Quote:
Originally Posted by c4racer
Well - in fairness you should also include total costs if you want a true comparison. So include maint such as oil changes, repairs, tires and insurance in those numbers. That's where the truck may shine because it could go 80K on a set of tires, or at most 2 sets where a SS / 1LE is going to use up 4 sets during that same time period - and more expensive tires, more expensive oil changes, more expensive insurance, etc.
Fuel costs are one portion of that.
And then you *could* add in depreciation costs but that's a harder number to pin down. Again - that's where that truck just might be the cheapest overall thing you could drive - although just the fuel numbers alone won't show it.
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Totally valid points, but my comments were directed at FUEL costs per mile.
FWIW, the truck is on its second set of tires (OEM GY are crap). I've paid FAR more for oil changes on the truck than I would ever pay cumulatively for the Camaro over its life because the truck had its oil changes done at the dealer.
When you factor in the non-fuel operating costs (repairs, maintenance, insurance, registration, taxes, etc.), you also have to understand why they may or may not skew numbers and in what direction. For example, taxes on the Camaro are higher per year for a car that gets driven half as many miles in a year as the truck. Simply by using the car as my daily and getting rid of the truck I would see a big drop in the impact on cost per mile from taxes.
I've put a set of tires ($900) and brakes on both axles ($600) on the truck. While that's a good chunk of money, it gets averaged out over 5.5 years and 80,000 miles of driving. Also, those expenses are "bumpy" because they immediately have a direct upward impact on cost per mile but fade out over time. Fuel costs per mile are "bumpy" for about 5,000 miles and then are reasonably flat (unless something happens to make the fuel consumption change significantly).