The average person does more than 12K miles per year; the number is somewhere between 15K and 17K. Furthermore, you can add the costs of wear items like clutches, brakes, belts, and tires into the list. Proper auto maintenance, like proper bike maintenance, is much more involved than just changing the oil every three thousand miles. Things like cleaning throttle bodies, changing spark plugs, and changing air filters need to be done regularly; and big overhaul items, like timing belts and top-end cleans, musn't be overlooked.

One musn't also forget the costs of fuel and insurance. If I didn't own a car, I'd save about $300 a month in miscellaneous automotive costs.