cazalea
[Seiko Moderator]
18110
Meaningless Math: Cost to own/run a car
Today I went past 50,000 miles in my "new" Lotus, which prompted me to consider (briefly) the cost of owning such a frivolous motor..
NEW
The first owner had the car 3 years (1095 days) and put on 2200 miles. So just 2.0 miles per day.
I have his lease contract, and ignoring gas, oil, insurance, registration the difference between buy/sell price was $5.26 per day, or $2.63 per mile
At the time I thought, "That crazy guy! He only drove this fine car 2 miles a day?"
USED
I bought the Elan after it went off lease, via a dealer, on May 9, 1995. It had 2201 miles.
I have owned it for 10,712 days and done 47,813 miles=4.5 miles per day at estimated $1.50 per mile + running costs
At this time I am thinking, "That crazy guy! He only drove this fine car 4.5 miles a day?"
Of course, I did a bit more math and discovered I have also owned 29 other cars in that span of years...
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Meaningless Math: Cost to own/run a car
Today I went past 50,000 miles in my "new" Lotus, which prompted me to consider (briefly) the cost of owning such a frivolous motor.. NEW The first owner had the car 3 years (1095 days) and put on 2200 miles. So just 2.0 miles per day. I have his lease co...
30 cars in 30 years???
Wow, that's a lot. I only had 9. But this Elan is so lovely! Best, Nicolas
Current spreadsheet shows about 70 since 1967
Volvo not shown, screen too small Yellow blocks are the cars we still own ...
29 years is fabulous !
Your Elan is to you what my Clio is to me ! I bought it new in 2010 on day 15044 of my life and I hope to keep it for at least another 15044 days or even longer (eternally). Currently at day 20134 which means I own the Clio for 5090 days now. I have cover...
I hope you use Time and Date Calculator
Rather than multiply X years times 365 plus (X ÷ 4=Leap) + (Day of the Year) etc. etc. Mike
spreadsheet
Let's take jan 1st 2050: Date: 01/01/2050 Days since my birth: 29383 Hours since my birth: 705.192 Minutes since my birth: 42.311.520 Seconds since my birth: approx 2.5 billion ;-) So if you ever want to count to one billion better hurry up as your time w...
Amazing spreadsheet Mike!
I’m rather honored to be a small part of it and very happy to own one of these gems. Your car craziness is brilliant and you’ve had some superb cars over the years. That I get to experience a Jaaaag is all because of you! Thank you, don’t stop being enthu...
She Looks Fantastic
Thanks for taking such good care of her. Here's the first day photo Nov 11, 2001 when my elderly friends Hal & Betty Jo came to pick up the car I procured for them (green Merc in background was their other car). and the day she became mine April 15, 2...
I try to not think about the cost per mile but the smiles per mile.
The enjoyment I get when I am behind the wheel and hearing the engine while going places.
Here are some of the cars
Most of these were our cars. The 928 Cabrio not mine; but my wife is standing in front of it. Ferrari belonged to a friend who let me slap my company magnetic sign on it. Angela Visser, Miss Universe in my 2CV; she still looks great. ...
Do I even see a SAAB Sonett?!
You’ve had certainly some very interesting cars and beauties. Lotus Europa and Angela; colour me slightly jealous 😉
I was pretty sure it was a custom job, the top was chopped, but you are right, the 5-spoke wheels look like 968
Here are a few 928 examples on the web: ...
Definitely not something one should think about too much…
…otherwise we’d have no fun! I’m with Nico, my total lifetime is 9 and 3 of those I own currently.
Lol, amazing! I specifically do the opposite, no maths, ignorance is bliss 😂
I did the math once when I was super house poor, ended up with no cars at all and a zip car membership. Bummer.
Post of the day!
And great shots, too! Let me count mine…Only 17 in 27 years of driving, so fewer so far than my moves (of which there have been 22 😁). So some catching up to do 😂🤷🏻♂️
Much easier to calculate $ per engine hour since there’s no odometer
But I’d also say that fuel consumption of a boat varies much more with speed than it does in a car due to the drag of the hull, winds, currents, etc. I was talking to the owner of a “cigarette boat” who said he could cruise at 60 knots. I replied, “Wow, y...
Thanks Mike, now (after my evening cocktail) you've got me doing cost of ownership and miles driven per day calculations on most of my cars.
Love the rear view mirror shot of your "new" Elan going up the hill from Tom Skerritt's house! ;-)
