DrInnovation -
Quote:
Originally Posted by DrInnovation
Actually a used car is not always better. Consider the calculator and examples
A free calculator for Economy, Hybrid and Electric Cars
In most cases a used (5 year old) Honda Civic, in 8-year total cost of ownership is not as good a new Hybrid, EV (leaf) or Volt. It all depends on pricing of gas, electric and the type of driving you do. It would have been cheaper to keep my 17year old honda (33-37mpg) a while longer. But the Volt is not just about penny. Compared to buying a new BWM or a Lexus or even a PIP/Leaf, it will save me money. More importantly its a great car to drive and I'm doing mostly renewable energy for driving! |
Pretty cool website. I like how they portray different driving usage.
I think if you have the skilzz or a trusty mechanic and a network forum dedicated to your make/model, then a used car is almost always better. But without that the website is useful.
The Volt/BMW/Lexus examples are front-loaded with higher debt and insurance costs. If you can afford the higher initial cost, then great. On the other hand, the front-loading does not offer significant advantage over the used Civic.
Don't get me wrong, I love the Volt and hope it succeeds on every level, but I can't ju$tify it.
CarloSW2