sometimes though a car payment is better than constant repairs on a shitty old beater.
I was there with the Blazer I had. I kept having to make unexpected repairs to it like replacing the motor for $1400 and then having the transmission start slipping and pissing fluid a month later. Instead of dumping atleast another $1000 into it to fix that on top of other things it needed at the time I traded it in on a brand new car and had just a $252 a month payment with a full warranty.
As I was looking for a new car the heater core in the Blazer popped. Another $500 or so repair needed. Basically I couldve saved money making a year’s worth of payments on the new car than if I fixed everything on the Blazer and being the POS that it was who knows what else wouldve broke/blown over time.
Anyone that’s in the market for MPG and buys a new vehicle is clueless.
Say someone buy’s a new Jetta TDI for 21K that gets 42MPG on the highway vs. someone that buys a clean 2005 Corolla for 8K that gets 34MPG on the highway.
That leaves you 13K in the hole to make up to start saving money on fuel.
13K of fuel@4 dollars a gallon is 3250 gallons of fuel, which will get you WELL over 130K miles…
You get the point. Buying new for fuel costs is just stupid. At the national driving average, it’d take about 10 years to break even and start ‘making’ money on your purchase.
42 mpg on $4.10 gas and 34 mpg on $3.90 gas probably come pretty close to evening out. Im too lazy/bad at math to figure it out exactly though.
The Blazer was my daily driver, not a beater. I bought it with 113k in '04 and it was a '96. Newer than both of your daily driver/beaters with less miles.
I’d jump in my Corolla and drive it to CA right now with NO hesitations other than just checking the fluids/tire pressures, which I’d do in any vehicle before a long trip. There is a difference between a cosmetic beater and a mechanical (and cosmetic) beater.
At the time it wasnt as old. 8 years old then (mine) vs 14 years old now (yours).
I had a few beaters like my '89 S10 that I drove for 7 months and 11k and only needed a radiator ($75 for it and two doors) and an ignition switch ($20) and my '96 Neon that seemed to have blown the headgasket the day I took it off the road (wouldve been expensive to fix). I parked it on the grass and sold it within 24 hours without mentioning the oil leak. During the time I had the Neon it needed a few repairs like the starter that fell out and broke and the radiator I put a hole in while replacing the starter but nothing too serious.
And that’s just strictly to work and back. It was 560, but we’re back on 5 day work weeks for awhile. Then we can add 80 miles a week for my dads dialysis appointment…I’m sure I go over 800 a week.
Mainly to work and back, about 50 miles a day. I put on 300-350 miles a week most weeks. My truck gets 14-15 mpg (on winter blend) and has a 27 gallon tank.
Me and the Fiance have both been getting about 20mpg even. I have a 150k 3.1 V6 Grand Am that gets driven about 60 - 70% city and she has an Ford Ranger 2.5L auto 2WD that gets driven closer to 50% city and Highway.
Sadly I also get 17-18mpg with my LS1 Trans Am on E85 with roughly the same 50% split city and highway. I got over 20mpg all highway with 4.10 gears.
The grand am tho did get 29mpg on a trip to Pennsylvania at 75-80mph
Weekly we both average about 250 miles and we both fill up at 200 - 280miles which comes out to every 6-8 days.
If I’m spending 90% of my time in my DD, I choose to not drive a rusty beater. (And no I’m not talking about TT’s car. I’ve had my share of Civics/Tegs).
If it came down to it, I’d sell both and just have 1 nice car that I enjoy driving.
But people who go out and buy brand new cars for “MPG” are full of shit.
My 05 TSX is arguably the best DD I’ve owned. (I liked my IS300 as well)
Good on gas (30mpg)
Has most features any higher end luxury would (HID/Nav/Sat radio, heated seats)
6 speed (fun to drive)
handles well
cheap parts
wasn’t super expensive
reliable
comfortable
4 doors (practical)
good in snow