The Economics of Owning a Scooter
These days many people are looking for alternatives to traditional American automobiles: the car, the truck, and the SUV. Various factors are driving this – a sluggish economy, job loss, environmental concerns, the desire to simplify. Luckily, there is such an alternative. The scooter, aka the moped, has come a long way in the past decade, becoming a common feature across major European cities and has made major in-roads in the U.S. Cost-conscience commuters are beginning to dump their gas-guzzling sport utility vehicles for a cheaper, sleeker, more economical option.
So, what are the benefits, you ask?
First, there is the gas mileage. Depending on what kind of car you’re driving currently, you could save significantly on gas by going with a motorized scooter. Let’s say your car is getting around 32 miles per gallon. Compare that to a 150cc scooter, which can get up to 75mph. That scooter can get around 80 miles per gallon. 32 mpg versus 80 mpg. Nice. And if you’re driving a truck or SUV, the savings is even greater.
Next, we should look at purchase price. Let’s assume you are trying to get a second vehicle primarily for commuting. You might opt to go with a used car, as many do. A decent used car that will last a little while is going to run around $5000. A brand new scooter will cost closer to $1000. That’s the kind of savings that will get people’s attention.
Futhermore, you can save significantly on insurance. Significantly, as in you don’t pay any in many states. Of course, if you don’t carry insurance, you will be out the cost of the scooter is you total it in an accident. But, it might be a risk worth taking if you have less than a grand in it.
Finally, there are maintenance costs with any vehicle. But scooters are far simpler machines than automobiles. You may be able to do much of the maintenance yourself if you are handy. And warranties and maintenance contract are going to be much less.
If you still have doubts, keep your eye out for commuters on scooters. See if they’re smiling. Now you know why.
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