I second that, a TDI will get you 40-50mpg unmodified or more modified. Then you won't have to worry about your truck's mileage. I filled my truck up wednesday night, if prices don't go down at the end of this tank it'll be parked and I'll get the Benz out (another good option which can be less than $3k). I have no problem paying for the fuel, but I have a big problem of the principal of paying $3/gal for it! I figure I have enough fuel to make it into October.

 

I have searched all online sources I know of and haven't found any for under 8K. I have not looked in the local trader but still. The commute has to be up wards of 50 miles each way for it to really be benifical and thats only if it gets to $5/gal. At that ponit you would probably be slightly a head. Anything less you won't be able to cover insureance and vehicle cost.

I drive 40 miles round trip to work. That means I use 8 gals a week. 32gal/month. 32x$5=$160. @ 50 MPG I would use 12.8gal/month. 12.8x$5=$64. In AZ insurance will be $50-70/month. With a clean record. If you use a three year life and a $500 residual value that is another $70 ($3000-500=$2500/36/months=69.4). For a grand total of $133. Plus mx and other things. Plus you'll still have certian things that will be done on your truck. It is a wash. When I add the time to work on another vehicle and anything that might brake, it becomes a loosing deal.

It can work if the drive is long enough or you get bad enough milage with you truck.

Randy

 

How about W123 chassis Mercedes? Some can be had under $1k. In my state anything 83 or older goes by weight for plates so they cost $25 versus the $135 they wanted for my 84. Then with insurance on a multicar discount it really didn't make any difference, not enough to consider getting rid of it by any means.

 

You also save mileage on your truck, which is worth a fair bit.
Mike

 

I've got three vehicles to my name. My 2001 1/2 CTD, my wife's 2004 CTD, and my wife's 2002 Mercedes E320.

My truck gets 21 mpg. Her truck gets 19 mpg. Her Benz gets 29 mpg. These are all averages going the 74 mile roundtrip to my work and back. Logic would say that I drive the Benzo, she would drive my truck and her truck would sit in the garage collecting dust.

No, I'm stupid and weird in my thinking and how our needs are. I no longer own a boat, yet she owns a horse trailer. Therefore, I no longer "need" a truck as a vehicle as she does "need" one. She would rather have her 2004 auto versus my manual tranny. Realistically her 04 drives/rides/is much nicer than my 01. Those of you that have both or driven in both know there is a world of difference. So, we're keeping her 04 for the "need" truck. I've thought about just having a lower style/engine/brand truck for the horse trailer towing purposes, but can't bring myself to purchase a beater just for that when I want her in a strong and reliable truck. We've 2 sitting out in the garage now.

The Benzo is a "fun" car without any "need" in the house. It's simply for fun and my wife who likes this image thing with her work friends and girl friends. Whatever, I'm okay with that, she deserves it.

That brings me to my truck. I don't "need" it anymore for the purpose that I bought it. Then again, I don't "need" anything other than a Nissan Sentra to commute to and from work with. Ideally that would be perfect...a Sentra commuter, a CTD tower, and a MBZ fun snotty mobile for momma. Alas, I can't drive no stinkin' Nissan Sentra!

Hence my issue. Reality is, I think I'm going to just keep my 01 and drive the pee pee out of it for 2 or 3 more years, retire it in the garage as a Home Depot runner, hay hauler, parts getter, off roader, then go get myself a nice car to commute with.

It's tough to find a decent car for under $10K in Phoenix that hasn't been beat to poopie and would be reliable. I've tried before and won't purchase anything that isn't under 3/4 years old. That's just me.

 

Run the blue book with your current milage and with an additional 60K (3 years at 20K) Suprising how little difference there is. Also look in the local traders and see what they go for with higher vs. lower milage.

I'm not arguing. Just for a lot of peoples situation it doesn't make sense to have a commuter car.
Randy

 

But not only look at mileage, thay look at the year of the truck the the miles on it. I suppose you could look at the same truck, each 1 year apart for three years, and add 20,000 miles on it.
Look up a 99, 00, and 01 with 20,000 miles difference between each one, then see what the value difference is.
And you know what you'll find out?
I don't exactly know, but it would be a good waste of time.
Mike