Gas Prices, Your Car & You

[Fern]

An informal poll...

1. What kind of car do you drive now?
2. When do you anticipate buying a new car?
3. Have the high gas prices influenced your choice of a new car, when you are ready to buy?

My answers.
1. 1999 Honda Civic
2. Probably not for another 3-4 years
3. Already planned to buy a Prius, not just for gas mileage but to save environment, too. (If you're motivated solely by gas mileage and saving $, Prius might not be the way to go due to high sticker price and need to replace the battery at some point.)

[miclason]

1. Daewoo Fino (Tico) 1995
2. In 2 or 3 years
3. Not really, I feel a lot more comfortable in a small car...easier to park!! ha,ha,ha,ha!

[cercis]

1. 1998 Saturn. Up until a few months ago it was getting 30mpg, but now it's down to 20. I took it in to be serviced, but this is the new normal for my car, so ...

2. In the next year or so, as soon as DH's is paid off.

3. Yes and no. We've been waiting for a hybrid minivan/station wagon, this just makes it more likely we won't wait, but may not buy a slightly larger car.

[Russell]

1. '04 Accord, '97 BMW328, '88 Volvo wagon

2. The wagon might need to be replaced soon, it runs well but the A/C doesn't work anymore.

3. Most certainly! specially now with gas prices at $3/gal here - and I think it'll just get worse with time.

I wanted to replace the trusty old wagon and the Accord with a new pickup truck but I have two problems. One, the DW says she doesn't want to drive a truck and two we'll have to look into smaller trucks. So, I think we'll be getting rid of two useful cars to get something that would be a compromise at best. So I'll have to discuss this with the DW some more.

[zakity]

74 Suburban (10 mpg), 76 Honda Civic (30 something mpg), 89 Nissan Sentra (30 mpg)

We are in discussion about replacing the Suburban. The Nissan is waiting a few years, but we think we are replacing that with a station wagon. The Honda car is basically parked, we just haven't gotten rid of it.

Yeah, I want to buy a alternate fuel vehicle.

We also have three motorcycles (two older Silverwings and one Goldwing). DH drives the Goldwing (40 mpg) back and forth to work when it is nice.

[Bluezy]

1. 95 Nissan Bakkie (truck) with an engine to die for!

2. NEVER! The depreciation alone of driving a financed vehicle off the lot
would give me an stroke.

3. I can deal with the price of petrol. I would rather have a safe, road
worthy mode of transport.

[Tree0164]

An informal poll...

1. What kind of car do you drive now?
I have a 2001 Chrysler mini-van Hubby has a 1996 Dodge Caravan
2. When do you anticipate buying a new car?
We bought our 2001 mini-van this past May.
3. Have the high gas prices influenced your choice of a new car, when you are ready to buy?
I don't do much driving. Hubby just drives less than 20 miles a day roundtrip to work. However our next car will not be a mini-van.

[Bruce Wayne]

No car
Might buy a car in the next few months - mileage will be a key factor
Yes, and they influence my use of a bike at the moment

[Lori63]

2004 Toyota Sienna
At least 4 years from now, if then
Not really- we have three toyotas and the van gets great mileage

[PrincessPerky]

1. What kind of car do you drive now?

Saturn umm sedan, white (sorry not a car gal)

2. When do you anticipate buying a new car?

Next time I get pregnant (car fits us now, no room for growth, actually might have to go bigger when BBY3 gets in a forward facing seat, they are bigger and prolly wont fit less DD is in a booster by then.)

3. Have the high gas prices influenced your choice of a new car, when you are ready to buy?

Not exactly, I never liked a car with high gas cost even before it became the in thing to complain about, so we want a fuel concious car regardless of current prices.

[mccartygirl]

1. What kind of car do you drive now?
2003 Envoy XL, 2005 Envoy and 2004 Chevy Malibu Maxx (Clown Car)
2. When do you anticipate buying a new car?
My lease on the '03 is up in Jan, will probably trade Malibu in a year early because I hate that car. We are looking at either Yukons or 2500 HD.
3. Have the high gas prices influenced your choice of a new car, when you are ready to buy?
Not really, I only get 14-16 MPG but I feel really safe in my SUV. I rarely let my daughter ride in the Malibu, it's just so small. I'll pay extra for gas to feel safe when everyone here drives big ole Dodge Rams or SUVs. Those would destroy a car.

[akaivyleaf]

Originally Posted by Fern

An informal poll...

1. What kind of car do you drive now?
2. When do you anticipate buying a new car?
3. Have the high gas prices influenced your choice of a new car, when you are ready to buy?

I drive a 2003 S500 Mercedes and don't anticipate buying another car for 10+ years. I keep cars FOREVER. My last car I had for 12 years. I have to have gas like I have to have food for my body so the price, although very very high, doesn't effect what car I choose to buy when the time comes.

[pennywise]

2004 Cavalier and 2005 Impala (both bought with Gm credit card points and Gm employee pricing)

In 10-12 years, buy new and drive til they die!

Mileage is very important as ancillary costs add up. Could have done better on car choices but the Gm rewards offset that decision. I used slightly over 9000 dollars in reward money

[jmjj215]

1. '98 Chevy Prizm

2. One year, a van for the fam

3. To a certain extent - but I don't get too worked up about it.

[meaghanchan]

1. No car
2. Never
3. Nope

I'm very, very glad I live in a city with good public transportation!

[elrodsgirl]

1.Mercury, Mystique, 95 (gets about 30 mpg highway)
2.In a year or two, if it doesn't develop major problems
3.I think I want a Toyota, they are suppose to be real dependable!!! And good on gas.

[akaivyleaf]

My last car was a toyota and lasted 12 years.

[Fern]

Well, Meagan gets the prize!

[Lori63]

Originally Posted by akaivyleaf

My last car was a toyota and lasted 12 years.

We have a '94 Corolla, '00 Camry and a '04 Sienna. We have never had to do anything except oil changes, tires, etc. to any of them.

[DivaJen]

1. What kind of car do you drive now?
'99 VW Passat. I also have my '94 Miata, but it's in the garage much of the time, as DD can't ride in it safely yet.

2. When do you anticipate buying a new car?
Not for a while. The Passat only has about 55K miles on it, so we ought to be able to keep it for a good long while. I'll probably keep the miata forever.

3. Have the high gas prices influenced your choice of a new car, when you are ready to buy?
No, although if I saw a Prius wagon that had room comparable to our Passat's, I might think about it. Like the OP, our next car will be a hybrid of some sort, but more for environmental reasons and making a statement about out dependence on oil than simply for fuel savings.