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So how much are you willing to spend on gas..

LikeAnOceanLikeAnOcean Posts: 7,718
edited May 2008 in A Moving Train
..before you find alternative forms of transportation?

Prices around here are between $3.89 and $4.09 a gallon right now. Even with my fuel efficient Honda Civic it's going to cost me $6 or $7 today just to drive to my parents who live a mere 25 miles away.

I think anything over $6 or $7 a gallon and I'm selling my car and changing my lifestyle..
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  • unsungunsung I stopped by on March 7 2024. First time in many years, had to update payment info. Hope all is well. Politicians suck. Bye. Posts: 9,487
    I work too far away to ride a bike, although maybe it will be time for a motorcycle. I always figured I'd end up dead if I did, I like to go fast too much.
  • slightofjeffslightofjeff Posts: 7,762
    I'd say the majority of us have no other choice.
    everybody wants the most they can possibly get
    for the least they could possibly do
  • stickfig13stickfig13 Posts: 1,532
    I don't really have a choice. The trolley in San Diego doesn't go where I need to go for work. I would use it in a second if it went anywhere close.

    I think gas is expensive, but its not killing me yet. It's just forcing me to be more aware of my discretionary(sp?) spending.
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  • sweetpotatosweetpotato Posts: 1,278
    LikeAnOcean wrote:
    ..before you find alternative forms of transportation?

    Prices around here are between $3.89 and $4.09 a gallon right now. Even with my fuel efficient Honda Civic it's going to cost me $6 or $7 today just to drive to my parents who live a mere 25 miles away.

    I think anything over $5 a gallon and I'm selling my car.

    i hear ya, and i wish i could sell my car but i've got two kids, one who's active in sports, and another who's active in diapers and has to be driven to the sitter's every day. it's not an option for me to chuck the car. even though we have decent public transportation, i think that would end up costing me as much or more than gas in the long run. but if i was single w/o kids, i would definitely explore other options.
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  • farfromglorifiedfarfromglorified Posts: 5,696
    This is a timely question for me as I recently took my girlfriend to the Toyota dealership to get a problem fixed on her car. I asked one of the salespeople there what was the best deal he could get me on a Prius and he told me roughly $20k. So I did some quick math:

    13,000 (amount of miles I drive in a given year)
    23 (average mpg I get out of my honda element)
    565 (number of gallons of gas I buy in a year)
    $2,260 (total annual cost of gasolene per year at $4 per gallon)

    13,000 (amount of miles I drive in a given year)
    45 (average mpg I'd likely get out of a prius)
    288 (number of gallons of gas I would buy in a year)
    $1,155 (total annual cost of gasolene per year at $4 per gallon)

    $1,145 (total gas savings from a prius)
    $2,500 (total annual cost of a prius over 8 year estimated life)

    $2,500 > $1,145

    So, it really made no sense for me to replace my Element with a Prius, being that I'd be losing money on the deal. At $10 per gallon, however, the gas savings would eclipse the cost of the Prius. So I'd say it would take gas prices at about 3 times what they are now to motivate me to act.
  • stickfig13stickfig13 Posts: 1,532
    farfromglorified wrote:
    This is a timely question for me as I recently took my girlfriend to the Toyota dealership to get a problem fixed on her car. I asked one of the salespeople there what was the best deal he could get me on a Prius and he told me roughly $20k. So I did some quick math:

    13,000 (amount of miles I drive in a given year)
    23 (average mpg I get out of my honda element)
    565 (number of gallons of gas I buy in a year)
    $2,260 (total annual cost of gasolene per year at $4 per gallon)

    13,000 (amount of miles I drive in a given year)
    45 (average mpg I'd likely get out of a prius)
    288 (number of gallons of gas I would buy in a year)
    $1,155 (total annual cost of gasolene per year at $4 per gallon)

    $1,145 (total gas savings from a prius)
    $2,500 (total annual cost of a prius over 8 year estimated life)

    $2,500 > $1,145

    So, it really made no sense for me to replace my Element with a Prius, being that I'd be losing money on the deal. At $10 per gallon, however, the gas savings would eclipse the cost of the Prius. So I'd say it would take gas prices at about 3 times what they are now to motivate me to act.

    IMO...."going green" is a scam.

    Those who want to "help" the environment are getting rich at the same time.
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  • whitepantswhitepants Posts: 727
    last week I put $20 worth of $3.89/gal gas in my car... barely filled half the tank. I have an Escort ZX2. I'm already watching when and where I drive. and when I drive to Detroit from Ann Arbor during the weekend (to help an ill sister), the posted speed limits is 70mph. I drive an avg of 64mph to get better mileage out of my gas. sure, people zoom past me like I'm in their way, but I still make it to my destination safe, on time, and sparing some fuel.

