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I have a motorbike, we also have a car that my wife uses to get to work. While the motorbike is good fun, it makes going out to the city en femme impossible (if wifey is at work), unless I want to get changed in a car park under the watchful eyes of security cameras. To solve this problem, I am about to buy myself a car so I can go out as Becca whenever I want.
Now, this morning, I went to a local car dealer to have a look at a Smart car and took it for a test drive. While it is not the smoothest car in the world, it looks the part as a Becca-type vehicle. I returned after the test drive and parked it next to a 2007 Mercedes SLK 280 convertible, which was on sale for a song. When I handed in the keys to the Smart car, I asked about the Merc and was told they were selling it on behalf of someone else. The mechanic said he wasn't leaving for another half an hour and would I like to take it out?
How could I refuse?!
Although it is 17 years old, it has only done 60,000 miles, it drove like a dream and I was sorely tempted (I still am as I haven't committed yet), but it will only do 32 miles to the gallon, the insurance will be astronomical and servicing and parts for a Merc will be way more than I want to (or can) pay.
Ah well, the Smart car is two and half grand more and has done the same mileage, but is only eight years old. It will fit in my pocket so is easy to park and it's quirky enough for a cross-dressing woman.
I'm going in on Monday to make an offer on the Smart car, I will try to avert my eyes from the Merc as I do so.
Wish me luck!
Becca
PS My wife says to buy the Mercedes and run it for a year and have fun--get thee behind me Satan!
@rebeccabaxter Becca,Please buy the Mercedes and drive it for a year,have lady fun with it ,and get something else.What a classy way to go shopping...wow.You may even keep it for an investment and farther down the road,sell it for a profit,maybe to a collector.
Further to my investigation as to costs, I can now confirm that it will cost me £710 (almost $1000) just to park it on the road, fully a quarter of the cost of the car, each year!
I've tried to convince myself it would be great fun but that tax is just too high, way too high.
As far as using the car as an investment, in a year's time, our 'wonderful' new government will probably have put that cost up to over £1000 and would put off any future buyers forever; I would make a huge loss, if I could even sell it at all.
No, it is with more than a little regret, that I have to keep my options cheaper, and buy the Smart car.
Still, at least Becca will have a car of her own, so many more opportunities to get out en femme.
@rebeccabaxter This isn't the sexiest option I know but I pootle about in a kia picanto. No road tax, cheap insurance & fairly good MPG. It's rubbish for long trips but just for popping here & there it does me well. Posh cars are nice but they are money pits as I have found to my cost over the years.
@sashabennett My wife had a Kia Picanto before we sold both that and my van to buy our Skoda. It was a lovely little car and TBH, I didn't have a problem on long journeys, I think it was a question of just being patient.
@rebeccabaxter I say go for the Merc and then upgrade your wardrobe to designer clothes to go with it. Think about it....driving around in your Merc in a nice Diane Von Furstenberg dress and a pair of Louboutin stiletto pumps! That would be amazing!
@rebeccabaxter it can be a bit of a challenge, parking your transit van into a tight spot.
@leslienix I probably wouldn't have much of a problem, I was an artic driver for twenty five years. Biggest problem would be the height, big vans don't fit well in muti-storey CPs.
Anyway, I've bought my Smart car now, should get it next week. I'll have no trouble parking that!
Your wife is right when she says: buy the Mercedes, drive it for a year and have fun. Spare parts are expensive for the smart too and it is not much bigger than a shoe box. Best wishes, from the German Marion
Since writing that post, I have discovered something unfortunate. Strangely, the insurance cover is not much different between the two cars however the UK road tax (vehicle excise duty, or whatever it is called in the various countries represented here) is a much, much different matter.
For this particular model of Smart car, the road tax is NIL, the Mercedes SLK is [depending on model] between £415 and £735 a year! Ouch!
Actually, the shoe-box reference is one of the reasons I find it attractive; for carrying bigger things, we have a Skoda Estate (that's a lovely car to drive, I might add).
The SLK is pretty impractical too, I'm almost sitting on the ground and I would hardly be elegant trying to get in, in a skirt!
