With the rising gas price and currently no job, there's only so much your parents can help you out. Granted, that sounds a bit embarrassing, but, meh, gets the job done.

Anyway, I can't keep taking out of my account to pay for gas, and I don't want mom or dad doing it either, so I've been exploring other options.

A few dealers have '09 Focus Coupes. The looks, while not the best, are growing on me, plus the fueleconomy.gov user numbers are appealing.

Providing the dealer doesn't try to rip off, I've been told my '03 Crown Vic LX with 55k miles on it could be firmly sold for 12-13 thousand. The car is mint with the exception of paint marks and dings from the two previous owners, and it's maintained like a baby.

The question I have is if I'm able to find and trade a Focus with auto trans for the Vic, what's the best bet to maintain and increase gas mileage? I've been looking into intakes, exhaust, throttle body spacers. A buddy was able to get a mile or so more, so he says, out of his Chevy Impala with an intake and throttle body spacer, so if I could toss a few mods in the process of the Focus it would be pretty cool.

 

sell your car out right if you can. The dealer will never give you 12 or 13k for it imo.
I would also leave the focus stock because it will take to long to get a return on your money spent for mods. Just put the cash in the tank or spend it at the beer store.

 

http://autos.msn.com/research/vip/de...own%20Victoria

 

Thought about keeping it stock, but it's something that even WHEN gas goes down whenever that may be (I can keep my hopes up), I'd still keep the Focus as a long term car. Same with the Vic. It was supposed to be long term. Didn't plan for the gas charge.

I don't agree with the reliability ratings and all together lower ratings of the '03 model year. I know new things were introduced but it's no different reliability wise.

 

its just that they are showing 7300 tops for your car. I don't think the track reliability very well after like 36k miles. Most problems seem to be fixed after that kind of mileage and usally don't come back untill after 100k or so.

 

According to the fueleconomy.gov website, you'd save a grand total of $1,051 per year in gas between your Vic and the Focus. Assuming several things, but let's just go with that.

Now, also assuming Nada's perfect, full tilt options value were achieved for both vehicles, with 55k miles on the Vic, and I guessed at 5k on the Focus, (it's probably more, though, so this value may be lower on the particular Foci in question.)

'03 Crown Vic: $8000, retail. (Sell it yourself. Dealer will give $5-6 max.)

'09 Focus 2D SES with everything: $15,000ish.

Assuming these models and mileage, that means you'll spend $7,000 on a newer car to "save" $1000 per year. That means you MUST KEEP IT, NO MATTER WHAT, PAST 7 YEARS to break even on the purchase.

And while I plan on keeping Awesome for the rest of my life, most people are itching to get out of a car after 7 years of ownership.

I'm going to bet the cost of ownership (tires, mainentance) isn't any real difference, so I'm leaving it out of the equation.

I would therefore keep the Vic. It makes no monetary sense to reliquish it over a gasoline bill, and it's a good, safe, sturdy, and usually long lived car, with lowish maintenance bills, if kept in good running condition.

Buying the Focus or any other car should be an excercise in horizontal trading (i.e., no real money spent, so savings are immediate) or a desire to be in something else anyway, in which case, no monetary argument is to be brought out, it is a moot point.

So... the question becomes... do you WANT the Focus, or not? You will not 'save' anything by getting it for 7 years, so that's the bottom line: Car lust.

Case in point: If I was thinking about gas prices and such, I wouldn't have gotten Awesome 3 years ago this June, as gas was a consideration... and I was looking at it seriously. I then got the car I *wanted* and justified it as 'I won't kill it because I hate my econobox."

And yes, I understand the job situation, but honestly, it's just not worth it unless you don't spend anything doing it. Which will equate to about $20 a week perhaps difference to your pocketbook if you did do it. You can do that by buying value menu items at fast food places or not buying Starbucks or some other sacrifice.

And that's my thoughts on 'saving gas money' by getting another car. Hope it helps.

/hope the Job situation turns around for ya soon, dude!

 

Houtex, as always your logic is flawless. Car payments are money going to someone else that takes away from your life. Would there be a possibility of purchasing a used one or as much as I hate the thought, a VW diesel? THey're clean and get good mileage.

 

I don't mean to disappoint you, but here in Wisconsin Crown Victoria like yours can be bought for $6,000-$7,000.
$13,000 would be a fair price for a 2003 Marauder with 55,000 miles, but not Crown Victoria.

 

Houtex, you do have very good and valid points. I wasn't even considering gas during the purchase of Nighthawk, just the fact I wanted it since fourteen years of age. I don't spend money on anything outside maintaining the car, occasional cup of coffee, Dunkin though. If I were able to the get the 13k for the car and dealer didn't tack on too much or sold the Focus for the list price, then I would be able to take a few dollars out of my account to pay the difference, this particular Focus is a little over 13,500 at a Ford dealer with a clean report which is a plus.

Red Star, I've checked around for the prices. If you see what Marauder's are going for on ebay even in other states, getting 13k from the right buyer wouldn't be a problem. There are some LX Sports that have over 100K miles that still sell for 8 thousand plus.

As for now I'm simply driving a &%^$ load less...which is really boring. But, whatever, got plenty of paint, I'll build a model or something.

Thank you very much for the input. I saw the thousand dollar plus savings and wanted to jump for it. Maybe I'll get a call for one of those 20+ jobs applied for...