Buddy Savings

MikieTaps · Post by **MikieTaps** » Fri May 30, 2008 10:06 pm

Short explanation:

Car = $0.38 / mile for insurance and parking
= $0.17 / mile for gasoline

Buddy = $0.03 / mile for insurance and NO parking expenses
= $0.05 / mile for gasoline

7,300 miles per year
CAR = $4,001
BUDDY = $584

Savings of $3,436 per year!

Long Explanation:

I sat down… while at work… and figured out how much I really am saving by having a scooter instead of my car. 1st off, I sold my car, and used that money to buy the Scooter, and Gear… so we are starting on level ground. 1st I calculated my parking costs, between my apartment and my office it would be $1560 a year for a car. Scooter = $0. Insurance on my car was about $1200 a year. Scooter $200. I got 25 MPG on my car, at $4.20 per gallon = $0.17 per mile. Scooter gets 85 MPG $0.05 per mile. The oil changes and maintenance actually turn out to be about the same if I take it to the dealer each time. I drive/scoot about 600 miles per month, or about 7,300 miles per year.

MikieTaps · Post by **MikieTaps** » Sat May 31, 2008 1:04 am

I think with that kind of savings... i get to buy a new scoot every year right?

bjj4287 · Post by **bjj4287** » Sat May 31, 2008 1:05 am

niiice

jfrost2 · Post by **jfrost2** » Sat May 31, 2008 1:21 am

Dont forget the cost of a helmet, misc gear, accessories, and first service.

First service is usually 100 dollars, a helmet about 100, and maybe you bought some boots and gloves, another 100 dollars.

Still though, a 3k + saving is very nice to see

MikieTaps · Post by **MikieTaps** » Sat May 31, 2008 1:25 am

I sold my car for $4,000... scooter was $2700, Jacket $200, 2 Helmets $200, 1st service $130... about even

even saved some $$$

Threegoofs · Post by **Threegoofs** » Sat May 31, 2008 4:53 am

Not to nitpick, but the cost per mile is probably way off, right? You have to figure a car is good for 100K miles easily, but a scooter wont get that much without significant maintainence costs. I dont know how many miles a Buddy will get, but at 7K miles per year, I have to imagine its lifetime is much less than a car.

Of course, than if you figure the opportunity cost of a cars upfront price vs. a scooter.....

xtetra · Post by **xtetra** » Sat May 31, 2008 3:31 pm

Threegoofs wrote:Not to nitpick, but the cost per mile is probably way off, right? You have to figure a car is good for 100K miles easily, but a scooter wont get that much without significant maintainance costs. I don't know how many miles a Buddy will get, but at 7K miles per year, I have to imagine its lifetime is much less than a car.

Of course, than if you figure the opportunity cost of a cars upfront price vs. a scooter.....

I was thinking about this when I bought my scoot. My feeling in the end was that whatever car I bought for the money I had at the time (slightly more than the cost of a new Buddy) was not going to very economical to operate and would cost me easy twice its purchase price in repairs in the first year or two. They salt the roads here when it snows and it just tears up breaks, exhaust systems etc. Anything used you buy is going to need something done to it. At the time I just couldn't budget in a car loan so whatever I got I wanted to own outright.

Also, short trips and errands are kind of rough on a car which doesn't help much. Buddy doesn't seem to mind a bit.

My average trip to the garage probably was about $300.00 and it seemed that was at least four times a year. I haven't checked the cost of rollers and belts, but I think they are probably less than one trip to the guys with the blue shirts. Oil changes are much less too and I can do that myself whereas I didn't really have a good space to do that on the car.

Buddy has also got me to change my life style and buying habits. Since you can't carry very much I seldom find myself buying junk I don't need. Most of my trips are to work, to see friends, or to take pictures. Seldom do I find myself wandering some shopping center and being a good American consumer of needless junk.

But the real big payoff is I smile a whole lot more on the Buddy than I ever did in my car.

