...on using the Coupe as an everyday commuter car.

I've always used my Coupe as a daily hack - 80 mile round trip to Coventry and back, plus lengthy business trips, equals about 30,000 miles a year

Over the last six years, my journey has become bumpier, longer and more expensive. Its now taking me a minimum of 1h 15m, often 1h 30m and the roads are truly awful (I cracked three of my alloys last year )

However, it's the fuel cost that's broken me. Even at 28mpg (which requires base boost and some self-restraint) my daily cost for fuel alone is now £17.60. By the time I've added other running costs, such as tyres, servicing, brakes and general wear & tear, I'm certainly over £20 per day

On several occasions, I've done the sums to see if a diesel hack would be worth it - it would save me money (about a grand a year) but I'd have to spend at least a couple of grand to get a car I'd want to spend 2.5 hours a day in, so it would be at least two years before I broke even.

So - I've reluctantly looked at the train. My office is one minute's walk from Coventry station and my house is two minutes drive from Rugeley station.

There are two routes to Coventry - the cheapest is £9.30 a day, so already a 50% saving over driving.

Then, to my amazement, I found a weekly season ticket for just £20.80 - now at a saving of 80%

And finally, I found that if I do a monthly season ticket by direct debit, the cost is £57, which works out at about £2.75 a day.

OK, the journey time is 1h 27m,with a change in Birmingham AND I'll have to put up with sharing my personal space with The Great Unwashed, but I've calculated the following saving:

£17.25 per day
£86.25 per week
£4,140 per annum

Bear in mind that the £4,140 is from net pay, so its the same as almost £7k from my gross pay

So - my Coupe will now stay clean(er) and it won't wear bits out as quickly, AND it will stay low mileage. When I bought it in July last year, it had done just 24,500 miles and its already on 40,000. However, it will now only do a hundred miles or so per week, which will keep it as Fiat intended

Just not looking forward to spending so much time on public transport, but the economics are too compelling

Anyone else doing the same?

It makes perfect sense Nigel.

Fair play Nigel, it makes economic sense.

I have the luxury of having a 5 min walk to work and so the 2.4 is my leisure car and hence can keep the mileage to a minimum. Mind you, it soon racks up after a summer's worth of meets and flying visits abroad.

I think you've made the right decision and will only benefit the car, and your pocket, in the long run.

You can read the paper on the train - not advisable in a Coupe .

and in other news...."motormech goes bust!!......."

Spot on decision, if there was practical public transport going to Fradley, and I lived closer into Sutton centre, I'd be doing the same.

Wifey will be pleased, more money for the gee gee's!

Not if you dont tell her £££

It does make sense, that's a big saving, and either side your right near the stations.

Similar decision, 70 mile/day
Now driving Stilo JTD and its a fairly nice place to be

Both I and other club member catch the same bus from Didcot to Oxford during the week. A return on the bus to cover the 28 mile return journey costs me around £3 a day return.

The economics on the train don't stack up so well plus the walk from Oxford station to my office is further than the bus (which almost stops outside).

99% of the time its fine, its rare I don't get a seat to myself and with peak traffic in Oxford being a right pain in the backside, I'm actually happy to sit back with the MP3 or radio on and stare out the window not having to worry about other dingbats jumping lights, cutting in or otherwise driving badly at stop start snails pace. Thats about the least enjoyable driving situation I could think of. It helps keep the Couple mileage down and its safer on the drive than getting bashed into in a car park.

And news just in.........train commuter arrested for trying modify a train!

I have an HTC HD2 phone (4.3" screen at 400x800 resolution) - I've discovered I can easily watch video on it, so I've bought a 16GB card and I'll download lots of iPlayer content and rip a few DVDs

In fact, I'll probably see if I can auto-download the 10 o'clock news, ready to watch on the way in the next morning

It will be interesting to see whether I'm more or less tired at the end of a day - I tend to enjoy my driving and I've found the evening commute is a very good way of shaking off the day's troubles - I rarely get home still thinking about anything work-related

BTW - LOL @ Proccy - Paul may be less pleased about my money-saving efforts, but I'm sure I'll still be there on a regular basis - I have four grand a year extra disposable income now....

Nigel - console yourself by hearing that Virgin Pendolino's are built by Alstom which took over Fiat Ferroviaria the rail division of Fiat.......Oh and they run at 5.1 MW which equates to 6,840 hp!!! ....(according to T'interweb!)

Will that mean you will have spare cash for trackdays? I miss you attending mate.

....and the coupe will feel extra extra special went you fire her up.

Woohooo! - my daily transport has 6,840bhp

Its a bit heavier than the Coop though, and cornering isn't as good

I shouldn't imagine the fuel consumption is very clever either...

Don't blame you Nigel, I use a push bike everyday or the mrs Ibiza, the pot holes near me are massive went over one in the works vans and it messed the suspension up on it.

You will appreciate the coupe more too.

Makes perfect sense Nigel.Huge saving that you will see in your pocket by the end of the week.

Plus you will enjoy the coupe so much more when you get back into it.

Eh? It'll corner like it's on rails........!

I wish I could do this but with been on call at night I need to be able to get too work asap, and also it would mean catching 2 buses. Just hoping my request for a company motor is granted.

I cant believe its taken so long to work it out Nigel!!
I do really,I know you just love that coupe feeling.

I envy you Nigel. I would love to leave the coupe for weekend driving only, but I can't justify buying another car just to commute to work.

I think you are doing the right thing Nigel, i´m also thinking of doing the same, it´s a win, win situation, Coupé stays low mileage, no dents or scratches, more money to spend on the Coupé and it will feel more special when you drive it.

Cheers.

There is a downside to your decision though Nigel;

Every Ferrari driver that you've come across on your travels will be heaving a sigh of relief at the thought that they'll no longer see a bloke in a Fiat glued to their rear bumper at 120+ mouthing "I'm still here" at them through their rear view mirrors.

The end of a legend?

Nigel,

how do you get from Rugely to Birmingham - not the slow smelly dark and downright ugly route through Walsall surely otherwise I'm pretty sure you wouldn't be considering this

The Coupes are too good for every day hacks, I agree with this competely.

Mine is a cherished toy, the fact I don't use it every day emans when I do, boy do I enjoy it.

Sadly, yes

There is another route to Coventry (via Nuneaton) but despite the distance being the same, the cost is more than treble, so the ugly route it has to be...

Ah the great unwashed
I was on the bus last week, on the way back home, well town the walk from the bus station is as long as my cycle to work was.
There was an MC on the bus.
His tunes were crap.
But loud.
And crap.
But he had his mixer.
And his vodka.

Then he wet him self and it ran to the front. how do you spell the word for the thing that's forward of the middle?

Love the public.

SCUM!