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As much as it may hurt to have to fill up your car every month (or week), the price of gas still isn't high enough to make trading in for a hybrid a reasonable solution for most, a reality punctuated by the Gas-Mileage Savings Calculator from Edmunds . The calculator takes the value of a trade-in compared to the cost of a more-efficient vehicle and, based on driving distances and the cost of gas, determines how long it would take to break even. For example, we took a 2006 Explorer XLT V8 and compared it to a new Jetta SportWagen TDI at $4.25 a gallon and 1,200 miles a month. At that rate it would take four years to make up the difference. The price of gas would have to rise to a ridiculous $16.50 a gallon to break even within a year — and we don't expect those prices until 2010 or so. Press release below the jump. Gas-Guzzler Trade-In Calculator Introduced by Edmunds.com SANTA MONICA, Calif. — June 30, 2008 — Should you dump the SUV for a gas-sipper? That's...
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Not surprisingly, the implosion of the new pickup/SUV market now means that your '06 Silverado doubles in value every time you fill the tank. Large retail groups such as CarMax are reporting wholesale prices for big pickups have plunged 25% in the last three months alone. With trade-in values making up a significant factor in many new car transactions, dealers are finding themselves squeezed by more truck owners "upside-down" in their loans. With dealers unable to finance new purchases, they've resorted to desperate tactics — like leaving truck owners sitting their with their manhood replacements hanging out, unable to trade it in. In a remarkably candid statement revealing where dealerships actually make their money, Poncho Redfern, president of San Francisco-based Thomason Auto Group, said "...you can't outrun it in F&I. There's only so much you can honestly earn in that department. This wreaks havoc on the bottom line. We see people with $10,000...
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As fuel prices rise, gas is rapidly becoming an extremely valuable commodity. And after sharing the five best ways to steal gas last week, we figure it's prudent to do the right thing by providing six of the best ways to protect your gas investment from the shady characters out there wishing to make it their own. 6. Fit A Locking Gas Cap Instructions: Drive an older vehicle with a gas cap and fuel door that don't lock? Aftermarket replacements that do lock are available from most car part stores. Make sure you select one that's designed for your vehicle; this is crucial for safety, security and emissions. Can't find one? Rivet a hasp and padlock onto the fuel door. Pros: Cheap, simple and effective at making lazy gas thieves think twice about choosing your vehicle for fuel pilfering. Cons: Doesn't protect you from a thief who isn't lazy and happens to be handy with a lock pick. 5. Swap Diesel And Gas Badges Instructions: Drive a gasoline-powered car? Swap out all...
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According to an article in the New York Times , some drivers of cars that are supposed to be fueled with premium-grade gasoline are switching to regular gas in an attempt to soothe their wallets. It's all about appearances, after all. Those big illuminated numbers that stare you down every time you fill up at the pump are getting bigger and scarier. But who wants to give up their premium car? Why not just give up the premium gas? We're sure there's plenty of us that have pulled the "octane diet" routine before. But while we may have guiltily pumped mid-grade in our octane-craving machines once or twice when we were in a pinch for cash, these drivers seem to be making the step down from high-octane for good — and without fear of consequences. While it's hard to say how much any potential mechanical damage would actually cost you in the future, why bother taking the risk? Mercedes driver Steve Altman says, "The only thing I've noticed is more money...
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Today brought us news of a purported new solution to high gas prices : SwiftFuel. Currently intended as a replacement for leaded 100-octane aviation fuel, SwiftFuel claims to be ethanol-based, but somehow free from ethanol's negatives such as its lower energy density, incompatibility with gasoline, and propensity to destroy rubber components. How do we know all this? The company's MySpace page told us so. But since we realize social networking sites sometimes contain minor misrepresentations, we decided to dig deeper. What we've discovered, and more importantly, what we still don't know, after the jump. Ordinarily, we wouldn't have given SwiftFuel a second glance due to the snake-oil style claims it makes. But in this case, the information came with a whiff of credibility thanks to a writeup by columnist Robert X. Cringely at PBS.org, including an interview with Mary Russek, half of the husband and wife team behind the company. Factor in the company's web site and...
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We're sitting on the precipice of one of the best weekends to do stuff all year — Memorial Day weekend. The issue isn't finding cool goings-on, it's paring down the options. You've got the Indianapolis 500 as the headline attraction for the motorsports-obsessed, beaches and pools are opening up, car shows (or just random Woodward Avenue cruising if you're here in Metro Detroit), and millions of backyard barbecues, only problem is getting there. With prices for 87 octane hovering between $3.85 and $4.25 across the nation this weekend, the sting to the pocketbook will be probably be even higher as everybody gouges you weekend travel warriors. So how about a list of seven smart and easy ways to save some scratch this weekend? Sounds like a plan — the seven best ideas after the jump. 7) Don't Drive This is the tip we obviously advocate the least, so of course we're dropping it to the bottom of the list — but it's also at the top of the post...
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newVideoPlayer("540gas_Jalopnik.flv", 494, 320,""); Think the prices at your local pump are high? If you aren't in California, don't feel so bad. Sure, you may be paying $4 per gallon , but whatever. Because as our auto-loving friends on the Cali coast know, yes, it really does cost $5.40 per gallon. You non-Americans may scoff, what with European prices being around eight thousand dollars per gallon, but for us this cost is simply outrageous. Don't oil companies know this is America? We'll never stand for such prices. Or at least we'll just sit here in our cars and wait it out. [ CNN ]
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