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One more blurb about Lego Indiana Jones (I know you're all tired about hearing about it!). The little characters have three speeds - sneak, walk, and run. While the runs are all about the same, the first two differ from character to character. The German soldiers in 'walk' mode do the cutest little march. *march*march*march*march*march*
Okay, on to other news, and while it has to do with the price of gas, I'm not whining or anything. Yes, it's *almost* $4/gal here. And I don't know if you remember, but I did a post awhile back trying to figure out when it would be worth buying something like a hybrid - at what price per gallon do it become worth it? I think I said at $7-$8 per gallon, but I don't know where I was getting those numbers (I did some math at the time, but early-morning figuring is always suspect - so this is as well). Because I did a quick re-calculate, and it turns out it's never worth it.
I don't really want a Prius. I want (at the moment) a Mini Cooper. Which does get 28 mpg, slightly better than my 20 mpg Mustang (which is only supposed to get 17, but I guess I drive like a little old lady). So I did a spreadsheet that figured my cost of gas based on driving 750 miles per month (560 to work and back, plus a bit thrown in). Given the age and mileage on my car, this is about right. In my car, that's 37.5 gallons of gas. At, say, $10/gallon that's $375. The Prius, on the other hand, only needs 15.6 gallons to go the same distance. At $10/gallon that's $156. BUT! At $24,000 and with an interest rate of almost 7% for new cars right now, you're paying $574/mo in car payments. So now it's $375 v. $$730.
My yearned-after Cooper doesn't fair much better. It takes 26.8 gallons and has a price tag of $19,000, giving me a $10/gallon monthly cost of $718. So I'm afraid the price of gas is absolutely no reason to buy a new car. *sniffle* And here I thought I'd found a reason (though nothing justifies the cars I *really* want, since they get complete crap gas mileage and cost a fortune). Hang in there, Mustang!
Other price-comparison cars were the Elantra ($663), the Yaris ($593), and the Accent ($565).
But! You say - the Prius, after the car payments, will continue to get better gas mileage. Yes, that is true. And the Mustang, as much as I wish it might, won't last forever. So when I do get a new car... well, if it's 4 or 5 years from now I don't know what'll be on the market. So it's hard to say. But is it worth getting the Prius over its next contender - the Yaris or the Accent? (And, yes, I consider these to be the 'comparable' cars to a Prius. They're roughly the same size and style.) They're cheap and get decent gas mileage.
In four years - at $10/gallon! - I'd pay $7,920 more to own the Prius than the Accent ($11,434 at $4/gal), and $6,576 more to own the Prius than the Yaris ($9,514 at $4/gal). Without the car payment (and again, at $10/gal), the savings of the Prius are $122/mo over the Accent and $102/mo over the Yaris. So in 64 additional months, I'd break even on both the Accent and the Yaris. That's 5 years. At which point the cars are 9 years old, and most people (though not I) will replace them anyway. But what if gas stays at about $4/gal? Then the savings after the car payments are over are only $49 (Accent) or $41 (Yaris), and it takes and additional 234 months (Accent) or 233 months (Yaris) just to break even. So... when the cars are 23 years old, I'll have broken even on cost.
Obviously, these are my numbers based on my driving. If I upped the mileage (at 2,000 miles/mo and $10/gallon I'd immediately save $30/mo with the Prius over the Accent, but at $4/gallon I still have to wait 17 years to start saving money) it would have an effect.
Am I doing something wrong here? I feel like my numbers are right! But that seems... why would anyone, given these numbers, buy a hybrid? (Yes, there's the saving the environment bit, which is great, but everyone I know who got one bought it it *save money*. There's a difference between the people that have plenty of money and buy it to save the earth, and those who are upset about the cost of gas and are trying to save money. And note that the 'saving the earth' bit applies ONLY to the Prius - there are plenty of cars out there that get way better gas mileage than the hybrid SUVs, so if you were serious about saving the planet you'd get a smaller car. No one *needs* an SUV. No, really, you don't.)
