Mopeds

[Beckiboo]

I know one person who will like this thread but wanted a general opinion

I'm thinking of getting rid of my car and buying a little moped for when I get back from travelling.
The car has about a year left to pay, but is in great condition and with only 11000 miles on the clock.
The thing is, when I get back, me and Jon want to livein central London, probably Angel or Old Street area, which means we can easily walk to work, and we wont really use a car at all. At the moment I only use it to drive over to Jon's really, but once we've moved in together I wont have to do that anymore

I still want to have some form of transport though for when I go back home to Watford or getting to the shops etc and I thought about buying a little moped It would probably do me just right, I'd use it maybe once a week, plus if both of us want to go anywhere I can pop Jon on the back and off we go Obviously there's downsides i.e the space - if we go on holiday there's no fitting a suitcase in the boot lol.... but I just hardly use my car now, I'd use it even less if we lived in central London.

What do you think? Are mopeds a wise move? If so, do I need to take another test to learn how to drive one?

 

[Sirens]

Yes a wise move! I am currently using a mountain bike which is so much better than having a car in London, but long distance is a pain.

 

[silvia]

9 years on a moped here

A moped gives you lots of autonomy, you arrive everywhere faster and door to door (at least in barcelona), you can park everywhere and most mopeds have a very low petrol consum, so it's quite cheap.
On the other hand, winter on a moped it's colder and I am not sure if London is a friendly city with mopeds and bikes like barcelona is, I mean if traffic is used to respect mopeds
Re car, you can always rent an easy car

 

[Beckiboo]

I do really love my car though If I was rich enough to keep it I definately would, but I just cant justify the payments for it when I hardly use it.

Is there another test then Sil for the moped?

 

[grego]

Is there another test then Sil for the moped?

yes you need to be certified insane!

 

[silvia]

Is there another test then Sil for the moped?

I don't understand what you mean

 

[Beckiboo]

I don't understand what you mean

Do you have to take another driving test, or will I be ok as I have passed the one for driving a car?

I.e is there a moped only driving test?

 

[Barbie]

Do you have to take another driving test, or will I be ok as I have passed the one for driving a car?

I.e is there a moped only driving test?

It would appear there is http://www.direct.gov.uk/Motoring/L...tArticles/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=4022723&chk=Uv8KAL

 

[jjinit]

Do you have to take another driving test, or will I be ok as I have passed the one for driving a car?

I.e is there a moped only driving test?

depending on the cc, if you have a full licence you can get straight on one I think??

I think theres a special cyclist test though, in which you must re-interpret signals etc

eg: red light means........carry on regardless
Zebra crossing...what do you do?? Carry straight on etc!!

 

[Morbyd]

Becs, why don't you kep the car and get a moped? You know UK weather, and mopeds aren't much fun in the rain.

I have one friend in London who's got a car and moped and he loves it. When he's going to work, he puts on some outfit over his suit and scoots his way downtown. I think you avoid the congestion charge and all that. But you'll also have the car for longer journeys.

Small engine scooters aren't that expensive... if there's only a year left on your car loan, you could probably afford both.

 

[silvia]

Becs, why don't you kep the car and get a moped? You know UK weather, and mopeds aren't much fun in the rain.

I have one friend in London who's got a car and moped and he loves it. When he's going to work, he puts on some outfit over his suit and scoots his way downtown. I think you avoid the congestion charge and all that. But you'll also have the car for longer journeys.

Small engine scooters aren't that expensive... if there's only a year left on your car loan, you could probably afford both.

Insurance in small engine scooters are very expensive, I pay only 200 € less than Pep, I have a 50cc and he has a 1200cc
I don't know what's cheap for you but for a decent mopped expect to pay at least 2000€. BTW Beck, if you finally go for one the only option is Honda, a big wheeled one, best choice by far

 

[Morbyd]

a decent mopped expect to pay at least 2000€.

Are they really that expensive now? geez... I remember when you could get a decent 50cc scooter for $500... of course, that was a long time ago. Come to think of it, I think that was still in the 1980s (I bought my little Yamaha Yamahopper used for $125. Max 45 kph... going downhill! )

 

[Beckiboo]

I can barely afford a car as it is let alone a moped to go with it!! The issue here is about saving money and time. I'd love to keep the car if I could, but can I justify breaking my bank for it when I will be living in central London anyway?

 

[Barbie]

I can barely afford a car as it is let alone a moped to go with it!! The issue here is about saving money and time. I'd love to keep the car if I could, but can I justify breaking my bank for it when I will be living in central London anyway?

After what we were speaking about yesterday on e-mail, I'd hold off from selling it til you know where you're definitely going to be living when you get back - you could end up moving back to Watford for 12 months and then having to spend half your wkends on tubes travelling to Jons with half your belongings. At least while you've still got a car it is handy for you at wkends, getting to tube station for work etc. It's probably not going to depreciate in value that much over 6 months anyhow.

 

[silvia]

I can barely afford a car as it is let alone a moped to go with it!! The issue here is about saving money and time. I'd love to keep the car if I could, but can I justify breaking my bank for it when I will be living in central London anyway?

Beck,
If you finally get a mopped you'll only need your car for going away from london, but then, you can always get the train or even rent a cheap car.
The only problem I see is the weather and the very long distances in London.

 

[Beckiboo]

Beck,
If you finally get a mopped you'll only need your car for going away from london, but then, you can always get the train or even rent a cheap car.
The only problem I see is the weather and the very long distances in London.

I'm confused now I don't know if I should wait until I get back then sell it? Will it depreciate a lot in six months?

 

[Barbie]

I'm confused now I don't know if I should wait until I get back then sell it? Will it depreciate a lot in six months?

Cars depreciate (is this an actual word or have I made it up ) most in the first year of buying them, cos you've had yours a few years now the difference between selling now and selling in 6 months won't be so much.

 

[Beckiboo]

Cars depreciate (is this an actual word or have I made it up ) most in the first year of buying them, cos you've had yours a few years now the difference between selling now and selling in 6 months won't be so much.

It's the right word The car is only 2 years old though so Im guessing it's depreciating at the moment!!!
I will need a car for when I get back, I guess the right thing to do would be to find a place in London first, then sell my car. I'll need it to move all my stuff anyway wont I?!

 

[silvia]

Cars depreciate (is this an actual word or have I made it up ) most in the first year of buying them, cos you've had yours a few years now the difference between selling now and selling in 6 months won't be so much.

Check second-har cars magazines to see what does the market offers for your car now and what would offer in 6 months.

 

[Barbie]

It's the right word The car is only 2 years old though so Im guessing it's depreciating at the moment!!!
I will need a car for when I get back, I guess the right thing to do would be to find a place in London first, then sell my car. I'll need it to move all my stuff anyway wont I?!

@ depreciating I don't think I've ever used it in my life before and now I sound like a car sales man

If I had my way I'd bin all cars from the roads..........but if you think it thru logically you're going to probably go back to your mums for a bit when you first get back cos otherwise you'll be homeless then say it will take a couple of weeks to find a temping job, a couple of months to find a permanent job that you want, then once you're settled in there you can think about mortgages/looking for places to live.......but in the inbetween time you will need a car to get you to tube station for work, get to wherever Jon is living, look at areas where you're going to live etc.

Can you get your mum (or someone) to use it a bit over winter cos if it's sat there not being used for 6 months it won't do it a lot of good??