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DD/Beater worth it?


Sully

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My truck is getting 13 mpg. I have a k&n filter, magnaflow muffler, and tune. I keep my foot off the go pedal as much as possible, drive the speed limit or 5 mph under, and remove foot from the go pedal long before coming to a stop. All that, and I still get crappy gas mileage.

 

My car is currently in storage mode and I only drive it on warm, sunny, dry days, which won't even happen for probably another month or so. Even after I do bring it out of storage mode, I still only get around 20 mpg with it due to lead foot syndrome when I'm in this car.

 

For those reasons, I've been thinking about getting a beater/dd. I'd have to buy the car, plates, tags, and insurance. With those additional expenses, how long would I have to keep the car to make up the cost difference? Would it be worth it to get a 4 cylinder beater/dd to drive everyday?

 

What vehicles would you recommend? I've thought that if I do get one, I'd like something that's a 5 spd, at least somewhat sporty, and under $2000. Here's some I've been thinking about:

 

1. Honda Civic

2. Honda CRX

3. Chevy Cavalier

4. Ford Focus

5. Pontiac Fiero

 

Any other ideas?

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Assuming $3 regular gas and 35 mpg with the new car the cost/mi is about $0.0857

Assuming $3.3 premium gas and 14mpg with hour truck the cost/mi is about $.2357

Difference, how much you would save is $.15/mi

To make up $2000 you would have to drive 13,000mi

But you still have to add other fixed cost such as ins and tags, which I can't guess at those prices for you.

Depending on how much you drive it would just pay for itself after a year or two.

I'll do a deeper analysis when at a PC.

 

Why not sell the truck if you are basically going to park it anyways? But lol that this always happens when gas prices go up. It's a little vindication that I always laugh at assholes driving trucks but not towing or hauling anything or driving a big suv with noone else in it.

 

Not saying that is you, just speaking generally.

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Assuming $3 regular gas and 35 mpg with the new car the cost/mi is about $0.0857

Assuming $3.3 premium gas and 14mpg with hour truck the cost/mi is about $.2357

Difference, how much you would save is $.15/mi

To make up $2000 you would have to drive 13,000mi

But you still have to add other fixed cost such as ins and tags, which I can't guess at those prices for you.

Depending on how much you drive it would just pay for itself after a year or two.

I'll do a deeper analysis when at a PC.

 

Why not sell the truck if you are basically going to park it anyways? But lol that this always happens when gas prices go up. It's a little vindication that I always laugh at assholes driving trucks but not towing or hauling anything or driving an sub with noone else in it.

 

STOP LAUGHING AT ME!!!

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I actually do quite a bit of hauling, so I need a truck, and my truck is paid off. If I would have known this gas hike was coming, I would have sold the truck instead of getting it tuned, and bought a beater truck and a nicer fuel saver. But since I recently dumped quite a bit of money in the truck, I'd rather keep it and get a beater/dd fuel saver.
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I never even considered one until the trade was presented to me for my old 91 4 banger auto mustang, but I picked up a 2000 Escort ZX2 a few weeks ago and I am shocked at how well the car has done. It's got 210k miles and I literally have gotten 32mpg on the first tank of gas with about 70/30 driving and on the second tank got 37mpg when I had to make a trip up to Dayton to pick up some tires and I did about 90/10 driving.

 

I'm already on 30x miles on this tank of gas and I've never been able to put more than 10 gallons of gas in the car when I see the gas light come on and go to fill up.

 

The ricer inside me actually enjoys driving the car daily too. Nice stereo with factory 6 disc in the trunk, 5 speed, sunroof, power everything and cruise all work. You can find these cars for like a dollar on craigslist it seems. It handles pretty decent, has enough power to get me around and isn't THAT ugly lol. I'm shocked at how every single thing on the car still works at 210k miles too.

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I would suggest searching CL and find a mk3 Vw you can find one super cheap might take a while.. and they are really good on gas.. around 30mpg..

 

or spend al ittle more and get a Civic.. my fiance has a 94 its nice enough.. and gets 35+

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I'd say that it just isn't worth it, buy the time you buy it, get insurance, tags, and have to have the expense of a 3rd car it would take too long to justify it. This is purely my opinion, but my wife and I have 4 good running cars and it takes extra effort and money to keep them that way. The older Impala always needs something, the new truck burns up gas, and the Camaro is worthless unless its saturday night. The only car that I like having though the week is the Cobalt, costs half as much to drive as the truck, everything works correctly, and I don't have any attachment to it like I do the Camaro so I can park it anywhere and not worry about it. My wife and I have been switching back and forth with the Impala and Cobalt lately. If I was going to get a car that was cheap on gas I'd just get a payment and something that isn't worn out, so while I wouldn't be saving any money my budget would be more predictable without the ever changing price of gas having as big of an impact. To each his own but I say buy nothing if you want to keep as much of your money as possible.
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right before i left florida in 2009, i sold my wife's '99 sentra with 115k miles on it for $2400. i have no doubt it will run for 200k miles without a problem. 4 doors, 1.6 liter that got 33mpg with mixed driving/mostly freeway. sentra would get my vote---too many civics get riced out/beat on my teenagers
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I bought a cavalier for really cheap. Has 200k miles on it. I have changed the oil and spent about 100 bucks on maintenance stuff. I would have to check when I got it but for 120 bucks for 6+ months. I cant complain.
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I have a cobalt and a saturn that I have to choose from for DDs. I love them both but since I am driving to springfield everyday I might start driving the saturn more and keeping the miles off the cobalt. I have my Saturn up for sale in the coral because my wife is bitching about having so much shit but I am thinking about taking it down and just driving it.

 

I wouldnt be able to afford anything if i didnt have my DD beaters

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