Finding an older car, 3 or 4 years old, that gets around 30 mph might be more economically feasible than new and still pay the note in the fuel savings on that 75 mile commute.

I have a great commuter car. 2000 Toyota Corolla with 180,000 miles which my 18 year old son now drives. It got 38.5 mpg on the last fill up even with him driving it. Between myself, my wife and him, we are spending about $1,200 a month in gas right now here in LA county.

Half of my customers have dropped out of the Fun Ford racing circuit. I looked through my records for 2005. Diesel was 1.62 a gallon and my April fuel bill was 700 bucks including hauling to two events in two bordering states. Now I spend 400 a month going to and from the office...

quote:

Originally posted by Cajun:
Finding an older car, 3 or 4 years old, that gets around 30 mph might be more economically feasible than new and still pay the note in the fuel savings on that 75 mile commute.

I couldn't agree more Cajun.

Just a quick run down of what we just considered. Both of our trucks run between 15 to 20mpg. We pay roughly $77 in gas a week to fill up.

We figured conservatively at 15mpg we pay $80 a week. We looked at a Toyota Prius and of course as their popularity increases so does the price. In the Dallas area its almost impossible to find a strip down Prius they all have a ton of options, and the cheapest I could find was for $25,000 at 5%. Monthly payment was around $450 or so.

With the Prius we figured we would have to fill up once a week at roughly $44 a week at 45mpg compared to the $80 at 15mpg on the big trucks, and paying $4.00 a gallon.

Bottom line we would save $140 per month between a 15mpg truck and a 45mpg Prius just in gas. Between the car payment and having our fuel suckers paid off $140 in fuel savings just doesn't seem like big savings for us.

I still want to get a economical car, and my buddy just bought a Hyundai for $9,800 brand new, and gets 38mpg, now that is a deal. Monthly payment is $170 which would offset the gas savings.

In my opinion I would buy a car that is between $10,000 to $15,000 ie; Hyundai, or Honda Civic, and gets at least 35mpg. Of course safety becomes an issue.

We may hold out for the Chevy Volt which is pure electric, and supposed to get over 100miles in range, but its not coming out until 2010, which is only two years away. Danger is it will be first year vehicle, but it would be great to have a vehicle gas free.

You have to drive enough and buy a cheap enough beater to make it any kind of real savings. A lot of folks will always have a car payment and are just trying to get their fuel costs down. So they are trading into smaller more efficient cars to lower the fuel end of the pie. I have always been comfortable with a 5-600 car payment. It is the 5-700 fuel bill that stings my butt! That means I pay 1000-1200 a month to drive NOT counting insurance $60, wear and tear etc. That is more than my mortgage! There is a huge savings right now from diesel to gas since diesel is about a dollar higher per gallon... I don't know which way it is going to go, probably UP! If we have any hurricane damage this year it will cripple the country...

As long as Oil is traded on the open market it will sell for top dollar as long as someone out there is willing to buy it for that price.

This reminds me a lot like what happen in Calif a years back with the energy crisis, when those scumbag energy traders ran up the cost of electricity on purpose.

Oh, I hear you on the fuel cost like I said we pay $80 a week in fuel that is $320 a month, but I really thought we would save more money with a hybrid per month, but between the hybrid car payment, and insurance its a wash. I am really hoping for an all electric car.

hybrids only save money in traffic. But here is the catch. You can't run A/C or Heat in traffic without running the gas engine. So if you are on the highway you are burning gas and getting lower economy. hybrids only shine in stop and go traffic where they can use the electric motor.

Right now I am looking at trading in my King Ranch F-150 for a new Hybrid Escape and an small ATV trailer. The Escape gets 34 miles per gallon and the f-150 gets 13mpg. I drive almost 2500 miles a month so this is some huge savings.

I rode with a guy Saturday that was pulling his Can-Am ATV with an V6 Escape. He said great gas mileage without the ATV and trailer, but horrible, like as in the 12-16 MPG range pulling his trailer and ATV. It was a small steel trailer so if you were to go aluminum you might do a little better with the weight savings, but I wouldn't be expecting too good pulling a load!

quote:

Originally posted by Renegader:
Right now I am looking at trading in my King Ranch F-150 for a new Hybrid Escape and an small ATV trailer. The Escape gets 34 miles per gallon and the f-150 gets 13mpg. I drive almost 2500 miles a month so this is some huge savings.

