Farewell, Old Friend.

[Moedad]

Originally Posted by alanmcorcoran

I have a feeling there's going be a whole lotta stuff getting in the way of things over the next couple of years.

For sure. I'm glad now (mostly) that I got a budget bike I could buy outright rather than a bigger, badder bike that's costing me a monthly payment.

[Easy Rider]

Originally Posted by jonathan180iq

I found a cheap car so I can still have money for another bike.

This is the only part of the plan that makes me a little nervous. I have seen WAY too many people, me included in my younger days, who went TOO cheap and ended up with an expensive lawn ornament. Hope you have better luck.

[jonathan180iq]

That's what this Saab may be turning out to be. It only needs a couple of things replaced but it's a headache right now. It gets me to where I'm going but it's not the family car that I had in mind when I first found it. I think I might have a bite on it though, to sell it for what I got it for. So, no harm done.

Alan,
I'm glad your interest is minimal.
1) Yes. My WIFE has a car. It's going to be pretty hard to drive that thing around when she takes it to work in the morning.
2) Upon closer inspection of my previous posts, I thought it was pretty clear that I had a car and a prospects of a scooter. I was simply explaining that I'm not happy about having to drive a car again, but that I was grudgingly accepting the role that I think is necessary.
3) & 4) Yes. It does get cold here. At least now, on those days when it's cold and wet, I have a second option. Having a scooter will give me the ability to stay on two wheels and, in turn, not use the gas of a car on days that I can stand it, which hopefully will still be most of the time. I simply now have the option of a second car, if the family ever needs it.

[alanmcorcoran]

I used to sell cars. New and used. The used-est I would ever buy is about 12K miles. I find that the maintenance and repairs about even out after that and given the high cost of insurance and gas, I might as well drive something decent.
I also know from my experience in the business that very few people sell good used cars. If they are good, they keep driving them.

For example:

I bought my 98 Camry in 98 with about 11K on it. Still driving it (has about 125K on it now.) Bought a 98 Suburban in '97 new. Still driving that too. Has only about 40K on it (drive it mainly for vacations/skiing.) Be stupid to sell either one of them until I have reason to believe they are soon to die. My daughter has a '95 Camry that is approaching death at near 200K. I won't sell that one either, because it will be trouble for whoever buys it. I will give it away. She drove a '92 before that until it shot a rod.

I generally don't drive much. Live about 6 miles from the office. But when I do go, I don't want to be wondering if I'm actually going to get there. Or have to drive around with a trunk full of tools, oil and spare parts. Been there, done that, hope I never have to go back.

[primal]

Okay, so one thing I can't figure out... why did you sell your GZ if you are just going to get a scooter? Surely the GZ is every bit as economical as a scooter would be, plus you already had it.

[5th_bike]

My brother had an old Saab in the late eighties. For a short while. It cost too much to maintain. I hope you have better luck with it. And that the scooter works out too. And the new residence as well.

It's sad to see you got rid of the GZ250, but that's life.

I have mine for a year now and still having a lot of plain fun on it. There are so many different ways to go through a curve...

[alanmcorcoran]

He sold the bike to buy a car.
He had to sell the bike, because his "liquid cash" was needed to buy a house.
He needed the car to drive his son around.
His wife can't drive his son around because she has already been driving him around.
He can't drive his son around in her car because she drives her car to work.
And it's cold now.
He bought a cheap car so he could buy a scooter.
Not sure if he's actually bought the scooter yet, but he wanted to buy the scooter to save money. On gas.
And to stay on two wheels.
Cold is not as bad as wet and cold.
He has bigger fish to fry.

Got it? Pretty simple really.

[primal]

I guess what I'm saying is that, since the GZ250 is such a cheap bike anyway, I don't see the benefit of selling it for $1500 only to buy a scooter for $1250 (or whatever). I certainly get why he did it, but the whole thing would make a bit more sense if he had a more expensive bike. Does that make sense?

[alanmcorcoran]

Failed attempt at humor above. Didn't make sense to me either, but we've been over it.... and over it and over it.

Part of the problem I think is that I don't have an innate ability to buy things cheaply and have them work out. I know other people have this ability (to find incredible bargains), but, within limits, I generally find the more I pay for something, the less trouble I have with it. I know this is neither rational or logical but ever since I have had this attitude, life has generally been a lot easier for me. Probably just dumb luck, but whatever the reason, I stopped looking for $2000 cars a long time ago. That being said, I think if Jonathan puts his mind to it, he'll make it work. If you have more time than money, your approach to solving problems is going to look different.

In the late seventies, I drove a moped for three years, in real winters too, and everyone I knew thought I was crazy. But with a suspended driver license, no ability to afford insurance or car payments, no money for campus parking (and, no space for campus parking) it was the only way I could figure out how to get to school and my job short of walking. My first one got ripped off, and I actually borrowed money to buy a second (cheaper!) one. I don't remember what happened to that one... I suspect something not good. I am grateful I don't have to choose between a decent car and a motorcycle and I hope I retain that option for as long as I can ride/drive.

(I also lack the ability to sell used things to third parties at a decent price and without entanglements. I can remember more than one of my "pre-owned" sales from when I was at "Garage de France" coming back to the dealership on the back of a flatbed.) (Yes, the name of the dealership was "Garage de France." It does not exist anymore, but it lived on Rt. 13 in Ithaca for many years. Peugeot, Mercedes, Datsun [Nissan.] Dude that owned it's first name was Jacques. French? Probably.)

[Easy Rider]

Originally Posted by primal

Okay, so one thing I can't figure out... why did you sell your GZ if you are just going to get a scooter? Surely the GZ is every bit as economical as a scooter would be, plus you already had it.

Some variation of this, I think:

$2000 GZ = $1000 car + $1000 scooter