No, I don't mean a "New Car", just a car new to ME.
Buying a NEW car will happen if there is a ton of money dropped on me and I have nothing better to do with it.
About 2 years ago I picked up a used 2012 Nissan Leaf from Craigslist for $4000 as an experiment. Car had a new battery (changed under warranty by previous owner), and a new set of tires. So far it has cost me nothing - I get free power at the charger at work and near the house. Granted, it does not fit 5 people comfortably or doesn't go too far on a charge (about 65 miles I figured) but compared to Lexus LS400 it has paid for itself just of gasoline costs (read below) alone.
Until then my Toyota made fleet has been serving me quite diligently.
My oldest vehicle, 1998 Lexus LS400, is still running strong but at 168k miles is starting to feel long at the tooth and with a V8 is not a frugal proposition at the pump. Right now, with gas lingering around $3.49, I can easily spend $60 - $70 filling up the tank. If I drove to work and around, it is a weekly expense, and it does add up. But the AC is strong, brakes are good and starter motor has been changed - I could be driving this beast for another 10 years or till transmission failed. But I do not expect gas prices to come down, so even if nothing goes wrong (knock on wood) just the fuel would cost me $70*52 weeks = $3640 a year.
But wait - I do have another car as well! What if my LS400 dies (like the starter went out and I was dead in the water) but I still need to go to work? Well, I have a trusty 2001 Lexus LX470. That's the behemoth I take on camping trips and Costco runs. I move furniture with it when needed, and go out with our family of 5 on weekends with ease. But that's not the car to drive to work - it is very thirsty with a tank size to match. It's a specialist vehicle.
I would have bought an electric Toyota as well, but I could not find anything in my price range - Rav4 EV was around $15k, but I wasn't feeling it. So Nissan Leaf it was.
My conclusion is if you have access to a free charger, you can save a lot on your transportation. Used Leafs are cheap and they are pretty reliable. Battery is the weakest link, but as long as you can charge it for free and range is enough, it is a steal!
Buying a NEW car will happen if there is a ton of money dropped on me and I have nothing better to do with it.
About 2 years ago I picked up a used 2012 Nissan Leaf from Craigslist for $4000 as an experiment. Car had a new battery (changed under warranty by previous owner), and a new set of tires. So far it has cost me nothing - I get free power at the charger at work and near the house. Granted, it does not fit 5 people comfortably or doesn't go too far on a charge (about 65 miles I figured) but compared to Lexus LS400 it has paid for itself just of gasoline costs (read below) alone.
My oldest vehicle, 1998 Lexus LS400, is still running strong but at 168k miles is starting to feel long at the tooth and with a V8 is not a frugal proposition at the pump. Right now, with gas lingering around $3.49, I can easily spend $60 - $70 filling up the tank. If I drove to work and around, it is a weekly expense, and it does add up. But the AC is strong, brakes are good and starter motor has been changed - I could be driving this beast for another 10 years or till transmission failed. But I do not expect gas prices to come down, so even if nothing goes wrong (knock on wood) just the fuel would cost me $70*52 weeks = $3640 a year.
But wait - I do have another car as well! What if my LS400 dies (like the starter went out and I was dead in the water) but I still need to go to work? Well, I have a trusty 2001 Lexus LX470. That's the behemoth I take on camping trips and Costco runs. I move furniture with it when needed, and go out with our family of 5 on weekends with ease. But that's not the car to drive to work - it is very thirsty with a tank size to match. It's a specialist vehicle.
I would have bought an electric Toyota as well, but I could not find anything in my price range - Rav4 EV was around $15k, but I wasn't feeling it. So Nissan Leaf it was.
My conclusion is if you have access to a free charger, you can save a lot on your transportation. Used Leafs are cheap and they are pretty reliable. Battery is the weakest link, but as long as you can charge it for free and range is enough, it is a steal!
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