https://blog.tstc.org/2017/04/21/car-free-new-york-city/

And I think you, like most people, are vastly underestimating the cost of car ownership. Insurance alone for a 10-15 year old Toyota is going to cost around $500-600 a month for insurance alone. Then there's gas, maintenance, depreciation, inspections, etc.

Nearly everyone in the parts of the outer boroughs without the subway could get by just fine with bikes and buses. In fact, many people do. The problem with transportation in the order boroughs comes specifically from cars. If people didn't drive so much, then the buses would be far more reliable and efficient and biking would be a lot safer. There's nothing wrong with those modes of transportation, and many neighborhoods, in Eastern Queens especially, aren't dense enough to justify subway expansion over other areas. Those people should be taking a bus or bike to the subway or LIRR, not driving into Manhattan.