It was fun imagining having it though, but I think it is not to be.
Ah well.
Okay, the tax is a good argument against the SLK. But the fun, well, I see that the common sense has to win. But you only live once
You think a skirt is going to be difficult? Try adding heels. Then it's much lower down than you thought. (Have you ever tried to use the loo in heels and realize how much more you have to bend to reach the seat?)
We don't have an overall road tax in the US. Instead, we pay as part of gas (petrol) tax. And it varies state by state. In some places we also have a few toll roads, often on major highways or at bridge or tunnel crossings (literally "highway robbery" if you ask me). These are the same for all passenger cars.
@alison-anderson It has been suggested that we stop having road tax in the UK and put it on fuel instead. As I don't do many miles, I wouldn't really be affected, so I'm sort of in favour of the idea. However, governments do what governments do and you can be sure that they would work it so that they would get more tax in the new method than they do in the old one, and everyone would pay more regardless.
Yes, I have tried to sit down to use the loo in heels and with my bad knees it is even worse than it should be (if the floor is clean, I'll take them off--the heels, not the knees).
@rebeccabaxter As a regular visitor to France (by car), I can safely say that Road Tax is a much better option than higher tax on fuel. Over there, to get anywhere by motorway involves tolls. Depending on where they are, they can be quite high. True, you can use the Routes Nationale, but try driving 700km on a single lane road that goes through every town and village and is prone to blockage by agricultural vehicles.
And surely you can't be serious about having higher fuel duty? As we've seen in the past few years, that simply pushes up the price of everything else due to escalating delivery costs because of the rising cost of fuel. This has the effect of increasing the inability of lower-to-middle income families to feed, clothe or heat themselves, a phenomenon that has also grown over the past 14 years.
I drove through France to Spain a few years ago, all on the peage, and it cost a lot of money...and I was on a motorbike.
I don't think the UK government will replace VED with a tax on fuel, but they are likely to raise the fuel duty in the October budget anyway, I also expect road tax will go up too.
Practicality and a femme car is the smart car. My friend has had hers for years, drives it miles, and it is still going strong with 125,000 on the clock!
The SLK is a money pit, could get you speeding tickets and is not designed for 20mph zones......But is one hell of a car...
Thank you for your support, in case I waver; I very much doubt I will though. As you say, money-pit is an apt description for something so exotic and impractical.
Good luck Becca! What color is the Smart car?
Alice
@annaredhead I considered that, but should I buy it, I think some girly transfers would be rather cheaper, and more likely to happen.
Enjoy your additional mobility Becca whichever car you chose, I think I'd opt for the smart car as I'm sure the cost of running the merc will soon be astronomical due to our new government
Gina
A Smart cat and an SLJ are like cotton boxer shorts and silk panties. One makes more sense, and one is a wonderful experience...need I say more?
I have a rather impractical car. Servicing is expensive but it is a fabulous car to drive. It's also quite low-slung and if I drive it en-femme, I need to be careful when I get out so passers-by don't get an unplanned look at my knickers. Insurance needs careful shopping.
As you say, look at service costs and cambelt intervals. See also if there are owners' groups who can help with advice.
I think it's exciting that Becca is getting a car. ANY car! Congratulations on your new mobility!
The Smart Car does seem the 'smarter' option. The Merc SLK convertible would've cost a fortune to run. It's a drop-dead sexy car to be sure. And one that will bleed you dry. Just think of all the nice outfits you'll be able to buy with the money you save on your Smart Car!
When I was shopping for a new car three years ago, I weighed the costs to operate the models on my short list. It turns out the one I chose, a plugin hybrid RAV4, has been the least expensive car I've owned in the last 20 years. The higher cost to buy it was offset by the rebates and tax credits I got at the time of purchase. It was basically the same price as the gas (petrol) only version. With a 45-mile range, I run it on electricity alone most days. My garage is on HOA electricity, so it doesn't cost me a cent to charge it. A tank of gas lasts 4-6 weeks. And while it's not the sexiest car on the road, it still looks good and its very RED!
