There are some costs that frequently don't show up. Some of you may see these as either a severe limitation or a liberation... depending on your point of view.
Having a car around allows you to take off to the other end of town to purchase something. For example, I would like to head off to Harbor Freight and buy some tools. The tools are cheap and I sort of need them (?) but the trip is only doable by car. I have managed to survive quite a while without them. Maybe I don't even need them.
Here's another: I frequently turn down lunches with colleagues or near-colleagues because I don't have a car at work. I probably miss out on a lot of socializing and maybe a few career opportunities. Yesterday, I took the family car (and left the missus without one...) for the sole purpose of attending a monthly lunch I had missed since June. I had to struggle through really heavy traffic to get their, bolt down a quick lunch and then make another 15 minute drive back to work. All this and it was a nice winter day and I missed my ride to work
One good thing about these missed opportunities is that I'm not spending any money on them....