Higher gas prices vs. spending thousands of $$ on a new car

[Benilla]

I bought a hybrid Mav BC I was sick of dumping $ into a 06 CRV with barely any luxuries. Also moved to an acreage and needed a truck bed.. MPG was not the top deciding factor

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[Shakesbear]

I just figured it up. At $5/gal the gas I save with the hybrid LARIAT FE will pay for itself in 727 months. Everything else being equal.

LOL!!! My son has a 2010 F150 5.4L with about 200K miles on it, but it runs like a champ and still looks good. He hates the crappy mileage, but I told him to keep it because he has no payments, his insurance is liability only at this point, and he'd be an old man by them time he broke even on a new one

 

[Kelli]

Assuming that gas prices are either constant or climbing out of control. I don’t see the justification of spending several thousands to buy a new vehicle with 25-30 mpg while saving yourself a few bucks a month. Am I wrong? Feel free to discuss. If this is your reason to buy the Maverick

I understand your question, but find it a bit odd for how your asking. Sounds like buying a vehicle isn't for you.

Yet to answer your question when I get another vehicle it's because it's needed not just wanted. This purchase is no exception and I'm getting it for a variety of reasons. I will say when I do have to buy a vehicle I do make at least one thing better for me and that is the case for this one too.

 

[AutobahnSHO]

I was looking last year (before gas price spike) for a commuter car and reading reviews when I read about Maverick. Commuter car gas mileage with truck usability? yes please!

 

[cavemold]

This case by case question. Are you driving RAM TRX or Cummins? Or 250 dually? And you dont use it to make money? Are you driving hellcat hemi srt? i mean are you driving pyurias? If your not getting 23-30 mpg it and live CA you might want to switch.

 

[sn00pyguy]

Reasons for spending the money on a new vehicle. 1. I needed a truck but was reluctant to buy a new one because of typical lousy gas mileage for pickup trucks. The hybrid Maverick solved the gas mileage issue by getting 40+ miles per gallon. 2. People who own a pickup truck always have friends! LOL! 3. I have been buying a new vehicle about every 3-4 years for the last decade. Sure I have a car payment, but zero car repair bills and I love the safety features and new tech.

 

[Rojo]

No, my current car is nearly twelve years old, still runs okay but is starting to have those little issues that start snowballing into larger problems. I looked at a few used cars before ordering the maverick but prices are so out of control that I was only spending a few thousand more and it some cases a few thousand less by ordering a new vehicle and getting the price locked in. Because I got the AWD EB my gas mileage will be about the same or slightly less than my nissan versa but I won't be spending thousands in repairs in the near future, instead that money is going into a new vehicle that will hopefully last me another 10+ years.

 

[cavemold]

No, my current car is nearly twelve years old, still runs okay but is starting to have those little issues that start snowballing into larger problems. I looked at a few used cars before ordering the maverick but prices are so out of control that I was only spending a few thousand more and it some cases a few thousand less by ordering a new vehicle and getting the price locked in. Because I got the AWD EB my gas mileage will be about the same or slightly less than my nissan versa but I won't be spending thousands in repairs in the near future, instead that money is going into a new vehicle that will hopefully last me another 10+ years.

I’d say if your issues are bigger than what your vechile is worth I’d get new one .

 

[Old Hickory Trojan]

Assuming that gas prices are either constant or climbing out of control. I don’t see the justification of spending several thousands to buy a new vehicle with 25-30 mpg while saving yourself a few bucks a month. Am I wrong? Feel free to discuss. If this is your reason to buy the Maverick

23,
When Congress recently met with the energy secretary and the topic of permitting leases to open up it was stated gas prices could reach $8 to $10 per gallon within the next year. If you drive an older pickup (like mine which was a 2012 RAM 1500 Limited 4x4) and got 14MPG compared to the Hybrid I have on order) and drive 15k miles per year the difference would be worst condition around 1071.4 gallons and at $10 a gallon is $10,714 a year versus 37MPG for 405.4 gallons times $10 for $4054 a year in gas which provides a net savings of $6660 a year savings. Since I sold my RAM for $29000 (it was paid off completely already) I don't see a downside since the Maverick cost me $23,500 will pay cash off the RAM's sale making the cost of ownership for gas a $6660 a year savings.

