I think the government rate is $0.45 or $.50 now, either way, it would be real nice to get that.

Your oprerational costs don't take into account the cost of the car, nor the cost of insurance. Those were the two big ticket items on my car. On my previous vehicle, it was car cost and fuel cost, but now fuel cost has fallen way down.

 

True but after signing on the dotted line I did not have to keep paying for the car but I'll run the numbers again. I paid about $24k for the car and insurance is ~$100/month and for the first year only there is a $145 payment each month for the 100k mile warranty I purchased. After 5 months (ending 01/15/2007) this makes about $26,675 for 23,200 miles or $1.14/mile. At the end of one year (08/07/2007) it should be about $29k for (guessing) 47k miles or $0.61/mile. Next year I won't have the monthly $145 for warranty payments and it will be only fuel cost and the minor maintenance these cars need (so subtract the $1,740 in warranty payments, $780 for winter tires, etc.) and at the end of the second year it should be close to ~$34k for 88k miles or $0.38/mile. I think if I keep running those numbers they will start to go negative and I'll get paid to drive every day -- that will be a day to remember.

 

Even if you don't make payments on the cra, the original cost must be figured in. I would figure the cost over a life expectancy of 150,000 miles. Sell the car earlier, then it would be original cost - sale price at disposal divided by the number of miles drive to come up with a per mile cost.

 

I also went from a 11 mpg SUV to a new civic hybrid. The gas savings alone will pay for this car in 10 years. Its also more fun to drive. I love this car.