[noogle]

I had the opposite experience: using taxis/Uber/Lyft was far more expensive than owning a car so after Uber stopped subsidizing rides I had to buy a vehicle. That was in a city with a metro system, living in one of its main boroughs.

Even today, a cab to anywhere (even 3 miles) would cost me at least $10 each direction, and we have at least 5 such trips weekly. This easily surpasses the cost of the car, including depreciation and fuel.

[thatfrenchguy]

$10 each way is $100 a week, a car’s going to cost you more than $400 a month?

[joshspankit]

More than $400/mo wouldn’t be surprising if the true cost is calculated over a year. Insurance, parts, maintenance, gas, putting the winter tires on, etc, etc, etc.

[noogle]

No. A car can cost much less than $400. Hence I own a car instead of taking taxis.

[ghaff]

I own a car and I need one where I live. But I question that owning a car can cost much less than $4800 a year given insurance, maintenance, gas, fees, and other costs. As a purely financial decision, I'd trade for a driver if that were my real cost.