Cost of motoring
Discussion
I don't know about the cost of other motor-related items as I've been having a quiet few months on the motoring expenses front. However... cost of insurance seems to have doubled in the last 18 months.
The problems with rising costs are: firstly that they don't ever seem to drop back after they've been pushed up by whatever the current crisis is and secondly wages stopped matching inflation in the early naughties so we're in this situation where the price of everything except our labour increases.
The problems with rising costs are: firstly that they don't ever seem to drop back after they've been pushed up by whatever the current crisis is and secondly wages stopped matching inflation in the early naughties so we're in this situation where the price of everything except our labour increases.
crankedup5 said:
Just an observation - eleven years ago a set of four new tyres for my ‘old iron’ was around £100 each corner. Same tyres now and it’s doubled, literally. Like many things, never mind cost of living what about cost of motoring 
Slight deviation here, but I have received my new tax code and it is K!!Because the Personal Allowance has not increased for several years my Government Pension now exceeds my Personal Allowance, therefore I should be paying tax on my Government Pension, but as we all know they trumpet that tax is not payable on Government Pensions. But now they have applied this code to my Private Pension in order to pay the owed tax on my GP, so not only am I paying tax on my PP I am paying tax on my GP by another method; how disgraceful is that.
Anybody else suffering from this.
cjb44 said:
crankedup5 said:
Just an observation - eleven years ago a set of four new tyres for my ‘old iron’ was around £100 each corner. Same tyres now and it’s doubled, literally. Like many things, never mind cost of living what about cost of motoring
Slight deviation here, but I have received my new tax code and it is K!!Because the Personal Allowance has not increased for several years my Government Pension now exceeds my Personal Allowance, therefore I should be paying tax on my Government Pension, but as we all know they trumpet that tax is not payable on Government Pensions. But now they have applied this code to my Private Pension in order to pay the owed tax on my GP, so not only am I paying tax on my PP I am paying tax on my GP by another method; how disgraceful is that.
Anybody else suffering from this.
I've just been looking for a second set for my Riley and found little change from when I bought the car 10 years ago, still from £65 upwards depending on type.
Riley Blue said:
More than a slight deviation in a thread about the cost of tyres!
I've just been looking for a second set for my Riley and found little change from when I bought the car 10 years ago, still from £65 upwards depending on type.
QK, point taken, was just trying to give another example of how we are being screwed in all directions with the cost of living, I am assuming that you have not been screwed by the Government.I've just been looking for a second set for my Riley and found little change from when I bought the car 10 years ago, still from £65 upwards depending on type.
cjb44 said:
Riley Blue said:
More than a slight deviation in a thread about the cost of tyres!
I've just been looking for a second set for my Riley and found little change from when I bought the car 10 years ago, still from £65 upwards depending on type.
QK, point taken, was just trying to give another example of how we are being screwed in all directions with the cost of living, I am assuming that you have not been screwed by the Government.I've just been looking for a second set for my Riley and found little change from when I bought the car 10 years ago, still from £65 upwards depending on type.
I don't do a great mileage, so I usually end up replacing them due to age rather than wear - I've had my car for 35 years and have, perhaps replaced all the tyres 5 times(?).
Until the last time they were easy to get hold of 165R15 eg MGC / Triumph TR6. And cheap.
But 4 or so years ago there seemed to be a shortage of tyres in that size and a corresponding jump in prices - I presume part of the problem is economics / fashion. Modern car tyres have a much lower profile than those of 1960's cars and logically, manufacturers make smaller and smaller batches as demand has eased.
Just as a bit of research I googled a price for Blockley tyres. A set of 4? £585 gulp. I remember paying £25 per corner, fitted for Firestones 30 years ago. And still got change.........
OK Blockley are premium/premium classic car tyres - but still!
Until the last time they were easy to get hold of 165R15 eg MGC / Triumph TR6. And cheap.
But 4 or so years ago there seemed to be a shortage of tyres in that size and a corresponding jump in prices - I presume part of the problem is economics / fashion. Modern car tyres have a much lower profile than those of 1960's cars and logically, manufacturers make smaller and smaller batches as demand has eased.
Just as a bit of research I googled a price for Blockley tyres. A set of 4? £585 gulp. I remember paying £25 per corner, fitted for Firestones 30 years ago. And still got change.........
OK Blockley are premium/premium classic car tyres - but still!
Edited by alfaspecial on Monday 18th March 08:00
Dirty, nasty, filthy, polluting cars - why would the Government want to make motoring cheaper? 
I think it's like most things now: there are cheaper options, you just have to work a bit for it. 20 / 30 years ago you probably made 2-3 phone calls to get an insurance quote and accepted whichever was cheapest. Now you plug in to Meerkats / Welsh opera singers / (insert other search engine here) and in 5 minutes you've got 100 quotes.