    I don't know how high it has to get before I really scale back - like actually riding bike or walking to work (both I can do, but I would have to leave the house an hour earlier). If it hits $5/gal, and it will... it's going to screw up a LOT of people.
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  • farfromglorifiedfarfromglorified Posts: 5,696
    stickfig13 wrote:
    IMO...."going green" is a scam.

    "Going green" isn't a de facto scam, though it certainly sometimes can be, just like anything else. When best applied, "going green" means becoming more efficient and producing less waste, two things that are very much not a scam.
    Those who want to "help" the environment are getting rich at the same time.

    People who are helping the environment and are thereby providing value to people absolutely should be getting rich.
  • stickfig13stickfig13 Posts: 1,532
    farfromglorified wrote:
    "Going green" isn't a de facto scam, though it certainly sometimes can be, just like anything else. When best applied, "going green" means becoming more efficient and producing less waste, two things that are very much not a scam.



    People who are helping the environment and are thereby providing value to people absolutely should be getting rich.


    I agree 100%.....it just seems a little backward for people to be making huge profits off a movement to save the planet's resources.

    Save the planet, but go buy a bunch of new products.....
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  • farfromglorifiedfarfromglorified Posts: 5,696
    stickfig13 wrote:
    I agree 100%.....it just seems a little backward for people to be making huge profits off a movement to save the planet's resources.

    Save the planet, but go buy a bunch of new products.....

    There's nothing mutually exclusive about "saving the planet" and "buying products" as not all products are equal. A person who buys a fuel cell car, for instance, is not doing the environmental damage that a person buying a SUV is doing.

    Consumption is a requirement for life, not an anathema to it.
  • stickfig13stickfig13 Posts: 1,532
    farfromglorified wrote:
    There's nothing mutually exclusive about "saving the planet" and "buying products" as not all products are equal. A person who buys a fuel cell car, for instance, is not doing the environmental damage that a person buying a SUV is doing.

    Consumption is a requirement for life, not an anathema to it.


    I fully understand and agree with your comments.

    I compare "going green" with every other fad that has come and gone. Corporations pile onto the movement and exploit the hell out of every aspect. Therefore, making it less about the environment and more about how "green" can I get.
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  • Kel VarnsenKel Varnsen Posts: 1,952
    farfromglorified wrote:
    This is a timely question for me as I recently took my girlfriend to the Toyota dealership to get a problem fixed on her car. I asked one of the salespeople there what was the best deal he could get me on a Prius and he told me roughly $20k. So I did some quick math:

    13,000 (amount of miles I drive in a given year)
    23 (average mpg I get out of my honda element)
    565 (number of gallons of gas I buy in a year)
    $2,260 (total annual cost of gasolene per year at $4 per gallon)

    13,000 (amount of miles I drive in a given year)
    45 (average mpg I'd likely get out of a prius)
    288 (number of gallons of gas I would buy in a year)
    $1,155 (total annual cost of gasolene per year at $4 per gallon)

    $1,145 (total gas savings from a prius)
    $2,500 (total annual cost of a prius over 8 year estimated life)

    $2,500 > $1,145

    So, it really made no sense for me to replace my Element with a Prius, being that I'd be losing money on the deal. At $10 per gallon, however, the gas savings would eclipse the cost of the Prius. So I'd say it would take gas prices at about 3 times what they are now to motivate me to act.

    I get what you're saying but I think your numbers don't look the whole picture. I mean for one thing you are assuming that gas prices would stay constant over the next 8 years (which is a pretty huge assumption).

    Plus the the $2,500 a year cost for the prius is that in comparison to having no car at all or is it going to cost $2,500 more then your element? If it is just based on the price of the Prius being 20grand then you should compare it to the price you are paying for your element, or at least consider how much you would get for trade in, to get an accurate comparison.
  • farfromglorifiedfarfromglorified Posts: 5,696
    Kel Varnsen wrote:
    I get what you're saying but I think your numbers don't look the whole picture. I mean for one thing you are assuming that gas prices would stay constant over the next 8 years (which is a pretty huge assumption).

    That is a huge assumption. What I am assuming is not that gas prices will stay constant, but that they'll average around $4 / gallon over the next 8 years, which is probably not a terrible assumption (but is still certainly just a guess).
    Plus the the $2,500 a year cost for the prius is that in comparison to having no car at all or is it going to cost $2,500 more then your element?

