What kind and how much driving?

[Doodle]

You go home in reverse? I suppose it stops the odometer racking up the miles. Seems a bit extreme, though

How else am I meant to fit in with the pretty shabby standards of driving in Reading?

 

[GP801]

Close call

Yes. I have crossed it many times and it has always struck me as dangerous to drive across. Not because I thought it was unstable but because the access/exit is quite tight and very few drivers stick to the speed limit. Having watched a lot of Italian news lately it has been known to be a problem for many years. Even the original architect thought it was unsafe many years ago! A certain amount of egg on face for the current government as Cinque Stelle before coming to power dismissed reports that it was unsafe as being a fairy story.

 

[Meldrew2]

Commute to work - 7 miles each way. (3000 miles a year)
Airport - 45 miles each way. (less than 500 miles a year)
Much of our mileage is our "road trip" holidays. Leaving home for a cruise from Southampton (245 miles each way), we spend a few extra days stopping off "on the way" and usually manage 500 miles plus in each direction. (2000 miles a year)

This mileage - already low - is split between two cars. The BMW X1, being a SUV, is always used for going to the airport.
The 420d Convertible is always used for the road trip holidays - we have bought tailored suitcases that fit in the boot with the roof open, and can send suitcases by courier to the cruise ship when needed. With the roof down, windows up and diffuser fitted, motorway driving is very pleasant, and as yet we have not needed the neck warmer heaters or the heated steering wheel, even though the roof still gets opened in the winter if it's a mild day. I've always loved fresh air motoring, and Mrs Meldrew has come to the same view (albeit after purchasing a considerable quantity of hair product).
Commuting to work is in whatever car suits the weather - with the caveat that each car will ideally be used at least once in the week.

Mrs Meldrew (who took early retirement) also has an X1 which does most of its mileage going to the shops and her friends' houses. It's only been out of the PR postcode area once (taking a friend to hospital in Liverpool) since we bought it. So far, there have been no DPF issues despite this.

Between the three cars, I'd be astonished if we ever total 10,000 miles a year.

 

[littleowl]

I drive at least 10-12k a year but that is between my Merc and my T5 van which I have camping adventures in. I live in Shropshire but have family in Herts so that's 300+ miles round trip as well as trips out when I'm there. I got rid of my practical little Berlingo Multispace (bought with the plan of taking my old mum and her wheelchair on outings but unfortunately she became bedridden). I decided to spoil myself with a Merc but have now just bought another little wheelchair adapted Multispace to convert for my dogs (and convert back if I need it one day ). It has acres of space inside, cheap to run and was an absolute bargain. However couldn't bear to part with the Merc so feel a little extravagant with the three vehicles! Merc is not really suitable for winters in our farm lane as ploughing through wet mud is a regular occurrence, that's why I justified it

 

[c63chris]

20k pa in the C220 mostly on the M25. It’s good for that. Mostly high 50s mpg and all the comforts you could want. Still a chore and a lot of my time

2-3k pa in the SL which is just fun and would love to have time to do more

 

[donshl]

Hardly drive during the week, weekend 6 mile roundtrip for shopping in the Smart car... AMG sits in the garage

 

[Deleted member 6183]

Gave the little beemer a run out yesterday to see a client at home involving roads across a very rural area.

I had more driving fun that I have for years, windy lanes and a few straights to get my foot down.

It's an area that I used to love chasing my mates around when we were kids in our first cars, I'm really glad that I didn't have the kind of BHP then that I have now, I would have killed myself.

 

[millc63]

My car is mainly for weekend fun as i work in London, so get the tube into work Mon-Fri and we have my wife's car for shopping runs etc. Probably average about 4,000-5,000 miles a year, all at the fastest speed possible (unless the wife is in the car, then i can only blast it on motorways!)

 

[zipdip]

Well I have been retired for some years now so my days of racking up big mileage have long gone,I bought the S320 because I had always wanted one,no doubt it is a wonderful car for motorways you just drive serene,with plenty of power to remove yourself from any possible danger and you are relaxed so a long drive is no problem,I suppose I was driving around 10,000/12000 depending if we had a touring holiday in the UK,I kept the car serviced and did all that needed to be repaired,I sold it to a local garage owner because SWMBO just refused to drive it at all in the three years I owned it,I was amazed to learn that the guy had parked it up because the swirl motor had gone,and so I have a DS5 ,it is a very attractive car with two tone leather and chrome,it is powerful at 163bhp in a small car and SWMBO drives it,but I am on the look out for another Merc once you have owned a S it effects how you view other cars,so I may well be running two cars soon.

 

[Merc220cls]

I’m down to around 8k a year split between the CLS and my Rover 75.
Retirement is great so driving now is Sainsbury (to carry the bags) the odd coffee outing and holidays with the caravan, oh and not forgetting the taxi runs for the family especially the boss, err indoors

 

[Greek God]

About 22000 a year - 96 mile commute. Have had two EClass now since being in one that had a coming together on the A1 and experiencing first hand (as a passenger) its strength and safety in an accident! A week later I had an E270 which I put 156000 miles on. Loved it so much but yearned for a V6 so replaced it with an E280 (09) now which is now on 142000m ! As a aside Ive had it from 48k and have averaged 37.6mpg! (Use an app called Road Trip). The Old W211 is just such a nice place to be on a long motorway commute. Now looking at an E350 W212 but really still like the 280!

 

[WDB124066]

Monday - Friday my commute is 23 miles each way on a mix of fast A- and B-roads and (much) slower villages through the Oxfordshire & Bucks countryside. Great fun in the E63.

Weekends we use either my E63 or Angie's SLK55 as the mood takes.

Just returned from a 2,500mile round trip in the SLK55 through Belgium, Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and back through Austria, the Alpenstrasse across southern Bavaria and then through France. And yes, I did get to max it out on the autobahn

Pictures, please..?

 

[Edd1968]

I live in the Highlands of Scotland so there's rarely a time when my driving is disturbed by speed cameras or traffic jams. My 10 mile commute to Dingwall every day takes in a choice of a fast flowing A road or 2 different twisty b roads depending on my mood.
At weekends when the weather is good it can a case of throwing a dart at the map and deciding what bit of stunning tarmac are we going to trundle along today!
We have the 2 A210s, the current Mrs Edd1968's one is kind of the work horse, mine is my toy and we share the Streetka for those stunning roof down days.
It beats trying to pull out onto the A5 to communicate to Mk from Potterspury in Northants where I used to live!!

 

[popuptoaster]

I know in an ideal world we all want to be blasting down an empty B road or hammering down the Autobahn in some V engined beast but sadly the reality is is often not the case.

I have an eight mile drive to work in my E55 down empty 60mph B roads at 5am every morning, its less empty on the way home early/mid afternoon but still fairly quiet. There are nice straight bits and some S bends you can see round well enough for over taking and the car has enough oomph to get past people quickly so even the journey home is OK.

 

[Alex225]

That doesn't sound so bad a commute!

To be fair the last commute I did by car was back in 2005 so I was 23 and driving a Clio 172. To be fair, that was a hugely entertaining car to drive round town or down country lanes.