May want to keep that gas-guzzler……..

[queenwilhelmina]

Originally Posted by CPATCRASH

bet is gas will be back to $3.50 to $3.75 by September/October.

If that's the case, we will be selling the motorcycle.

[dudevf1]

Thanks for the great information with the calculator. Making mass changes from one type of vehicle to another, unless there is a huge reduction in cost for the new vehicle, is unlikely. And that isn't the case today when one considers the trade-in value of the gas hog. The demand for gas in the USA will drop as a result of higher prices, but with India and China subsidizing gas prices heavily for their citizens it thwarts demand reductions in other markets. It is often written in the news that the demand for gasoline in China and India is increasing significantly, but one of the primary reasons for that is often left out, which is the heavy government subsidy. Eventually commodity inflation is likely to hit those economies hard, let's hope we are all not riding bikes when that happens (or maybe lets hope so but only if we are riding them voluntarily). What would happen for the demand of gasoline in the USA today if the government subsidized the price to the tune $2-3 per gallon? And they have how many more people than us? Yikes!

[spookydave]

Am I the only one that thinks a Prius is one butt ugly car with zero style?
I'm sorry but just like my bike, I have to like looking at it to own it.

[superwow]

Are you sure about that? The problem with gas-guzzlers is beyond economics.

Not only are gas-guzzlers expensive on pocketbooks, they also could be unnecessarily taxing on the environment (global warming). Also, the more gas we consume, the more we are indirectly supporting regimes that brew anti-American, anti-Christian, anti-democratic, intolerant ideologies (their elementary textbooks teach that non-believers of Islam are infidels). We all complain about "dub-ya", but, maybe he's simply protecting the American way of life: consumerism.

Reference: "Longitudes and Attitudes" by Thomas L. Friedman (NY Times Foreign Affairs Editor).

Hey, I know I'm a bit hypocritical if I don't find ways to reduce & consume less.

[RacinJason]

I don't think so. I think you like it too Willie.
You even like riding on the Stella Vespa. I could trade the Stella in if I wanted to.
Or sell it. It goes up in value every year.

Originally Posted by queenwilhelmina

If that's the case, we will be selling the motorcycle.

I went to church one time to Prius. Not even God can help the fuel prices.

The Prius is not a car I would own or drive.
Just not my style.

Originally Posted by spookydave

Am I the only one that thinks a Prius is one butt ugly car with zero style?
I'm sorry but just like my bike, I have to like looking at it to own it.

[DeeZee]

Originally Posted by CPATCRASH

I remember a thread a while back about you wanting a car for your wife? Am I wrong?

just didn't do it

[slo65]

Originally Posted by queenwilhelmina

Leave the math to me, honey.

pwn.t , i'm hating life since i got my Audi (before the gas prices went nuts) but it's just a good excuse to commute about 70 percent of the time on my bike

[Ladd Jasper]

You can have my Tacoma when you pry it from my cold, dead hands...but I'm also currently in the middle of some hot auction action for an old motorcycle.

Figure a vintage grocery-getter can only help our monthly bottom line, as I hear a slight but distinct "ch-ching" every time I turn the Toyota's key.

[jasonmason]

Originally Posted by Big Rick

Nothing wrong with using your economic prowess to support local breweries, local growers, and your LBS rather than Big Oil

wait, wait wait...can I get a big amen for the above statement!

[thegrover]

Four years ago bought a used Miata for $4000, fun to drive to work car. Saves my SUV for Mountain Biking and Home Depot. The Miata gas savings has more than paid for the car, and saved 40,000 miles on my SUV. I have the best of both worlds.

[DeeZee]

Originally Posted by FoShizzle

eff all the tree huggers...now is the best time to buy a V8 SUV or the like as the dealers anxiously want to get rid of them because the whiny asss Americans have been brainwashed to think that a dollar more a gallon means jack sh!t, all the while buying $5+ worth of Starbucks coffee each day which more than makes up for the hikes in gas prices.

