SCOOTER vs. TRUCK

In order to save gas I was thinking about getting a scooter – a Honda Helix to be exact – and drive that too and from work instead of my truck.  Having already gotten a permit to drive motorcycles in the past I thought this really would be pretty simple. I could just renew the permit and take the driven portion of the test with the scooter.

I called around and talked to my folks and I sent emails to friends that own cycles.  Most everyone thought it was a good idea (except my Mom) but my Dad told me to ‘do the math’ first.  So I did.

MONEY SPENT ON JAN FEB MAR APRIL MAY JUN GAS MONTH $30.50 $34.62 $41.45 $42.50 $46.55 $44.93 (APPROXIMENTLY) $34.05 $33.15 $20.25 $37.00 $24.85 $40.70   $38.10 $34.55 $38.90 $54.50 $49.25 $42.25   $37.00 $35.15 $30.52   $45.50     $35.65                         TOTAL $175.30 $137.47 $131.12 $134.00 $166.15 $127.88               AVERAGE TANK $35.06 $34.37 $43.71 $44.67 $41.54   AVERAGE PER GAL $2.42 $2.37 $3.01 $3.08 $2.86                 TRUCK PER MILE $0.20 $0.20 $0.25 $0.26 $0.24   HELIX PER MILE $0.05 $0.05 $0.06 $0.06 $0.06                                 TRUCK HELIX         MPG 12 50         CAPACITY 19 3.2         MILES PER TANK 228 160                                       1DAY 1WEEK 1MONTH 1YEAR 1YEAR 1YEAR MILES TO &             FROM WORK 16 80 320 3840 2480 1920               TRUCK $3.82 $19.10 $76.39 $916.69 $592.03 $458.34 HELIX $0.92 $4.58 $18.33 $220.01 $142.09 $110.00 SAVINGS PER $2.90 $14.51 $58.06 $696.68 $449.94 $348.34         Driven Minus Minus         Every Winter Rainy         Day   Days               Years I need to drive it to see a savings 5 8 10               COST OF SCOOTER $3,600

I have to drive that scooter around constantly for many years in order to see any type of savings.  We all know that Minnesota weather wouldn’t allow this at all! Bleh. 

I suppose I will need to trade the truck and get something ‘decent’ using the words of my mother.  OR I could just hold on to the truck until it dies.  Turns out that I am not spending as much as I thought I was on gas after all however, I haven’t included the charges to maintain my beast of a vehicle.

Oh well, I guess it beats a car payment PLUS gas…