Local independents will service a car to the same standard as a main dealer for half the price, using the same parts and the same equipment.
Nobody buys clothes in shops any more - you try them on then buy online where it's cheaper. Same with IT: check it out in Currys, buy it online.
I kind of wonder whether there ought to be a motoring equivalent of Vinted, where overage* or surplus stock gets sold off on the cheap.
*Yes, I know tyres have expiry dates beyond which they can't be sold, but with careful stock management you could sell them at the right time rather than scrapping them
I think it's like most things now: there are cheaper options, you just have to work a bit for it. 20 / 30 years ago you probably made 2-3 phone calls to get an insurance quote and accepted whichever was cheapest. Now you plug in to Meerkats / Welsh opera singers / (insert other search engine here) and in 5 minutes you've got 100 quotes.
Local independents will service a car to the same standard as a main dealer for half the price, using the same parts and the same equipment.
Nobody buys clothes in shops any more - you try them on then buy online where it's cheaper. Same with IT: check it out in Currys, buy it online.
I kind of wonder whether there ought to be a motoring equivalent of Vinted, where overage* or surplus stock gets sold off on the cheap.
*Yes, I know tyres have expiry dates beyond which they can't be sold, but with careful stock management you could sell them at the right time rather than scrapping them
alfaspecial said:
I don't do a great mileage, so I usually end up replacing them due to age rather than wear - I've had my car for 35 years and have, perhaps replaced all the tyres 5 times(?).
Until the last time they were easy to get hold of 165R15 eg MGC / Triumph TR6. And cheap.
But 4 or so years ago there seemed to be a shortage of tyres in that size and a corresponding jump in prices - I presume part of the problem is economics / fashion. Modern car tyres have a much lower profile than those of 1960's cars and logically, manufacturers make smaller and smaller batches as demand has eased.
Just as a bit of research I googled a price for Blockley tyres. A set of 4? £585 gulp. I remember paying £25 per corner, fitted for Firestones 30 years ago. And still got change.........
OK Blockley are premium/premium classic car tyres - but still!
You've hit the nail on the head as far as vintage and classic tyres are concerned, far less demand, far smaller production batches = higher prices.Until the last time they were easy to get hold of 165R15 eg MGC / Triumph TR6. And cheap.
But 4 or so years ago there seemed to be a shortage of tyres in that size and a corresponding jump in prices - I presume part of the problem is economics / fashion. Modern car tyres have a much lower profile than those of 1960's cars and logically, manufacturers make smaller and smaller batches as demand has eased.
Just as a bit of research I googled a price for Blockley tyres. A set of 4? £585 gulp. I remember paying £25 per corner, fitted for Firestones 30 years ago. And still got change.........
OK Blockley are premium/premium classic car tyres - but still!
Edited by alfaspecial on Monday 18th March 08:00
When I bought my Riley around 10 years ago the crossplies it was on were terrible and though at the time I was reluctant to switch to modern radials I soon decided that move was essential as I would be using the car for +/- 5,000 miles a year - safety first, originality a distant second.
As a result (and with a change of wheel) I had a far larger and cheaper choice .
Supply of specialist Tyres has hit a pretty big problem recently, hence the increases.
It’s particularly difficult for motorsport tyres as many of the ones commonly used are suddenly unobtainable.
I think Avon have stopped producing?
Vredestein don’t seem available in the UK anymore.
A few others have dropped off too.
It’s particularly difficult for motorsport tyres as many of the ones commonly used are suddenly unobtainable.
I think Avon have stopped producing?
Vredestein don’t seem available in the UK anymore.
A few others have dropped off too.
velocemitch said:
Supply of specialist Tyres has hit a pretty big problem recently, hence the increases.
It’s particularly difficult for motorsport tyres as many of the ones commonly used are suddenly unobtainable.
I think Avon have stopped producing?
Vredestein don’t seem available in the UK anymore.
A few others have dropped off too.
It's a real shame about the Melksham closure and the uncertainty which direction Avon will be taken following the Goodyear buyout - hopefully 'normal service' will be resumed, somewhere.It’s particularly difficult for motorsport tyres as many of the ones commonly used are suddenly unobtainable.
I think Avon have stopped producing?
Vredestein don’t seem available in the UK anymore.