*sigh* I want a new car. Just... without the car payments, increased taxes and higher insurance. Surely that's not too much to ask for?
Okay, on to other news, and while it has to do with the price of gas, I'm not whining or anything. Yes, it's *almost* $4/gal here. And I don't know if you remember, but I did a post awhile back trying to figure out when it would be worth buying something like a hybrid - at what price per gallon do it become worth it? I think I said at $7-$8 per gallon, but I don't know where I was getting those numbers (I did some math at the time, but early-morning figuring is always suspect - so this is as well). Because I did a quick re-calculate, and it turns out it's never worth it.
I don't really want a Prius. I want (at the moment) a Mini Cooper. Which does get 28 mpg, slightly better than my 20 mpg Mustang (which is only supposed to get 17, but I guess I drive like a little old lady). So I did a spreadsheet that figured my cost of gas based on driving 750 miles per month (560 to work and back, plus a bit thrown in). Given the age and mileage on my car, this is about right. In my car, that's 37.5 gallons of gas. At, say, $10/gallon that's $375. The Prius, on the other hand, only needs 15.6 gallons to go the same distance. At $10/gallon that's $156. BUT! At $24,000 and with an interest rate of almost 7% for new cars right now, you're paying $574/mo in car payments. So now it's $375 v. $$730.
My yearned-after Cooper doesn't fair much better. It takes 26.8 gallons and has a price tag of $19,000, giving me a $10/gallon monthly cost of $718. So I'm afraid the price of gas is absolutely no reason to buy a new car. *sniffle* And here I thought I'd found a reason (though nothing justifies the cars I *really* want, since they get complete crap gas mileage and cost a fortune). Hang in there, Mustang!
Other price-comparison cars were the Elantra ($663), the Yaris ($593), and the Accent ($565).
But! You say - the Prius, after the car payments, will continue to get better gas mileage. Yes, that is true. And the Mustang, as much as I wish it might, won't last forever. So when I do get a new car... well, if it's 4 or 5 years from now I don't know what'll be on the market. So it's hard to say. But is it worth getting the Prius over its next contender - the Yaris or the Accent? (And, yes, I consider these to be the 'comparable' cars to a Prius. They're roughly the same size and style.) They're cheap and get decent gas mileage.
In four years - at $10/gallon! - I'd pay $7,920 more to own the Prius than the Accent ($11,434 at $4/gal), and $6,576 more to own the Prius than the Yaris ($9,514 at $4/gal). Without the car payment (and again, at $10/gal), the savings of the Prius are $122/mo over the Accent and $102/mo over the Yaris. So in 64 additional months, I'd break even on both the Accent and the Yaris. That's 5 years. At which point the cars are 9 years old, and most people (though not I) will replace them anyway. But what if gas stays at about $4/gal? Then the savings after the car payments are over are only $49 (Accent) or $41 (Yaris), and it takes and additional 234 months (Accent) or 233 months (Yaris) just to break even. So... when the cars are 23 years old, I'll have broken even on cost.
Obviously, these are my numbers based on my driving. If I upped the mileage (at 2,000 miles/mo and $10/gallon I'd immediately save $30/mo with the Prius over the Accent, but at $4/gallon I still have to wait 17 years to start saving money) it would have an effect.
Am I doing something wrong here? I feel like my numbers are right! But that seems... why would anyone, given these numbers, buy a hybrid? (Yes, there's the saving the environment bit, which is great, but everyone I know who got one bought it it *save money*. There's a difference between the people that have plenty of money and buy it to save the earth, and those who are upset about the cost of gas and are trying to save money. And note that the 'saving the earth' bit applies ONLY to the Prius - there are plenty of cars out there that get way better gas mileage than the hybrid SUVs, so if you were serious about saving the planet you'd get a smaller car. No one *needs* an SUV. No, really, you don't.)
*sigh* I want a new car. Just... without the car payments, increased taxes and higher insurance. Surely that's not too much to ask for?