Cost per mile?

[starvin_sgt]

Ok Bobbers, so the idea of cost per mile came up on a thread about the chevy volt. It was reported that at the cost per recharge for a 40 mile range at my local electric rate will cost .90c per 40 miles or .014c per mile.

At the reported 250 MPG on gas at the current rate of $3.5 per gallon we have .025 cents per mile. The total for fuel for the volt is .039 cents per mile or again at $3.5 per gallon, the equivalent cost of 89.74 MPG. Right?

So beside the green aspects the consideration is the volt a good buy for 50k?

Secondarily, which vehicle that you ‘all have used had the lowest total overall cost of ownership?

For me hands down was the 1981 diesel jetta I used for a rural paper route. I almost forgot to maintain it. And I once went 62 miles on a single gallon! Of course no car that slow is very safe. I sold it for more than I bought it for and almost cried when the guy I sold it to wrecked it. Man those German made VW’s could take a beating and handled well enough so that you just left it floored and steered. Trying hard to never touch the brakes

 

[volk06]

I'm not a bobber but a bitog'r lol. Your math looks right to me. Things to consider, that car costs 25,000 more than a focus, fusion, cruse, Malibu ect.... I can buy a lot of gas for that in a different car, which I don't have to worry about catching on fire. No one knows the longevity of the volt, once that 100k warranty is up, I think the car would be gone.

 

[spasm3]

Its 30k more than other economy cars. I can buy A LOT of fuel for 30,000 dollars. At 3.70 a gallon, i can buy around 8100 gallons, which will take me 230,000 miles in the elantra.

 

[simple_gifts]

The volt isn't an economy car.

One could also buy a leaf and not have to worry about cross threading the O2 sensor....

 

[friendly_jacek]

The math is wrong. The cost per mile you got was in dollars and not cents.
The equivalent MPG sound about right.
However, the cost of car is steep.
You get better bung for buck buying a 20K hybrid.
The best bang for buck is a 20 year old corolla though.

Many people buy 40-50k cars and don't count for a car to pay it back, except for vanity.
The average new car sold in USA is $30k and also doesn't pay anything back.
New hybrids start at $20k.
Food for thoughts.

 

[Donald]

One really needs to figure total cost of ownership and then extract total cost per mile.

I agree a Corolla from down south might be a good buy, mechanically long lasting, no existing problem with rust, good MPG, low cost for essential maint, like brakes, struts, tires.

 

[The motor guy]

I calculated out the cost per mile to drive my truck one time. I forget how much it was. It included all maintenance like oil changes,tires, fuel, etc. I think it was around $.20 per mile.

 

[Falken]

You are better off with a mechanically sound older car, 4 cylinders, such as an older Toyota.

You are even better off with a Chevrolet Cruze.

My Honda Fit, when driven conservatively on the highway, I can get very close to 50MPG. The car has an aerodynamic, gearing, and horsepower sweet spot at around 110 km / hr at roughly 2200 rpm.

On my info gauge I can have it at 4L / 100km regularly and keep it at 5L / 100km with ease.

The only technology that will upset the value in the new Diesels and DI engines would be full on Hydrogen or CNG. The cost of a hybrid such as the Volt doesn't make sense economically.

The only reason to buy a Volt would be to enjoy the car for what it is, and get a kick out of fueling up once a month.

 

[Donald]

The hybrids and cars like the Volt are a stepping stones to something more mainstream. We need them to get to the next set of vehicles. But honestly, what percentage of all the oil being used today have the hybrids saved us? I will make an offhand guess at less than 1%. Maybe less than 1/10 of 1%.

 

[friendly_jacek]

The better question is how much oil could be saved if all of us switched to hybrid or other fuel efficient cars?

I would venture to say almost energy independence and no need to send troops for oil wars.

Food for thought, especially for true patriots.

 

[dave1251]

Originally Posted By: friendly_jacek
The better question is how much oil could be saved if all of us switched to hybrid or other fuel efficient cars?

I would venture to say almost energy independence and no need to send troops for oil wars.

Food for thought, especially for true patriots.


Unfortunately oil would be used to produce something else like plastics IMO and I do not see the U.S. to stop the practice of sending the military overseas just because it is not in our nature.

 

[VicVinegar]

You'd really have to sit down and figure out where the bulk of your miles come from and then see how much would be on electricity and how much on gas.
You'd have to make assumptions on range and how age may affect range.

I've been leaning to do it just for the exercise but have not yet.

 

[LeakySeals]

I may only avg 25mpg hwy/city but no repairs other than basic maintenance and fluids for 224k. So if you add up the cost of ownership, insurance and potential for repairs I think my cost per mile is as good as, maybe even better than an electric car.

The big sales pitch is once the car is paid for you make the costs back in savings. This assumes a 10-15yo electric car wont have any problems for many years. Not buying it. New technology with gigantic repair costs. Electric cars NEVER pay for themselves, another green myth to be filed next to Chinese solar panel "green jobs".

I have nothing against electric cars, your helping me out. Much appreciated.

