Thoughts about my car...
 

Hey everyone, I just wanted to know what everyone thought about my current situation.

I am a college student, who currently is on co-op(a paid intern) and I drive about 30 miles per day in heavy traffic. Now I have a 2002 ford explorer that EATS gas. My parents bought this car for me and pay the insurance being that I am a college student, and I am very happy for this. Now my problem obviously is that it eats gas like no other, and I have lightly confronted them with the idea of getting a smaller car, however I get slapped in the face with being "ungrateful" because I already do not have to pay for the car or insurance. Keep in mind I did not ask for such a new car, or the price it cost. I would have much rather had an older car that cost them less because I feel bad having them pay for me. There are plenty of civics in my area with less mileage then the car I have now and are much cheaper as well. Probably cheaper on insurance too.


So what do you all think about this situation? Should I try to approach them in another manner or just let it die and hope gas prices go down?

Never hurts to talk to a salesman.

Drive up to a used car lot with a "gas saving car" you might like. Ask them what the drive out cost would be including trade. DO NOT GIVE THE SALESMAN YOUR SSN OR HOME PHONE. Also do not sign anything.

Take the cost to your parents, should be less than $2000 if your are truly looking for used gas sipper (a little Honda or Saturn), and see what they say. :D

We grow by making our decisions. Should be an interesting venture for you.

That's probably how much he'll get for a tradein on the Exploder. I recently traded a 2003 Exploder XLT and got about $5,000 for it. Domestics aren't worth much these days.

Tank + city traffic = misery... my minivan is bad enough. You might help it out a tad by putting BF Goodrich Long Trail T/A tires on it, those are lower rolling resistance highway truck tires... you could express doubt about the current tires to parents, and point to the Explorer rollover accidents coming from having bad tires... then air them up to at least 40 psi.

If you're feeling really devious, you could run it out of gas in the middle of nowhere a few times and bill 'em the towing :D

You might find a Ford dealer who'd do a straight swap on an '01 or '02 Focus, but otherwise it's gonna be an older import that the trade buys.

You lose too much in a trade to be worth it. Just keep it and try to get better mileage with a tire swap and maybe take out some seats for weight reduction.
People in general don't want to hear about using less gas.There is usually a trigger response like "that's all BS, where'd you hear that".Sometimes it's easier to let the misinformed stay that way.

I find that the more misinformed they are, the more determined they are to vote :(

if you decide that you can and will trade down, give your parents an emancipation proclamation of sorts...

tell them that you're moving towards independence from them and the middle east!:D

sounds like the main deal would be how to work this through your parents... i'm thinking, just look for somewhere to trade down within the family. siblings, aunts uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, grandparents.... perhaps there is someone with a car similar to what you want, who might want or need a larger/newer vehicle, and would gladly trade.

not sure where you are from, but around here (north carolina) we have this place called carmax that will purchase your used car (they sell cars too) they will give you a quote that is good for 3 days so you can think about it.

the reason I mention this is because most used car places will give you a price on "the entire deal" so you are going to get descent on the trade in but then get stuck on the price of the car you buy. if you go this route then you have cash in hand to purchase the (new) used car and they will come off of the price much more. this is an alternative to selling your car yourself. you usually don't get as much as if you sell it yourself but you get more than if you just trade it in.

there again, not sure where you live or if you have a place like that around. they are on the web www.carmax.com I think. I wouldn't buy a car from them because they stand too firm no the prices but I would (and plan to) sell a used car to them.

just a thought

These are some good ideas. I think I will try a few, mainly going to a car dealer and seeing how much they will give me for it and if they can trade it in for a focus or something.

The main reason they bought me such a large vehicle is because my dad is a physical therapist and is extremely safety concious( I think I spelled that wrong) all the time. For my 20 years of life with my parents they have driven only lincoln town cars, grand marquis, etc. because of my dads fear of a bad accident. Only when I was about 16 did my dad buy a nissan pathfinder because I told him to please get something other than those cars lol. For my first car I, of course, had a 1991 crown victoria and there was no fighting that because he only wanted me to have a big huge car.

So I guess the main problem is trying to get my dad out of his idea of giant cars. It is a tough process and I have been working at it for years and only when I was about 16 did I successfully get him to get something else, regardless if it was a big SUV.

you might want to check out some of the safety ratings of the newer smaller cars. they will probably suprise you. these little cars are pretty safe.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=qBDyeWofcLY
this video was in a post just a few days ago and it shows some of the features of the newer smaller cars vs the older larger cars.

