Gas payback calculator
07-09-2008, 09:04 AM
#11
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seems to me if you want to save money sell your gas guzzler that has already depreciated a lot. then buy a used scooter that someone else paid the deprecation on and you would start saving immediately.
You have already eaten the depreciation of the gas guzzler. You aren't getting that back. If you guys a used scooter there is only so much deprecation that thing can take as it's used and not very expensive anyway. Much savings for you.
You have already eaten the depreciation of the gas guzzler. You aren't getting that back. If you guys a used scooter there is only so much deprecation that thing can take as it's used and not very expensive anyway. Much savings for you.
07-09-2008, 10:32 AM
#12
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Thread Starter
Originally Posted by rai,Jul 9 2008, 09:42 AM
another point, does a hybrid really get 45 mpg? It depends on how you drive. Clarkson did a test with a Prius on the race track he got ~17 mpg. Not saying it's that in real world but if you like to have your foot into it the hybrids are just slow cars with average fuel economy.
17 mpg at the track is quite good. My S2000 gets only 9 in those conditions.
07-09-2008, 11:03 AM
#13
Originally Posted by airgate,Jul 9 2008, 08:45 AM
Most of the Hyrbids I see in Charlotte on the interstate are doing 80mph+ I'd say that's not the most fuel efficient way to drive a Hyrbid. 
I did a calculation. If gas hits $10 a gallon, and I trade my SUV in for a G35, and go from 14MPG to 30MPG and I get $13,000 for my car, and pay $33,000 for the G it would STILL take 5 years to pay for the G.
07-09-2008, 11:04 AM
#14
Originally Posted by Elistan,Jul 9 2008, 12:32 PM
17 mpg at the track is quite good. My S2000 gets only 9 in those conditions.
07-09-2008, 11:17 AM
#15
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Thread Starter
I recall that one of the reasons that the Porsche 956 and 962 were so successful was they got much better gas mileage than the other race cars of the time - at an extraordinary 4 mpg! 
07-09-2008, 12:30 PM
#16
I was playing around with the idea of trading in my Yukon using more realistic numbers. Like $12,000 for my truck, $18,000 for a used Accord, it would take me 5 years to make back an $8,000 difference (TTL, etc)
Even at a $3,000 difference it would take me a year and a half to recoup costs. And the Yukon has been 100% reliable. It's 4wheel drive. I have had 6 PASSENGERS in the car at once. The 1.5yr prospect is more tempting, but for that I am talking about a used Civic, not an Accord.
Hrm.
Even at a $3,000 difference it would take me a year and a half to recoup costs. And the Yukon has been 100% reliable. It's 4wheel drive. I have had 6 PASSENGERS in the car at once. The 1.5yr prospect is more tempting, but for that I am talking about a used Civic, not an Accord.
Hrm.
07-09-2008, 03:16 PM
#17
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Originally Posted by Humanatek,Jul 9 2008, 08:18 AM
There are always exceptions to the rule though. Where I live, Premium is $4.70-$4.80/gallon and my LR3 is costing me $200-$250 week to fill up depending on variances in schedule. My monthly payments are nearly $600/month and I am about $6k right side up (even with the huge drop in prices recently). I can sell that car, take $2-3k of that money and use as a down-payment on a lease for a car that gets 3X the gas mileage and costs me half as much a month in payments. Suddenly I am saving $800/month and I get to put $3k in the bank too. Not to mention, my LR3's value is going to do nothing but decline further so the sooner I unload it, the more money I will retain.
Oh...and that doesn't even take into consideration insurance savings and the savings of having to constantly have a British made luxury vehicle in the shop once every 6 weeks.
Oh...and that doesn't even take into consideration insurance savings and the savings of having to constantly have a British made luxury vehicle in the shop once every 6 weeks.
To put it another way with gas at $2/gallon if you'd done exactly the same thing (LR3 to leased Civic) you'd only be saving about 500-600 per month. How did $200-300 a month suddenly make you change your mind that buying luxury vehicles was a waste of money and that what you really should be doing is driving around in under powered economy cars?
07-09-2008, 03:28 PM
#18
Since I work from home, I only realy drive to go out for lunch ect... it said I would break even in 58.79 years!
With the current life expectance at 78 and I am 33, the math just does not do it for me.
With the current life expectance at 78 and I am 33, the math just does not do it for me.
07-09-2008, 04:31 PM
#19
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Originally Posted by Malloric,Jul 9 2008, 03:16 PM
If you'd rather drive a leased Civic than an LR3 its up to you. That begs the question of why you bought the LR3 in the first place. Most peoples need for conspicuous consumption does not turn off when it suddenly costs them a couple hundred bucks a month more than it was.
To put it another way with gas at $2/gallon if you'd done exactly the same thing (LR3 to leased Civic) you'd only be saving about 500-600 per month. How did $200-300 a month suddenly make you change your mind that buying luxury vehicles was a waste of money and that what you really should be doing is driving around in under powered economy cars?
To put it another way with gas at $2/gallon if you'd done exactly the same thing (LR3 to leased Civic) you'd only be saving about 500-600 per month. How did $200-300 a month suddenly make you change your mind that buying luxury vehicles was a waste of money and that what you really should be doing is driving around in under powered economy cars?
That being said, I have decided to stop killing the environment for one. With a current average of 12.5mpg, a new A4 will virtually triple the mileage. Civic
07-09-2008, 10:47 PM
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Well, let me know how you end up saving $800 a month going from an LR3 to even a base model A4. If you lay aside your defensiveness you'll notice that something other than the $200 extra gas it costs you to drive a conspicuous vehicle is what is driving your switch. You don't care as much about cars and want to save the money you'd been spending on conspicuous consumption to achieve a more secure financial future. The gas savings is just an icing on the cake.