Time To Say Goodbye?

Jaredkm · June 11, 2008

Well, the time has finally come where I unsure if I will be keeping my truck. With gas prices at 1.379/Liter here in Canada (thats 5.22/USgallon for all you Americans), it is getting pretty hard to afford filling up the tank. I am exploring this week how much it is going to cost me to get out of my 3 year lease, only one year in.

Its sad, because I really love my truck, but it has just gotten out of hand. I have been looking at the Mazda 3's, they are pretty nice, and great on gas.

Any input is aprreciated!

2000DV4.8 · June 11, 2008

Well, the time has finally come where I unsure if I will be keeping my truck. With gas prices at 1.379/Liter here in Canada (thats 5.22/USgallon for all you Americans), it is getting pretty hard to afford filling up the tank. I am exploring this week how much it is going to cost me to get out of my 3 year lease, only one year in.
Its sad, because I really love my truck, but it has just gotten out of hand. I have been looking at the Mazda 3's, they are pretty nice, and great on gas.

Any input is aprreciated!

That really sucks, man.

I also really like the Mazda 3 (5 door). I'm trying to convince my dad to get the Mazdaspeed3 when his civic kicks the bucket...

Jackson · June 11, 2008

sorry to hear it man. as much as I hate gas prices. I bought a truck because I NEEDED it.

good luck with the Mazda. those are good vehicles.

iminaquagmire · June 11, 2008

Sorry to hear that. I've had several Mazdas and have been happy with all of them.

joutlaw · June 11, 2008

Those 3's are pretty nice. You'd get better mileage out of a Corrola or Civic though... if that's what you're going for. The mazda will handle and look better IMO.

I drive a 2000 Mazda Millenia keep the Z as my weekend toy/hauler. Mazda's are pretty good quality wise, but I have some weird issues with my car. Knock sensor that is under the intake manifold... making it tought to get at. Driver door lock actuator is out which plays havic with my OEM car alarm. Other than it's got leaky valve cover gaskets, but doesn't burn oil. The transmission is POS, but at 115K it's still going strong.

tobias · June 11, 2008

Sucks to hear. Good luck. As for the Mazda, I test drove an RX-8 before buying a Jetta because the wife though it was cute. Haven't been in a car that was made cheaper in my life. Just my opinion there. There's one other thing you need to be aware of, just in case:

fbachman · June 11, 2008

sorry to hear that... MAYBE ya want to sit on ti for a LITTLE while longer, as I think this price point on oil is a bubble. Many other anylists agree.

Best of luck on your endeavor. I, for one, would be sad to give up mine, as you NEVER are quite as happy with a car if you have ever owned a truck...just my opinion.

Controller · June 11, 2008

I have a spreadsheet built that will calculate mileage savings and pay back on a better mileage car. If you go from 15 mpg to 30 mpg and you drive 15000 miles per year and pay $20000 for a different car then pay back is 7.66 years at $5.22 per gallon of gas.

Of course this does not take into account the payments on the car, wear and tear on the car, etc.

Jackson · June 11, 2008

I have a spreadsheet built that will calculate mileage savings and pay back on a better mileage car. If you go from 15 mpg to 30 mpg and you drive 15000 miles per year and pay $20000 for a different car then pay back is 7.66 years at $5.22 per gallon of gas.

Of course this does not take into account the payments on the car, wear and tear on the car, etc.

also insurance difference. good stuff though man.

jhm · June 11, 2008

I have a spreadsheet built that will calculate mileage savings and pay back on a better mileage car. If you go from 15 mpg to 30 mpg and you drive 15000 miles per year and pay $20000 for a different car then pay back is 7.66 years at $5.22 per gallon of gas.

Of course this does not take into account the payments on the car, wear and tear on the car, etc.

also insurance difference. good stuff though man.

He also has 2 years left on the lease, they are going to hit him hard for that. I would keep the truck and drive as little as possible. If he has a long commute and no other way to get there then that is different.

gvbhunt · June 11, 2008

I have a spreadsheet built that will calculate mileage savings and pay back on a better mileage car. If you go from 15 mpg to 30 mpg and you drive 15000 miles per year and pay $20000 for a different car then pay back is 7.66 years at $5.22 per gallon of gas.

Of course this does not take into account the payments on the car, wear and tear on the car, etc.

Bob, I did a search and could not find the spreadsheet in the forums. Any chance you could put that up here for all to use if they are thinking about changing vehicles?

Thanks

Neutron · June 11, 2008

I have a spreadsheet built that will calculate mileage savings and pay back on a better mileage car. If you go from 15 mpg to 30 mpg and you drive 15000 miles per year and pay $20000 for a different car then pay back is 7.66 years at $5.22 per gallon of gas.

Of course this does not take into account the payments on the car, wear and tear on the car, etc.

also insurance difference. good stuff though man.

He also has 2 years left on the lease, they are going to hit him hard for that. I would keep the truck and drive as little as possible. If he has a long commute and no other way to get there then that is different.

It would probably be cheaper for him to pick up a cheap commuter car and just pay the truck normally.

My wife and I are carpooling to work in her Corolla. She works 10 miles from me.

dietz4ibanez · June 11, 2008

Look. I wouldnt say goodbye just do what you got to do. We are all hanging onto our trucks for dear life!

BigJayDogg3 · June 11, 2008

Get a Solstice GXP/Sky Red Line!

Sorry to hear about you needing to get rid of your truck.

vranasaurus · June 11, 2008

I think the math needs to be done to compare the following three options:

1. Keep the trcuk and drive it like you have been.

2. Sell the truck and get a car.

3. Keep the truck and get a cheap car.

And all the numbers up including insurance, maintenance, fuel, payments, trade cost, cost of a second car. If you do that the best option will become very clear to you. I have no idea which one it will be because it really depends on what kind of hit you are going to take on the trade, what price you would pay for a second car and what kind of FE it would get, and the price of a new car and the FE it would get.

You also have to do a bit of speculaiton on the price of oil and gasoline. If you think it will stay this high or go higher then doing something different may be a good idea. But if the price drops back down considerably then you may end up going with a more epxensive option.