Re: 164LS operating costs

[Nicky Avery <nicky@domain.elided>]

Karl Doll wrote:

 > My costs are as follows:
 > $20K depreciation (paid $10K below sticker price: $31K including all
taxes and license. Included all maintenance for first 3 years)
 > $2K extended warranty which paid for itself when my tranny exploded
 > $4K for brakes, timing belt, 50K service, clutch, etc
 > and another $2000 or so for tires and DIY oil changes.
 >
 > Without accounting for fuel, that's 44 cents per mile (62K suburban
miles). Fuel would be about 7 cents more. Rough estimates, but in the
ballpark.
 >
 > I expect to spend about $2K a year to keep it running, with
everything done via my checkbook except oil changes.
 >
 > Karl
 >


Interesting.

I bought mine 26 months ago at about 54,500 and it now has 88,500 on it.
I was utterly shocked to find that some things broke and various
consumables wore out. Allowing $5,000 for depreciation, which may or may
not be realistic, I'd say I was running a bit less than you guys at
about 37 cents/mile plus 1/2 cent a mile for insurance.

Working it backwards I think I get about the same average mileage as you
do, Karl, i.e. about 22 mpg in  mainly city and urban freeway driving. I
don't count gas too much as I'd have to put a certain amount in any car.

I suspect my slightly lower cost/mile could be becuase of either my
higher mileage (as I believe in maintenance) and/or my allowing less for
depreciation.

Karl quoted someone else:

 > I haven't spent much on the car
 >  other than tires (not garden variety) and the usual maintenance items -
 >  save the broken foglight which I then replaced with one from
AlfaBill. I'
 >  d say my running costs are closer to 40 cents a mile.
 >

I am wondering how he gets to 40 cents when he has spent little on repairs.

Vasco, you say they'll suck us dry and that may be true in dollar terms
but I'm not sure it's really true in relative terms. My car was built in
'94 as a '95 and, if you look at what a 6 1/2-year old 164LS is i.e. a
reasonably lux. but elderly sports sedan and compare it with German,
Japanese or British equivalents, is 40 cents/mile so outrageous
especially if we compare similar mileages? I don't know: I'd be
inetrested to know what others think.

Nicky

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