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Man Buys Car For 100 Mile Journey Because It Was Cheaper Than The Train Fare

Man Buys Car For 100 Mile Journey Because It Was Cheaper Than The Train Fare

Tom wanted to pay a friend in London a visit, but found the train fare between Bristol and the capital to be extortionate

Mike Wood

Mike Wood

Train fares are ridiculous. Like completely, utterly ridiculous. Sometimes, in the darkest moments of a hungover Megabus back home, you might think that it would have all been better to just stump up and pay for the train, but you'd have been a fool to do so. Don't encourage them by paying it.

Of course, there is a third way. Tom Church, 27, is a man who believes in the third option.

In fact, he's stumped his reputation on finding ways around the high price of modern life, as a co-founder of LatestDeals.co.uk, and this might just be his best idea yet.

Tom wanted to pay a friend in London a visit, but found the train fare between Bristol and the capital to be extortionate.

"The idea came when I saw a man share his ridiculously priced train ticket on Reddit," reports the Metro. "I felt his pain because I had wanted to book that same journey to see a friend and colleague. It gave me an idea to try something different."

Tom found a 1997 Honda Civic online for the princely sum of £80 and decided to drive it the 115 miles to London.

"I found the car on Gumtree," he said.

"The lady I bought it from, Sutinder, was basically selling it for scrap. It's a very old car, 1997 Honda Civic, but the MOT was fine. Plus, the engine was small enough that I could get the cheapest road tax: a minimum of six months for £81.38."

"The total cost was £206.81. Less than just one train ticket. And I still have a car at the end of it! Yes, it is still expensive. The point is to show how mad train ticket prices are.

Tom Church (
LatestDeals.co.uk)

"Sometimes you have to think outside of the box to save money." The average train fare at peak times between Bristol and London if you buy close to the time of travel is around £215, so Tom is definitely onto a winner.

He does recognise that he plan might not work for everyone.

"I'll be the first to admit this isn't the cheapest method," he says. "You can book tickets in advance and off-peak for less. You may be able to use a railcard. Or you could get a coach.

"But for those of us who aren't able to, why do the train companies insist on ripping us off? At the end of the trip, I still have a car. I'll probably sell it again. After some TLC, I think I can get £200.

"You get your unused road tax refunded so I might even be in profit That's real bargain hunting for you."

Featured Image Credit: LatestDeals.co.uk

Topics: Transport, Money, Community