Added a Used Car Buying Guide / Calculator

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

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

11011011

 

Code:

CHANGELOG:

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

11011011

 

Dan,

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

 

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.

11011011

 

http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/downloads.php?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.

11011011

 

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 ;-) ).

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

http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/downloads.php?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.

11011011

 

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.

11011011

 

Nice update! Now you've got me thinking about charting...

 

Added Corolla mand moved accord to "scratch".

http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/downloads.php?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.

11011011

 

Very nice framework. I found it interesting that the second owner of the 2003 Prius took a much worse depreciation hit than the first, and so had higher cents/mile.

DAS

 

Nice idea, but you really should break out the Make/Model/Transmission/type of gas into their own columns.

Also -- the 2006+ VW Jetta and GTI gasoline 4cyl turbocharged vehicles should be added to the list, as they both meet the EPA 25MPG combined minimum. (Both manual and DSG versions.)