurance is probably less than a few years ago due to the gender equality ruling[/QUOTE] Or they've just charged more for women drivers. Doesn't seem to be any figures out at the moment.

[QUOTE=matt.ant;40467939]To be fair, as a young male your insurance is probably less than a few years ago due to the gender equality ruling[/QUOTE] They didn't decrease costs for males, they increased it for females.

Dropped like a brick for me... or maybe it's because I passed 21

mine dropped loads after I had my first years no claims. Year 1 (0 No Claims) - £2700 Year 2 (1 Years No Claims) - £800 and I just got my next insurance info through and its dropped to £600.

[QUOTE=Bloodshed7;40468094]They didn't decrease costs for males, they increased it for females.[/QUOTE] Of course they would. Bastards.

And through using logic, we find that combined with rising fuel and insurance costs, less people will drive. Therefore it will be a continual cycle.

Luckily I just turned 25 and insurance costs suddenly fell dramatically since last year.

[QUOTE=Generic.Monk;40467924]on the plus side it's good for the environment, on the other hand it's shite for anyone who wants a hassle free life - for someone my age insurance costs more than a second hand car[/QUOTE] It's also shit of you NEED your car, and deliberately got a 1.2ltr Ford Fiesta for fuel economy only to witness on a daily basis fucking idiots drive round the corner from their house to drop off their just as stupid fucking kids to their school in their massive Range Rover. GAH! /rantover. Carry on.

I bought myself a brand new Ford Fiesta 1.25 petrol car, oddly enough the insurance was cheaper on the brand new model than that of the older ones. Good investment mind you, 400 miles to a full tank.

[QUOTE=Moby-;40470179]I bought myself a brand new Ford Fiesta 1.25 petrol car, oddly enough the insurance was cheaper on the brand new model than that of the older ones. Good investment mind you, 400 miles to a full tank.[/QUOTE] Pays £15K for a car to save ~£1000 a year in fuel and insurance. Surely the cost of the new car outweighs any savings? Madness :v:

[QUOTE=sam.clarke;40476860]Pays £15K for a car to save ~£1000 a year in fuel and insurance. Surely the cost of the new car outweighs any savings? Madness :v:[/QUOTE] Well if you're paying £2,000 a year in repayments and take away the £1,000 savings and anything else included e.g breakdown cover or free servicing then you're paying less than £100 a month for a brand new car, seems pretty decent - you don't actually lose £15k

To insure a 1.2 petrol Renault Clio from like 2003 it was going to cost me £2,800 (the car cost £800), meanwhile my dad insured me on a 2.4 turbo diesel volvo and it only cost £1,200 while the value of the car was 10 times as much, this insurance stuff is fucked

[QUOTE=Gareth;40477006]To insure a 1.2 petrol Renault Clio from like 2003 it was going to cost me £2,800 (the car cost £800), meanwhile my dad insured me on a 2.4 turbo diesel volvo and it only cost £1,200 while the value of the car was 10 times as much, this insurance stuff is fucked[/QUOTE] It's cheaper because your dad attached you to his existing policy. It's a common practice in business- good customers get good service (and in this case good rates) Downside of your fathers decision- if you screw up (accident, tickets, DUI)- his rates skyrocket, as well as the rate you pay for your insurance rider.

[QUOTE=Moby-;40470179]I bought myself a brand new Ford Fiesta 1.25 petrol car, oddly enough the insurance was cheaper on the brand new model than that of the older ones. Good investment mind you, 400 miles to a full tank.[/QUOTE] Newer models are usually considered safer. Also people who buy newer models are less likely to give them a good ragging and more likely to take care with a newer car.

This is why I don't want a car but I'm forced to use one, insurance is stupidly expensive. If you're going to make it the law that I have to get insurance then at least make it affordable.