    The $2,500 is simply taking the price of obtaining the vehicle and dividing by 8 years (the life of the vehicle rounded down a bit to account for the cost of insurance, taxes and maintenance).
    If it is just based on the price of the Prius being 20grand then you should compare it to the price you are paying for your element, or at least consider how much you would get for trade in, to get an accurate comparison.

    My Element is already paid for, and I wouldn't trade it in, so I didn't account for those in my calculations.
  • Kel VarnsenKel Varnsen Posts: 1,952
    farfromglorified wrote:
    The $2,500 is simply taking the price of obtaining the vehicle and dividing by 8 years (the life of the vehicle rounded down a bit to account for the cost of insurance, taxes and maintenance).

    My Element is already paid for, and I wouldn't trade it in, so I didn't account for those in my calculations.

    Well then to be fair if you are going to be comparing the operating costs of your Element and the Prius you should also compare the purchase cost of the Prius to the cost you paid for the element (or at least take into account how much you could sell the element for). Otherwise you are comparing the Prius to not owning a car at all, and in that case you should be comparing the Prius's fuel usage to a fuel usage of 0 gallons.
  • farfromglorifiedfarfromglorified Posts: 5,696
    Kel Varnsen wrote:
    Well then to be fair if you are going to be comparing the operating costs of your Element and the Prius you should also compare the purchase cost of the Prius to the cost you paid for the element (or at least take into account how much you could sell the element for).

    Not in the context of this question. This question isn't asking me "would you buy an element or would you buy a prius". This question is asking me "how much are you willing to spend on gas before you find alternative forms of transportation".

    This isn't a cost analysis between two potential choices. This is a cost analysis of an existing system against a potential replacement. The fact is that the price of gas is not exceeding the cost of replacing my existing transportation with another practical option.
    Otherwise you are comparing the Prius to not owning a car at all, and in that case you should be comparing the Prius's fuel usage to a fuel usage of 0 gallons.

    Not really. I'm comparing the costs of purchasing a Prius against the costs of utilizing my current mode of transportation.
  • Its Evolution BabyIts Evolution Baby Posts: 849
    Kel Varnsen wrote:
    I get what you're saying but I think your numbers don't look the whole picture. I mean for one thing you are assuming that gas prices would stay constant over the next 8 years (which is a pretty huge assumption).

    Plus the the $2,500 a year cost for the prius is that in comparison to having no car at all or is it going to cost $2,500 more then your element? If it is just based on the price of the Prius being 20grand then you should compare it to the price you are paying for your element, or at least consider how much you would get for trade in, to get an accurate comparison.

    Also you are paying $2500 because you are driving a new car. If you don't need a new car and then stick with your Element. If you need a new car and you can pay 20K for a Prius that gets 45 mpg or 18-20 K for a new element at 23 MPG then you would be fullish to get the element bc it would be a rip off for gas. If you are asking the Prius to save you money on gas including the new car payment then you are smoking crack. When it is time for you next car then you can consider going hybrid. No one expects you to do so before you need a new car.

    And do some of you want them to give hybrids away? Of course they should be making a profit for providing a new product.
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  • RolandTD20KdrummerRolandTD20Kdrummer Posts: 13,066
    fairly Interesting but rather long read

    "If We All Started Driving Priuses, We'd Consume More Energy Than Ever Before"
    http://www.alternet.org/environment/84982/
    Progress is not made by everyone joining some new fad,
    and reveling in it's loyalty. It's made by forming coalitions
    over specific principles, goals, and policies.

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  • Kel VarnsenKel Varnsen Posts: 1,952
    farfromglorified wrote:
    Not in the context of this question. This question isn't asking me "would you buy an element or would you buy a prius". This question is asking me "how much are you willing to spend on gas before you find alternative forms of transportation".

    This isn't a cost analysis between two potential choices. This is a cost analysis of an existing system against a potential replacement. The fact is that the price of gas is not exceeding the cost of replacing my existing transportation with another practical option.

    But if you replaced your existing system with a prius, I imagine you wouldn't just leave your element in the driveway or give it away. You would be able to recover some of that $20,000 cost increase by selling your element.
  • Pacomc79Pacomc79 Posts: 9,404
    If you're going to go Prius, why not wait for a more efficient diesel hybrid like the new VW golf.?

    Hybrids are a little silly due to thier current cost, if you're going to go hybrid, it'd be better to try and find an electric car which should be on the market by now but alas... the effort was squashed. You still have all the issues with a regular car with the hybrid, and they actually aren't as efficient as they could be due to the excess weight.

