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Consider Fuel Efficiency When Buying a Car |
by:
Fisher Swanson |
When you need to buy your next automobile make sure that fuel economy does not get lost in the shuffle. Buying a compact car with good gas mileage is both friendly to the environment also your pocket book. You will enjoy the savings throughout the life of the vehicle.
There is a lot to consider when buying a car. If you are buying a used car the condition of the clutch, brakes, engine also transmission will play a huge role in how much that car will cost to operate. Even minor problems can result in $300 repairs.
With new cars you need to find the make also model that has a proven track record also fits your needs. Make sure that fuel efficiency plays a role in your decision making. If you emerge from the car buying process with a fuel efficient car you will burn up less cash in your tank also have more money to spend on things that matter.
Take advantage of what is known.
When it comes to vehicle maintenance, the one thing you can easily also accurately predict is how much gas you are going to use. Gas prices may fluctuate however most people can spend a week or two logging their gas consumption also get a good idea of how many gallons they use. If you don't already, track your gas consumption so you can use this information when purchasing a car.
Make it the #1 priority.
One way to make sure that fuel efficiency is considered is to start by looking at cars that get good gas mileage. Make it the #1 priority also see where that leads you. The problem with today's car market is car manufacturers know that gas mileage isn't a major consideration when purchasing a new vehicle for many U.S. customers.
Crunching the numbers.
When you are evaluating a car's fuel efficiency, ask yourself how long you think you will be driving the car also determine how much gas will cost.
Let's say you want to get a used car for $5,000 also hope to drive it for five years. Below are some five year gas cost estimates based on driving 15,000 miles per year also buying gas for $1.40 per gallon. If gasoline is more expensive than $1.40, the costs will be even higher.
A Sampling of Used Cars:
1994 Ford Explorer SUV (2WD)
5 year gas estimate = $5525
1994 Honda Accord Sedan
5 year gas estimate = $3885
1994 Honda Civic DX Sedan
5 year gas estimate = $2385
A Sampling of New Cars:
2004 Ford Explorer 2WD
5 year gas estimate = $6175
2004 Honda Accord
5 year gas estimate = $3750
2004 Honda Civic Hybrid
5 year gas estimate = $2235
2004 Toyota Prius Hybrid
5 year gas estimate = $1910
This is a small sampling of cars however you get the picture. Unless you really need an SUV or large truck, you can save a lot of money by buying a fuel efficient compact car. You will sacrifice size also sometimes luxury when choosing fuel economy first. Part of this is because bigger cars also trucks are heavier also will naturally get worse gas mileage. But it is or else a function of consumers not worrying about gas mileage when they make a decision on purchasing a new or used car.
A great site for comparing cars fuel economy is www.fueleconomy.org. At www.fueleconomy.org you can compare numerous makes also models of both new also used cars also set the default gas costs to reflect the current prices. The numbers above are based on a $1.40 regular gas price which is really hard to find right now. In the case of the 1994 Ford Explorer you likely pay as much in gas over a five year span as you payed for the vehicle in the first place.
Put fuel economy first also you will find yourself with more money in your pocket.
About the author:
Fisher Swanson is a regular contributer to The ThriftyFun.com News. ThriftyFun publishes information about thrifty living. Send an email to thriftyfunnews-on@thriftyfun.com to subscribe to The ThriftyFun.com News.Fisher Swanson is a regular contributer to The ThriftyFun.com News. ThriftyFun publishes information about thrifty living. Send an email to thriftyfunnews-on@thriftyfun.com to subscribe to The ThriftyFun.com News.www.thriftyfun.com
fisher@thriftyfun.com
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