To sell or not to sell....I'm stuck
Super Moderator
Joined: Mar 2020
Posts: 857
Likes: 123
From: Prescott, AZ
If you’re driving 25,000 miles per year and assuming your biggest expenses (assuming a healthy vehicle and $50/mo for insurance) are gas, insurance, and tires, it will cost about
gas @ $2.50 and 15 mpg: $4,167
insurance: $600
tires (assuming you get 60k on a decent set of all terrain tires and they cost $1,500 for a set of 5): $625
Driving 25k miles a year in the Jeep is gonna cost you $5,392... ~$5,400 bucks.
now same math on a beater that gets 40 mpg, liability only insurance at $20 month, highway tires you’ll get 80k miles on that cost $500, and an initial investment of $1,500. Let’s also assume this beater will last 3 years before you scrap it at a junk yard since replacing an engine or something big won’t be worth while.
gas @ 2.50 and 40 mpg: $1,562.5
insurance: $240
tires: $156.25
1/3 of initial investment: $500
driving the beater 25k miles per year will cost a little shy of $2500 per year.
I omitted the Jeep payment since not only is that variable unknown, but I’m assuming you’ll keep the Jeep and just drive the beater, you’ll have that expense anyways.
My point here is that a beater is a little less than half the cost to operate than your Jeep (not counting a monthly Jeep payment). Even if you pay $1,500 cash for a beater, you’ll make your money back in the first year of driving it vs driving your Jeep. As gas prices rise, you’ll save even more.
gas @ $2.50 and 15 mpg: $4,167
insurance: $600
tires (assuming you get 60k on a decent set of all terrain tires and they cost $1,500 for a set of 5): $625
Driving 25k miles a year in the Jeep is gonna cost you $5,392... ~$5,400 bucks.
now same math on a beater that gets 40 mpg, liability only insurance at $20 month, highway tires you’ll get 80k miles on that cost $500, and an initial investment of $1,500. Let’s also assume this beater will last 3 years before you scrap it at a junk yard since replacing an engine or something big won’t be worth while.
gas @ 2.50 and 40 mpg: $1,562.5
insurance: $240
tires: $156.25
1/3 of initial investment: $500
driving the beater 25k miles per year will cost a little shy of $2500 per year.
I omitted the Jeep payment since not only is that variable unknown, but I’m assuming you’ll keep the Jeep and just drive the beater, you’ll have that expense anyways.
My point here is that a beater is a little less than half the cost to operate than your Jeep (not counting a monthly Jeep payment). Even if you pay $1,500 cash for a beater, you’ll make your money back in the first year of driving it vs driving your Jeep. As gas prices rise, you’ll save even more.
Super Moderator
Joined: Mar 2020
Posts: 857
Likes: 123
From: Prescott, AZ
Oh, and your question about trading up for a more expensive Jeep seems silly when it’s in the exact same post as you asking about buying an economical beater. Unless you have expendable income, forget about buying a more expensive Jeep.
Edit: my comment had absolutely nothing to do with being a millionaire or affording a newer Jeep, it’s strictly about the economics of what you asked in regards to a beater car.
Edit: my comment had absolutely nothing to do with being a millionaire or affording a newer Jeep, it’s strictly about the economics of what you asked in regards to a beater car.
Last edited by Sv_dude; Feb 8, 2021 at 11:35 PM.
JK Jedi
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 11,360
Likes: 2,089
From: Willow Park, TX
If you’re driving 25,000 miles per year and assuming your biggest expenses (assuming a healthy vehicle and $50/mo for insurance) are gas, insurance, and tires, it will cost about
gas @ $2.50 and 15 mpg: $4,167
insurance: $600
tires (assuming you get 60k on a decent set of all terrain tires and they cost $1,500 for a set of 5): $625
Driving 25k miles a year in the Jeep is gonna cost you $5,392... ~$5,400 bucks.
now same math on a beater that gets 40 mpg, liability only insurance at $20 month, highway tires you’ll get 80k miles on that cost $500, and an initial investment of $1,500. Let’s also assume this beater will last 3 years before you scrap it at a junk yard since replacing an engine or something big won’t be worth while.
gas @ 2.50 and 40 mpg: $1,562.5
insurance: $240
tires: $156.25
1/3 of initial investment: $500
driving the beater 25k miles per year will cost a little shy of $2500 per year.
I omitted the Jeep payment since not only is that variable unknown, but I’m assuming you’ll keep the Jeep and just drive the beater, you’ll have that expense anyways.
My point here is that a beater is a little less than half the cost to operate than your Jeep (not counting a monthly Jeep payment). Even if you pay $1,500 cash for a beater, you’ll make your money back in the first year of driving it vs driving your Jeep. As gas prices rise, you’ll save even more.
gas @ $2.50 and 15 mpg: $4,167
insurance: $600
tires (assuming you get 60k on a decent set of all terrain tires and they cost $1,500 for a set of 5): $625
Driving 25k miles a year in the Jeep is gonna cost you $5,392... ~$5,400 bucks.
now same math on a beater that gets 40 mpg, liability only insurance at $20 month, highway tires you’ll get 80k miles on that cost $500, and an initial investment of $1,500. Let’s also assume this beater will last 3 years before you scrap it at a junk yard since replacing an engine or something big won’t be worth while.
gas @ 2.50 and 40 mpg: $1,562.5
insurance: $240
tires: $156.25
1/3 of initial investment: $500
driving the beater 25k miles per year will cost a little shy of $2500 per year.
I omitted the Jeep payment since not only is that variable unknown, but I’m assuming you’ll keep the Jeep and just drive the beater, you’ll have that expense anyways.
My point here is that a beater is a little less than half the cost to operate than your Jeep (not counting a monthly Jeep payment). Even if you pay $1,500 cash for a beater, you’ll make your money back in the first year of driving it vs driving your Jeep. As gas prices rise, you’ll save even more.
. You also need to buy wisely.
JK Jedi
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 6,222
Likes: 376
From: Southwest Reno, NV
The wife considered the jeep to be her daily driver and it's not only hard to convince her to invest ins something older or something way better on fuel savings.. she's just not willing to give up on this jeep, just yet. Though she has admitted she's looking at "another" different type of vehicle for our travels.. either way, it has to have a seat I can actually sit in.. the jeep has been the only vehicle I can actually sit in and be comfortable with my chronic pain. I know odd coming from a wrangler owner with many that would say their jeep drives like a tank. But hey I've worked hard to get the right suspension parts on the jeep and it makes me proud to her tech (after test driving the jeep) say "Your jeep drives like a Cadillac" end quote.
What does this have to do with anything?
JK Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 119
Likes: 24
From: Hemet,CA
Thread Starter
JK Newbie
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
From: Washington County, NY
Besides being randomly derailed...lol. Thanks for the thoughts. I like the breakdown of looking at the beater financially. As you can tell my thought process is all over the place which is why I needed a little Jeep forum clarity.
JK Enthusiast
Joined: Dec 2020
Posts: 173
Likes: 37
From: North Eastern, Maryland
I'm very sorry I was interrupted from trying to explain my post directed towards you. others feel my comment wasn't relevant. But I feel it was. because it means we're in this for the long haul. be it good or bad this jeep is going to be our last vehicle and not many here would say that about their jeeps. So barring anything major that forces us not to continue driving this 017 wrangler we're going to drive it, maintain it for as long as possible. I hope this has convinced you to keep your jeep and upgrade not because you need to but because want to.