Milestones: Turning 10,000

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How expensive is owning a car, compared to operating a scooter, riding Metro for longer distances (to the eastside, for example), and occasionally renting a car?

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I bought my 49 cc scooter, the "Vino" model by Yamaha, from a woman in West Seattle who had owned if for several years and ridden it less than 250 miles. That was in spring, 2008. Now, 10,000 miles later, I've tallied up the savings. Cost of owning a car in Washington State: around $4,000 per year, without factoring in the cost of the car itself.

Purchase price (used): $1,500.(New: $2,300 or so)
Annual cost of registration: $35
Annual cost of insurance: about $105
Annual cost of repairs? Hard to say. Only one tuneup so far, under $150.
Parts replaced: rear tire (flat), headlamp (burned out)

Park pretty much anywhere, slide into very narrow spaces, but pay regular auto rates (when necessary).
Number of parking tickets: three or four.
Number of times drivers have knocked the bike over: three. Minimal damage.
Number of times I've fallen off: one. (And bike was standing still! A combination of downhill slope, wet leaves on the pavement, and alcohol; no damage, no injury.)

Gas mileage: about 80. (The new models get over 100.) Premium gas.
Two-stroke engine oil: $20 per liter, roughly. Lasts for months. (New ones are fuel-injected.)
Top speed: 40 to 45 mph. No, I don't take it on the freeway. I don't even take it on Aurora.
Yes, I ride in rain & snow. Sure, I get a little wet.
Average one-way ride: under 3 miles.

Carrying capacity: Shoulder bag holds phone, wallet, DayTimer, notebook, camera. Rear basket for laptop, groceries; underseat storage \for helmet, rain gear, towel; floorboards for bulky stuff. More stuff than that, I use Car2Go, Zipcar, Uber. And no, I don't drive like this guy.

Longest rides: Woodinville (via Sand Point Way and Kenmore), Vashon (ferry from Fauntleroy).

Nickname: the Hairdryer.

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This page contains a single entry by Cornichon published on December 4, 2013 10:30 AM.

Ray Walker's Bumpy Road to Burgundy was the previous entry in this blog.

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