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What kind of gas mileage do you get?

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Wade:

--- Quote from: patrickl on April 28, 2008, 08:17:00 pm ---
--- Quote from: paigeoliver on April 28, 2008, 06:27:42 pm ---Thus they will spend $6000 extra a year to drive new, ignoring the fact that it is almost impossible to rack up $6000 a year in repairs year after year.
--- End quote ---
$6000 a year extra? Either they need to be buying a new car every year or they are driving something seriously expensive. Either way it's not an applicable example.

If someone drives a $12,000 car the depreciation would be about half of the original price over 4 or 5 years. So the cost would be $6,000 over the full period. It's pretty easy to rack up a $1,500 repair bill on an old junker every year. Or even worse, end up with a lemon that breaks down completely (or has a higher repair bill than it's value) in a year or two.

Again, the only way this comes out even reasonably favorably is if you get your repairs practically for free and if you don't account for your own time that you need to put in to keep the junker driving.

Even then, the difference will be at best $50 to $100 a month. Are you seriously claiming that an extra payment of $50 to $100 a month isn't worth much better reliability, hugely improved safety, a much better driving experience and several days a year that you are free (because you don't have to work on a broken down car or that you need to take days of off work because your car died)?

--- End quote ---

I strongly agree with the above.

Paige thinks it's worthwhile for a person to put his job, career path, reputation, family, children, safety, convenience, education, and finances at risk, in order to save perhaps $100/month.  That makes no sense whatsoever to me, but to him, it apparently makes sense and is perfectly justified.  To a person who has few of those things, I can see how the need for a dependable vehicle is less important, but to think everyone is in that same boat is pretty, well... foolish.

Some people can't see a good decision when it's right in front of them.  That's a problem that plagues a lot of people, and explains why they can never seem to get anywhere.

Typical example is people who think going to college is a waste of time, and that they will do just as well without a degree. (If someone wants to argue about that, please start a new thread.) ;)

Wade

Wade:

--- Quote from: paigeoliver on April 28, 2008, 09:31:41 pm ---I must wonder what sort of new car you are buying for $12000? A low end Hyundai? If that is the case a new one is $12000 and the dealer will give you $2500 for your 5 year old one.

--- End quote ---

Have you even looked at new cars?  There's a gob of choices in the $10000-15000 sticker price, which can usually be talked down several thousand.  Toyota alone has 2 Yaris models, the Corolla (loaded, for $14.5k before negotiation), plus all those Scion models.  Hyundai, Kia, Suzuki, Daewoo have a bunch of cars in that price range as well.  Honda has a couple, I'm sure many of the domestic brands have many too (I've seen ads recently for Ford Focus for $11k new, before negotiation, Chevy Aveo for $10k, Cobalts for $12k).

Wade

paigeoliver:
Wade, children can ride in taxis and other public transportation without car seats, and it is not particularly unsafe. Different rules apply to vehicles for hire than for private vehicles. They are safer in the back of that full sized steel taxi without a car seat than they are in an econobox with one. Nobody even had child seats a few decades ago, and we all somehow made it. Ever notice the school buses your kids ride on? They don't even have seat belts.

My prepaid cell phone costs me about $8 a month. Last time I called someone because I was broken down on the side of the road? Never, because the last time it happened was in 1998, and that was before cell phones were so universal.

A $50 taxi could indeed be pricey, last time I had to call one because I was broken down on the side of the road? Never. Last time I called a taxi at all? 1996 when i was in the army and my car wasn't in the same city as me.

Also, if you wade through those german ADAC breakdown statistics you will find that even pretty old cars only suffer about 50-80 annual roadside breakdowns per THOUSAND vehicles. That means YEARS between those incidents, which has certainly been my experience.

paigeoliver:
It isn't a $100 a month difference, you are simply telling yourself it is a $100 a month difference. If it was actually just a $100 a month difference then everyone on earth would buy brand new cars, drive them 5 years and then dumpster them. I'd drive a new car too if the difference was $1200 a year (still note, that talking in terms of monthly payments shows a lack of wisdom in the areas of finance, it isn't what the item costs you per month, it is what the item costs you).

I do admit that I am not totally up on current pricing, only new car I priced recently was the new Rabbit, I saw the price but thought the car was dog ugly.

I do find it amusing that not purchasing a new car shows that the person makes bad decisions and will never get anywhere in life. I find that quite amusing indeed.

This has gotten far off the original topic of fuel economy though, and that is partially my fault. I can't convince anyone of anything when their position is based on fear, so I am really going to try to be finished with this thread.

Wade:

--- Quote from: paigeoliver on April 28, 2008, 09:53:58 pm ---Wade, children can ride in taxis and other public transportation without car seats, and it is not particularly unsafe. Different rules apply to vehicles for hire than for private vehicles. They are safer in the back of that full sized steel taxi without a car seat than they are in an econobox with one. Nobody even had child seats a few decades ago, and we all somehow made it. Ever notice the school buses your kids ride on? They don't even have seat belts.

--- End quote ---

That's a completely ridiculous statement.  What planet are you from? Do you think child seats are required by law for an economic reason?  Just so "the man" can force people to buy car seats and spur the economy?  There is little debate about the safety improvements from car seats, maybe some debate about which types are most effective.  Cars didn't have ABS or airbags 30 years ago either, so do you think those items are useless and don't add safety?  Cars didn't use to have seat belts or tempered glass.  Now those are standard for a reason, heck even airbags are required in the front of new vehicles now, and will probably be required in the sides within a few years.

Our school buses have seatbelts and video cameras.  A bus also is far massive than a regular vehicle, and the belts are not as important.


--- Quote ---My prepaid cell phone costs me about $8 a month.

--- End quote ---

The most reasonable number you've posted in a while.  True, I could get a prepaid cell phone and only use it for breakdowns, and it wouldn't cost much (in phone charges).

Wade

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