Do all y'all whiny b!tches realize that your pretentious American azz pays chump change as compared to the EU, who by the way pay a fortune in taxes compared to you? Didnt think so...

and take your meds

[kbteachme]

It's funny how the dealers are sticking it to the customers on sub compact, high gas milage vehicles. I just looked in the paper the other day and I saw a Yaris advertised at MSRP and a Sequoia next to it for $6 less than MSRP. My Scion xB is 2 years old and I can sell it higher than Kelly Blue Book. The powers to be are brainwashing the people thinking that small cars are better in more ways than one. This trend should change when more people start realizing that the price difference in gas does not add up to the $$$ saved on a new discounted SUV or truck.

[CPATCRASH]

Originally Posted by DeeZee

just didn't do it

I knew it. My cars are 3 and 5 years old and no new ones in sight.

[DeeZee]

Originally Posted by kbteachme

It's funny how the dealers are sticking it to the customers on sub compact, high gas milage vehicles. I just looked in the paper the other day and I saw a Yaris advertised at MSRP and a Sequoia next to it for $6 less than MSRP. My Scion xB is 2 years old and I can sell it higher than Kelly Blue Book. The powers to be are brainwashing the people thinking that small cars are better in more way than one. This trend should change when more people start realizing that the price difference in gas does not add up to the $$$ saved on a new discounted SUV or truck.

The Prius is selling for 5K over sticker at the Toyota dealer by my house. The one I saw was almost 30K!

I was talking to the sales guy and he said they got five of them in and in two days sold three

They will not take one dime off of their asking price...because they do not have to

A $400 car payment to save $100 in gas

[kbteachme]

Originally Posted by DeeZee

The Prius is selling for 5K over sticker at the Toyota dealer by my house. The one I saw was almost 30K!

I was talking to the sales guy and he said they got five of them in and in two days sold three

They will not take one dime off of their asking price...because they do not have to

A $400 car payment to save $100 in gas

I was getting my haircut the other day and this guy next to me was going off on his new Smart vehicle. He said he had to wait for 3 months to get it. Of course, he paid MSRP+, but is the price of saving gas really going to offset the price tag. I would be worried about the crash factor safety as well. Are these really the cars that the powers to be really want us to drive? Pretty soon we will see more golf carts on our roads just like in Palm Springs/Palm Desert. The dealers are happy because they just tell the customer that the gas prices are going up and you should buy this now to start saving gas money. What a crappy way to sell a car. I guess it makes ignorant people happy.

[L8 APEKS]

Originally Posted by DeeZee

Has anyone else been doing the math lately on getting a more fuel efficient vehicle?

Check out this calculator.


http://www.edmunds.com/calculators/gas-guzzler.html

Over the weekend I explained to my wife that for us it just didn’t make sense to purchase a Hybrid or a more fuel efficient vehicle even if gas costs $7.00 a gallon.

That depends on your car and your situation.

My Jeep gets ~10 mpg. If I spent ~1,000 on something like a 1988 VW GTI, which would get around ~27 mpg, it would pay for itself pretty quickly.

@ 500 miles/month, and 4.70/gal, I spend $235/month on gas in the Jeep.

In that VW, I'd spend $87/month on gas.

With a difference of $148/month, the VW would be in the clear in less than 7 months.

The people I know who are getting more fuel-efficient vehicles aren't going out and spending $25k on new cars. Naturally, that would take years to break even. People I know want more immediate relief. They are buying cheap used cars to commute with and keeping their other cars for weekends, etc.

Originally Posted by queenwilhelmina

If that's the case, we will be selling the motorcycle.

It's funny how we're forced into submission with the gas prices. They go up enough (say they go up 30%) for us to start going crazy, then finally they go down 15% and we're "happy" that gas is "cheap".

Then they go up another 30%, we get pissed, they ride it as long as they can...and the prices come down 15% to quiet us down again.

Anyone notice a pattern here? The prices are STILL skyrocketing, and will NEVER come "down." They will only go up.

[dwrads]

Like anything, each individuals situation is different. I my case, adding a $1800 14 year old Honda car to my fleet was the best money I've ever spent. Not only will it save me $300-$500 permonth on gas, it will save me from having to replace my big van any time soon.

The payoff for the honda car will be 4 months.

DW

[Padre]

I think I'm going to go get my H2 lifted today...

Originally Posted by thegrover

The Miata gas savings has more than paid for the car, and saved 40,000 miles on my SUV. I have the best of both worlds.

Then again...you're a dude...driving a Miata.