If gas goes up, then get the V8 !!

[Patriot]

First time poster, long time lurker, so I figure I should contribute something. I will be an owner of a 2SSM6 sometime within the next week to 2 months. For now I drive a Honda Accord... 168HP...white... with beige interior.:(

Anyway, part of my decision as to which trim to go for was the plusses and minuses of the V6 vs the V8. I used a spreadsheet to calculate gas cost for each.

Since everyone seems to have their panties in a bunch over the rising price of gas, I wanted to show that its really no big deal and you should not use rising gas prices as a reason to 'settle' for the V6.

Ok, here's the math...

I start with the EPA ratings then reduce them to more realistic levels with modifiers based on city driving and 'lead footyness'. 18/29 EPA for V6 manual and 16/24 EPA for the SS manual.

My inputs:
------------
gas 87...........$ 2.80
gas 93...........$ 3.05
city mod........50.0%
leadfoot mod..50.0%
miles / yr......12,000

50% city means I drive half the time in the city. 50% lead foot means I drive agressively half the time and baby it the rest. The V8 gets premium 93 octane, the V6 gets 87. The results of the above inputs are:

Cost
MPG Gallons Yearly Monthly Daily
V6 18.8 640 1,792.00 149.33 4.91
V8 16.0 750 2,287.50 190.63 6.27
-----------------------
495.50 41.29 1.36
=> V8 costs 27.7% more

So there will be a 27.7% increase or $1.36 per day cost from choosing the V8. Now lets consider if the price of gas shoots up to what it was a couple of years back at $4.50 a gallon (this seems to be scaring everyone the most):

gas 87.............$ 4.50
gas 93.............$ 4.75
City mod..........50.0%
lead foot mod...50.0%
miles / yr........12,000

Cost
MPG Gallons Yearly Monthly Daily
V6 18.8 640 2,880.00 240.00 7.89
V8 16.0 750 3,562.50 296.88 9.76
------------------------
682.50 56.88 1.87
=> V8 costs 23.7% more

As you can see... the pricier gas lowers the difference between the V6 and V8 (27.7 drops to 23.7% increase). So contrary to what you would expect, if you think the the price of gas will go up in the coming years, voodoo logic says you must get the V8 !! Provided your driving habits don't change, the difference between $2.80 gas and $4.50 gas:

V6: $1,088 more per year ($2.98 a day)
V8: $1,275 more per year ($3.49 a day)

You can make this money up in many ways...quit smoking, go out to dinner one less time a week, etc. Bottom line; don't panic over $4.50 gas.

There are many valid reasons to get the V6 over the V8 (purchase price, 20" tires, insurance, etc), but please don't let the price of gas nor the thirstyness of the V8 influence that decision.

Cheers

[ahart04]

Excellent data! I love Economic insight! Mmm soo good. You should read the freakonomics books...

[Chevyg1rl]

Good info, thanks.

I personally don't care how much gas cost, I'll always drive a V8.

[masterofpuppets]

Good post. If I was worried about gas I would have kept my Civic. You don't buy this car for gas mileage, even the 6

[zen]

You have the difference in cost between 87 and 93 at .25 in both cases. However, as the price goes up the difference in cost increases to .30 (if I remember from the past). Therefore, your analysis will not be correct relative to the future.

[Patriot]

Originally Posted by zen

You have the difference in cost between 87 and 93 at .25 in both cases. However, as the price goes up the difference in cost increases to .30 (if I remember from the past). Therefore, your analysis will not be correct relative to the future.

You are suggesting that premium costs a percentage more, as opposed to a fixed amount more?

Hmmm....you could be right. If so, then yes, rising gas prices may drive up the costs of selecting a V8.

Here's a freakonomics blog link from a few years back where it was noticed that as the price of regular gas when up, the gap between regular and premium widened...but not for the reasons you would expect...

http://freakonomics.blogs.nytimes.co...f-premium-gas/

[ffrcobra_65]

bigger smile on your face, feeling and hearing the rumbling of a V8 under the hood = priceless.

[The_Blur]

Can we stop freaking out about gas prices now?

[ron10]

welcome to C5.let us know when you get your ride.

[cab2g]

wait a minute, you're saying I'll have to pay over $1000 more a year to drive when gas hits $4!!!! EVERYBODY PANIC!!!!!!

just kidding. Yeah, that's a big chunk of change. As long is it happens gradually and not instantaneously like it did 2 years ago, I won't really even mind. I was just a big difference in price in a 1 year time frame. That is what hurt most people. I mean nobody was wallowing in sorrow when gas increased from $1 to $2 or $2 to $3, but that was because this all happened over several years. If we don't get back to $4/gallon for another year or two, I won't really mind.

[squat]

So way to use percentages instead of dollar numbers. In real world dollar numbers I would spend an extra 495 with the V8 for your first example, an extra 682 from your second example. While the percentage goes down the dollar number still goes up.

[gregus73]

good stuff...always look at ways to streamline my budget.
figure an extra $3.49, is not a big deal..
I brown bag my meals 3-4x a week..that saves a bunch.

[Patriot]

Originally Posted by squat

So way to use percentages instead of dollar numbers. In real world dollar numbers I would spend an extra 495 with the V8 for your first example, an extra 682 from your second example. While the percentage goes down the dollar number still goes up.

Absolutley. Oh, and its not just the price of gas that goes up, but the price of everything else in your life too.... anything that gets transported, everything made of plastic or rubber, etc.

But I was just isolating the decision process of if you should or shouldn't get a V8 based on fear of rising gas prices. I'm saying it doesn't make that much of diff considering the amount we're paying for these cars, so get the V8 if gas is your only concern.

Now, if someone bombs Iran.... nevermind...I don't want to think about $8 to 10 a gallon gas. :(

[Maurdib]

This is a bad example, The price of gas is not the only deciding factor but MPG has to factored in a bit better. I don't see any real logic of you doing this.