Hi all,
I'm considering buying something like the Kinroad 250cc road-legal buggy (about £1900 new) as an additional car, maybe in the near future. I would just want it to get me to work and back, (primary school in fact!) and running around town, nothing off road.
My reasoning for this, was the idea of saving petrol with the small motor, and saving the wear and tear on a normal car that I would also have for longer journeys. So here's some questions about the idea so you can let me know if this idea is workable or if I'm just being daft.
Only answer the questions that you wish, many thanks.
1. How much is the petrol on something like this, roughly to get to work and back everyday on a 20 min journey?
2. Is the road tax cheaper than a standard car?
3. Are the engine and parts on these things reliable, if just for road use? Or would the engine be likely to die after a few years use?
4. Are servicing costs cheaper than servicing a regular car? (and hopefully i could learn to service many things myself)
5. Are insurance costs lower than a car?
6. I would plan to make light roof and door housing onto the frame (taupaulin, perspex) do you think this would add much drag, and be enough to keep the wind and rain out?
7. Bumpyness I wouldn't mind, I ride a 125cc moped quite happily, just don't like the weather and 2-wheel safety factor. Would you recommend some tyres more suited to just road use?
8. For some level of security when parked in car parks, could I install a remote-starter kit (ebay, £30) as per a regular car, to start the engine only by remote (eventually)?
9. Would it be too big a drain on the buggy's battery to include two small passive speakers inside? Or a line of LED lights? (my current small car has about 80 led lights running off the battery for interior/exterior lighting) - or could the battery on a buggy be used in similar demand to a car battery for appliances?
10. If I build a roof and doors, fully enclosed, are you required to wear a helmet whilst driving on the road?
Overall, if you wanted to save money like I do, would you consider this a worthwhile idea? (who needs a 4 seater car to get to work and back? I'd rather this than a Smart car! Plus the customisable factor would be lots of fun)
Again, many thanks - looking forward to hearing your replies.
ps. Unfortunately I don't have the mechanic know-how to build my own buggy, as i gather this site is about.
I'm considering buying something like the Kinroad 250cc road-legal buggy (about £1900 new) as an additional car, maybe in the near future. I would just want it to get me to work and back, (primary school in fact!) and running around town, nothing off road.
My reasoning for this, was the idea of saving petrol with the small motor, and saving the wear and tear on a normal car that I would also have for longer journeys. So here's some questions about the idea so you can let me know if this idea is workable or if I'm just being daft.
Only answer the questions that you wish, many thanks.
1. How much is the petrol on something like this, roughly to get to work and back everyday on a 20 min journey?
2. Is the road tax cheaper than a standard car?
3. Are the engine and parts on these things reliable, if just for road use? Or would the engine be likely to die after a few years use?
4. Are servicing costs cheaper than servicing a regular car? (and hopefully i could learn to service many things myself)
5. Are insurance costs lower than a car?
6. I would plan to make light roof and door housing onto the frame (taupaulin, perspex) do you think this would add much drag, and be enough to keep the wind and rain out?
7. Bumpyness I wouldn't mind, I ride a 125cc moped quite happily, just don't like the weather and 2-wheel safety factor. Would you recommend some tyres more suited to just road use?
8. For some level of security when parked in car parks, could I install a remote-starter kit (ebay, £30) as per a regular car, to start the engine only by remote (eventually)?
9. Would it be too big a drain on the buggy's battery to include two small passive speakers inside? Or a line of LED lights? (my current small car has about 80 led lights running off the battery for interior/exterior lighting) - or could the battery on a buggy be used in similar demand to a car battery for appliances?
10. If I build a roof and doors, fully enclosed, are you required to wear a helmet whilst driving on the road?
Overall, if you wanted to save money like I do, would you consider this a worthwhile idea? (who needs a 4 seater car to get to work and back? I'd rather this than a Smart car! Plus the customisable factor would be lots of fun)
Again, many thanks - looking forward to hearing your replies.
ps. Unfortunately I don't have the mechanic know-how to build my own buggy, as i gather this site is about.