[V8] Gas hog V8s

[Scott Gordon]

Hey, thanks for the calcs!  My Triumph TT600 gets ~50 mpg and is great for
Colorado summers.  It's nice to know that, come wind, snow and ice, the "Gas
Hog" will still be cost effective!

Scott Gordon



-----Original Message-----
From: v8-bounces at audifans.com [mailto:v8-bounces at audifans.com] On Behalf Of
Mike Arman
Sent: Wednesday, August 31, 2005 8:39 AM
To: v8 at audifans.com
Subject: [V8] Gas hog V8s



With fuel approaching $3.00 per gallon, just out of curiosity, I ran 
some interesting numbers.

Starting premises -

1)V8Q gets about 16mpg.

2) CNN/Money had a list of cars you can buy with payments of under 
$200/mo (sometimes just under), real exciting stuff like Cavalier, 
Neon, Aveo, etc, mostly stripped, and you couldn't get A/C in one of 
them if you wanted to stay under $200/mo, and I'm guessing the fuel 
economy of these cars is going to be 35 mpg? Which may be generous . . .

Anyway -

Fuel costs for V8Q - 16 mpg with $3.00 gas is a bit under 20 cents a 
mile, fuel costs for 35 mpg is abut 8.5 cents a mile.

V8Q, 1,000 miles, $200 in fuel, 2,000 miles, $400 in fuel, 3,000 
miles, $600 in fuel, 4,000 miles, $800 in fuel.
Aveo (etc.),  1,000 miles, $85 in fuel, 2,000 miles, $170 in fuel, 
3,000 miles, $255 in fuel, 4,000 miles, $340 in fuel.

Now we add the payment of $200 a month vs the Audi, which is free and clear.

Audi cost - 1,000 miles = $200, 2,000 miles = $400, 3,000 miles = 
$600, 4,000 miles = $800.
Aveo cost - 1,000 miles = $285, 2,000 miles = $370, 3,000 miles = 
$455, 4,000 miles = $540.

The break-even point in mileage is therefore about 1,800 miles a 
month, which is about 21,600 miles a year, at which point the 
strictly fuel plus payment costs are about even.

But there is *much* more than that - there is capital cost and 
opportunity cost on the Aveo, there is depreciation (which Audi 
owners are VERY familiar with - but OUR cars are already just about 
fully depreciated), and then there are the intangibles - safety, 
ride, performance, comfort, support from THIS group, and so forth.

Basically, I'll want to see a lot more than numbers like the above 
before I get rid of my V8Q. Personally, I drive about 1,000 miles a 
month, so why the heck should I pay more money to drive a 
significantly lesser car? Besides, I HATE car payments, and I don't 
ever want to have one again, as long as I live. That alone is worth 
something, and if part of the price of that is crawling under the car 
and getting dirty, hot and sweaty once in a while, well, I can take a 
shower for a lot less than $200.

Now, if we want to buy a NICE car, I've seen leases offered on entry 
level WMBs (ugh) for $400 a month (after cap cost fees, tag, tax, 
title, blah, blah blah) and after 36 months you have to give it back 
- this is essentially just a long-term rental, and you still have to 
buy fuel. No thanks, I'm keeping my V8.

Best Regards,

Mike Arman
90 V8, not just a car, an ADVENTURE!




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