    The hybrids are ok, but you would be more efficient and economical going with biodiesel in a super efficient diesel.
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  • AbookamongstthemanyAbookamongstthemany Posts: 8,209
    Pacomc79 wrote:

    Hybrids are a little silly, if you're going to go hybrid, it'd be better to try and find an electric car which should be on the market by now but alas... the effort was squashed.


    I was just having the same discussion the other day.
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  • farfromglorifiedfarfromglorified Posts: 5,696
    Kel Varnsen wrote:
    But if you replaced your existing system with a prius, I imagine you wouldn't just leave your element in the driveway or give it away. You would be able to recover some of that $20,000 cost increase by selling your element.

    Absolutely! But I wouldn't be selling my Element because I need the cavernous space it offers that I wouldn't have in a Prius. Had I been willing to give up my Element in exchange for the Prius, the model changes and it becomes either very close to profitable or profitable for me.
  • farfromglorifiedfarfromglorified Posts: 5,696
    Pacomc79 wrote:
    If you're going to go Prius, why not wait for a more efficient diesel?

    Hybrids are a little silly, if you're going to go hybrid, it'd be better to try and find an electric car which should be on the market by now but alas... the effort was squashed.

    Because diesel is more expensive and filthy and electrics aren't really available. If I'm going to wait for new technology, I'll simply wait for a fuel cell.
    The hybrids are ok, but you would be more efficient and economical going with biodiesel in a super efficient diesel.

    I'm not really interested in using food as fuel.
  • josevolutionjosevolution Posts: 30,250
    i drive 60 miles totall evryday to/from work i will change my work hrs so i can car pool with a friend but really if it hit's $5 a gallon we as consumers need to get together and maybe hold protest of some sort anything to let this clueless government know we won't put up with this bullshit ,this issue has a totall ripple effect on the whole country ,food ,vacationing ,everything is affected ....
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  • Given2Fly...SDGiven2Fly...SD Posts: 146
    around $5, but I really would have a choice anyway, since i can't buy a hybrid or altenative fueled car and time soon
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  • _Crazy_Mary__Crazy_Mary_ Posts: 1,299
    I have no choice. I will keep buying gas, no matter what the price and I will travel less and less. I live 10 miles out of town, in the woods, and I have 3 children. There will be no other form of transportation for my family.
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  • VictoryGinVictoryGin Posts: 1,207
    Pacomc79 wrote:
    If you're going to go Prius, why not wait for a more efficient diesel hybrid like the new VW golf.?

    when i was recently shopping for a new car i wanted a vw golf or a different vw, but all my friends with vws highly recommended i stay away from them. their vws are in the shop often. i had to take that into consideration because of cost, and my new car isn't a hybrid or anything, but she's pretty good with gas.
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  • inmytreeinmytree Posts: 4,741
    VictoryGin wrote:
    when i was recently shopping for a new car i wanted a vw golf or a different vw, but all my friends with vws highly recommended i stay away from them. their vws are in the shop often. i had to take that into consideration because of cost, and my new car isn't a hybrid or anything, but she's pretty good with gas.

    what did you end up buying, if you don't mind me asking...

    I just went through the same process...being a VW person, I wanted to get a New Rabbit, but the 20mpg around town was BS to me...

    I picked up a Honda Fit Sport and LOVE it...34mpg in the city...!!!
  • farfromglorifiedfarfromglorified Posts: 5,696
    inmytree wrote:
    I picked up a Honda Fit Sport and LOVE it...34mpg in the city...!!!

    Nice choice.
  • inmytreeinmytree Posts: 4,741
    farfromglorified wrote:
    Nice choice.

    Thanks. I searched for about 3 months...I wanted to go with a Used car, but one of my main criteria was Gas Mileage, second being price, around 15K. I wanted at least 30 in the city...the only Used cars that would come close would be a newer Civic as I'm leery of Hybrids...

    I figured I buy new over used for the same price...
  • VictoryGinVictoryGin Posts: 1,207
    inmytree wrote:
    what did you end up buying, if you don't mind me asking...

    I just went through the same process...being a VW person, I wanted to get a New Rabbit, but the 20mpg around town was BS to me...

    I picked up a Honda Fit Sport and LOVE it...34mpg in the city...!!!

    nissan versa hatchback. and i love her too. i test drove the yaris (didn't like) and the versa (loved) and was about to go check out the honda fit but i just really liked the versa.
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