The Glorious Northeast

[AnimalCage]

I will definitely search for an Insight when I get home. Arctic circle, no. My son lives in Kotzebue, Alaska. THAT is the Arctic circle. But a Toyota Corolla makes winters very interesting, especially depending on the plow schedule.

[AnimalCage]

The absolute cheapest Insight I found online within 200 miles was $5,000. There are a lot of them out there for around 7 grand, and the miles are typically under 100,000. I love the idea. The big question is, what can I do on April 6? The thought of a second car loan, even a little one, turns my stomach.

Wisdom tells me spend no more than 4,000 cash on a car, and with whatever is left, pay off the final credit card (a ten-year ordeal). After that, pay off the Yukon (I'm hoping for six months to do that). At that point, the mortgage will be our only debt. Then, start saving for the FUV.

When the FUV is paid off, and it has proven itself to be an 80% mode of transport, I can re-assess the entire vehicle situation.

At this point in my life, I utterly loathe the idea of being in debt. Losing the Matrix has blind-sided me, and I am greatly unsettled right now. My dream of working only one job may be on hold, and that does not make the wife happy. As long as she's known me, I've worked at least two jobs at a time. This new job was supposed to be a break from all that.

---

Crunching numbers. Really, thinking out loud, helping to settle my thoughts:

2006 Chevy Monte Carlo V6, 26 mpg highway. 99,000 miles. $3995 right now at my mechanic.
500 miles per week commute (mostly highway). 500 miles / 26 mpg = 19.23 gallons x 2.50/gallon = $48.08/week x 50 weeks = $2403.85 spent in gas per year.

2011 Honda Insight v4 hybrid, 48 mpg highway (per every review I've read, including Edmunds and consumer reports). 83,280 miles. $6915.00
500 miles per week commute (mostly highway). 500 miles / 48 mpg = 10.42 gallons x 2.50/gallon = $26.04/week x 50 weeks = $1302.08 spent in gas per year.

After the bridge year:
Monte Carlo: 3995 + 2403.85 = 6398.85
Insight: 6915 + 1302.08 = 8217.08

For a difference of $1818.23. Short term, the Monte is cheaper to operate, plus the added benefit of paying off the credit cards. Long run, the Insight would be cheaper. The answer lies in purpose. This is a bridge vehicle. A short term solution. If the Monte is still available April 6, I'll take it.

[DiscjockeyDale]

The absolute cheapest Insight I found online within 200 miles was $5,000.  There are a lot of them out there for around 7 grand, and the miles are typically under 100,000.   I love the idea.  The big question is, what can I do on April 6?  The thought of a second car loan, even a little one, turns my stomach.  

Wisdom tells me spend no more than 4,000 cash on a car, and with whatever is left, pay off the final credit card (a ten-year ordeal).    After that, pay off the Yukon (I'm hoping for six months to do that).  At that point, the mortgage will be our only debt.  Then, start saving for the FUV.  

When the FUV is paid off, and it has proven itself to be an 80% mode of transport, I can re-assess the entire vehicle situation.

At this point in my life, I utterly loathe the idea of being in debt.  Losing the Matrix has blind-sided me, and I am greatly unsettled right now.  My dream of working only one job may be on hold, and that does not make the wife happy.  As long as she's known me, I've worked at least two jobs at a time.  This new job was supposed to be a break from all that.

---

Crunching numbers.  Really, thinking out loud, helping to settle my thoughts:

2006 Chevy Monte Carlo V6, 26 mpg highway.  99,000 miles.  $3995 right now at my mechanic.
500 miles per week commute (mostly highway).  500 miles / 26 mpg = 19.23 gallons x 2.50/gallon = $48.08/week x 50 weeks = $2403.85 spent in gas per year.

2011 Honda Insight v4 hybrid, 48 mpg highway (per every review I've read, including Edmunds and consumer reports).  83,280 miles.  $6915.00
500 miles per week commute (mostly highway).  500 miles / 48 mpg = 10.42 gallons x 2.50/gallon = $26.04/week x 50 weeks = $1302.08 spent in gas per year.