 

[Woodjoints]

Right now I have a 1985 VW Vanagon Westfalia. I love the car. It's one of the only cars that can seat four, sleep four, swallow up a quiver of surfboards or building supplies, and is easy to park. The 85's also have great ground clearance (11") to venture down service roads.

But...

mIne is a Tiico conversion (Audi/Jetta 2.0). It's a "franken motor" and the mechanic I use is retiring. I haven't found anyone else famiiar with the motor and I'm too old to tool up and learn.

MPG sucks - 16 city / 20 highway. And going up steep mountain roads takes humility (eg.- 25 mph at the top of Tioga Pass).

Final straw was a recent road trip in Arizona/Utah (we were driving my wife's Prius). In California the interstate speed limit is 70... but 55 for trucks or autos with trailers. That means the big rigs are going about 65, which is the perfect cruising speed for the Vanagon. In AZ the limit was 75, in UT 80, which means the trucks are going 75-85 mph. The vanagon can go 70-75 but is not happy. That is passing speed, used for short bursts I just figured it would be a serious traffic liabilty going 65 anywhere outside of CA.

I looked into a Ford Transit or Mercedes Sprinter but then gas went past $6 a gallon and their 15 mpg sounded miserable.

I would love to keep the Vanagon. It's fun to drive- sitting on top of the front wheels, up high, like a... bus driver. Resale value keeps going up. It also has an immeasurable "cool factor" I cannot count the number of times people have come up and complimented the car or even offered to buy it. No one ever compliments our Prius.

Times are changing. Waiting until June to order...

 

[Kevin H.]

I'm saving over $60/month on gas. I figured it would take me about 5 years to break even. But at the end of 5 years I will have a 5 year old truck instead of a 12 year old truck. Of course there are other qualities besides improved MPG for buying, but there is something to be said about not feeling like I got punched in the gut when I fill up my tank.

 

[Sykotyk]

My 03 Buick Regal was on its last legs. Lots of issues the last two years and was squeaking by thanks to me being cheap. Head gasket went over a year before I ordered my maverick. It had major rust issues and transmission slipping. So I intended to just drive it until it died. Managed to stay running until October. Still got about 24mpg until the day the 3800 engine died. By that point it was running on 5 cylinders and about a gallon of water every 100 miles.

Bought a used minivan for $2k and had it for three months until my maverick arrived. Sold it for $900 to a friend who needed wheels.

I was going to get a new vehicle no matter what. If not for the maverick, I was looking at another older regal but the used market was ridiculously high. Just junked my 19 year old regal for scrap price.

 

[Nomadikhan]

I'm late to the thread, but it's always been my approach that...

A vehicle is not an investment, it's a liability that drops value every day. Unless a certain model classic, it's just silly to buy a vehicle because "it's fuel efficient and saves money going to work". True, a V8 hemi and a hybrid are vastly different fuel economies, but at the end of the day if it's reliable and and you can afford it, then don't over think it.

For me, I bought it because I wanted a truck again to haul and tow stuff, to use for camping, and my wife's toyota yaris sedan I inherited (ugh) just can't do that. I looked for used older trucks in good condition, things from the 90s and early 2000s... and what I found is if I paid another 5-6k I could just buy this truck new. 32k for my Maverick vs 45-60k for a big boy truck, nope nope and nope. I refuse to pay more for a vehicle then I paid for my first home. At least home's appreciate generally speaking.

At the end of the day, to each their own buy what you want and can afford and stop worrying about gas prices. Gas always fluctuates. By a V8 Hemi now and gas price can drop. By a Hybrid and gas price can go up.

Live your life without over spending and you'll find you can afford gas prices and be prepared for the future. Lean toward saving money and cash spending and move away from putting everything on credit. Pay down your bills, move to being debt free and save for the future.

Good lord, I got off topic in that rant lol. Sorry, just my opinion, forgive me.

 

[Gpp]

When i buy a new f 150 truck i just buy a basic v8,automatic transmission.its all i need and gas milage didn’t matter.i bought about 8 or so over the years.I bought the maverick as a retirement gift since its all i really need.your needs and wants change as you get older.

 

[MrKombi]

If the objective is just to be as frugal as possible, running old cars into the ground is almost always your best bet, unless it's something silly like a mid 80s Suburban that gets about the same mileage as a tank.

Unless you live in Southern California where many mechanic shops charge $100-$125 hourly shop rate.

If you don't have the know-how and/or desire to repair yourself........you can get upside down REAL QUICK in SoCal with repairs on older cars....

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