Free Car Day! Or the day your car pays for itself.

[spacemanspif]

If I look at the difference between my Saturn and Focus, the Focus will never pay for itself. I don't think Focus has the potential to equal the Saturn's if for no other reason than the extra weight the Focus has. But if I look at %over EPA that I am saving, the Focus is a little over 1/4 toward the $1,100 price I paid for it.

But I also sold the Saturn for $750 so does that change anything?

[bentring]

Originally Posted by Fat Charlie

What I'm getting over EPA is what I'm saving. What I'm getting (including the over EPA gain) over the last car is what the car is saving.

That's a good way to look at it. I didn't try to calculate how long it will take with over EPA for the car to pay for itself, but last night I guesstimated --umm-- I mean calculated it at around the 100k mile mark vs the F250. Depending on fuel prices of course, as well as the difference between diesel and gas, might be up to an extra 10k. Works out pretty well to me, since that's when the final warranty runs out.

[bentring]

Originally Posted by cRiPpLe_rOoStEr

As long as the bodyshell is the same, even if it would eventually have many patches to fix rust holes, that would still be the same car

That's quite strict. I would have said the frame, in case more aerodynamic body panels ever happen.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by bentring

That's quite strict. I would have said the frame, in case more aerodynamic body panels ever happen.

I could have also said the frame, but nowadays almost every compact car has an unibody. But all of it is questionable. BTW an uncle of mine once had a Simca 8 rebuilt around a shortened VW Beetle chassis, and it was still titled as a Simca 8. One could eventually guess what would happen if its current owner eventually rebodied that chassis back into a VW Beetle...

[oldtamiyaphile]

VW wanted around $25K all up to repair my Transporter, so I got a new Renault for 'free', with enough left over (theoretically of course) to fuel it for life (200K km).

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by oldtamiyaphile

VW wanted around $25K all up to repair my Transporter, so I got a new Renault for 'free', with enough left over (theoretically of course) to fuel it for life (200K km).

How much did you pay for the Kangoo?

[whatmaycome14]

My car is saving me roughly $100/mo. over the EPA for THIS car. So at that rate, it would take me 60mo. (or 5yrs) to save enough fuel that the car would pay for itself. This doesn't take into account that my previous vehicles were very bad on mpgs...

So my "free car date' should be August of 2018! I'm looking forward to it.

[hayden55]

Current car is a 2010 Mustang GT with quite a few mods running on 93 octane. Gas is 2.89 for 93 and 2.39 for 87.
Just bought a honda civic 96 with 159k miles for 742$. Great running car just needs some tlc, a new clutch, and some misc gaskets and seals. But currently havent done a thing to it
So 13mpg in the mustang around town vs the civic at 37 mpg (not a ton of testing done but thats my approx on my few miles driven) it will take 4700 miles to pay itself off.
But basically driving it like a diesel until i do the maintenance needed. But its looking like it should be finished for less than 1100$. Not half bad! Got 49mpg on the way home (49.8mpg) through the mountains of arkansas about 150 miles with 30psi mismatch tires and a piss poor clutch.

[jcp123]

My car was free! But I had to marry the owner LOL

[user removed]

MPGray was bought new. You could argue the money was free, considering I usually make money on cars, on houses and on other things I buy and sell. With a couple hundred grand in sweat equity from two houses and a couple hundred cars, the accounting gets tedious.

I like having one car, at times I have owned half a dozen bikes, cars and trucks. At my age one car pushing 55 MPG suits me perfectly and for short distances I am going to try a bicycle.

21 former vehicles in my garage, since joining the forum, might be a record.

regards
mech