I also have a father that is very set in his ways (about other stuff) I struggled with things when I was younger but I found that if I could find evidence to show my side of the arguement then he was much more apt to listen to me.

the reason it is so hard to get really good fuel efficiency out of cars these days is first off emissions but secondly is safety. the safety equipment weighs a lot that is the reason you rarely see a car under 2K pounds anymore. and yes I know that the smart is under it but they had to put 4 air bags in it before it was safe enough for the US. I think that a newer small car today is probably safer than the boats of cars from 10 years ago.

hopefully you can show your dad that smaller cars aren't the same as when he was a kid

Hmmm I don't suppose he'll believe you if you tell him that if a Smart and an H3 had a head-on collision with a 80mph closing speed, that the Smart driver would walk and the H3 driver would probably die.

yeah that is what my dad is thinking. If I'm in a ford focus and I get hit my an h3 I am done. I cant argue to much with that, simply physics prove this but there is also the probability that this will happen.

not arguing the fact about the hummer at all just because of size.

a lot of older people think that because the chevettes and pintos and even omnis and horizons were such safety hazards, that all small cars are like that. My first car was a '93 geo metro with no power steering no airbags and a 3 cyl engine. got great mileage. the yaris (fairly comperable) has several air bags, more powerful motor, more safety features. not as good of gas mileage but safer overall compared to the metro.

I am just saying that there is a big difference with the small cars of today than years ago.

Make them watch these.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=qBDyeWofcLY

https://youtube.com/watch?v=uAaGWcw8Xg0

https://youtube.com/watch?v=t3wVvDYOXcE

https://youtube.com/watch?v=eJhtbGRGPRQ

https://youtube.com/watch?v=0FoXrp8Jqco

Keep in mind that if you hit a smaller vehicle with your SUV and injure the other driver, you can be held responsible.

Have you thought about carpooling?

Also, is that 30 miles one way or round trip? You might consider bicycling. (Just don't tell dad or he'll picture you plastered to the side of a bus.) In 15 miles of heavy traffic you might even get their faster on a bike!

Just thought I'd point out the obvious...

Get a small bank loan to buy a cheap car. Give your explorer back to your parents and pay your own insurance...

Show the figures to your parents…

30 miles per day = 150 miles per week = 7,800 miles per year
7,800 miles @
--30mpg = 260 gallons @ $3.40 = $884 per year for gas
--15mpg = 520 gallons @ $3.40 = $1768 per year for gas
--10mpg = 780 gallons @ $3.40 = $2652 per year for gas

You could buy yourself a used gas efficient car with what you would save in gas for a year. Either that or they could subsidize your fuel costs since they insist on you having a gas guzzler.

Phrase it as business without emotional trimmings, maybe.

I would agree with Mr Incredible. Just show your parents the calculations that show the total picture of the cost of ownership including an estamated number of miles per year. If they see how much you can safe driving a smaller car, then I cannot see them actually wanting their own son to pay more for driving around than necessary.

I'll give this a try, the problem is just getting them to listen without becoming angry at me because they are the ones paying for my insurance while I am in college.

To the person who said to take out a small loan and buy my own car, I would do this in a heartbeat if I had a job for more that 6 months at a time. Where I go to school (Drexel) we go to school for 6 months then work for 6 months. During the off season of not working I wouldnt be able to afford the insurance. Especially because last summer I got a speeding ticket :(

Its 30 miles one way on a 65 mph highway. It would probably take me longer on a bike or I would definitly be doing that lol. I also haven't found anyone I work with yet who works near me. Also, carpooling might not work to well because sometimes I have to go places right after work(I also dj as a little hobby).


Thanks for all your guys input, I think I will try and show them the calculations with the increase in gas. What bothers me is when I first got the car I told him I didnt really want a big car because of gas and he said "Oh don't worry about gas thats nothing why would you worry about that"........ and so it continues

First up, I think it's cool that you have a conscience about wanting to save gas. I know most of my friends that are your age are idiots who are more interested in "pimpin'" than mileage.
My question is this: are you paying for your own gas, or are Mom n' Pop fronting that bill? If it's coming outa your pocket, I'd hit 'em with that fact, 'specially since yer just starting up that ladder to making buck-a-roos. But if they are paying for the gas...hmmmm...I might just ride on until I finish school and could get an economical ride of my own.
Just my 2 cent-a-mundos.

I was one of those parents who thought like your parents. Just wait until you are on your own to drive what you want. You will not change there minds. I gave my son a 1984 olds 4 door sedan for his first car(ugh). It saved his life. Some one driving a 1970's ford van went through a red light and t-boned him. Car was totaled but he walked away from it. I got both my daughters big cars for the same reason. Its not easy knowing that your child is growing up and going to be on there own, but it's part of life. You just want to do what ever you think might make them a little safer.

I pay for my own gas. I would definitly not care so much if they were paying for my gas lol. I did take out my back seats this weekend, it seemed to help a little.