Looking for a high mpg car

[DLyon]

I don't understand buying a second car to save money on gas. The intial cost of the vehicle, maintenance, and insurance on another vehicle has got to surpass the savings in fuel, doesn't it?

[Whaler]

We have a 2008 VW New Beetle automatic. Our driving is all city and only about 350 miles a month. In the 4 months that we have had it we have averaged 21 mpg. Lots of power and fun to drive and with the back seat folded down there is tons of cargo space. It's a very well made solid car.

[jking]

I don't understand buying a second car to save money on gas. The intial cost of the vehicle, maintenance, and insurance on another vehicle has got to surpass the savings in fuel, doesn't it?

I've considered buying a scooter for driving to work. Even with $4 gas, I figured an initial investment of $2,000 would take well over three years to pay off. This compared to my Explorer. I figured 100 mpg for the scooter & 16 mpg for the Explorer.

It makes sense to buy more efficient if you are already looking to replace a car. It's pretty hard to justify buying an addtional car simply to save gas. The payback on hybrids is close to 20 years.

[jussi]

I don't understand buying a second car to save money on gas. The intial cost of the vehicle, maintenance, and insurance on another vehicle has got to surpass the savings in fuel, doesn't it?

Well he has a bigger SUV when he has to go somewhere with the family but obviously doesn't need one to go to work. And the SUV is a bit of a gas hog.

Thanks for all the suggestion guys.

[DLyon]

Well he has a bigger SUV when he has to go somewhere with the family but obviously doesn't need one to go to work. And the SUV is a bit of a gas hog.

Thanks for all the suggestion guys.

I'd have him do the math before he buys anything.

[Russianwolf]

15000 miles per year. 15mpg (for most large trucks/suvs). Gas at $4/gallon.

That's $4000 a year in fuel costs. If you get something at 30 mpg. That's a $2000 per year savings in fuel. Insurance won't jump too much as you have more vehicles than persons (hopefully), so one becomes a "hobby/weekend" car which is cheap.

So assuming gas stays at this level and doesn't go higher in the future (I'm betting it will), A 30 mpg vehicle will pay for itself in about 5 years. Find something with better economy 35-45 and the payoff is shorter.

[footprintsinconc]

well, i'd suggest doing the math as well, keeping in mind the extra insurance, maintanence, car payments over what is saved on gas.

i bought a hyundia elantra hatchback and it gets about 30mpg. this is our second car, and since i drive the most, i drive it all the time. its a huge car, i have brought many things inside it (100 board ft maple at one time). i love it. we try not to drive our safari mini van, its takes a lot of gas. this car is big enough for our whole family. so we drive this every where, and the van is used only when my wife need to take the kids somewhere. hopefully, she will learn to drive stick, so i can get a motorcycle, soon.

[DLyon]

15000 miles per year. 15mpg (for most large trucks/suvs). Gas at $4/gallon.

That's $4000 a year in fuel costs. If you get something at 30 mpg. That's a $2000 per year savings in fuel. Insurance won't jump too much as you have more vehicles than persons (hopefully), so one becomes a "hobby/weekend" car which is cheap.

So assuming gas stays at this level and doesn't go higher in the future (I'm betting it will), A 30 mpg vehicle will pay for itself in about 5 years. Find something with better economy 35-45 and the payoff is shorter.

You forgot the price of the second car. Even if you save $2,000 a year in fuel, it's going to take a minimum of 5 years (assuming a $10,000 vehicle is purchased) just to break even. That doesn't include interest on the loan, full coverage insurance (yes, your insurance will go up at least somewhat) maintenance, etc, etc.

[LCHIEN]

You said he's looking to buy a n car for thecommuter? just having 10-20,000 tied up in the new car, will cost you, plus the depreciation of around $1000-2000 will offset any fuel savings.

[JR]

maintenance, etc, etc.

Maintenance costs would go down, assuming the driver displaces his SUV commuting miles with econobox commuting miles. SUVs can be expensive to maintain, with bigger tires, bigger oil sump, and possibly/probably a trans cooler, transfer case, front differential.

JR

[jussi]

You guys make good points. I'll let him know that as well. Actually I told him to ditch the whole idea of a car and get a motorcycle but he said he's too old to learn to ride one.

[docrowan]

You forgot the price of the second car. Even if you save $2,000 a year in fuel, it's going to take a minimum of 5 years (assuming a $10,000 vehicle is purchased) just to break even. That doesn't include interest on the loan, full coverage insurance (yes, your insurance will go up at least somewhat) maintenance, etc, etc.

Are there any new cars available for $10,000? I bought my 1991 1.5L Mitsubishi Mirage for $9,000 in 1991, and it was a demo model that had a couple thousand miles on it. I was excited about the Honda Fit when it came out at $16,000.

[messmaker]

You should look at a lease turn-in Toyota Corolla. They are solid cars that are near the top for MPG. You should be able to get one for less than 10 grand.

[ironhat]

You should look at a lease turn-in Toyota Corolla. They are solid cars that are near the top for MPG. You should be able to get one for less than 10 grand.

Where do you locate these? When I turned in my Caravan lease he said that they bring in an auto hauler one day a week and fill it. He said that he believed that they went to auction but didn't know where.

[LinuxRandal]

I had a friend, who one vehicle was ready to be replaced. (married, retired, has grandkids). He signed up for one of those smart cars (1.0 3 cylinder), and when gas was around $1 cheaper a gallon, they called him and said one was in, and the two people before him said no. He went and picked it up. I believe their base price is around $15,000, but it is getting like the 70's.

Back then, my mom bought her first car. A VW bug, autostick. A year and a half later, she was offered twice the price she gave for it. There are a LOT of people around here, getting 20+ year old econoboxes, back into shape and driving them.
If he has any mechanical aptitude, might consider pretending to be searching for a 16 year old, and do things like swap leaking valve cover gaskets, etc., buying used and driving it around town (not for LONG trips).