[00 SS]

It's been a while since I've considered buying a little car just to go from point A to point B but I find myself needing one. I have a few requirements.

1. It must be capable of at least 80 on the highway without being right at redline.

2. It must get at least 30 MPG on the highway.

3. It must have enough room for 4 people or 2 people and 2 big dogs.

4. It must be competent in bad weather and snow.

5. It must be cheap because I plan to pile miles on it and replace it in a couple years.

6. I'd preffer sometheing newer to keep maintenance costs down.

Any suggestions?

[00 SS]

I'll put about 1400 miles a month on a car even if I ONLY use it for to and from work. At 30 mpg thats 46.6 gallons of gas and at $2.50/gal for regular (and climbing) thats $116.66 a month in gas.

At 14 mpg in the Jeep thats 100 gallons of fuel or $250/mo. for a savings of $133.34/mo. That will pay for a lot of insurance, tires and oil. Particularly when the little car tires are much cheaper than the Jeep tires and oil is cheaper as well since the Jeep holds 6 qts. and most small cars only hold 4.

$285.73 per 3000 miles
minus $20 for oil change
minus $32.50 in tires (based 40K tires at $250 per set)
thats a savings of $233.23 every 3000 miles or $1306.09/yr.

Since the Jeep won't need fuel, tires or oil if I don't drive it, that is pure savings.

If I can buy a $3000 car, drive it for 2 years and sell it $1500, I'm actually ahead over $1100. Of course this assumes equal repair costs regardless of which vehicle I drive.

And this does not factor in the fact that the Jeep needs premium fuel or that it's tires are far more expensive, or that it burns a little oil, or that Jeep stands for "Just Empty Every Pocket" when it comes to maintenance.

Insurance is actually nearly free if I change the Jeep to an occational use vehicle and put high deductables on the small car.

This post has been edited by 00 SS: Aug 23 2005, 08:18 PM