What are the benefits of traveling by car?

There are many good reasons to own a car. Cost and convenience are the two main things, but there are many other positives that you may not have thought about. Did you know that nowadays there are cool auto tours where everything is thought out for you?

Let's celebrate all the great things about our four-wheeled friends.

Convenient travel by car

What do you think is the biggest benefit of traveling by car? For many this is convenience. When you want to go somewhere, you don't have to plan anything, you can just lock the front door, get in the car and hit the road.

Compare this to almost any other mode of transportation. There is no need to check train or bus schedules. There is no need to waste time choosing the best plane ticket. Don't worry about whether you can get a taxi.

You also have flexibility. If your plans change, traveling by car will make your life easier. Just point the car in a new direction. No wasted train tickets or long walks to another bus stop.

Traveling by car is very safe

If you drive yourself, you are generally much safer than if you use any other form of transport. You don't share your space with strangers, so you don't have to worry about becoming a victim of crime.

For example, if you travel by public transport, you are at risk of having your belongings stolen. Worse, there is the possibility of physical attack. Both of these risks are dramatically reduced if you are in your own car. 

Also, if you drive a car, you can leave your luggage and other belongings in the car. As long as you park in a reasonable place, your belongings will be much safer out of sight in a locked car than if you carry them with you.

Your own car is much more convenient

If you are sitting in your own car, you can customize everything perfectly to suit you.

Of course, if you buy a car, then you have the freedom to choose a car that suits you physically, with a comfortable driving position, excellent visibility and comfortable seats. You will also be able to customize the car to suit you perfectly.

You will also be able to customize the machine so that everything is at your fingertips. This can be a holder for your phone. Or maybe you like a box of tissues and a snack on hand? If it's your car, you can do it like this.

Another factor is temperature; we've all sat on hot trains or freezing buses, wishing the journey was over. This is a problem you won't have in your own car, with heating and perhaps air conditioning or at least ventilation that you can adjust until you're happy with.

What about music? Again, in a car you are free to choose.

Ultimately, your car is your personal space, an extension of your home, just for you and a few select people. This way you can be more relaxed and at home than with any other form of transport.

You can carry a lot more in a car

Compared to traveling on public transport, you can carry much more in a car.

If you're traveling by train or bus, there's a limit to how much you can take with you - for starters, you can't take more than you can carry. Traveling with a large suitcase and other bags isn't much fun if you have to negotiate curbs, doors, and escalators. Even if you travel by taxi, you will still have to manage your luggage. And each mode of transportation you use may have a maximum size or weight of luggage you're allowed.

It's a different matter if you're in your own car. You can pack the car at your leisure. You can pack a lot more into a regular car than you can carry. Once it's in the car, you don't have to worry about anything at all until you reach your destination.

It's cheaper in the car*

If you look at marginal cost (the additional cost per trip), a car may be cheaper than the alternatives. If you want to go to the supermarket, the cost of gas in your own car can be a few cents or pennies. It will be much cheaper than anything else other than walking or cycling. A bus ride will cost a few pounds depending on where you are, but a taxi will cost more.

However, if you think about the total cost of car ownership, owning a car can be quite expensive in many cases.

You have to consider the cost of the car, insurance, servicing, testing, new tires and many other expenses, and it's probably wise to think of them spread out over the entire period of use of your car, not just when you have to pay them.

Owning a car may end up being a more costly alternative compared to public transportation.