How Car Selections Effect Your Wallet

Image by allie™ via Flickr

During my most recent vacation to Disney World, my sister and I drove down to Orlando.  We drove my vehicle (Nissan Murano) which gets 21.5 miles per gallon.  Along the drive, I asked her how many miles per gallon her car gets (Toyota Camry) and she said 34 miles per gallon.  All I could think was why in the world we were journeying 600 miles each way to our favorite destination in my vehicle instead of hers!Along the ride, I began to think about how car selection is important when purchasing a vehicle.  My Murano now nearly has 150,000 miles on it.  So, I decided I would take a look at the cost of gas for my vehicle versus her vehicle assuming we both drove them for 150,000 miles.  I also assumed the cost of gas per today’s average of $3.79 per gallon.

Here is the review:

Murano 150,000/21.5 miles per gallon = 6,977 gallons needed in the 150k lifetime X $3.79/gal = $26,442.83

Camry 150,000/34 miles per gallon = 4,412 gallons needed in the 150k lifetime X $3.79/gal = $16,721.48

The difference is an extra 2,565 gallons needed to run the Murano over the Camry during the 150,000 miles.  Multiply the 2,565 gallons times the rate of $3.79 to get the cost of $9,721.  In other words, it will cost me an extra $9,721 to drive my Murano over the cost of my sister’s Camry for the 150,000 miles.  That is a huge difference!

So, when you look to purchase a vehicle, be sure to review the miles per gallon.  If you get down to two different cars you are comparing, be sure to use a similar comparison of costs to see which one is the better deal for you and your family!  The gas savings could help you in paying for your vacation to Disney!

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Tags: Meet the Magic