Traveling Using Public Transport Vs Traveling With Own Car ~ Which Is More Practical?

For the past years, I have been engaging myself into a series of travels and being a travel blogger is actually way far beyond my expectations. I used to tag myself as a “budgetarian” traveler because I always find ways to enjoy my travel without compromising my budget. I have to admit that i am a frugal guy and spending too much money on my travel is something I used to avoid. As much as possible, I plan everything ahead from the itinerary to the total amount of expenses to be spent because I want everything to go exactly as I planned. Discovering new places and embracing their incomparable beauty are the best part of my travel but just like in any other adventure, there’s always the struggles and the challenges that you will encounter along the way.

One of the most challenging parts of traveling is the travel itself and the amount of time you have to exert just to reach your destination. As a budget traveler, I always find traveling through passenger buses and vehicles the most practical option of them all. First , I don’t have to worry about the expenses for gas and second, i don’t need to worry about being stranded in the middle of nowhere when an engine failure occurs. The big question here, however, is that, is it really worth the adventure? Is it really more fun to travel through passenger vehicles than traveling using your own car? Well, it actually depends and allow me to give you their pros and cons.

Generally, traveling using your own car gives you all the freedom you want. You can adjust with time and decide whether to leave early or stay a little longer without worrying if can catch the next bus or not. If you also own the car, you can be flexible with your itinerary and change them whenever you want. The big question, however, is what type of car suits you well? Should it be an outdoor-type vehicle or a simple sedan? Should it be brand new or a used one? Should it be a Honda or a Toyota? For the latter brand,  there are places like the NJ car dealership that serves as one-stop shop for Toyota car owners. Whether you are planning to buy a new car or a used one, they can guide you in all the process of finding the right vehicle for you. You can even get new parts or avail an auto repair service from them.

Traveling Using Public Transport

Pros:
-Inexpensive way of traveling – Since it is a passenger vehicle, you do not need to shoulder all the expenses. You just need to pay for the designated amount of fare per passenger and you do not need to think much about refueling, paying for the toll fees and other related expenses.
-No Need for GPS assistance! – The drivers know their route and you don’t need any GPS with you (unless you really want to be very sure that you are heading the right path).

Cons:
-Inconvenient – Let’s face it! Traveling with passenger buses will bring no comfort by any means. You do not really know what kind of people you are going to be with. There goes the noisy ones and there’s also the sleepyheads who will just lay their heads on your shoulder. You might also find it hard to sleep during the long travel especially if seats are very uncomfortable and the leg room is not spacious enough.
-Risky – Another disadvantage of being in a passenger car are the thieves! This is the reason why you have to be very cautious and alert all the time. You should secure your belongings because it might be too late for you if you found out that your things are missing.
– Time Consuming – These are passenger cars so expect that they will have a lot of stop overs and wait for more passengers to arrive. This sometimes consume more time which makes your travel longer than it should.
– You are Forced to Pack Light – It is a big struggle to carry all your things when traveling and most of the time, you are forced to pack light because you alone can’t carry them all. On top of that, passenger vehicles only offer limited space for your baggage!

Traveling With Own Car
Pros
– Convenient – If there is one best thing that driving with your own car can offer, it’s the convenience! It’s like you are in your own house and you can do whatever you want! You can even sing out loud without or turn your speakers to the maximum volume without getting any complains.

To make to short and simple, if you travel with your own car, you can do things beyond limitations. However, if you decide to travel in a different country, it is more ideal to either use a public transport or better yet rent a car for quick and easy navigation. There is a great number of car rental services that your travel agent can recommend but you can also visit a site like StressFreeCarRental.com to find the best and the cheapest deals in no time. This allows you to find the right car or car rental service that suits your style and your budget.

Car ownership doesn’t always mean that you have to buy a new one. In fact, many people prefers to start their driving journey with used car for many good reasons. First, it is economical and practical. Used cars are relatively cheaper than brand new cars but still capable of providing decent driving performance. Secondly, it prevents you from having bad investment. It is a great start to settle first to a cheaper used car than recklessly investing to a new one that doesn’t match your needs. In addition to that, you can also apply for a used car auto loan to help you purchase your desired car in no time.

-The Road is yours! – If you travel with your own car, you can take whatever path you prefer. Of course, this is done with the assistance of GPS. You can look for short cuts or do some side trips along the way.

-More Baggage spaces! – Another great thing about traveling with your own car is the fact that you have enough spaces for all your things. You can carry more baggage on your trip which is very ideal especially if you are going for some outdoor camping adventure.

– You Can Bring everyone Along! – How wonderful it is to bring all your family or friends with you! If you are going to travel in group, bringing your own car is more beneficial. You can split the cost to everyone and you can save more budget too!

Cons
-Repair Cost – Expect the unexpected. Engine failure is a common problem with cars especially when dealing with long travel. In this case, you must consider the cost of repair. You must have enough knowledge too on how to repair some common technical issues like overheating and more.
-Looking for A Place to Park your Car – Those who are into extreme travel adventures like hiking, island hopping or even those who love to hit the beach should understand the struggle of finding the safe place to park their car. Sometimes, the parking space is far from the actual destination especially when dealing with places that are no longer passable by vehicles.

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Verdict
Although traveling through passenger vehicles will give you some kind of adventure and experience, I personally prefer travelling with your own car for many great reasons. The possibilities when traveling with your own car is infinite. You can go from one place to another without any worries or hassle of catching the departure time of these passenger buses. Personally I do not have a car yet but I am very eager to have one. I probably don’t have enough budget yet for a brand new car so might consider settling down with a used car. Apparently, choosing a car based on your needs and budget has never been an easy task. There are just too many important things to consider.

Things To Consider When Buying A New or Used Car

I recently came across Cars.Com, a Chicago-based company which is now the leading online destination for both car shoppers and car owners who wish to sell their cars. I was browsing their site and looking at their wide range collection of vehicles (both new and old) and I realized how challenging it is to pick the right car for you. There’s just too many option and each car will vary in  terms of their powertrain, the figures that engine can generate (horsepower and torque) , the design, the capacity and more. So I came up with this list of things you must consider before buying a car! Let’s start shall we?

Identify Your Budget!
There are many ways to pay for your car but of course, not everyone can pay it in cash. We are lucky enough that most car dealers will allow us to pay the car in a monthly basis. Or maybe, you can have a car loan to shoulder all the expenses. In Cars.Com, they got this so-called Finance Calculators that allows you to estimate your payments. You can simply input the amount that you desire to pay in a monthly basis and from there, they will estimate the loan can be lended and all the cars (either new or used) that will fit for your budget.

Identify Your Needs!
What is your purpose of buying this car? Are you aiming to use it for your adventure or you are just aiming to buy a car for your daily driving needs? You should identify the type of car you need to purchase based on your needs. If you are a frequent and adventurous traveler, then you might consider availing an offroad car or pickup truck. These cars are built to withstand challenging terrain condition which is just perfect for the kind of travel you are dealing with.

If you have a huge family, then buying an SUV or a Minivan would be advisable. Or if you got the wealth, you might want to settle with the latest luxury cars. In Cars.com, there is an option to Research Car Models. All the types of cars are sorted into their respective category and from there, you can find more details about them. There’s even a side by side comparison which you can personalized.

Find The Right and Trusted Dealer
Finding the right and trusted dealer is very important when buying a car especially when buying a used vehicle. You should determine if the car is really in a good working condition and you should get all the details including the history of repair and more. It’s better to ask for recommendations or read some credible reviews about the dealer for a smooth and clean dealership or transaction.