Sedan Showdown: What to Buy?
August 23rd, 2006
Well, I’m starting to think about a new car. I love my Passat, it’s been great - but it’s starting to show it’s age and I’d like something more fuel efficient. I only average around 18mpg in the city, and close to 30 on the highway. With me moving to Decatur, I will be doing almost all city driving for the near future, so I’m thinking it’s time to upgrade.
Couple that with the fact that my current car requires premium gas, which can cost anywhere between 10 to 30 cents more than unleaded, and you can start to see why it costs a lot just to drive around town in it. I want something fuel efficient, not only to save me money, but also to cut down on emissions. With all of that said, I think either a hybrid or a clean burning diesel are my best options. I don’t need a big truck or a car that carries a lot of passengers.
I’ve narrowed it down to two suitors. The 2006 VW Diesel Jetta, and the 2006 Toyota Prius.
The Jetta
The 2006 Jetta is a very nice car, with a new body design and loads more space than previous models. Also, with a clean burning diesel engine, the Jetta can get MPG around the 45highway/30city range. That’s not too bad. With the type of options I’d like, you can get one of these for around $29,000 .
The Prius
The 2006 Prius is a nice car as well, but for different reasons. Certainly not as sporty as the Jetta, the Prius’ appeal is for other reasons: fuel economy and money. The Prius, due to the 2nd generation Synergy drive engine, can get around 50mpg on the highway and an amazing 60mpg in the city! Since most of my driving will be on city streets, this is a huge benefit, cutting my current fuel consumption in half, and at times in a third. Couple that with the fact that the Prius uses unleaded gas, vs. premium for the Passat, and the cost savings could become very real, very fast. A conservative estimation I did this afternoon put my annual gas savings at around $1,000 a year.
Another factor pushing me towards the hybrid is the tax credit program currently in place. If I were to buy a car before Sept. 31 of this year, I could receive a $3,150 credit on my taxes. That’s pretty amazing. If I were to buy it after then, it drops to $1,575, and then to $788 next spring. This isn’t a deduction of $3150 from your income. If you owed $3k in taxes this year, you’d then just owe $150. If you expect money back, like I do, this could mean even more cash in my pocket - cash that could be spend on, say, a car payment.Bottom line is, I wasn’t really that sure about buying a car just yet, but the tax credit incentive really makes the Prius attractive to me. The price of the car is in the mid $20s, but when you consider the gas savings (almost $1k/a year) to go along with the $3k tax credit, and all of a sudden you’re looking at a pretty attractive package. I guess I have the rest of this month and next to decide if I want to take the plunge or not.
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August 23rd, 2006 at 7:42 pm
Even though the prius is ugly as hell… it seems like it’d be a better investment than the jetta. I’d have a hard time making that decision myself, all I think of is Larry David when I see a prius. Are there any other hybrids that made your list?
August 24th, 2006 at 8:41 am
The main problem with the other hybrid options are that they are much more expensive (and the tax credit is not as large), so it’s a bit more cost prohibitive. Additionally, Accord hybrids (another car I was considering) ‘only’ gets in the mid 30s but costs roughly 5-10k more than a Prius. The Civic hybrid weighs in around 25k, but the tax credit isn’t as high as the Prius would be. The Civic gets 50 city, 50 highway, which is still pretty good.
August 24th, 2006 at 7:50 pm
Dan- Ya want 5K in your pocket instead of 3K?
Get a fully loaded Sonata LX… 21K….
Before you buy that funny looking fuel efficient contraption-promise me…promise me…….. you will at least TEST DRIVE a HYUNDAI SONATA LX. Just do it………test drive one….once. After you do…you’ll research the Hell out of it…and get one.
you will thank me later.
thanQ 4 your time
Peeg
August 25th, 2006 at 1:28 pm
Might want to do some math, I was looking at getting a hybrid.
Looking at getting a base model civic or a civic hybrid.
Basically I would have had to drive atleast 120k miles before I even broke even on the increased cost of the car.
With a hybrid, also keep in mind if you do any serious driving you’ll eventually need to replace the batteries which is extremely costly.
August 25th, 2006 at 2:57 pm
Yea, I actually wrote something about that a while ago:
http://www.danielandrews.com/blog/2005/04/02/hybrid-cars/
I agree that the increased cost upfront can be a bit of a scare, but the current tax credit actually offsets most of those issues. The batteries are usually warrantied at 100k miles, so that might be an issue around the time my car is paid off - go figure.
