From Guest Blogger Jake M: Affordable Vehicles with Good Fuel Consumption
Balancing the budget can seem difficult for a lot of us. When a big purchase such as a new vehicle comes along, there’s likely to be a lot on your mind. But to find a vehicle that will really fit your budget, there are more aspects to consider than just the monthly payments and insurance associated with a vehicle – for example, the gas mileage.
When you start to look at fuel economy facts and figures as published by the EPA you’ll notice a pretty clear (and perhaps obvious) trend: the best of the best are hybrid and electric vehicles, as far as gas mileage is concerned. Unfortunately for penny pinchers, these types of vehicles still sport a pretty hefty price tag at this point in time.
But there is a light at the end of the tunnel for those of us saving money with conventional gasoline powered rides: many of today’s cars can clear 40 MPG on the highway if the conditions are right. Federal mandates have been pushing fuel economy for years, and as a result manufacturers have turned to tighter engineering, lighter materials, and other gas saving techniques. As a result, modern vehicles leave a smaller footprint on the environment, and thusly a smaller footprint on your wallet.
Outside of the hybrid, electric, and diesel markets, Mazda is the manufacturer with the lowest average brand-wide fuel efficiency. This is partly due to the fact that Mazda doesn’t have any trucks or SUVs in their fleet dragging their averages down. Still, with an across-the-board average of nearly 30 MPG, Mazda is making big moves in reducing fuel consumption. Further, the Mitsubishi Mirage, Ford Fiesta, Toyota Corolla, Mini Cooper, Chevy Cruze, and Honda Fit are all shining examples of fuel efficient vehicles available at well under $20,000.
And yet, the frugal minded car buyer may often find themselves spending a little extra up front. Take the Ford Fiesta for example. Classified as a super-mini, the Ford Fiesta boasts itself as one of the most efficient vehicles on the market. But to get the impressively advertised 43 miles-per-gallon of highway driving, you’ll need to throw in an extra thousand dollars for the special edition – which will actually hold you back a little bit with its rinky-dink three cylinder engine. Estimated savings at this rate would mean you’d need to drive this car for at least five years before the money-saving benefits would even begin.
As you may have noticed, smaller and more compact vehicles will generally require considerably less gasoline than large trucks and SUVs. However, if your occupation or lifestyle demands a pickup truck, you’ll be glad to know modern trucks are more fuel efficient than the pickups of yesteryear. Many six or eight cylinder truck engines are now designed to shut down half of their cylinders when maintaining a cruising speed. Additionally, finding a truck with an incorporated truck bed cover, or adding an aftermarket tonneau cover will greatly reduce drag and wind resistance against your tailgate, vastly improving gas mileage.
That said, the frugal driver has a slew of other factors to consider. Not the least of which, your vehicle’s resale value. It’s no secret that junking an old car as opposed to keeping it running is devastating to the environment. Thusly, many frugal and environmentally-minded folks take special precautions to make sure their vehicle stays in good shape and retains an appropriate resale value. Doing this will not only help the environment, but it will help you with some much needed cash flow for when you upgrade vehicles.
Making sure your ride retains its resale value means regular maintenance, including oil and tire changes. Furthermore, used car buyers will often be completely dissuaded by even minor interior damage. The proactive addition of custom floor mats will cost a little more up front, but could prove to be invaluable in the eventual value of your investment.
After all, a vehicle is a necessity for most people, but ongoing costs and low returns on investment are not. Shop smart, take care of your vehicle, keep your tires full, and do what you can to eliminate drag and you can always come out on top.
Jake McKenzie is a writer and videographer at Auto Accessories Garage. When he's not talking about cars he enjoys cooking, woodworking, and watching basketball.
