Struggling with math, please help

[Xist]

Also, I do not know how buying a car a few years old affects the various factors I mentioned.

[ME_Andy]

What kind of Hyundai are we talking about? Ioniq? Otherwise, forget it. Lots of other options out there.

[freebeard]

Mrs. Spiff complained tonight that she's tired of stopping at the gas station so often and how long would it take a newer, more fuel efficient car, to pay for itself. So I got to work when I got home trying to bring the numbers together.

Have you considered putting an auxiliary tank in the car she has now?

[Xist]

The problem is that she is not transporting enough gas?!

[roflwaffle]

Originally Posted by spacemanspif

Thanks stubby! that's numbers I had come up with but as I over-thought it, began to doubt myself. Started trying to work in the premium/regular gas argument and just kept getting more confused.

Oldtamiphylie: don't think she'd go for a Prius, not sure I'd go for one either. Still not convinced that the total footprint of the batteries is offset buy the fuel savings. Thanks for the math on that tho showing how something that good can completely cancel out a gas guzzler like a Jeep....or a turbo Subaru

If you two pay for brake service, that alone will offset the cost of a new hybrid battery every +/- 250k miles. The gas savings is just icing on the cake.

If you service your own brakes, you can also maintain you hybrid battery after it needs service for not much more than you pay for oil changes if you're OK pulling it every year or so, or for maybe $1000-$2500 (low mileage/age salvage pack to a factory replacement) if you want to set it and forget it for the next ten years.

Have you thought about a used plug-in Prius (~$15k) or a Prius Prime if you can use the full tax credit (~$20k+)? Both of them should be faster/get better mileage than the plain gen III hybrid and IME will be more reliable.

[Fat Charlie]

I miss my 2005 LGT.

I don't miss burning more than twice as much gas to get anywhere, but it was awesome.

But buying a car before you need one is a bad move, efficiency-wise. Stopping less often or paying less per fill up isn't going to outweigh buying a car too soon- and selling a 12 year old car isn't going to make up the difference. Tell her to enjoy the boost while she's got it and then make a less power hungry decision when it's time to ditch the car.

I really miss that car, though.

[spacemanspif]

Good insights guys. I'm thinking a Hyundai Elantra, Honda Fit, maybe Camry or Echo, Focus or Cruz/sonic. Needs to be 4cly and naturally aspirated is really my only concern. Her old 2008 Impala had a dieing trans but that 3.5L v6 was good for 30mpg with her commute, just really hate working on V engines in a FWD orientation.

I do mostly all our own work except for big jobs like her timing belt.

With all the Prius talk and floating around Craigslist looking at used ones; I might consider one when it comes times to unload my wagon due to subframe rust.

[freebeard]

Friends don't let friends drive Pruisiz. Think about a turbo-diesel.

[spacemanspif]

Not sure I trust her enough to make sure she gets diesel and not gas....maybe with a really big post-it on the dash she'd be ok lol

[Xist]

Did you hear that smrtcars have something that looks a great deal like a fuel tank door on the opposite side from the fuel tank door? You forget what side your tank is, "Well, this is weird..." pump gas into what you think is your fuel tank. Hang up the nozzle, go to start your car, and enjoy the firebomb!