Wagon ftw. That's why they are so popular in Europe, because in Europe, people are generally more intelligent.
Yeah, and Europe is about to implode because of all the large minds. Europeans have wagons because they have way less space and resources then Americans and thus have to make more utilitarian and practical choices. I have seven cars, how many average Europeans even have the space for two?
As much as I love wagons, I never understood how people freak at the price at the pump but will turn a blind eye to a larger sum being taken out of their bank account.
The solution to your gas troubles lies in a new vehicle. What? The added cost of a new vehicle almost always outstrips the difference being saved at the pump, especially if buying new and only keeping the vehicle for a relatively short duration.
If you want a new car, and can afford it, just get it. But if you need a reason to justify it to a SO, then by all means do the hand wave and point at the increase in mpg without doing the math to see if it is actually saving you anything.
I'll use my mom as an example. She was still driving a 1995 Dodge Ram Van 1500 that was paid off. They called it the beast because it took so much gas. I think they averaged it out to around 12-13mpg. We had the V8 in it. They were spending about $70 a week on gas in that thing. She decided to get rid of it and bought a brand new Prius in late 2007 right as gas was creeping towards $3.
Did she make back that money right away? Nope. But in the long run she's made out on it. It's already paid off and she only spends about $100 a month on gas. I want to say her lifetime average is around 46 last i saw.
I know a lot of people that are getting out of gas guzzling SUV's for fuel efficient cars that still have note's on their vehicles. Most are not upside down on amount owed vs value, but the amount they spend in gas alone makes it worth it, plus the reduced cost of monthly car payments.
I still don't get how she is ahead. So she's saved ~$10k in gas in the last four years by swapping. Ignoring maintenance, taxes, etc, I don't know of any new Prius that is only $10k. Sure, it's paid off, so she's paying less at the pump than before, but only if you focus on what is being lost at the pump and forget about the cost to actually purchase and pay off that new vehicle.
Either way, they aren't the focus of what I was saying, as they kept a vehicle for 12 years. So in the end, they are in a newer, nicer, vehicle that will eventually pay itself off by gas alone. I don't see someone who is getting the urge to upgrade after only two years keeping the vehicle long enough to cover the cost solely in gas by upgrading from a 2010 to a 2012 vehicle.
There is a big difference going from a 12mpg to a 46mpg compared to 18 to [18/20/22/25]-ish depending on the car listed. Going from 18 to say the 25mpg, and spending $100 a week on the 18mpg car would be ~$72 per week on the 25mpg car. You'd save ~$1500 a year on gas. At that point it makes sense to get the newer vehicle if you can trade the old one in, buy the new one, and come out ahead after the x years you are going to keep it.
The "you" isn't directed at anyone specifically. Just needed an easy to use pronoun there. By looking at the numbers quickly though, if any car on that list was going to have the best chance of paying itself off it would be the wagon, just going by the list prices on their websites. And, it is a sweet looking car. If I wanted it, and had the money, I would get it.
This. Fun to troll SUV owners by calling their pride/joy a wagon. :twisted: