See more people finally talking about 'gas swilling minivans', but still not much talk about sporty cars that get similar mileage.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/31/automobiles/31GUZZLE.html?_r=1&ref=automobiles&oref=slogin
Guzzler Quandary: Sell Low to Buy High?
SQUEEZED by frequent fillups that approach or even exceed $100, many owners of gas-swilling S.U.V.’s, trucks and minivans are considering whether to sell their guzzlers — which may be worth much less than they thought — and buy a smaller car, or hold on and hope that resale values will inch back up.
To determine which option makes the most financial sense, experts say owners should weigh how many miles they drive, how they use their vehicles and how long they expect to keep them. If they are leasing, they need to consider the cost of breaking their contracts.
Consumers who buy a Prius instead of a 4-cylinder Toyota Camry need to own it 5.5 years to earn back the higher price, according to Edmunds.com, the automotive information Web site, which assumed annual use of 15,000 miles, a price disparity of about $5,500 and fuel at $3.69 a gallon.
It will take nearly 19 years for the owner of a Lexus GS 450h, a larger hybrid car, to recoup the premium over the purchase price of a gasoline-only Lexus GS 460, the study showed.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/31/automobiles/31GUZZLE.html?_r=1&ref=automobiles&oref=slogin
Guzzler Quandary: Sell Low to Buy High?
SQUEEZED by frequent fillups that approach or even exceed $100, many owners of gas-swilling S.U.V.’s, trucks and minivans are considering whether to sell their guzzlers — which may be worth much less than they thought — and buy a smaller car, or hold on and hope that resale values will inch back up.
To determine which option makes the most financial sense, experts say owners should weigh how many miles they drive, how they use their vehicles and how long they expect to keep them. If they are leasing, they need to consider the cost of breaking their contracts.
Consumers who buy a Prius instead of a 4-cylinder Toyota Camry need to own it 5.5 years to earn back the higher price, according to Edmunds.com, the automotive information Web site, which assumed annual use of 15,000 miles, a price disparity of about $5,500 and fuel at $3.69 a gallon.
It will take nearly 19 years for the owner of a Lexus GS 450h, a larger hybrid car, to recoup the premium over the purchase price of a gasoline-only Lexus GS 460, the study showed.