Economic Scene - Big Vehicles Stagger Under the Weight of $4 Gas - NYTimes.com

Economic Scene - Big Vehicles Stagger Under the Weight of $4 Gas - NYTimes.com

It has to be prefaced that this is the NYTimes talking, but this article is an interesting read. Basically they've calculated the total cost of ownership for 5 years and 75,000 miles for various vehicles. The number that draws your attention immediately is $100,000 for a loaded F-250. That certainly is a sensational number and the Times does not give an exact breakdown of how they arrived at that dollar amount. It would appear that the calculation starts with an F-250 with a sticker close to $50,000, so that would be a very high end model. I'm unclear if that calculation takes into account all the rebates and discounts that buyers use to lower the actual transaction price of the vehicle. My guess is that the writer is using sticker prices and not transaction prices. The conclusion is that a Focus will cost you a lot less than an F-150. Really. We couldn't have figured that out ourselves?

I'm all for using the right tool for the job: commute in a smaller, efficient car and leave the truck for work and play. Up until recently, many folks have been able to purchase a one size fits all vehicle and use it for everything: those days are ending. Consumers are rapidly coming to the conclusion that the halcyon days of cheap fuel and by and large over. I'm a bit tired of articles stating the obvious and I'm still not convinced that the rapid run up in oil prices can be sustained over the long term but I'm happy to see Americans beginning to change their buying habits. Every time I swipe my card at the gas station, I always wince not because of the cost as much as the thought of where my money is going.