I use Premium fuel on my car right now, and it’s a killer. Moving to regular + driving a hybrid, I stand to save around $100/month by driving a Prius around town v. my Passat.
Conservatively, let’s say I ’save’ $1k/year on my fuel by getting in the mid 40mpg’s in the city (which is more than double what I get now), and I get this car before Oct. 1. I think the cost savings are a no-brainer in that situation, especially since there is no doubt in my mind gas prices will increase over the next 5 years.
August 25th, 2006 at 4:25 pm
I never knew that hybrids were more fuel efficient in the city than on the highway. I guess that makes sense since they turn braking power into electricity. Technology is so cool. So much energy is lost in machines, so I like seeing ways of using energy that was originally just wasted.
August 27th, 2006 at 11:07 pm
not the most “cool” vehicle but it’s very practical.
I’ve been looking at getting once of these on the used market. It’s the mercedes of scooters and it gets 60+mpg
http://powersports.honda.com/scooters/model.asp?ModelName=Silver+Wing+ABS&ModelYear=2006&ModelId=FSC600A6
August 28th, 2006 at 11:22 am
I’m not sure I can see myself on a hog.
August 28th, 2006 at 3:33 pm
I think you should just buy a TV instead.
August 28th, 2006 at 3:43 pm
Like a 46″ HDTV or something?
August 28th, 2006 at 11:37 pm
46″ is for dickless homos.
Real men watch 13″ black and white w/ rabbit ears
August 30th, 2006 at 9:22 am
Here’s what I will have in my new place. It’s the Samsung HL-S4666W. It’s rear projection, but it’s still a very nice TV.
August 30th, 2006 at 11:31 am
I’ve gotten a few chances to ride in a Prius, it’s surprisingly smooth and seems to have some actual pep to it. The design of the vehicle occasionally makes me vomit in my mouth though. If you get one, I highly suggest plastering your rear bumper with at least 47 bumper stickers about saving the planet/down with Bush/NPR/ and maybe one of those rainbow displays.
I actually got rid of my car entirely. I walk, bike, bus, and taxi everywhere now (since Jan of this year). I realize this is not as convenient an option in Atlanta. Seattle is packed a little tighter I think (and it’s more popular to be carless here). I find myself wholly unconcerned with gas prices though, which is nice.
August 30th, 2006 at 12:07 pm
If I buy one, I’d be doing myself and every Prius owner out there a disservice by not putting at least 47 anti war/anti bush stickers on my car.
I love the way they ride, and the interior is really nice. I know what you mean about the exterior though - I know why it looks the way it does, but it’s still an interesting shape. I’ll admit that it has grown on me though. And frankly, I drive a car to get from one place to another, not to look cool. I gave up on that a long time ago.
Good to hear from you Cory - how the hell have you been?
August 30th, 2006 at 12:37 pm
No ccomplaints. I don’t know when I last updated you. I finished the maritime program in June, and I hope to be shipping out in a month or so for my first real trip. I got involved with one of my female roommates and we moved into our own place together in May (a very pleasant experience actually). I’ve been working this summer at the Ballard Locks (ie water elevator for boats; think Panama canal style). This is probably the only time I’ll ever work for the Federal Government (Army Corps of Engineers). It’s just a summer job; the pay is good and it’s a unique opportunity.
Other than that, I’ve just been taking it easy this summer. The summer’s here in Seattle shouldn’t really be called summers (high of 65 degrees today). I’m over the culture shock of living here in Seattle, but some things about this place continue to confuse me. The weather is a real oddity (I’m wearing a jacket in August). The people are tough to get used to (I’m still not very fond of Seattle’ites). But the city itself and the surrounding areas are beautiful. I could never see myself settling down in the city though, because housing prices are very expensive. But, as I’ve been here almost a year now, I’m happy for the experience.
Next month around this time, I should be out on a boat somewhere in the Pacific.
September 18th, 2006 at 8:47 pm
Dude the prius is not bad i looked at it before but another bad thing to think about is that it only comes with one key and if you lose it or it goes bad then it costs around 800 dollars to replace plus the one i was in beeped when you backed up and that is annoying and the guy said you cant get rid of it or at least he didnt think you could… just some more stuff to think about but it is pretty cool that you can start the car by pushing a button and if the key is close to the car you can open it