Won't let go...

[redneck]

.

I like this guy.

Man drives $75 truck to work for 38 years




>

[dirtydave]

Now that is living frugal!

[Frank Lee]

[P-hack]

I like the nice simple truck, but the fuel costs over 38 years... Keep in mind that due to inflation, $1 in 1976 is like $4.15 today. So if gas was $0.59/gal that is like $2.50 today.

I'd recon $2.25 is a fair comparative average price since 1976 (eyeballing the chart below), and 10mpg (probably a little generous) over 300k miles is like a total of $70k spent in fuel in 2014 dollars. He could have bought 52 ~$1000 ~40mpg econoboxes and still broke even (1.3 econoboxes/year) on the fuel savings...

granted the used econobox selection wasn't what it is today, just saying, don't ignore the long term costs of crappy mpg.

[spacemanspif]

I like it!!

Many hippies ran out and bought the first Pruis because it was going to save the world, not taking into account the costs of building a new car and destroying an old one. When just looking at MPG it's an easy decision, but when you look at total (cradle to grave) cost of a vehicle the line begins to blur substantially. Tech from the 1950's is probably still pretty terrible when it comes to emissions so a new car would still probably be a better choice, but that guy has made sure to get every bit of construction cost out of that truck

[P-hack]

just for comparison, according to this, it takes 20,000 megajoules to build a car. Which is energy equivelant to 152 gallons of gas (or about a month and a half of driving a 10mpg truck). What is needed is good efficiency AND durability (hey, sounds like my second hand leaf )

[Cobb]

So much for a snapping turtle story.

[redpoint5]

Originally Posted by P-hack

I like the nice simple truck, but the fuel costs over 38 years... Keep in mind that due to inflation, $1 in 1976 is like $4.15 today. So if gas was $0.59/gal that is like $2.50 today.

I'd recon $2.25 is a fair comparative average price since 1976 (eyeballing the chart below), and 10mpg (probably a little generous) over 300k miles is like a total of $70k spent in fuel in 2014 dollars. He could have bought 52 ~$1000 ~40mpg econoboxes and still broke even (1.3 econoboxes/year) on the fuel savings...

granted the used econobox selection wasn't what it is today, just saying, don't ignore the long term costs of crappy mpg.

Very good point.

Since creating my vehicle cost of ownership spreadsheet yesterday, I have been very surprised to learn that fuel cost is the second most expensive part of vehicle ownership behind depreciation (unless you buy an old car, in which case fuel is the most expensive cost). Spending more on a newer car can actually save money in the long run while providing more comfort, safety, luxury, and amenity.

Click the link in my signature to download the spreadsheet and compare vehicles for yourself.

[markweatherill]

1. Is there no mandatory roadworthiness test where he lives?
2. He drives 'across town' every day and back; I doubt that warrants four oil changes a year!

[Frank Lee]

Originally Posted by markweatherill

1. Is there no mandatory roadworthiness test where he lives?
2. He drives 'across town' every day and back; I doubt that warrants four oil changes a year!

1. No test
2. Quite right, but the prevailing wizdumb is to throw lots of oil away.