 

[supton]

I keep a log book in the car. I wish I had kept all car payments in there; most repairs are there. Problem is, I'll buy oil and filters online, and not write them into the book... Oops. Really should put it all into a spreadsheet (well, I have, but again, never manage to put it all in). That way I can have hard numbers as to exactly what the car is costing to run, and what the project costs are.

Hard to beat a spreadsheet when thinking about buying a car. Look at cost to purchase, fuel cost/mile, expected repairs, etc. Every time I think about buying new I do that. And when I look at the bottom line I tend to not buy.

 

[LeakySeals]

Originally Posted By: supton
I keep a log book in the car. I wish I had kept all car payments in there; most repairs are there. Problem is, I'll buy oil and filters online, and not write them into the book... Oops. Really should put it all into a spreadsheet (well, I have, but again, never manage to put it all in). That way I can have hard numbers as to exactly what the car is costing to run, and what the project costs are.

Hard to beat a spreadsheet when thinking about buying a car. Look at cost to purchase, fuel cost/mile, expected repairs, etc. Every time I think about buying new I do that. And when I look at the bottom line I tend to not buy.

I created a line item cost spreadsheet for the Camry all the way out to 2017 with an avg monthly cost. Basic maintenance (fluids, tires, brakes, filters, plugs, etc) is $38 a month. Add a couple of major repairs along the way $78 a month covers them. I don't include gas because price and miles vary too much.

 

[Brons2]

When I had my Titan back in 04-06, I calculated that it was costing me over $1 a mile to drive it, all in. I was driving about 600-800 miles a month. So I traded it in. Loved that truck but it was just costing too much money.

 

[Hokiefyd]

If you want a cost/mile to include the purchase price, then you have to make some very gross assumptions about the length of ownership in miles.

Our CR-V cost us $24,500 including interest on the loan. I plan to own it for 100,000 miles. Overall mileage is 25 mpg and gas has averaged around $4/gallon over the past year or two, and will likely maintain that general price for the next year or two. Repair/maintenance has been very cheap, on the order of $500/year when you average the cost of tires/brakes/etc over their respective lives. I drive it 10,000 miles/year, so that's 10 years to make 100,000 miles.

$24,500 for purchase + $16,000 for fuel + $5,000 for repairs and maintenance + $6,500 for insurance/taxes = $52,000 total cost. Divided by 100,000 miles = 52 cents/mile

Cost/mile figures are not comparable to others unless they all include similar assumptions and similar line items (like purchase price, insurance, taxes, etc).

 

[Artem]

^That's definitely the proper way of calculating it.

I also look at it this way... My 98 Toyota Camry V6 has cost me well over 60k to own, over the coarse of the last 15 years. Several accidents that i paid out of pocket to repair, maintenance, and having gotten loans on the title several times all add up to one costly Camry.

I've only driven it 225,000 miles and feel as though i didn't get my money's worth outta the car yet. I want to get it to 300k before I'll be able to feel good about my purchase and the use I've gotten outta the car and can then take it straight to the dump.

 

[friendly_jacek]

Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd

$24,500 for purchase + $16,000 for fuel + $5,000 for repairs and maintenance + $6,500 for insurance/taxes = $52,000 total cost. Divided by 100,000 miles = 52 cents/mile

Cost/mile figures are not comparable to others unless they all include similar assumptions and similar line items (like purchase price, insurance, taxes, etc).


I like your calculation. Mine is similar.

Prius:
$21,500 for purchase + $8,000 for fuel + $2,000 for repairs and maintenance (very few maintenance items on this one) + $10,000 for insurance/taxes (I have teenagers) = $41,500 total cost. Divided by 100,000 miles = 42 cents/mile

Corolla:
$17,000 for purchase + $14,000 for fuel + $2,000 for repairs and maintenance (very few maintenance/repairs on this one) + $10,000 for insurance/taxes (I have teenagers) = $43,000 total cost. Divided by 100,000 miles = 43 cents/mile

RAV4:
$26,500 for purchase + $20,000 for fuel + $5,000 for repairs and maintenance + $10,000 for insurance/taxes (I have teenagers) = $61,500 total cost. Divided by 100,000 miles = 62 cents/mile

The calculation is not exact as the corolla is 10 years old already and I still keep it for kids to drive.

 

[eljefino]

Originally Posted By: dave1251
Originally Posted By: friendly_jacek
The better question is how much oil could be saved if all of us switched to hybrid or other fuel efficient cars?

I would venture to say almost energy independence and no need to send troops for oil wars.

Food for thought, especially for true patriots.


Unfortunately oil would be used to produce something else like plastics IMO and I do not see the U.S. to stop the practice of sending the military overseas just because it is not in our nature.


There are about six dictators we'd like to tell off. If we cut our consumption a few percent we'd be able to tell one off then the other five would be

My $800, 39 MPG saturn is coming up on its 9th birthday in my posession. I could still get $800 for it.

Insurance and plates are $200/year, used tires $10 ea. Rebuilt the motor in my driveway for $200 in parts 50k ago and it doesn't burn oil. (At $3/qt this probably paid for the piston rings) Beat that!