My Calculations On Low Cost High Mileage Cars

[BobDiaz]

It's starting to appear that gas may hit $5 per gallon this summer. :violent5:


While many hold onto a car for a few years and dump it for a new car, it's best to get a high millage car, like a hybrid, and drive it to its death.

I've heard that the batteries may give out after 7 years and the cost should be around $3,000 to replace. If true, the cost savings for gas for the next 7 years would more than cover the cost of replacing the battery.


Bob Diaz

 

[Barry_Green]

Well, the Prius has been on the market for nearly 11 years; it was launched in Japan on Dec. 1997. So there should be some manner of empirical data about battery life and battery replacements already out there. According to Toyota:

Q: Do the high-voltage batteries ever need to be checked or serviced by the owner or by a dealer?

GS: No, there is no scheduled maintenance for the batteries.

Q: How long do the high-voltage batteries last?

GS: We designed them to last for the life of the vehicle. We're aware of owners who have racked up a quarter-million miles without replacing the batteries.

Q: What would it cost to replace a complete battery pack?

GS: Less than $3000, plus labor.

Q: How long is the warranty?

GS: The high-voltage batteries are warranted for eight years or 100,000 miles, and under California regulations the battery warranty extends to 10 years or 150,000 miles.

(bold/underline emphasis added)

 

[Tom Marshall]

Rumor has it gas will hit about $6 / gallon in a year or two.

These gas prices finally drove me to buy a motorcycle, which I ride all the time lately. It gets about 35 - 40 mpg city, 55 - 60 highway. My Mustang gets, probably, 16 mpg city, 21 hwy... but that's just a guestimate.

 

[JasonFox]

Do not coast along in neutral. It's dangerous in case you have to make an emergency maneuver, and it's usually illegal. Besides, as someone already said, keeping your car in a higher gear will let the engine coast well enough.

 

[Tom Marshall]

And for those of you who ride a motorcycle, coasting in neutral is actually bad for the transmission. I has something to do with the fact that the transmission isn't being lubricated with any oil when the clutch is disengaged... or something... I'm yet to really start learning about bikes in general. Cars I know. I could tear a Mustang down to the last nut and bolt and put it back together, but a bike? Now that's something completely different... sort of...