Don’t own a car?

Ben is a 31-year-old IT manager and lives in the city centre

The background…

When I moved into the city two years ago, I was looking for a place that was central and right in amongst everything. I’d never owned a car but knew that I would need access to one a few times a week for trips to see friends, going to the gym and doing a weekly shop. At the time I had heard about car clubs but never actually looked into exactly how they would work for me.

The dilemma…

I toyed with purchasing a car and looked around at prices. However it soon became clear that owning a car was going to become really expensive and quite an inconvenience. I added up all the usual costs associated with a new car (initial purchase, depreciation, servicing, car tax etc…) and found out that I’d also have to apply for a parking permit to park outside my house. And even with a permit, I knew it would be a struggle to find a space a lot of the time.

The City Car Club solution…

When a friend mentioned that she was a member of City Car Club, I took a look at the website. I typed in my postcode I was amazed to see three cars within walking distance – two regular sized cars and a larger one which I knew would come in handy for larger food shops and trips to the garden centre!

Since joining I haven’t looked back and certainly won’t be buying a car any time soon. I have around-the-clock access to cars near me and right across the city, which I mainly book online (often at the last minute!). The amount of money I’m saving compared to owning my own car is in the thousands and I never have to worry about parking because the City Cars have their own parking bay.