I currently get old cars for free, and do absolutely no maintenance or repairs on them, which only last 3-12 months before I crush them and move on... I drive 150km a day, about 20 days a month to work and back which costs me on average $25-$30 a day in gas. The prius according to stats would cost me less than $10 a day in gas. So, if the car lasted about 10-12 years, about 500,000-600,000km this car would actually pay for itself...
Didn't say earth days... But even using Jupiter days, 20 jupiter days / earth week is still 8+1/4 earth days / earth week...
Why is it that the question is always " how long until it pays for itself?" What the pay back period of getting subs? How about 20'' Crome wheels? Your comparing a prius C a high tech car. Even the base has auto climate, Bluetooth, and a CVT. To a old old old junker that lasts you weeks to months! Its apples and oranges. You want to talk about two new cars your still not apples to apples. But please don't even try to compare what ever old run down hunk of junk you have today that ,may or may not work, and surly doesn't have any safety other than seat belt, to my car.
car pays for itself, another prius benefit and you didn't even take into consideration rising fuel costs!
i figure you would save about 17.5 a day in gas x 20 days a month 350 per month x 12 months is 4200 so in about 6years the cars paid for the a brand new car with a warranty that you don t have to worry about it will have about 216000 miles on it with lots of life left
Plus you don't have to switch over title, plates, and insurance all the bleeping time. Oh And you have a non POS car
Comparing a vehicle with a low purchase price & high operating cost to a vehicle with a high purchase price and low operating cost is valid. Granted, the new car will have features that don't have easily quantifiable values. For example, what's an undeployed airbag worth? The deployed airbag that keeps you out of the hospital is worth thousands of dollars. If changing to a new car the mindset also has to change. The Prius is low maintenance, not no maintenance. Regular service is needed to keep it running in good form. If it is going to be treated like a junker it will perform like a junker.
So all you do is drive to work then go home and do what? Seems that you'd never drive on a 400 mile trip and actually go any place but work if (1) it would cost to much in gas or (2) fear of your junk car stranding you far from home. Your plan works if you don't care about any of that. BTW I do the same with cloths. I never buy new. I cruse the streets on trash day and look in dumpsters and find all kinds of usable things like shoes and winter coats and tee-shirts. The way I figure it, a new pair of shoes would NEVER pay for them selves no matter how far I walk. OK I'm kidding about the dumpster diving but it is the EXACT same logic you use with cars
