Is it worth trading in that gas guzzler?

[Vipper VI]

http://www.edmunds.com/calculators/gas-guzzler.html

2008 Honda Civic
Hybrid 4dr Sedan (1.3L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)

2005 Nissan Altima
2.5 S 4dr Sedan (2.5L 4cyl 5M)

Cost of Fuel-Efficient Car Minus Trade-In: $12,394.00
MPG of Fuel-Efficient Vehicle: 42
MPG of My Trade-In: 26
Number of Miles Driven per Month: 800
Price of Gas: $4.00
Amount Saved on Gas (per month): $51.81
Number of months to break even and begin saving money on gas: 239

Hot damn! Only 20 years to break even.

[monolith94]

Well, gas probably isn't going to stay at $4. As a finite resource, as global demand increases, global production isn't going to be able to catch up. Really, our only hope is reducing consumption per person. So what is it: do you want to be part of the problem, our part of the solution?

That said, I wouldn't go for a hybrid at this particular moment. Maybe in a couple of years when the tech is better. My old volvo gets pretty good mpg. Maybe around 30? I drive 55 on the highway, is how I stay afloat.

[Sycophant]

I'm always a bit baffled by how little an improvement hybrids seem to be over gasoline-only cars. My little Mitsubishi coupe that I used to have got almost thirty in city and mid-thirties on the freeway. We need more than a 50% improvement.

[MadMan]

My current 1997 Nissen Sentra gets pretty good gas milage (about 20 MPG I believe, but I'd have to check). I can't even afford a hybrid at this point, but I'm sure 10-20 years down the road I'll probably buy one, although I bet by then they'll have something else out that's even better. Hopefully anyways, although God knows how much the auto companies like to resist change.

[Justin]

I'm always a bit baffled by how little an improvement hybrids seem to be over gasoline-only cars. My little Mitsubishi coupe that I used to have got almost thirty in city and mid-thirties on the freeway. We need more than a 50% improvement.

I have a Prius and get about an average of 45 mpg, usually a steady 50 when it is on cruise control on the interstate. I usually get about 420-430 miles on a tank of gas, most ever was in the 460 range. It all depends on the driver, I could easily average in the 30s if I slammed on the gas more and didn't know how to coast properly in the car, but I just take it easy on the accelerator(and I am not a slow driver).

[shaun]

I have a 15mpg Jeep Cherokee and a fill up is about $60. I have absolutely no financial incentive to get rid of it since it's paid off and I drive a max of 5k miles per year anyways.

Gas could be $8/gallon and the yearly difference between the Jeep and a new 35mpg car would still only be a couple monthly payments on the new one.

[Ezee E]

I have a 15mpg Jeep Cherokee and a fill up is about $60. I have absolutely no financial incentive to get rid of it since it's paid off and I drive a max of 5k miles per year anyways.

Gas could be $8/gallon and the yearly difference between the Jeep and a new 35mpg car would still only be a couple monthly payments on the new one.
Yeah, I have a '97 Saturn that is completely paid off and gets me 32-35 MPG. I drive probably 1K/month.

That thing is going to go until it's dead.

[chrisnu]

The only way I'd consider buying a new car, just because, is if it ran entirely on electricity, or another alternative fuel. The fuel savings would have to be pretty radical. I'm not going to spend thousands on a new car just to save face.

[monolith94]

So do I have the oldest care here, with a 1993???

[EyesWideOpen]

My current 1997 Nissen Sentra gets pretty good gas milage (about 20 MPG I believe, but I'd have to check). I can't even afford a hybrid at this point, but I'm sure 10-20 years down the road I'll probably buy one, although I bet by then they'll have something else out that's even better. Hopefully anyways, although God knows how much the auto companies like to resist change.


If 10-20 years from now a hybrid is the best solution we have to stop using gasoline cars then we as a society failed.

[Yxklyx]

My current 1997 Nissen Sentra gets pretty good gas milage (about 20 MPG I believe, but I'd have to check)....

I'm pretty sure my old '84 Sentra gave me 30 MPG in a combination of highway and city driving. It seems that MPGs have gone down over the years for the same size cars - perhaps the engines are more powerful.

All I know is that back in '84 20 MPG was not considered "pretty good" but pretty awful.

[Lucky]

Yeah, I have a '97 Saturn that is completely paid off and gets me 32-35 MPG. I drive probably 1K/month.

That thing is going to go until it's dead.

I also plan on driving my Saturn to the ground. $40 fill ups are really nice when I watch my friend fill up his Explorer's tank for nearly twice that.

[Wryan]

So do I have the oldest care here, with a 1993???

'94 Toyota Corolla.

[Wryan]

I just did that calc.

602 years. And a half.