TICO TIME

Costa Rica Cost of Living Update: Scooter repairs-$60 for new brake pads, new gas filter, oil change, new ignition switch, taking apart and cleaning air filter

The back brakes on our scooter needed to be replaced, but in the mean time Rob resorted in only using the front brakes. This caused us to randomly skid out Evel Knievel style, and although it looked cool when Evel performed those stunts, it’s laughable when two gringos do it on a 125cc  scooter. The problem was we had a hard time finding anyone to do the work.  It looks like scooters aren’t in big demand for repairs.

Our mechanic said he has a friend who does this kind of sissy work and took us to his garage.  Not surprisingly, the shop is down a dirt road, then a dirt alley, and behind the man’s house.  In the backyard are the littered remains of jet skies, motorcycles, and other orphaned  pieces of equipment.  This is exactly the adrenaline packed machinery our scooter should be associated with.  My husband asks when to come back for the scooter. 

“Hmm…1 or 2 o’clock.”

“Ok, I’ll come back at 1,” Rob says.

“No, come back at 2,” the mechanic replies.  We end up hanging around town and returning to the garage at 2 o’clock.  The scooter is in half a million pieces, more pieces than I ever thought constitute a scooter. Rob knocks on the door and sees the man eating lunch.  He won’t get up so his wife walks out, spreads her arms around pointing to the scattered remains of our scooter, and tells Rob the bike is not done.  I suppose she thought we were legally blind and couldn’t gather that information on our own.  

“Ok, how about I come back later.  Will it be done around 8 tonight?” Rob asks.

“Definitely, come back at 8 and pick it up,” she says before returning to eat the rest of her sandwich.  We return at 8 to find our scooter in half a million pieces in his backyard.

“Come back in 20 minutes,” the man says.

“Are you sure? There are hell of a lot of parts you need to put together.” But the man shoos us away and we go to Burger King and stare at each other while eating the Costa Rica version of a Whopper. When we return the scooter is done.  He even threw in a new ignition switch that looks oddly like something you would use to start a jet ski.

Rob drove the scooter back home and enjoyed the use of the back brakes once again.  It took us all day waiting for the repairs but this was a perfect example of Tico Time.  Everything eventually gets done; there is no reason to rush. 

If you want to know how Rob looked before the brakes were fixed, here’s a little footage to give you an idea. I can already see a daredevil, death defying, supersonic, sky plane on wheels in my future. Take notice on how they kept it true to Knievel’s career, they never show the sky plane landing.

By | 2018-04-15T18:19:56-04:00 February 14th, 2011|Categories: Car|Tags: |9 Comments

About the Author:

Nadine is the author of the best-selling series, Happier Than A Billionaire. Join her as she navigates living as an expat in the sometimes confusing, always beautiful, country of Costa Rica.

9 Comments

  1. Luke March 28, 2014 at 2:07 pm - Reply

    I’m sure you get these e-mails frequently so I’ll apologize upfront. I’m looking to relocate to Central or South America. I am a small engine mechanic and I am trying to see if there is a need for this kind of service in Costa Rica or if the small engine market is saturated? I don’t know anyone living in Costa Rica so I thought I would ask you. Any info would helpful and appreciated.

    Regards,
    Luke

    • Nadine March 30, 2014 at 9:51 am - Reply

      I think so. There are a lot of scooters, motorcycles, etc here. My husband just said, “that’s the first business that I’ve heard of that might do really good down here.”

      I would stop by some mechanics down here and talk with them. You never know!

  2. Jeanine September 7, 2013 at 10:42 am - Reply

    Hi Nadine,

    I have just read 20 of these posts again and am sitting here wondering why I’m still in my office. I’m actually very excited about my company tonight. My best friend since 1961 is coming for dinner and I’m making comida tipica for them. Mary and Norman are the ones who lent me their video camera for our trip. We have 48 minutes of rollicking times to share with them tonight. And, I’m thrilled to be able to show them “official photos” of you both. She’s another recipient of your books so I won’t get any blank stares when we get to that page in the album.

    Have a wonderful day and we’ll think of you when we eat our Gallo Pinto, Pollo en Salsa, Patacones, Tortillas, Chayote, Atol de Naranja, Empanadas de Pina, y Jugo de Sandia.

    Pura Vida – Solo Bueno
    Jeanine

  3. kayla June 29, 2013 at 10:38 pm - Reply

    I love your blog! It is so helpful and reassuring. I am about to move to Costa Rica for a few months and it is so nice to see so much great input. I was curious, I know this was awhile ago, but how much did it cost for you to (buy?) your scooter? & would you say that some sort of vehicle will be an imperative expense?

    • kayla June 29, 2013 at 10:39 pm - Reply

      your *book, excuse me 🙂

    • admin July 6, 2013 at 6:30 pm - Reply

      I believe my scooter was close to $1000. But we have had it a long time and it has paid for itself by now with all the gas we saved. I don’t think anyone needs one, it just was good for our budget and a lot of fun.

  4. Todd February 15, 2011 at 1:15 am - Reply

    I have heard that before about the laid back lifestyle. Wish things were like that here.

    • admin February 15, 2011 at 8:05 am - Reply

      It can be a little frustrating. I would rather them tell me not to come back anytime soon then say it will be ready shortly.

  5. ronniesabol@yahoo.com February 14, 2011 at 6:14 pm - Reply

    i so had one of those evil kieneval bikes

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