The Perfect Moment

The car turned 200,000 miles today. I can't take credit for all of those miles, having bought the vehicle with something like 125,000 miles on it. But in the last 3 and a half years, this $2,600 automobile has ferried me around flawlessly, leaving me stranded only 3 times. Twice was in my driveway, in need of a new battery, and once, in a parking lot when I had the engine off and the music on for a long time. I pulled out my cables and had it jumped before AAA ever got there.

I have calculated the cost of operating my 1996 Mitsubishi Galant, and find it to be really cheap when compared to buying, or leasing, anything else. It gets between 25 to 30 miles per gallon, depending on several factors. It has taken me on trips into the mountains, as well as just going into town while shopping. The total cost per mile to own and operate this car, including gas, is about 28 cents per mile. Gas is by far the most expensive portion of this, averaging about 14-15 cents per mile, based on about $3.78 per gallon and a 27 mile per gallon average. In other words, half of the cost to operate this vehicle for 75,000 miles has been spent on gas!

It's really a perfect moment when you watch the numbers roll over. I tried to take the picture while driving, but it came out a bit blurry, so I took this one after I pulled over. Probably a good idea if I want the car to get to 250,000 miles. Beyond that, well, let's just say that we're taking it 50,000 miles at a time...