Gas prices & alternative secondary vehicles calc

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brilliantnick

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Given the rocketing gas prices and from what I'm seeing a number of posts involving mpg, fuel economy ext... I thought I'd share this spreadsheet I made.


https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Bs3-vg4by60UXXed2cIDXJd4VEqnEquzvld3huS-LuA/copy


You can fill in your own details in the grey filled cells, like adjust for your MPG and local gas prices. I have my situation currently in as default.


My personal take on owning a 1500 and worries about gas mileage is this; I'm not buying a truck for its stellar economy, I'm getting a vehicle capable of pulling/carrying the things I want for vacations or chores. High efficiency vehicles have their place and in my opinion should be the go to standard for commuting. I dont like putting wear on my offroad tires and poor economy rig just to get to work and back. However in my current position I dont put enough miles on to justify a whole new/used secondary electric or otherwise car for just commuting. My motorbike and electric bicycle on the other hand... they work great. The Ebike even has an added advantage of giving me some exercise, will keep me in shape for hiking in the summertime. Plus, its just fun to have anyway

Biased on this calc, a $1200 electric bicycle would for me 'break even' at 5,214 miles... sounds like a lot of miles but when I ride 1,768 miles a year for just a work and back, my break even will be at almost 3 years, after that profit!.. Assuming gas doesn't go up more than it has, which we all know it will, in which case it will be less than 3 years.

The sheet doesn't take into account times such as bad weather or whatever that might necessitate taking a different vehicle over the high efficiency transport. It also doesn't take into account situations like the possibility of taking a fold up bicycle onto a train/bus and really saving $.... but it gives a rough idea anyway. Even in wet and rainy Washington, I have already put more miles on my bicycle for work and back than I have on the truck and the clock started in the winter months.



I'd be interested to see how many people could benefit from a secondary commuter vehicle, even if they went with a Honda ruckus or something similar, that gets 114mpg and doesn't (at least in Washington) require a motorcycle endorsement. -I think riders should still go to a basic rider course anyway, just for skill and safety sake
 

turkeybird56

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mikeru

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I can't open your spreadsheet up from my work computer. I'll check it out when I get home.

My commuter vehicle is my 2010 Audi. It gets almost 30 mpg when I take it easy, which is most of the time. I do drive my truck to work 1 or 2 times each week though because it rides better than the Audi.
 

BadHemi2014

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Spreadsheet looks interesting, I'll check that out in more detail later. Here's my commuter:
20210517_140514.jpg

100 mile round trip daily commute in all weather, no bikes for me lol.
I would MUCH rather drive my Ram but the Beetle gets 30+mpg and you can park that tiny thing anywhere. Problem is it's scary being on the road when the rest of the heavy traffic is SUVs, pickups and semis. I feel way safer in my truck.
 

Tray Burge

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My "other" economical vehicle.
97 Jeep Wrangler, only $25 bucks to fill up, only last around 3 days, but it sure is fun to drive!

IMG_1269.JPG
 

JoeCo

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Sold my ram last week, so until my new 21 arrives, I'm driving my ladys car around (2018 jetta):

IMG_4393.jpeg

Not sure what it gets for mpg, but it's obviously in a different world than I'm used to. Fun to drive manual for a while too. That being said, I still can't wait to get back into a truck!

Aside from my Ram, my other usual driver is my 66 Buick, so this 30-40 mpg or whatever the jetta gets feels very strange.

IMG_4941.JPG
 
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turkeybird56

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turkeybird56

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Sold my ram last week, so until my new 21 arrives, I'm driving my ladys car around (2018 jetta):

View attachment 247746

Not sure what it gets for mpg, but it's obviously in a different world than I'm used to. Fun to drive manual for a while too. That being said, I still can't wait to get back into a truck!

Aside from my Ram, my other usual driver is my 66 Buick, so this 30-40 mpg of whatever it gets feels very strange.

View attachment 247747

My father bought a 1965 Buick Special, 4 door, AM radio, Heat, with the lil V-6,. I bet that puppy still running somewhere, LOL...
 
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So by your spreadsheet, it will cost you $23k in gas & oil to drive your 1500 100K miles. You would need to find a really cheap, highly fuel efficient, vehicle as a commuter to just break even on overall costs. Price of the 2nd vehicle, its annual insurance, registrations, (inspections depending on where you live) fuel & oil costs...combined, it all basically cancels out any savings realized by not driving the pickup. Now, if you're able to park the 1500 inside, keep the mileage down, it's condition pristine...it WILL last much longer and slow it's depreciation.

Me? I sold the two older vehicles I had so I wouldn't have to deal with their upkeep, insurance, registrations, etc. I find my spare time...and space is more valuable.

Cheers!:cheers:
 

JoeCo

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My father bought a 1965 Buick Special, 4 door, AM radio, Heat, with the lil V-6,. I bet that puppy still running somewhere, LOL...

That's awesome, and I bet it most certainly could still be going very strong somewhere out there! I've had mine 18 years and it has been the most reliable and low maintenance vehicle I have ever owned by a longshot.
 

bcbouy

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when my fil passed,the wife bought his car off from her sister. she split the estate with her,so i got a mint condition chevy impala with 60 thousand kilometers (36000 miles) for $2500. i got it for a commuter to work but never drove it because i retired early.so it sits in the driveway.
 

BWL

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For me it takes about 16000 km per year just to save enough fuel in something that does 6l per 100 km/ roughly 50mpg to make up for the extra insurance on a 2nd vehicle alone so it makes no sense for me as I need the truck for most of my miles. 5,000 km per year and is a high average for me not needing it.
 

GeometryFletch

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You'll always be able to put gas in it. You never hear anyone that works for a living say," I ran out of gas on the road because of gas prices." Make cut backs somewhere else. Sell one old item a month in the garage and put it toward gas, get creative. For example..I know guys that complain about the prices everyday but have no problem buying energy drinks twice a day when water would do. IMO, make cutbacks, don't buy another problem.
 
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