The true cost revealed...

[rovers90]

Interesting article in one of the motoring supplements at the weekend about the real cost of running a car, calculated as the pence per mile (ppm). Figures looked at the typical motorist buying a brand new vehicle, driving 12,000 miles per year and retaining the car for three years.

 

The calculation took in to consideration three years servicing, depreciation, all taxes and duties, fuel cost and initial purchase price but not insurance (this is dictated more by other factors such as the drivers age) and was based on the average purchase of a small/medium four/five door family car.

 

The most expensive car to run based on the above is the...............Nissan Leaf at 52ppm.Apparantly the purchase price is non negotiable and the predicted resale value represents a £20,000 decrease, partially due to the fact the very expensive batteries will be nearly due for replacement. It doesn't stop there however, the second most expensive is the Toyota Prius hybrid at 46ppm, followed by the Lexus hybrid at 45ppm.

 

I also remember reading an article a few years back which claimed the environmental cost of making such hybrids was three times that for a standard petrol or diesel car. Apparantley the very precious minerals required for the manufacture of the batteries are flown backwards and forwards across the globe before the manufacturers end up with a finished battery! Do the people who buy such cars realise the damage created in their manufacture?

 

I'm going to show my age here, I recall watching a programme, possibly Panarama, in the early seventies about the fuel for the future - hydrogen. I distinctly remember watching a car being driven, parked up with the engine running and the presenter collecting water coming out of the exhaust and putting it back in the tank before driving off again. If we could do that in the seventies why has it not been developed and put in to manufacture in the following 40 years? One can only guess the oil companies have had something to do with it.

 

Thank you and goodnight.

[RobArb]

Exactly, the cynical side of me says we could run cars on hydrogen now but the oil fat cats want to bleed every last penny of what oil there is left..

 

That is of course me being cynical, isn't it?

 

Sent from Rob's GalaxySII

[pgkevet]

If you look at the environmental footprint of many 'green' technologies they fail to stand up..the toxic cost of mining and making solar panels.let alone the disposal afterwards of goods.

 

I think someone pointed out that one of the best was an old low technology petrol car kept maintained and running for 20yrs...avoids all the manufacturing, electronics, scrappage damage, plastics etc... just doesn't work for an economy based on selling unnecessary rubbish to folk to keep the money circulating....

[smiles]

I think someone pointed out that one of the best was an old low technology petrol car kept maintained and running for 20yrs...avoids all the manufacturing, electronics, scrappage damage, plastics etc... just doesn't work for an economy based on selling unnecessary rubbish to folk to keep the money circulating....

 

Very well said,and it ain't only cars:thumbup1:

[Paul Smith]

I am sure someone once told me one of the major oil companies has bought the patent for hydrogen fuelled card!

[Alycidon]

I am surprised the figures are so low, depreciation is the major cost. I used to use a trade mag that broke down all company car and van running expenses.

 

In over 25 years of running diesel cars and a fleet of usually 8 or 9 vans I sell my vechicles at about 300,000 miles. I have only once or twice from memory replaced a gearbox and only lost two engines, both those were early 1.6D Ford in Escorts, plastic cam pulleys exploded, both within 5 minutes of each other about 80 miles apart. They were 2 months out of warrenty, Ford would not touch them under warrenty so I bought Vauxhall Combo's for the next ten years. My last Disco ( a 200 auto, one of the first) I had 11 trouble free years and sold it at 274,000, the current one ( TD5) has about 225,000 on it so far. My depeciation this year will be about nil !!, ie with that milage its only worth 3 or 4 k maybe, be worth that next year as well.

 

A

Edited August 17, 2011 by Alycidon

[RobArb]

Do you recon the new discos will last as long as the older ones?

 

Sent from Rob's GalaxySII

[Mark James]

Do you recon the new discos will last as long as the older ones?

 

Sent from Rob's GalaxySII

 

Rob i would say they will as long as the oil is changed regularly the people that own them from new tend not to drive them on much, mostly because that's not why they bought them in the first place.

[RobArb]

Its just, I'd like a new one (well nearly new:blush:) and would want it to last a it would get used for everything, family and work!

 

Sent from Rob's GalaxySII