[QUOTE=butt2089;40476899]Well if you're paying £2,000 a year in repayments and take away the £1,000 savings and anything else included e.g breakdown cover or free servicing then you're paying less than £100 a month for a brand new car, seems pretty decent - you don't actually lose £15k[/QUOTE] I guess if you factor in depreciation then you do come to a loss of cash. A quick look on Autotrader suggests a 3 year old Fiesta which was around £15k when new now sells for between £5-7K depending on spec, so a loss of up to £10k over 3 years. I wasn't singling this guy out as such, but it seems crazy when people trade in a perfectly decent car and then spend £15-20,000 on a brand new car because it'll do another 10mpg, saving them at best £1000 a year, but forgetting they are instantly out of pocket by doing so.

[QUOTE=Vasili;40478219]This is why I don't want a car but I'm forced to use one, insurance is stupidly expensive. If you're going to make it the law that I have to get insurance then at least make it affordable.[/QUOTE] Affordable is a relative term. Insurance is basically the statistical probability of combined factors (drivers age, miles per year driven, driving record, drivers criminal history, lcation,car type and value just to name a few) to determine how much they could expect the policy to pay the policy holder (adjusted for profit of course) There are ways to decrease your future cost, but basically the younger the driver the bigger risk they are. The only two ways for a government to reduce insurance cost is to subsidize it or to regulate the amount of profit allowed. Neither is likely to happen.

[QUOTE=sam.clarke;40476860]Pays £15K for a car to save ~£1000 a year in fuel and insurance. Surely the cost of the new car outweighs any savings? Madness :v:[/QUOTE] Yeah I'm not against new cars but I wouldn't spend that much on a 1.2, the depreciation is usually horrendous

[QUOTE=matt.ant;40478663]Yeah I'm not against new cars but I wouldn't spend that much on a 1.2, the depreciation is usually horrendous[/QUOTE] I got mine on a finance contract, at the end of it I get a load of options to what I want to do. Depreciation doesn't effect me as I'll be trading the car in for another brand new car of the time.

The UK really doesn't want people to drive. Why the fuck do they think limiting transport is going to help the economy? Half the cost of petrol is tax, it's out of control. The UK gov just wants money fast, by creating huge taxes, instead of letting the economy flourish. It's an awful way of running things, run by an awful government (the awfulness stays the same every new election). Yes, I would leave if I could. [t]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bc/Fuel_tax_in_OECD_countries%2C_2010..png[/t]

[QUOTE=Moby-;40480368]I got mine on a finance contract, at the end of it I get a load of options to what I want to do. Depreciation doesn't effect me as I'll be trading the car in for another brand new car of the time.[/QUOTE] If this is a lease your talking about- your paying for the depreciation and then some. Car leases make dealerships the most profit (by far)

[QUOTE=rhx123;40478038]Newer models are usually considered safer. Also people who buy newer models are less likely to give them a good ragging and more likely to take care with a newer car.[/QUOTE] Then tell me why the 2000 registered Vauxhall Corsa 1.0 I bought for £90 (thats not a typo, a taxed and MOT'd car for £90) was £4000 to insure as a newly passed driver, but a 1982 Ford Escort Ghia 1.4 (fairly bigger car, bigger engine, fully loaded extras, no rear seatbelts or safety features etc) was only £860? [img_thumb]http://sphotos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/481815_4967258819591_1842756771_n.jpg[/img_thumb] Mine on the left. Doesnt make sense does it? Bear in mind I see plenty folk my age in both cars so it can't be "Kids write off way more corsas!"... Final point, petrol is a fucking ridiculous price, with around 50% being just tax. The retailers themselves make a whopping 5p per litre. The graphics below explain the costs that make up the price of a litre of unleaded at 132.9p [img]http://www.petrolprices.com/files/2011/08/unleaded-12th-august-2011.png[/img] Im actually considering selling my car and buying a pushbike. Insurance is silly at my age, tax has crept up again and petrol tops it off...

[QUOTE=Moby-;40480368]I got mine on a finance contract, at the end of it I get a load of options to what I want to do. Depreciation doesn't effect me as I'll be trading the car in for another brand new car of the time.[/QUOTE] So instead of a depreciating asset you have now spent a large sum of money on nothing? As that's what you'll be left with after the contract, that's even worse.

Being a driving enthusiast and wanting to move to the UK next year, this is making me have serious second thoughts about it.

Thankfully I don't really need a car to get around as there's always a train station near by. I don't like driving anyway so it works out.