Beware, Ford does not recommend towing with a hybird or anything with a CVT transmission. We just got through replacing a transmission in a Freestyle that had a CVT. You can tow with a V6 and 4 cylinder non-hybird Escape though.

There is no single solution to fit everybody's needs.

At first glance, my new plan defies logic:
I plan to move FROM a location downtown, within walking distance to lots of places, bus stop on the corner, and trolly 1/2 block away - TO a remote location in the middle-of-nowhere Colorado. And I'll keep driving my 1999 Dodge 2500 4x4 diesel truck!

But it ain't as bad as it sounds.
I used to work from home. Now I don't work. Period. D:
If I need to go somewhere, I hit one stop-sign when I get on the highway, then it is MILES before I see another stop-sign or a red light (those monstrocities KILL MPG!).

The truck is paid for. Not towing, open road I CAN get up to 25 mpg if I just keep it at 55mph. If I chose to tow something - I CAN pull heavy loads over mountian passes in overdrive except on the curvy parts. At the push of a button I can change my settings from "economy" mode to "go kill something" (go really fast and make smoke!)

I do plan to install an aux. fuel tank so I can go a long time between fill-ups, and refuel down the hill (Divid or Woodland Park) where diesel is about .50/gallon cheaper than Hartsel (Hartsel was $5.10 when I passed thru there last Saturday; Woodland Park was $4.47!)

If I choose to, I CAN brew my own biodiesel.

I still might look for a cheap, used Jeep or Suziki Samuri or similar for a beater to explore the "no offroad"/"no unlicensed vehicles" roads in the area and make an occasional trip to Buena Vista for supplies or to take the grandkids for a ride 4-wheeling.

I am also buying a BIGGER enclosed ATV/Snowmobile trailer so that I can "truck-pool" with friends to distant ATV trails.

As for all the hype about the NEW cars... BS!
Most get no better mileage than the 1984 Honda Civic S that we used to own. Where's the PROGRESS in 20+ years? Nothing but hype and higher prices!

Oh yeah .. about that new home...
I DO plan to install a windmill, solar panels, and a backup generator. Probably DIESEL!
It already has a wood-burning heater, and there is PLENTY of wood all around!

Y'all do what you have to to survive the fuel price madness, but don't join in the panic.
A new car is not always the best answer.
You can save a lot cutting out un-necessary trips, drive slower, HYPERMILING (*without* unsafe tailgating!)

Steve-O bought a Ninja. This post is worthless without his pictures. Lets see pictures Steve-O.

Ronnie

Here he is I caught him at a local track...

quote:

Originally posted by ProspectorTim:
As for all the hype about the NEW cars... BS!
Most get no better mileage than the 1984 Honda Civic S that we used to own. Where's the PROGRESS in 20+ years?

My point exactly. There was no incentive to create vehicles with higher milage. Thes Feds only recently increased CAFE requirements. Gas was cheap and plentiful. I think the technology is there to create more efficient vehicles and I'm willing to wait and see what the manufacturers will offer. Not to mention the trend is to gouge the consumer for the higher mileage vehicles available today.

quote:

Originally posted by Cajun:

quote:

Originally posted by ProspectorTim:
As for all the hype about the NEW cars... BS!
Most get no better mileage than the 1984 Honda Civic S that we used to own. Where's the PROGRESS in 20+ years?

My point exactly. There was no incentive to create vehicles with higher milage. Thes Feds only recently increased CAFE requirements. Gas was cheap and plentiful. I think the technology is there to create more efficient vehicles and I'm willing to wait and see what the manufacturers will offer. Not to mention the trend is to gouge the consumer for the higher mileage vehicles available today.

I couldn't agree with both of you guys more. You are better off buying a small Hyundai or Civic between 10 - 15 grand, as opposed to one of these Hybrids for 25+.

It almost like these manufacturers want to stretch out these cars to make money, as opposed to jumping to what we need.

Like I said this new Chevy Volt that is supposed to come out in 2010 is going to be interesting the first real "commercial" 100% Electric Car.

But, the Feds are goons on this issue look how they destroyed the diesel market with all these emission requirements.

The newer cars are a lot safer crash wise than old cars. The emissions and safety have added weight and reduced fuel economy over the old cars. I don't want to be fixing a 20 year old car though..