Thinking of selling my Tundra. Thoughts on Price?

ColoradoTJ · Oct 15, 2017

careyrob said: ↑

Okay folks. Let's pull out the calculators and figure this out.

Buying a $10k commuter car to "save money on gas" doesn't really make a lot of financial sense.

The national average gasoline price is currently $2.48/gal. Assuming your Tundra gets a combined city/highway 13 mpg (a little lower than most here, but this is a conservative estimate) that $10k could buy you 4,032 gallons of gas. You could drive 52,419 miles in your Tundra for same cost as that commuter car. ...But Wait. There's More!

You don't have to have insurance, registration, state inspections or pay excise tax for gasoline, but you do for cars.

Not factoring in insurance, registration, etc. you would have to drive a 35 mpg, $10k commuter car 83,394 miles before it would start saving you any money at all. The difference in maintenance cost (oil changes and tires) for any two reliable vehicles over that time period would likely be negligible when compared to the cost of fuel. This is a conservative estimate. If you typically get better than 13 mpg out of your truck (I got 17 on a long trip once) then the break-even point is longer. (Replacing a 17 mpg truck with a $10k, 35 mpg car doesn't break even until 133k miles!)

Either drive the truck and enjoy it or sell it and get a commuter car. It makes no sense to keep it and tell yourself you're saving money by buying and driving something else.

Of course, if you just want a 2nd vehicle and you can afford to keep both then go for it. Just make it fast, sporty and non-electric or I'll be disappointed in you.
Click to expand...

Well I couldn’t find it. However, I will state what you missed.

Vehicle replacement cost. Factor that in every 5 years or so, instead of running the miles up on a commuter. Now do the math.

Tundracollector · Oct 16, 2017

Also when you eventually sell the commuter it will have a little return so it’s not really 10k.

And also since your not putting commuter miles on the tundra it will hold its value slightly better so your saving a little there too.

But we’re just splitting hairs here lol

careyrob · Oct 16, 2017

Hmm....That adds some dependancies to the mix.
How many miles do you drive each year? What's your tolerance for driving a vehicle as it ages? Are you paying cash or financing the commuter?

I had a pretty long commute when I worked in Seattle (95 miles/day). I was putting 25k miles on my truck each year in stop-n-go traffic. So, ignoring taxes, registration, insurance, etc, I would have hit the break even threshold at about April of the fourth year....

HA! I just fell asleep typing....It's too late to keep all this straight in my head anyway. I'll sort it out tomorrow.

Sunnier · Oct 28, 2017

careyrob said: ↑

Okay folks. Let's pull out the calculators and figure this out.

Buying a $10k commuter car to "save money on gas" doesn't really make a lot of financial sense.

The national average gasoline price is currently $2.48/gal. Assuming your Tundra gets a combined city/highway 13 mpg (a little lower than most here, but this is a conservative estimate) that $10k could buy you 4,032 gallons of gas. You could drive 52,419 miles in your Tundra for same cost as that commuter car. ...But Wait. There's More!

You don't have to have insurance, registration, state inspections or pay excise tax for gasoline, but you do for cars.

Not factoring in insurance, registration, etc. you would have to drive a 35 mpg, $10k commuter car 83,394 miles before it would start saving you any money at all. The difference in maintenance cost (oil changes and tires) for any two reliable vehicles over that time period would likely be negligible when compared to the cost of fuel. This is a conservative estimate. If you typically get better than 13 mpg out of your truck (I got 17 on a long trip once) then the break-even point is longer. (Replacing a 17 mpg truck with a $10k, 35 mpg car doesn't break even until 133k miles!)

Either drive the truck and enjoy it or sell it and get a commuter car. It makes no sense to keep it and tell yourself you're saving money by buying and driving something else.

Of course, if you just want a 2nd vehicle and you can afford to keep both then go for it. Just make it fast, sporty and non-electric or I'll be disappointed in you.
Click to expand...

I have a little bit of a crush forming here. And I'm looking for my own pocket protector....

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Thinking of selling my Tundra. Thoughts on Price?

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ColoradoTJ Certified tow LEO Staff Member

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Thinking of selling my Tundra. Thoughts on Price?

#61 ColoradoTJ Certified tow LEO Staff Member

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#64 Sunnier Pity the warrior that slays all his foes

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#61
ColoradoTJ Certified tow LEO Staff Member

#62
Tundracollector New Member

#63
careyrob In the field

#64
Sunnier Pity the warrior that slays all his foes

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