Spreadsheet w/ "true" cost of ownership factors to play with

[AntiGroundhogDay]

I'm a numbers guy and I play around in Excel a bit.  With that said, I was wondering if the various hybrid Toyota vehicles were cheaper overall in cost of ownership vs. the typical minivan or cargo van.  I factored in things like maintenance, miles/yr, purchase price, etc.

Google Spreadsheet

You can update individual cells and most everything should recalculate for your desired factors except for the graduated maintenance cost.  I know folks generally advise to budget $1000/yr or $100/month in maintenance, but generally the maintenance is cheaper in the beginning life of a vehicle and ramps over time.... I couldn't figure out a way to adjust that "ramping" with a formula, so just watch out of you mess with the life of the vehicle ($150,000).

I'd love a RAV4 Hybrid for its combo of ground clearance, ~real~ A/C and heating with no install, no solar costs or generators to mess with, quick build out, etc., but that darn purchase price hurts too much with the depreciation costs.  Thoughts?  Improvements?

 

[MrNoodly]

...but that darn purchase price hurts too much with the depreciation costs.

Purchase price of a vehicle compared to the purchase price of a house/condo? Compared to years of rent? Depreciation on a vehicle vs. depreciation on your remaining life spent living in a way you don't want to? How much would you pay to buy your freedom?

 

[John61CT]

Pay for full access to the Consumer Reports site, or spend time with their back issues at a library.

Their methodologies and rankings for "total cost per mile" averages are very eye-opening.

The extra QA of a Lexus makes it really not that much more on that basis than a Camry over say fifteen years, and I've seen them go well over twenty.

Yes, bigger up front investment, but if you would have to jump through hoops to carry a genny, get battery-powered heat and A/C working and looking good, end up costing you the difference with an inferior result.

Where you save the money is not setting your standards so high, but if you can swing it and make the **per year and per mile** numbers reasonable then go for it.

With a big budget, personally I'd do a big high-top van as the main house, pulling a Prius as the utility A/C heat genny/batt bank and errands runabout.

 

[akrvbob]

With a big budget, personally I'd do a big high-top van as the main house, pulling a Prius as the utility A/C heat genny/batt bank and errands runabout.

This is something I've given serious thought to--but the miserable ground clearance kills it. Makes the RAV 4 and Highlander hybrids pretty appealing.

 

[John61CT]

That's a good point, I'm just not familiar with their details yet, plus I never buy new. Do these two's hybrid systems works the same way as the Prius?

 

[akrvbob]

I'm not familiar with the RAV4 hybrid so I can't comment. The Highlander is the same system, but I understand it has two drive motors. That way it can tow up to 3000 pounds.I have a friend who tows with one and speaks very highly of it. But, two motors eat gas--it only gets 28 MPG.

 

[AntiGroundhogDay]

Purchase price of a vehicle compared to the purchase price of a house/condo? Compared to years of rent? Depreciation on a vehicle vs. depreciation on your remaining life spent living in a way you don't want to? How much would you pay to buy your freedom?

Oh, just compared to the other vehicles. We all know Brent in his little prius putting on 15k miles a year and only part timing, I knew his costs were low but he yearns for more GC, but didn't know that little Connect would be so cheap over the long run. I've long committed to the nomad life. Just seeing if the GF fits in or not and what accommodations I need to make.  Plus considering what ratio of time I'll spend in the US vs more third world countries. I don't enjoy owning sticks and bricks.

 

[AntiGroundhogDay]

Pay for full access to the Consumer Reports site,  or spend time with their back issues at a library.

Their methodologies and rankings for "total cost per mile" averages are very eye-opening.

The extra QA of a Lexus makes it really not that much more on that basis than a Camry over say fifteen years,  and I've seen them go well over twenty.

Yes, bigger up front investment,  but if you would have to jump through hoops to carry a genny,  get battery-powered heat and A/C working and looking good,  end up costing you the difference with an inferior result.

Where you save the money is not setting your standards so high,  but if you can swing it and make the **per year and per mile** numbers reasonable then go for it.

With a big budget, personally I'd do a big high-top van as the main house, pulling a Prius as the utility A/C heat genny/batt bank and errands runabout.

Not a bad idea to go to the library and look at Consumer Reports. I guess between Toyota and the typical cargo van, I thought they were all pretty darn reliable. Maybe it might be eye-opening.

 

[AntiGroundhogDay]

I'm not familiar with the RAV4 hybrid so I can't comment. The Highlander is the same system, but I understand it has two drive motors. That way it can tow up to 3000 pounds.I have a friend who tows with one and speaks very highly of it. But, two motors eat gas--it only gets 28 MPG.

The RAV4 Hybrid as 7in of GC, the Highlander adds another inch.  Both have the 2 motor hybrid systems to give quasi-AWD.  Neither of which systems would stand a chance against a true 4WD system, or even some of the better AWD systems.  After reading/watching so much I'm just after decent ground clearance when considering access to remote places.

   City
Combo
Highway
model
34
32
30
RAV4 Hybrid AWD




   City
Combo
Highway
model
28
28
28
Highlander Hybrid 4WD

 

[AntiGroundhogDay]

Oh snap!

http://www.excel-easy.com/examples/depreciation.html

 

[John61CT]

Make a Google sheet with public Read access

 

[AntiGroundhogDay]

Make a Google sheet with public Read access

I did, it's in my first post, but here it is again:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/14HtLBMJujq7IT5l39np8_E1WOLOBy5vG_z_5jQuD6o4/edit?usp=sharing

I actually incorporated one of the depreciation methods I read up on in that article.  I also added a few Class Bs I've seen for sale recently from a trusted seller....interesting what turns out to be a good value buy!