Jump to content

THIS IS MADNESS


zeitgeist57

Recommended Posts

With the Passat quickly ticking over 160k miles since we bought it brand new, I am not looking forward to financing another DD, but it might come to that sooner than later. I would keep the Passat as a winter beater, so over the last couple of years since selling my Corvette I've been looking at more sporting RWD options for DD use. With a small family, I still need to have seating for 4, with LATCH for a baby seat. I will only drive a manual, and the price of purchase needs to be as low as I can go because I'm cheap.

 

Given the parameters I need to meet, and after EXTENSIVE searching/test-drives I've narrowed down the final two cars to the Mazda RX-8 and Cadillac CTS-V. I submit to you below some snippets from an Excel spreadsheet I used, plus numbers from a 2013 Passat TDI 6-speed manual as a very efficient DD comparison...

 

I sampled numbers from cars listed on AutoTrader:

RX8 - $12,500...232hp...18MPG average

CTS-V - $18,500...400hp...20MPG average

Passat - $25,000...150hp...35MPG average

 

The RX8 and CTS-V have approx 40k-75k miles on them. The Passat would be newer, less than 30k miles.

 

Assuming $4.00/gal for premium gas (RX8 and CTS-V) as well as $4.30/gal for diesel (Passat), this is what the fuel cost would be over 100k miles:

RX8 - $22,222

CTS-V - $20,000

Passat - $12,285

 

Without counting other maintenance items, just the fuel + purchase price for all vehicles stacks up:

RX8 - $34,722

CTS-V - $38,500

Passat - $37,285

 

Given the much lower used car purchase price for a 2005-2007 RX-8...it narrowly comes away with a lower cost-per-mile to drive relative to the CTS-V or Passat.

 

Unfortuantely for the RX-8, there are other costs I'm not taking into account that come into play: higher oil burn rate than both piston-driven cars, possible reliability problems. The Passat is calculated over a 100k mile useful life, but we all know that a diesel Passat SHOULD go a good 200k+ miles before another car is needed.

 

Lastly, the CTS-V is just plain pimpity. It's the unquantifiable observations that may win out in the end. :)

 

This was a fun and simple (through Excel) exercise I did to try and quantify real options for the future. I hope some of you practice a similar exercise before making a car purchase!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 77
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

1. Buy CTS-V

2. Become pimp

3. Get road head in CTS-V

4. Become ballin ass mother fucker

5. Profit

 

Time Clay spent on his spreadsheet, and posting on CR = 30min (on conf call)

 

Time Wags spent on his response = 10 seconds. Game, set, match.

 

ADVANTAGE = WAGS

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1. Buy CTS-V

2. Become pimp

3. Get road head in CTS-V

4. Become ballin ass mother fucker

5. Profit

 

yeah idk how to say it any better, cts-v. dew it and stop over thinking the whole process.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

LOL at the RX8 getting 18mpg with 232hp and the caddy having 400hp and getting 20mpg. In the long run, the Passat would be the cheapest choice (given that you could go way longer before needing to buy a new car), but you said you wanted something a little more fun (assuming based on you wanting something rwd) I would go with the Caddy. I would bet you would replace a couple motors in the RX8 compaired to the service life of the Caddy.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Vehicles: CLAPPED OUT 1990's infiniti & 1980's fiero

 

 

Total value of the 2 vehicles combined: less then a used 10 yr old pit bike with 1 wheel

 

 

 

VEHICLES:

 

POVERTY TAHOE & OLD DIESEL BEATER TRUCK.

TOTAL VALUE OF 2 VEHICLES = 1 SET OF WHEELS/TIRES FOR A PROPER VEHICLE.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


×
×
  • Create New...