Fuel cost vs. Total cost Calculator

If anybody's interested, I wrote an online calculator to compare the fuel cost vs. total cost of two cars - for example, if you're wondering whether to pay a couple thousand more for a hybrid, you can see when the fuel savings will cover the added expense:

Fuel cost vs. Total cost Calculator (http://sporkforge.com/finance/gas_cost.php)

I did something similar in Excel, including insurance (including the difference between my older, fuel-inefficient car (with cheaper insurance) and the new hybrid (insurance is high, since they don't know what it will "cost" them), maintenance, tires, adding a new payments versus a paid off fuel-inefficient truck, etc.

The ugly truth? -- even with the great deal I got on my hybrid, the extra payments and insurance means I don't have savings on gas until Year Six of ownership. Probably longer -- the hybrid is so fuel efficient that we have used it much more than I used the SUV, thus adding wear and tear, maintenance, etc.

... including insurance (including the difference between my older, fuel-inefficient car (with cheaper insurance) and the new hybrid (insurance is high, since they don't know what it will "cost" them), maintenance, tires, adding a new payments versus a paid off fuel-inefficient truck, etc.


Ah - well done!


The ugly truth? -- even with the great deal I got on my hybrid, the extra payments and insurance means I don't have savings on gas until Year Six of ownership. Probably longer -- the hybrid is so fuel efficient that we have used it much more than I used the SUV, thus adding wear and tear, maintenance, etc.

Yeah, not surprising. However, as gas becomes more & more expensive, hybrids may become more of a bargain, though I'm personally more a fan of diesels.

Plus as hybrid adoption becomes more widespread, maybe insurance premiums for them will get in line with other vehicles.

That's a great point sporkman. Fuel price speculation could play a big role in the calculator. I prefer diesel much more than a hybrid.