I'm guessing the difference between your present driving exploits and mine is about 40 years!
I drove my Mini from Coventry to Elba and back when I was 21 which includes going over the Alps.
I wouldn't drive one to Bournemouth now.
I own a domestic car for domestic use.
I class hobbies as domestic.
So I don't feel the need to justify the cost of domestic driving for domestic needs.
If I did feel the need to justify every trip, I'd probably never drive.
We own our cars to live, hobbies are an important part of living and worth travelling for.
You may get there and it's a waste of time, sometimes it's 100% worth it, that's just life.
I drove down to Exeter the other week just to 'try' and find a gun in a shop (4 hours 240 miles).
Didn't find one in the first shop, but did in the second, result
Could of easily come back empty handed, but that's the way it goes, win some, lose some.
This weekend I’ll be driving to Brum and calling into every gun shop I can find to simply look for a gun fitted with a nice stock. I’ll only be buying the whole gun for the stock! Am I mad, or do I simply want a nice stock and happy to travel for it?
Just my opinion.
Last edited by MrChipShoulder; 12-08-2018 at 11:46 PM.
I'm guessing the difference between your present driving exploits and mine is about 40 years!
I drove my Mini from Coventry to Elba and back when I was 21 which includes going over the Alps.
I wouldn't drive one to Bournemouth now.
Chester to Ford's training centre in Crick,in a 1979 mini clubman.
Six foot one of me has never driven a mini since.
Mine 1967 Mini -automatic!
Point is I'm older and today's roads/drivers = The Wild West.
Yes things do wear out but not in short-order, it takes thousands of miles.
My car is taxed, MOT'd & insured whether it's sat in the garage or driving up a motorway, it gets a service every year regardless of the mileage, tyres directly wear with use but a £300 set of 4 should last best part of 20k miles, so 1.5p per mile.
I only average about 3500-4000 miles a year now, so a one off journey like that could be 10-15% of my annual travel, if you were commuting 136miles it would be about 1.4% of yours,
and as my annual distance is roughly 1/9 of yours then taking every vehicle related cost in to account including tax, MOT & insurance etc I'm paying 9x per mile what you are
OTOH it does put postal costs in to perspective, so there's no need for anyone to whinge about paying £25 for post, or £50 rfd-rfd
I have read through this thread and am surprised how often one person wants to impose their thoughts and practices on another. ... or so it seems.
To me, the only response has to be:
If the seller does not wish to post and you do not wish to travel; then forget it. There is no obligation for either party to either post or travel.
The reasons for not travelling are irrelevant. If a person does not wish to travel that is up to them; period. To berate them and seemingly make out they are somehow at fault is ludicrous.
Let people make their own minds up and do not impose your values on them. A diverse society is a good one.
Cheers, Phil
Imagine the scene, services, Leicester Forest East, you pull in to sell a Prosport, having made arrangements with the buyer, it is the winter of 2010, the Vitaras heater will barely keep the interior screen free of ice, we have already done Lynn to London, then London to Leicester, we resembled two frozen chickens.
We pull in to what seems to be every bloody traffic cop parked in the car park, at least a dozen cop cars. Matey boy takes the gun out of the slip and starts waving it around, in front of the coppers!!!
He then hands over the money....
Sainsburys Wrexham no cop cars but the buyer did get the Hatsan out of the slip and give it a good once over including looking through the sights in front of everybody.
Newark McDonalds was easier, he looked at the gun in the boot of the car, put it back in the slip and paid.
The furthest we went was Scots Corner, and that was for someone else too!
Easiest was when someone drove to my permission and tested an Ultra mmc.
Last edited by secretagentmole; 13-08-2018 at 04:58 PM.
I just looked at the rifle in the box in the back of DeadIdick's car ,I handed over the money and while Andy filled in my FAC I, transferred it to my mates car .Then I gave him the metal detector.
All the way home I was thinking what if the police were tailing us . First time I had every bought a Firearm.
When I got home I had a good look at it and it was almost brand new . I never doubted him in any way . best deal I have ever done .
Andy even came to meet us at very short notice also. I think he was at Moy show when I called him to ask if I could come up earlier than planned.
Ok, I’ll agree fuel costs + 5% was stretching it a bit, but so was the inflated 45ppm HMRC rates quoted.
I suppose you have to judge each situation on its own merits. I would say though to rule out a bit a travelling altogether is limiting your options as both a buyer and a seller.