Added a Used Car Buying Guide / Calculator

Dan · #1 04-01-2008, 05:36 PM

Added a Used Car Buying Guide / Calculator to the files section

http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/downl...?do=file&id=30

Quote:

Used Car Buying Guide Version 0.1

The list provided are most all cars sold in the US that are rated above 25 MPG from mixed driving. Colored fields are calculated and shouldn't be changed.

The cost per mile factors in purchase price, resale price loan interest and fuel costs. It is suggested that you use a fuel cost that will accurately represent the price of fuel in the future (2010), not the current fuel costs which float up with inflation.

Two seaters have been excluded.

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Dan · #2 04-01-2008, 05:46 PM

Code:

CHANGELOG:

v0.1 - 04-01-08: Initial Release
v1.0 - 04-01-08: Linked to CleanMPG in references box.

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Dan · #3 04-01-2008, 09:21 PM

http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/downl...?do=file&id=30

Code:

CHANGELOG:

v0.1 - 04-01-08: Initial Release.
v1.0 - 04-01-08: Linked to CleanMPG in references box.
v1.1 - 04-01-08: Added help-text to important cells.  Also added some beautification.

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swoon · #4 04-01-2008, 06:00 PM

Dan,

That's an awesome spreadsheet. One question, why eliminate two-seaters from the spreadsheet?

Dan · #5 04-01-2008, 07:44 PM

Well since most the cars had seating for 4, putting a ringer like the Insight on the list seemed kinda unfair. Feel free to download the sheet and add the Insight in row "3" or anywhere else you like. Any black type can be typed over with anything you like... like "Insight".

You get get the mpg numbers from the fueleconomy.gov link listed in references.

Glad you like it.

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Dan · #6 04-02-2008, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maxx

Thanks for this!

An awesome addition would be a blank "your car" field that you could fill in yourself to see if it's worth trading out your current ride. For example, Average MPG could use =if(B33:F33="", "", 1/($O$8/E32+$O$9/F32)) statement to hide if unused.

PS - it's costing me 17 cents a mile to keep my Altima (epa), or 14 cents a mile hi-miling it. (21/29 epa, 30/32 me, no purchase price, no sell price, 70/30 hiway/city)

I like your thinking. I added a whole scratch sheet to do "Your Car" type calculations. I also put in a Maintenance cost column. I know that some have reported diesels have a slightly higher maintenance cost, primarily since finding a good 2.0L TDI mechanic in the US can be difficult. I added some disclaimers just to make sure no one thought I endorse any of the cars I list (although I do ;-) ).

Quote:

Originally Posted by swoon

That's an awesome spreadsheet. One question, why eliminate two-seaters from the spreadsheet?

Glad you like it. I added the Insight to the "Scratch" sheet for ya'.

http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/downl...?do=file&id=30

Code:

CHANGELOG:

v0.1 - 04-01-08: Initial Release.
v1.0 - 04-01-08: Linked to CleanMPG in references box.
v1.1 - 04-01-08: Added help-text to important cells.  Also added some beautification.
v1.2 - 04-02-08: Corrected some help text.
                 Added Change Log data.
                 Added disclaimer so as not to imply any vehicle endorsements.
                 Added a maintenance coloum to collect maintenance and ancillary expenses.
                 Added 'Scratch' sheet for adding vehicles not already on this list.

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Dan · #7 04-09-2008, 04:02 PM

Added Corolla mand moved accord to "scratch".

http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/downl...?do=file&id=30

Code:

CHANGELOG:

v0.1 - 04-01-08: Initial Release.
v1.0 - 04-01-08: Linked to CleanMPG in references box.
v1.1 - 04-01-08: Added help-text to important cells.  Also added some beautification.
v1.2 - 04-02-08: Corrected some help text.
                 Added Change Log data.
                 Added disclaimer so as not to imply any vehicle endorsements.
                 Added a maintenance coloum to collect maintenance and ancillary expenses.
                 Added 'Scratch' sheet for adding vehicles not already on this list.
v1.3 - 04-09-08: Added Corolla which I managed to drop in my first data gather.

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Maxx · #8 04-02-2008, 09:13 AM

Thanks for this!

An awesome addition would be a blank "your car" field that you could fill in yourself to see if it's worth trading out your current ride. For example, Average MPG could use =if(B33:F33="", "", 1/($O$8/E32+$O$9/F32)) statement to hide if unused.

PS - it's costing me 17 cents a mile to keep my Altima (epa), or 14 cents a mile hi-miling it. (21/29 epa, 30/32 me, no purchase price, no sell price, 70/30 hiway/city)

xcel · #9 04-02-2008, 11:23 AM

Hi Dan:

___Nice work and do you want to be let loose on the mileage DBase someday too

___Good Luck

___Wayne

Dan · #10 04-02-2008, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xcel

Hi Dan:

___Nice work and do you want to be let loose on the mileage DBase someday too

___Good Luck

___Wayne

Let me' at it

. But after DashGate, I'd hate to have that much power with out proper checks, balances and oversight.

Had my first test of the buyers guide. My brother mentioned interest in a Jetta TDI. Found one in Boisser and plugged in the numbers. The Jetta they were quoting came out to be a great deal even with the price of diesel where it is. The bad news is the dealer already sold it (last week), but "forgot" to take down the listing.

It got me thinking though. A good way to project maintenance costs would be to shop pre-paid maintenance contracts on the car your shopping. I know that such a contract for a BMW would be a lot higher than the same contract for a Toyota (not a dig, just that BMWs have are luxury cars).

EDIT: The figures on the Jetta TDI put the cost per mile at about 25 cents. Like I said... it was a real good deal for a Jetta TDI.

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