A few others have dropped off too.
s m said:
I often think that tyres, for many sizes at least, are one of the things that haven’t gone up much at all in the last 40 years or so
Indeed, for 'modern' cars there's never been more choice and competition. I can get tyres for my car from any price from £50 to £200 depending on brand.However, if you are talking about a specific size especially something with a high profile for a classic, they are going to increase all the time as the demand is only going down.
s m said:
I often think that tyres, for many sizes at least, are one of the things that haven’t gone up much at all in the last 40 years or so
Looks like I am unlucky then, my tyre size is 30 x three and half beaded edge. Still a new sett will outlast me. The ones on the car have cracked sidewalls, the tread is fine, same old story I suppose.Add new inner tubes, wheel tapes and fitting its using onto £1k. Such is the cost of fun
crankedup5 said:
s m said:
I often think that tyres, for many sizes at least, are one of the things that haven’t gone up much at all in the last 40 years or so
Looks like I am unlucky then, my tyre size is 30 x three and half beaded edge. Still a new sett will outlast me. The ones on the car have cracked sidewalls, the tread is fine, same old story I suppose.Add new inner tubes, wheel tapes and fitting its using onto £1k. Such is the cost of fun
Riley Blue said:
You've hit the nail on the head as far as vintage and classic tyres are concerned, far less demand, far smaller production batches = higher prices.
When I bought my Riley around 10 years ago the crossplies it was on were terrible and though at the time I was reluctant to switch to modern radials I soon decided that move was essential as I would be using the car for +/- 5,000 miles a year - safety first, originality a distant second.
As a result (and with a change of wheel) I had a far larger and cheaper choice .
Honestly, £600/set doesn't sound awful for something that must sell in relatively tiny volumes - you could easily spend that on a set of modern premiums.When I bought my Riley around 10 years ago the crossplies it was on were terrible and though at the time I was reluctant to switch to modern radials I soon decided that move was essential as I would be using the car for +/- 5,000 miles a year - safety first, originality a distant second.
As a result (and with a change of wheel) I had a far larger and cheaper choice .
But a timely reminder; my father just noted the pair on my car are from the mid-80s, so they're probably deserving of a replacement...
Riley Blue said:
crankedup5 said:
s m said:
I often think that tyres, for many sizes at least, are one of the things that haven’t gone up much at all in the last 40 years or so
Looks like I am unlucky then, my tyre size is 30 x three and half beaded edge. Still a new sett will outlast me. The ones on the car have cracked sidewalls, the tread is fine, same old story I suppose.Add new inner tubes, wheel tapes and fitting its using onto £1k. Such is the cost of fun
I recall superbike tyres being quite a big fraction of running costs in the late 80s and 90s?
These days, they cost a lot less pints of beer, and last much longer.
Car tyres were pretty cheap when I first had a car, if you were OK with Eastern European no-name, no-grip products.
I recall road tax being 'a lot' comparble to insurance for a 19 year old?
Major outlay of running a banger was welding for the MOT and repairs fairly often.
But then, I was runnign a 20 year old car, while the average car was scrapped before 10 years.
I think as society, we could afford more cars back then?
These days, they cost a lot less pints of beer, and last much longer.
Car tyres were pretty cheap when I first had a car, if you were OK with Eastern European no-name, no-grip products.
I recall road tax being 'a lot' comparble to insurance for a 19 year old?
Major outlay of running a banger was welding for the MOT and repairs fairly often.
But then, I was runnign a 20 year old car, while the average car was scrapped before 10 years.
I think as society, we could afford more cars back then?
car went in for MOT failed on
Repair immediately (major defects):
Offside Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))
Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar pin or bush excessively worn "D" BUSH (5.3.4 (a) (i))
Offside Rear Anti-roll bar pin or bush excessively worn "D" BUSH (5.3.4 (a) (i))
Monitor and repair if necessary (advisories):
Nearside Rear Lower Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))
Offside Rear Lower Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))
Was quoted £ 245.93 parts
£ 100 labour
£ 69 VAT
total £ 414
now that really boils my piss because really good quality wipers pk 3 £24.69
ANTI ROLL BAR DROP LINK REAR MSS0201 2 £8.40 £16.80
REAR ANTI ROLL BAR BUSH MSS0393 2 £5.40 £10.80
VAT £5.52
Total £32.43
total parts £57.12
how the hell can these parts be £245.93 , when they cost me £57.12 and i fitted them in 1 hour !!!
Repair immediately (major defects):
Offside Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))
Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar pin or bush excessively worn "D" BUSH (5.3.4 (a) (i))
Offside Rear Anti-roll bar pin or bush excessively worn "D" BUSH (5.3.4 (a) (i))
Monitor and repair if necessary (advisories):
Nearside Rear Lower Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))
Offside Rear Lower Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))
Was quoted £ 245.93 parts
£ 100 labour
£ 69 VAT
total £ 414
now that really boils my piss because really good quality wipers pk 3 £24.69
ANTI ROLL BAR DROP LINK REAR MSS0201 2 £8.40 £16.80
REAR ANTI ROLL BAR BUSH MSS0393 2 £5.40 £10.80
VAT £5.52
Total £32.43
total parts £57.12
how the hell can these parts be £245.93 , when they cost me £57.12 and i fitted them in 1 hour !!!
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