So a few weeks ago I
asked for opinions on what you folks thought about what kind of vehicle I should use for work. I thought about things and went down a few different paths that would always end up in hours spent researching and finally made a decision that I had always said I would never do.
I'd like to present Vera Lynn to you.
Getting anything without someone else taking the new car depreciation hit has always been against my nature. She had 16 miles on the odometer when I took it for a test drive. She's a 2015 Nissan Versa Note S with a 1.6 liter and manual everything except the mirrors, which is just what I wanted. I'm of the opinion that the more they keep putting in vehicles just means there's more to break. Considering I prefer to tend to keep them a while and maintain my own vehicles this is a huge plus.
The only thing I wish I could have had that was not available in this trim was the auto closing shutters. Amusingly enough, the auto is rated at 31/40 while the manual is 27/36, and the manual is only available in the lowest trim. I've really missed having a manual and no way was I going to get another automatic, even if I could have jumped up a level or two in trim for the same price.
The truck this replaces was a 1993 F250 7.3 liter diesel I had owned for about 11 years, and I hated to see it go. But after running the numbers, just fuel was averaging me about a quarter a mile, and prices won't stay this low forever. Parts for that trucks are super cheap compared to newer ones, but stuff like the diesel tax and 10 quarts of oil per change also add up pretty quickly.
Going by a combination of KBB and Edmunds the total cost of ownership for this should be in the range of 35 cents per mile at the five year mark. I couldn't resist the idea of having a factory (and extended) warranty for while plus something I can know the history of rather than playing the used car lottery as I have always had, for not too much less money.