/LK
My garage is on HOA electricity, so it doesn't cost me a cent to charge it.
Not wanting to divert the discussion here, but I would like to understand how this works. Through a general monthly maintenance fee?
Electricity is included in the monthly HOA fee. The HOA currently has no way to track usage by owner/renter because the garages are separated from each condo by some distance. With all the electric cars being bought, the writing is on the wall. The HOA will eventually mandate that every garage have a separate meter, installed at owner expense of course. I suspect that won't happen until after I move though. I'm just renting.
/LK
@lizk OK, so it seems as if I have to expand my vocabulary a bit. HOA looks to be like a monthly maintenance fee maybe for a condo or other housing style.
HOA =Homeowners Association.
A monthly fee is normal to cover maintenance, landscaping, utilities, etc.
Get the Smart car and a designer dress, you’ll make a bigger splash!
Hi Becca , why not get a motorbike and side car ? I have found over the years to buy what makes you happy and gives you fun get the Merc and bigger the cost .you only live once , by he way what bike do you own ? Used to ride when I was younger .
@sugden Because I'd still have to ride it and get changed later. Even if I rode in female clothing, I'm not sure how I would stop a wig from staying in my helmet. Yes, i know I don't have to wear a helmet on a trike but it's best to anyway.
I have a Triumoh Sprint ST 1050. I like the bike, it's powerful, there is plenty of space when touring, but it is so heavy; if it falls over, I can't pick it up on my own. As I've got older, I'm just not strong enough to wield it the way I used to, especially if fully loaded for a trip away with all the camping gear on it. I'm thinking I'm going to sell it, use the car for most things (including camping) and get a smaller bike for when I want to go out and avoid the tourist traffic round here.
It's another point against the Mercedes too as there is not a whole lot of room for anything extra in it, especially if you have put the roof in the boot (trunk).
Hi Becca,
I don't have that problem as my wife doesn't drive, but as my wife doesn't know that I'm a crossdresser i can't really go out En Femme unless she is away, I've often wondered what is the best car to drive while En Femme, I was saw a 1970's mini in pink for sale, mind you I've seen a lot of women driving big 4 by 4's , is it just me or is a projection of their masculinety, do some women like to compete with men and say i can drive as good as any man can, just a thought??
Hugs Rozalyn X 🤗
@rozalyne I think many women drive massive 4 x 4s because their husband has decided that it is safer for them to take the kids to school in a truck than a normal car, when, given the choice, they'd probably be more comfortable in a Ford Focus, or some such. My son lives in London and is well aware of the traffic problems brought about by these women driving 'Chelsea tractors' to take their kids to lessons. Their expertise is limited since they only drive two miles a day.
You know Becca if we all drove two seater smart cars the traffic queues wouldn't be as long, I've been thinking about getting one for a long time,
Hugs Rozalyn X 🤗
@rozalyne Well, I've put a deposit down now and should be able to collect it towards the end of next week; I'll let you know how it goes.
Just a personal observation but some years I went through a period of seeing attractive women driving Audi TTs (and rarely men). I've since always thought of it as a woman's car. If I won the lottery, I might be tempted to treat myself to one.
Emma x
@emmat Now that's an avenue I might have to explore! I have a choice of two Audi A2's to drive, which share a lot of design DNA with the Mk.1 TT, both starting out from the pen of the same designer. With the demise of my Volvo hardtop convertible earlier this year there's potentially scope for a petrol TT drop-top to live in my garage, coming out for nice days and times when I might need to drive into a ULEZ. Sadly I'd have to decide that I couldn't really justify keeping my lovely garage-queen A2 first though 😪
Hi Emma we can hope for the best, I hope you do win the lottery then you can treat yourself,
Hugs Rozalyn X 🤗
Decisions, decisions 🙂
I agree, the TT would definitely be a 'second car'. But you can tell I'm off the pace. I wouldn't even have thought about any ULEZ issues. So thanks, I'll have to research where my recently bought new (used) car' fits in to the ULEZ thing.
eM x
