New Car Advice??!! (5-seater, 40+ mpg, 5 years old or less, $14k budget)

[Daox]

Originally Posted by A.D.D.

We drove a few hybrids and I liked them overall. Just TOO MUCH $$$ for what's on the market.

Did you even run the numbers? Because it just took me 2 minutes to find out that you'll be out more than an additional $5,000 over the next 100,000 miles in fuel costs alone by going with the Cube versus a used Prius. That seems worth it to me.

[A.D.D.]

I did.

What it came down to..........

I have x number of dollars. I refuse to finance x number of dollars....... and in the long run maintenance should be pretty low. I might regret saying this....but I seriously doubt this Cube will EVER see 100k miles under my ownership. Some vehicles we keep for a decade, others we change like the seasons................


The vehicle fits all of our stuff without a roof rack (huge priority) and it's "fun" for the kids and wife. THEY are happy.

Hybrids are AWESOME. Period. However, so are DIESEL CARS.

Both are cost prohibitive this time around. 50 mpg would be GREAT! But right now... 40 would be GREAT....35 would be acceptable (average) and I could LIVE with 30.

For the price... if it doesn't work out.. I should be able to sell it for what I paid or not get beat up too badly. (values are really high up here).

The $14k for the cube was pushing it.... MAX amount of money to spend. My original budget was around $10k and pay ALL CASH. BUT, $10k doesn't get you much up here in the "Great Northwest"........ The Credit Union has great rates and we decided to "Bump" ourselves....so 2010 car under warranty that fits all of our stuff and I am optimistic about the 30+ mileage.......

So, I will employ MANY of the techniques spelled out on this forum to acheive that goal. Depending on when and what we buy next (some sort of truck capable of towing a horse trailer)... we may swap the cube for some sort of hybrid. (when inside space isn't at such a premium).

I guess I should have also mentioned my other vehicle is a later model Chevy extended cab pick-up. We need to upgrade that as well sooner than later...but the back half will need to be closed on the next one (suburban, tahoe, denali, expedition)...for a bumper pull 2 horse slant.

NOW........

I have been thinking about some sort of a little hot rod project..... with a little 4 banger (maybe even motorcycle engine) in the back (mid engined?)...and some sort of kinetic regenerative braking/ electric motor front drive...and subaru type viscous coupling differential for AWD swap front to back... run the gas engine under load and to charge the cells...cut out on flat and downhill.... electric motor torque off the line and on steep inclines........?????
Depending on gearing...........

Hmmmmmm.....

I bet I could get the entire thing down to 1200 pounds...kinda like a Morgan cycle-car.


These things were REALLY popular in the 20's and 30's........

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[Rokeby]

The Original, 1615


A mid 20th century update

[NeilBlanchard]

Please post a fuel log on the Cube. My wife drives an xD and it is fairly hard to get it to 35MPG. I think you will find it harder with the Cube.

[A.D.D.]

Will do....

The XD has the Camry engine though.. I think.

Pretty sure the cube is based on the Versa........

YES.... 35mpg will be tough with a cinder block on wheels. BUT... driving around town (day 3) 210 miles so far since we bought it... computer says 29.1....... Not sure how far off it is......

We'll see.

We will likely be filling it up next Friday... that will be the "Baseline"................

[bhazard]

I was gonna suggest a Subaru Forester, as I have a 2002 L model 5 speed, and averaged 32 mpg on a 625 mile highway trip last weekend. Car has no mods, except 40 psi in the tires. And I wasn't really doing any hypermiling of any sort. A more mindful driver could easily manage 35 mpg and with mods maybe 40. AWD is always nice to have in the winter and you can fit nearly anything in it.

[A.D.D.]

Wow! Never even thought of the Forester. Dismissed the Outback............

[user removed]

Good thread, I averaged 32 in my Altima CVT and my wife averaged close to 29 in her Rogue. She is not a hypermiler, just a conservative driver. I think you should be able to get close to 35 MPG with the Cube depending on your routes and average speeds.

Keeping your debt load to a minimum is, in my opinion, better than buying something that you would have to finance more of the initital payment, pay more taxes on over time, and suffer more depreciation on over that same time frame.

This thread is a perfect example of why many people decide against the hybrid option. Buying an older higher mileage Prius may not be such a great idea with prices driven up by higher gas prices recently and gas prices here have dropped considerably, close to 60cents a gallon in a few months.

Considering the much larger engines in my Altima and the wifes Rogue as well as generally heavier vehicles, I think you can get close to 35 MPG if you drive it (the Cube) for mileage. Not any extreme efferot just good solid, speed limit or slightly less, coasting with engine on stealth hypermiling.

5K financed at 6% is $300 a year in your gas budget. Add a couple hundred for property taxes on the more expensive car and the $5000 gas savings rapidly disappears. When you sell your Cube at 90k miles, it will reatain much more of it's value than a Prius with say 175K miles.

I think this thread demonstrates that people who make intelligent choices, WHILE MINIMIZING DEBT LOAD AND TAX LOAD, should never be criticized as making any sacrifice in fiscal responsibility just for the sake of mileage. If you want to use that logic we all should be riding CBR250Rs instead of anything with 4 wheels.

Not meant to start any flame war, the OP just made a practical rational decision, which we should support and attempt to understand all the factors involved. I have no long term debt, haven't made a house payment or car payment in over a decade. The value of that financial comfort can never be underestimated and I wonder how many here share that same financial independence, especially in todays shaky economy.

regards
Mech

[NeilBlanchard]

The xD has the same engine as the Corolla - 1.8L 4 cylinder.

The title says 40+MPG -- that is a lot harder than 30-35MPG in a car with an automatic and a Cd >0.32 (like the xD).

[roosterk0031]

Kind of surpized no one offered Cobalt XFE as an option, got mine Saturday for $7000 with some free areo hail dents. The 90 mile drive home with 15 miles of city than cruising about 68 for 60 miles, then 55 the rest indicated 42.3 mpg, with the a/c running. Need to get it inspected and titled before I can drive it much more.

Kind of taught my 12 yo boy to drive the manual, my 19 yo girl picked it right up (motorycle experience helps IMO). So 1st tank mpg might be slightly under 40 if the gauge is anywhere close.