Fates conspire for best MPG ever!

[Mifunego]

Yes, I've been in the habit of driving more conservatively for a while now (shift early, don't let boost spool up, drive at the speed limit) but that's been about it. I have taken a few short road trips, but the overall tank mpg hasn't gone up that much. Until now! Even with 2 other adults in the car, the a/c running, and with a very non-Ecomodder caravan leader to follow, I hit 30.99 mpg which included highway and city. Sure that doesn't sound great among the gas-stingy crowd, but as the EPA for my car is 18/26, I'm pretty stoked with 30.99, especially considering the conditions.

Of course, the question that follows is: why bother commuting in a car that begs to go fast - where 30.99mpg is an achievement? Why not in the Fiesta/Prius/Cruze/etc.?

I have to keep telling myself: because I'll lose my a$$ on the trade-in or sale. So for the time-being, my commute will have to continue to be an excercise in self-control, with limited benefits... I guess I'll have to start with the car mods next.

[Backtobasics]

Progress is progress. 35% over EPA is nothing to be shamed about.

[myrefugeisintheLord]

Great Job!

I LOVE playing music loud with sub woofers and all, and having my moonroof open, so I say to myself that "I tuck my side mirrors in so that I CAN play my music". In reality it isn't an equal trade. And sometimes the "Need for speed" is too tempting, and I enjoy a speedy drive once in a while. But at certain prime hypermiling spots along the way I still hypermile. I will get way better mileage then EPA when I enjoy a fast drive, but I STILL HAVE to enjoy myself once in a while. It's worth an extra dollar for me. And the music is a MUST when I'm by myself! Numbers aren't everything. Don't get me wrong, my goal is still 35 MPG average. But the journey there needs to be fun, or I will never get there! : )

[California98Civic]

Originally Posted by myrefugeisintheLord

Great Job!

I LOVE playing music loud with sub woofers and all, and having my moonroof open, so I say to myself that "I tuck my side mirrors in so that I CAN play my music". In reality it isn't an equal trade. And sometimes the "Need for speed" is too tempting, and I enjoy a speedy drive once in a while. But at certain prime hypermiling spots along the way I still hypermile. I will get way better mileage then EPA when I enjoy a fast drive, but I STILL HAVE to enjoy myself once in a while. It's worth an extra dollar for me. And the music is a MUST when I'm by myself! Numbers aren't everything. Don't get me wrong, my goal is still 35 MPG average. But the journey there needs to be fun, or I will never get there! : )

Always remember to enjoy what you bought the car for.

[HannahWCU]

Originally Posted by Mifunego

Of course, the question that follows is: why bother commuting in a car that begs to go fast - where 30.99mpg is an achievement? Why not in the Fiesta/Prius/Cruze/etc.?

I don't question it at all. If you own a car that gets at least 25 MPG combined, it will take a LONG time to recoup the cost of a new vehicle strictly on fuel consumption alone. Unless you are already needing to replace a car, the numbers don't justify a new car.

Even going from 20MPG to 40MPG at $4/gallon and driving 20k/year will only save about $2000/year

Of course I am talking NORMAL drivers, not hypermilers! Not many people trade cars getting 20 for ones that get 40.

[honestabe]

I did. I sold my Subaru wagon getting 20 MPG for $500 and bought my Geo Metro for $1300. Last I checked I am averaging 45.6 MPG, and the last 90 days I've been getting 48.45 MPG. After 6 months of ownership it had paid for itself in the fuel savings alone (not taking into account the reduction in insurance, and what I sold my Subaru for), or 4 months if you consider what I made from the sale of the Subaru. I bought my car 14 1/2 months ago and have put on over 39k miles, adding up to a fuel savings over my Subaru of about $3600 so far.

Sometimes you just have to cut your losses to start making your money back.

[HannahWCU]

That was a great trade!!! I was talking about trading in on a NEW car. Used for used is MUCH different.

[honestabe]

I know. BTW, purchasing a brand new car is one of the dumbest things you can do. I say this because of 2 reasons. The first year of ownership is usually when all the defects are found and have to be fixed by the dealer (meaning you're without your car for a period of time). The other reason is depreciation. The depreciation of a car is very significant in the first year. Example, my dad bought a new Chevy Malibu a couple years ago. In the first year of ownership it depreciated $8000 with 30k miles on it, making it worth $12000 ($20000 new). I did a KBB appraisal of the car both with and without the miles my dad put on it (it had 3 miles on it when we bought it). If my dad had put no miles on it the car would have been worth $1200 more. That's pretty significant.

A car with 10-20k miles is still a new car, although without all the initial problems and depreciation. Anybody who actually cares about there money should only buy a car that is atleast a year old.

[SentraSE-R]

True. That's why I've only bought three new cars over the 41 years since I bought the first one. Depreciation doesn't hurt as much when spread over the lifetime of a car. The people who really pay through the nose take 6+ year loans, and trade their cars in after 4-5 years. They pay the price of their cars again, in interest, and lose up to 80% of the value of their cars in depreciation. So, in 5 years, they pay 180% of the price of their cars. Contrast that to the folks who buy a 2006 model today, for 25% of its MSRP. They get a car for the next 100,000 miles, let's say 8 years, for 25% of its price.

[SentraSE-R]

Looking at it another way, the 5 year, new car owners pay 180%/5, or 36% of the MSRP of their cars, every year. The used car owners pay 25%/8, or 3.1% of the MSRP per year for ownership. The cash buyer of a new car who keeps it for 13 years and 150k miles pays 100%/13, or 7.7% of MSRP per year.

How about the folks who lease a $16,000 Ford Focus for $154/month for 24 months? They'll pay 23% of the price of their car in two years, or roughly 10% of MSRP/year.