2nd that....It sucks that you got rid of the stang, but it sounds like you made a good descision!

 

First, this isn't a bash on your trading in the Mustang for a Civic. You're the one who's got to drive it and park it in the driveway, so what car you decide you want to do that with, is up to you.

But, here's what I don't understand about people doing what you did, or similary trading in for a Hybrid. 99.9% of the time, the reason given for this decision, is exactly what you said; It's easier on the pocket for gas. So, let's look at Joe blow buying a Hybrid to save on gas:
He buys a brand new car, most likely financing it, which means he's paying a higher interest rate than on the car he's trading in that he bought two years ago, and since he's buying a Hybrid at the same time every other person is buying one, he gets hit with a market adjustment of several grand from the manufacturer, and then the dealer chimes in with their own "market adjustment".

So what's Joe Blow got now? Well, instead of having a car loan with only 3 years left on it, he's got a car loan with five years left on it. Instead of the low(er) interest he got two years ago, he's now paying a higher interest rate for that loan. Then consider that the loan he took out is for an "inflated" amount, because he was essentially "overcharged" for the Hybrid to begin with, because of both manufactuerer and dealer the "market adjustments".

But, now he's not paying so much for gas like the rest of us suckers, so it'll all even itself out over time. In fact, Joe Blow may even come ahead in the end. Actually he won't because it doesn't work out that way. Check this article out: The Truth About Hybrids. (November 2005)http://www.kiplinger.com/personalfin...1/hybrids.html

Here's an excerpt from it:
Cost versus benefit.
"You typically pay a $3,000 premium for a hybrid, but that balloons to $5,000 more for the Lexus RX 400h versus a comparably equipped RX 330. And some dealers take advantage of the high demand for hybrids to tack big markups on to the sticker. So is a hybrid worth the money?

Financially speaking, no. You won't necessarily get your money back from savings at the pump. Edmunds.com recently calculated the five-year ownership cost of 2005-model hybrids versus their conventional gasoline-engine counterparts. For the vehicles to have identical costs, fuel would have to cost from $5.60 a gallon (for the Ford Escape Hybrid versus the Escape XLT AWD) to $10.10 a gallon (for the Toyota Prius versus the fuel-efficient Toyota Corolla). Compare the Prius with the best-selling Toyota Camry LE and you break even when gas costs $2.28 per gallon."

Now yes, Joe Blow will get a tax benefit, but as of 2006, the laws and benefits for that have changed, making it more difficult to factor the amount of the benefit, and at the same time, lowering the benefit on a sort of sliding-scale.

Now in your particular case, you traded in a 1999 Mustang. Now unless you were an idiot and then found an even stupider lender, I doubt at this point you were still making payments on it. So now, you've gone from no monthly payment to having a $325.00 monthly payment. Right off the bat, logically speaking, that means you needed to have been spending at least $326.00 a month in gas on your Mustang, your V6 Mustang, in order to be making any savings in gas costs. I don't spend that much in gas in a month with my V8 Mustang.

Anyways, now let's also consider that as you had no loan for your insurence company to cover on the Mustang, and that it was 6-7 years old, I can't imagine your monthly insurance cost was all that much. But now, you've got a 2006 Civic that does have a loan on it to cover. So, there's more money out of your pocket for insurance. Let's be conservative and say an extra $25.00 monthly.

So, you've gone from a car that cost zero dollars for a monthly payment to one that costs $325.00 and now possibly paying $25.00 more a month for insurance. So, you've increased your monthly expenditures by $350.00

How exactly is this saving you money again?

 

i am spending 150 dollars more a month but i now ahve a brand new car and i wont ahve to fill up every 3 days or more

also im looking into the futrue not so if i ahve this car now and its paid off in 4 yrs then i can save money for a new mustang not a 99 v6 that i had and im also starting to save for an apartment so im trying to be responsible for once in my life and do what needs to be done not what i want

 

My friend has a 99 v6 with highly ported and polished heads and a custom grind cam and he get better MPG. Did you ever give it a full tune-up? and 4.10s only put the gas mileage about 1 or 2 miles.


I would like to say... I'm sorry for your loss.

 

Hell I would rather have a new civic, especially the SI than a V6 stang too. The Civic will be better built, will get much better mileage, and will retain its value so much better its not funny.

 

Yeah, with a wife and an 18 month old, I know all about responsibility.

It's a bitch!

But, at least you're doing it for good sound reasons; Moving to new apartment, planning/looking ahead, and putting a "need" in front of a "want". I'll give you props for that.

 

thats true, v6 stangs do suck

 

thanks man appreciate that

 

the point isn't as much that you got a Civic, it's that u said u spent 17 grand on it... dude, 17 grand on a civic thats slower then My MUSTANG!... which is slow to begin with... and more expensive then what I payed... idk bro I think you shoulda thought it through a lil more, I think u wanted a new car instead of a more economical one... ur spending more, how much are u getting paid a month that you can save for a $500 apartment + 350 loan payment + food + Gas....? bro thats alota money right there... why wouldn't u have gone for a 2002 or something younger for like 5-6 grand and left it at that...

 

i make 500 a week at my current job i am a parts manager at an autoparts store i am taking a yr and a half off from school to save money for colledge and an apartment for me the mustang was not in my plan my plan is to have the civic pay 17k for it new car drives excellent interior is sick and i get 40mpg i pay 311 a onth for the car i pout away 600 a month for my appartment and i out away 200 a month for colledge spending ,money the rest i get to play with eat gas and spend on my gf im planning ahead not for wut i can ahve now and be in trouble later

 

yeah seriously, you coulda got a alot sweet cars for 17k...I think your a ricer at heart

 

hell he could have gotten a cheaper car that is the same on gas... like the toyota yaris for <11k

 

u could have spent 17grand and gotten a 2001 cobra mustang.....I get about 21 miles to the gallon street and 25 highway...or did.

 

Hell, i put about 500 a week and spend close to $4xx-450 dollars a month on gas! My parents are telling me to sell the stang, but i'll be damned if i sell the stang! I spent too much time and money, not to mention that me and my stang have a lot of history together to sell it now that i'm so close to owning her!...

 

I'd rather have a 06 top model Civic over a V6 Stang ..they are stylish and u can save on gas a bit. And chicks dig nice lookin civics also.
Congrats!

 

I agree..
Im almost done paying it off! February will be my last payment...and I plan on keeping it and not trading it in for any new modal car. Imma Mod the hell outa it though further!...im so excited...yayyyyyyy

 

Good decision. Your young and learning to be responsible for your own future. Cars are just the rewards you reap after you have established yourself in the working world. Buy a Mustang later when you can enjoy it again. Kudos for thinking into your future. Just dont put on an ugly wing and fart can and you'll be respected by most Stang drivers, but probably hated by ricers who wonder why you aint got a fart can and big ole wing. (you know, The 3 fast 3 furious loser crowds,,

 

good deal, i'm planning on doing the same thing in the next year as i'm only getting 16mpg. imo, its not worth it for a lamer v6, which has barely more horsepower than a 4cyl, if not less, and much much less then a v8 stang, not to mention i get worse gas mileage than a lot of v8 stangs.:surrender

 

you know what the chinese do to **** with mullets? they pawn their baby daughters off on them.

hehe, good aah ruck, honk eee!

wahtah!!!

 

dont those slugs only have 110hp?

a civic si has over 200hp....... denh denh denh (ouch, i just stabbed myself)

 

With that mileage thats the best thing you did later on you will have another opportunity to own a Mustang or another v8 so dont worry. Just chime in once a day for your v8 fix, doctors orders.

 

The base motor is 140 now.