Re: [St] High MPG Euro Bikes and Big Cars.

["Joel Ashman" <ashmite@xxxxxxxxx>]

I agree with the cost of changing vehicles.  People ask me all the time if I
have had to replace the batteries in my 70K mile Prius yet.  Currently, if
all 14-ish batteries fail at the same time, its about a $6000 dollar repair
bill.

But, that is significantly cheaper proposition than buying a new Pruis, or
even a $12K Yaris.

It's completely different than buying a new vacuum for $400 when the repair
shop wants $250 just to look at your old one.
BTW.  I just did something similar to what you are planning.  I just picked
up a very pristine 2001 Dodge Ram 1500 with 100K miles on it from a friend
for $7000US.  It was a steal.  I'll drive it about 3000 miles a year just to
pull my camper.   If I drove it to work every day and nowhere else, at
$4/gallon, I'd spend $750 a year on gas.  Now is a *great* time to buy a
truck, especially a used one.  The US market if flooded with good used
trucks.

--Joel
On Sat, Sep 6, 2008 at 9:14 PM, <BrettWilson21@xxxxxxx> wrote:

> You raise an interesting point there Joel.
>
> On our island of Oz, fuel in our major cities is sitting around $1.60 per
> litre at the pump, which seems to be the tipping point for mainstream
> society to
> take notice of their driving habits and the vehicles they drive. (I believe
> this has also been the case in the USA with the price at the pump being
> $4.00
> per gallon). As a result, people are now panicking, so the value of big gas
> guzzlers has gone through the floor as people try to off load them and buy
> more
> fuel efficient vehicles. The one thing that gets ignored is the cost of
> changing
> vehicles, which is of course ridiculous and false economics.
>
> Having said that, its a wind fall if youre in the right situation.
> Currently
> I dont own a car, so I'm looking at buying a two or three year V8 ute (pick
> up) or perhaps a slightly older diesel 4WD. Prices have dropped to around
> $20,000 - $30,000 which in many cases is 50%, 40%, or even 30% of the cost
> of said
> vehicle new!
>
> So on those numbers, if I were to spend $100.00 per week, every week on
> fuel
> it would take four years to spend $20,800.
>
> At the moment, I have my eye on a turbo diesel Landcruiser that the owner
> doesnt seem seem to be able to off load. I have watched the asking price
> drop
> from 45k to 31.5k over the past three months. Looking at the list of
> accessories
> and options etc, this vehicle would easily have cost him $100k including
> the
> purchase price, to set up. If I were to buy it for under 30k it would
> indeed
> make for cost effective driving.
>
> Brett.
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