I'm heading out west to work and get a piece of the oil sands pie
. Here on the East coast of Canada that's what you do lately when you're not tied to anything and tired of your home town. A typical job for a good man in a trade pays $10/h+ higher than your highest paying job back home, plus 2x or 2.5x overtime rates and immediate full benefits, and paid living expenses, paid relocation packages, etc.
I haven't even been working in my trade since there are no jobs in my area. I've been detailing cars for the past two years to feed myself since my last job.
So if you were suddenly making approximately 20 times what you were used to making, what car would you go out and buy? I don't think I can fly my current car out there? It's not that good?
I would never buy a new car again. I bought two new cars when I first got work out of college and after I had to sell them once the money stopped I realized that buying brand new vehicles is one of the biggest wastes of money out there. I sold each for almost half of what I paid for them. I also bought a used truck in that same time period, and I got more for that than what I paid, so there it is.
I was thinking of getting a used modern version of my diesel golf, or a diesel Volvo S60, or something, but I would like like to stay away from diesel for a couple of reasons:
1. Diesel is more expensive than regular gas. I mean congrats to me if I can get 53MPG in my diesel, but a gas car at 40mpg would have a similar fuel bill/cost per km... (warning: these numbers are fudged)
2. Diesels have turbos (at least any diesel I would buy) and you shouldn't EOC a turbo vehicle. Suddenly stopping the flow of cooling lubricating oil to the turbo bearing is going to lead to failure, especially if you like to push at 97% load (diesel remember), then glide with your engine off.
I get inspired by the good folks on here that get 60+ MPG in cars like the 1992 Civic (I used to have a 93), and the Geo Metros. I've looked around my area for those civics and nearly every one of them is rusted to death, never to be revived. I've decided to avoid rust like the plague so long as I have a means to avoid it. I don't think I could bring myself to drive something like a Geo Metro, I'm just too far removed. Plus my girlfriend would think I lost it for buying an old beater when we are no longer forced to drive in an old beater.
I was looking at the used Honda CRZs. They go for 20,000-24,000 as certified pre-owned from Honda, with 120,000km power train warranties, etc. I know that they get a lot of negative criticism because they don't have as much power as an S2000 and they don't get as good an EPA mileage figure as an insight. They are stuck somewhere in between. However I have seen reports of drivers (hypermilers) reaching 60MPG in these new CRZs, and in my opinion, these little cars have a hell of a lot more street appeal/better looks than most other economy cars available today. I've always liked Hondas, and I've owned a few of their classic and new cars and bikes over the years and liked them all. So it is my natural tendancy to look at this CRZ.
Now, tell me what you would buy if you wanted to maximize your fuel economy in a somewhat modern kind of way? What if you were looking for 60+MPG? Do I really have to get a Prius? Or a Metro?
Sorry for the gigantic post folks, I was just going to ask a simple question.. honest...