If I spend money and it doesn't make me happy what was the point? In that regard, Buddy was the best purchase I ever made aside from my house.

MikieTaps · Post by **MikieTaps** » Sat May 31, 2008 4:04 pm

too true

Post by **ericalm** » Sat May 31, 2008 4:42 pm

xtetra wrote:But the real big payoff is I smile a whole lot more on the Buddy than I ever did in my car. If I spend money and it doesn't make me happy what was the point? In that regard, Buddy was the best purchase I ever made aside from my house.

+1

I've been giving a lot of thought to all of the people coming into the scooter market because of gas prices. Scootering isn't necessarily the right choice for everyone, even if the numbers do work out. I like and appreciate the economic benefits of scootering and the affect it's had on my behaviors and lifestyle. But when I bought my scooter, it was because I wanted to ride. And I continue to ride because I love doing it. The other benefits are just gravy for me.

Of course, there are many different valid motivations for getting on a scooter; wanting to save money certainly doesn't mean scootering is wrong for a person. My concern is that a lot of people are coming into scootering with little understanding of the risks involved and the amount of preparation needed to do it responsibly and safely. I know from others' reports that some dealers de-emphasize these factors when selling. These new riders become a danger not only to themselves, but also to cagers and other 2-wheelers.

MikieTaps · Post by **MikieTaps** » Sat May 31, 2008 6:39 pm

ericalm wrote:
I've been giving a lot of thought to all of the people coming into the scooter market because of gas prices. Scootering isn't necessarily the right choice for everyone, even if the numbers do work out. I like and appreciate the economic benefits of scootering and the affect it's had on my behaviors and lifestyle. But when I bought my scooter, it was because I wanted to ride. And I continue to ride because I love doing it. The other benefits are just gravy for me.

Of course, there are many different valid motivations for getting on a scooter; wanting to save money certainly doesn't mean scootering is wrong for a person. My concern is that a lot of people are coming into scootering with little understanding of the risks involved and the amount of preparation needed to do it responsibly and safely. I know from others' reports that some dealers de-emphasize these factors when selling. These new riders become a danger not only to themselves, but also to cagers and other 2-wheelers.

I came into scootering because I wanted a scooter, I am an accountant... so I HAD to play with the numbers a little bit

KABanshee · Post by **KABanshee** » Sat May 31, 2008 7:25 pm

ericalm wrote:
xtetra wrote:But the real big payoff is I smile a whole lot more on the Buddy than I ever did in my car. If I spend money and it doesn't make me happy what was the point? In that regard, Buddy was the best purchase I ever made aside from my house.
+1

I've been giving a lot of thought to all of the people coming into the scooter market because of gas prices. Scootering isn't necessarily the right choice for everyone, even if the numbers do work out. I like and appreciate the economic benefits of scootering and the affect it's had on my behaviors and lifestyle. But when I bought my scooter, it was because I wanted to ride. And I continue to ride because I love doing it. The other benefits are just gravy for me.

Of course, there are many different valid motivations for getting on a scooter; wanting to save money certainly doesn't mean scootering is wrong for a person. My concern is that a lot of people are coming into scootering with little understanding of the risks involved and the amount of preparation needed to do it responsibly and safely. I know from others' reports that some dealers de-emphasize these factors when selling. These new riders become a danger not only to themselves, but also to cagers and other 2-wheelers.

I got one because I"m a Rebel!

j/p

Actually got it because the wife wanted something to scoot around the neighborhood. She let me do the picking for her. To this day she has only rode it once. Though I'm not to worried about her and being responsible when she does ride. We've been riding quads in the sand dunes from St. Anthony's Idaho to Coos Bay Oregon for years. Are children started riding when they were 5 yrs. old. I'm certain she can handle the rigorous challenges and demands of guiding the Rattler around the burb.

I do agree there are alot of people that have no business being uncaged and would hope that they would have enough common sense to keep offof a two-wheeled vehicle.