One thing almost everyone wants to know is, How much will my new car cost? Of course, this can cover a lot of ground. For car owners, there may be many answers to these questions.
Most motorists want to know information such as: 1) What’s the monthly payment? 2) How much will I have to pay for gas? 3) What will the difference be between buying a Toyota compared to a Ford F-250?
When it comes to buying a vehicle for transportation, there are quite a few things to regard. One important consideration is your annual mileage. If you drive 40,000 miles a year, you definitely need a car or small pick up truck capable of 30 mpg or so. If you make the mistake of buying a heavy vehicle which is only capable of 10-15 mpg, trust me, you will suffer each and every time you pull up to the gas pumps.
In all seriousness, the gas mileage your car attains will be the difference between an enjoyable relationship with the car, or a hateful one. Based solely on mileage, this difference could be as much as $500 or $600 a month. This is not an exaggeration.
In addition to the cost of gas, if you find yourself driving excessive miles, you will also spend more for routine and other maintenance. This is something you cannot scrimp on, as it will cost you more in the long run than you can possibly imagine.
One of the most important tasks you cannot overlook is changing your oil. Check the recommendations in the owner’s manual for your car. Depending on your driving environment and the type of oil, your oil needs changing every 3000 to 5000 miles or so, or at least every three months. Again, check that manual for the actual numbers and intervals.
Additional critical concerns include all the other fluid levels; coolant, brake fluid, windshield washer fluid, and yes, gasoline. Also included in the owner’s manual are the recommended change intervals for the filters. Two of the more critical of these include the air cleaner and fuel filter.
When it comes to examining the different levels of cost, there are tools available to assist you. I developed a rather extensive excel spreadsheet and you are welcome to run your own numbers for comparisons. You can find it on my business website and you can get to it by clicking on this link, http://bluewaterpress.com/autos.
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© 2010 J. Clark
A few years ago, before gas prices went up in Minnesota, we sold a lot of SUV type vehicles and crewcab pickups to people who drove about 80 a day minimum. The nearest larger town to us is 40 miles and their work commute was 40 miles one way.
They really didn’t need the SUV or crewcab pickups but they were the latest and greatest want of many. They were the first ones back at our door to try and trade them off on a vehicle that got better mileage. That was their second bad move. Trying to trade an SUV or pickup in when gas prices are high.
Where are you from in Minnesota? I’m from Bloomington.