Saturday, November 7, 2009, 3:47PM ET - Canadian Markets Closed.
City drivers around the world have long known the advantages of scooters, and Canadian urban dwellers are catching on that scooters for commuters have benefits.
An inexpensive investment
If public transit isn’t an option, a scooter is an affordable way to get motoring. A quick online search at the sites of some scooter manufacturers shows that new scooters range in price from about $2,799 to $10,499. Depending on your needs, it’s probably cheaper than purchasing a new car. And if you consider some of the other ways you'll be saving, it could pay for itself in the long run.
• Save on gas
Unlike most cars, a scooter gets great mileage, and in comparison, a tank of gas for a scooter will cost a fraction of what it takes to fill up your SUV, and you'll be filling up less often.
How much gas will you use? It will vary depending on the scooter you buy and the way you drive, but many scooters get around 2 litres per 100 kilometres driven. Compare this to the Toyota Prius (2009) which according to the EnerGuide label gets 4.0 litres per 100 kilometres in the city and gets 4.2 litres/100 kilometres driven on the highway.
• Fewer parking worries
The best thing about driving a scooter is that you can pretty much fit into any parking space, and in some places you may even be permitted to park on sidewalks or near bike racks. This means you'll get to avoid having to pay for parking; yet another bonus to driving a scooter.
Did you know some cities won’t charge you to park your scooter if it is parked in a city-owned spot where cars have to pay a meter or get a voucher from one of those pay-and-display machines? It’s true in Toronto.
• Insurance is cheap
To top it all off, if you’re debating between buying a new scooter or a new car chances are the insurance for a new scooter is cheaper.
To illustrate, online quotes for a popular scooter (a Vespa) and an equally popular car (a Toyota Corolla) were obtained for a 25-year old male with a clean driving record who's been licensed since he was 20 living in Calgary and Toronto. In both scenarios, the scooter was cheaper to insure then the car; in Calgary it was over $1,000 cheaper, and in Toronto almost $300 cheaper.
In this particular example, the scooter costs less to insure than a car in both cities. If you think about the savings you'll be making in gas on top of this, a scooter is a good way to save money on transport.
Compare insurance quotes for your scooter today to get the best rate.
Need another reason to scooter?
If you’re looking for an eco-friendlier way to get around town, since scooters use less gas, it’s not only more economical, but better for the environment than a gas guzzling SUV.
But remember to shop around...
Whether you decide to purchase a scooter or stick to a car, it's always a good idea to compare insurance rates. Every insurer has their own way of rating vehicles so what you pay with one insurer is unlikely to be the same with another, making shopping around for the coverage you need the best money-saving insurance tip around.
Rates provided by 
| Mortgages Type | Rate |
|---|---|
| 1-yr Closed | 3.59% |
| 3-yr Closed | 4.22% |
| 5-yr Closed | 5.07% |
| GICs Type | Rate |
|---|---|
| 1-yr Annual | 0.98% |
| 3-yr Annual | 2.16% |
| 5-yr Annual | 2.80% |
| RRSP Type | Rate |
|---|---|
| 1-yr | 0.97% |
| 3-yr | 2.13% |
| 5-yr | 2.78% |
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