After the bridge year:
Monte Carlo:  3995 + 2403.85 = 6398.85
Insight:  6915 + 1302.08 = 8217.08

For a difference of $1818.23.  Short term, the Monte is cheaper to operate, plus the added benefit of paying off the credit cards.  Long run, the Insight would be cheaper.  The answer lies in purpose.  This is a bridge vehicle.  A short term solution.  If the Monte is still available April 6, I'll take it.

Nope. As I specified, you only want a 1st Gen Insight. 1999 to 2006. Any later than that, and you're looking at a totally different car. They're junk.
The Gen one five speed is rated 48/58 mpg by the EPA and 60/66 mpg by google. With almost all owners confirming somewhere in between.
Many are saying they've often gotten up to 72 mpg on all highway trips AND... Only the Gen One is aluminum. The others will rust on you.
Yes, you'd have to travel to find a great Gen 1 insight under $5000, but that's doing one trip, and then the savings would be worth it.

David only got 55 mpg on his 2005 on his first few trips, but he hasn't tweaked it yet.
 $2300 purchase price. https://www.elioowners.com/threads/i-too...oday.8685/

(500 / 65) x $2.50 = $19.32/week x 50 = $961.53.
$2403.85 - $963 = $1440 per year.

I guess the Monte would be alright, but if I had that kind of commute, I don't think I'd get something with 26 mpg @ $3995 even as a stop-gap measure.
Hell, I've got two vehicles that can haul either 7 people or a lot of stuff with perfect bodies that get 27 mpg highway (with the 200lb of seats in).

 I paid a total of $3300 for the pair.

[AnimalCage]

Great information, thanks for the correction. I'll look them up... (10 minutes later) closest one is 496 miles away. That's too far for me.

I just found a '93 Celica GT I'd love to look at, but its 90 miles away. Available time is an issue.

[DiscjockeyDale]

Great information, thanks for the correction.  I'll look them up...  (10 minutes later)  closest one is 496 miles away.   That's too far for me.

I just found a '93 Celica GT I'd love to look at, but its 90 miles away.  Available time is an issue.

I agree. 496 miles is pushing it.

[DiscjockeyDale]

Great information, thanks for the correction.  I'll look them up...  (10 minutes later)  closest one is 496 miles away.   That's too far for me.

I just found a '93 Celica GT I'd love to look at, but its 90 miles away.  Available time is an issue.

How's the car quest coming along?
What's the significance of April 6th... I never caught that part.

[AnimalCage]

My budget was supposed to be increased a fair amount on that Friday. Unfortunately, what I expected is not happening.

I looked at two cars earlier this week. One was 4 grand, one was 2500. Then, yesterday, someone gave me a 2001 Mazda Protege with 243,000 miles... for free. I gotta fix the ebrake, flush the fuel system, and change the oil. Hopefully that clears the check engine light. So for little or nothing, I could be getting 31 mpg.

Its not a nice car, its not fun to drive, but it makes a good bridge car.

[AnimalCage]

I spoke with the department head at my new job two weeks ago. Asked him if there were any plans afoot to support electric vehicles. He said they had discussed it a while back, and shelved the idea. 'Nuff said.

Yesterday, he caught me in the hall and said if I parked next to the building in a pseudo-parking spot, they would consider moving an outlet for me, maybe by next week. Oops. He was under the impression that I already had an electric vehicle. I told him it was a consideration for next Q1 if the highway range was within my tolerances. I showed him pictures of the FUV. His response was typical: You're gonna drive THAT on the highway??

Lots of work to do here, people!! At least I'm encouraged that they are willing to work with me.

[Rickb]

Not so much work since the majority of the FUVs will likely serve as short distance urban commuters.   As a city dweller,  I will rarely use mine in a high speed highway driving environment.

Nice your employer will provide you with an outlet so you can have a full charge on your trek home.

[ricschug]

I plan to use our FUV as transportation when traveling in our RV so top speed and distance on a charge are very important for me. Of course if a lot of long distance rides are planned then I would take my trike and not the FUV.