Worst Cars For Gas Mileage, Is Your Ride a Gas Guzzler? - These days fuel efficiency means a lot when purchasing a car. With gasoline prices averaging $4 a gallon nationwide and predictions to rise to $5 dollars a gallon in 2012, it’s become increasingly difficult for budget conscious individuals to drive. What’s more, owning a car with a poor miles-per-gallon (mpg) rate is not only expensive—it is thought to be harmful to the environment.

Determining whether or not you drive a gas guzzler can be difficult, but in these times of inflated fuel prices and environmental fragility, more important than ever!

Here are some tips to help you decide whether or not your car is fuel efficient.

Cars with Worst Gas Mileage: Is Your Ride a Gas Guzzler?

Worst Cars For Gas Mileage

On average, the bigger the car the less fuel efficient it is. Sedans and compacts are normally considered the most fuel efficient types of cars, while SUVs, trucks and vans consume more gasoline. Beyond size, however, determining whether or not your car is a guzzler is based on its mpg rates.

If you’re not sure how much gasoline your car consumes, check out MPGBuddy.com. This website allows you to plug in your car’s make, model and year and gives you its City mpg and Highway mpg.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the car with the best mpg rate in 2011 is the Toyota Prius driving 51 mpg in the city and 48 mpg on the highway. The car with the worst gas mileage ranking went to the Bugatti Veyron, which averaged 8 mpg in the city and 15 mpg on the highway.

The most fuel efficient cars, including the Honda CR-Z, Mini Cooper, Ford Fiesta, Toyota Yaris, and Volkswagen Golf, averaged around 30mpg in the city and 40 mpg on the highway. As a rule of thumb, any car that is close to these mpg rates is considered fuel efficient.

A car that gets significantly less miles to the gallon, however, is not considered fuel efficient. Anything that gets 20 mpg in the city or less and 25 mpg or less on the highway is a definite gas guzzler.

If you’re unsure where your car ranks, visit Fueleconomy.gov, a government website set up by the U.S. Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Agency to help drivers determine how fuel efficient their car is. Not only will the site help you calculate your annual fuel expenses, it will also determine your carbon footprint and tell you (literally!) whether or not your car is considered by government standards to be a gas guzzler.

Find out today whether or not your car is a guzzler. The sooner you know, the sooner you can start making changes in your life to either work to improve gas mileage or begin considering and saving for a new, more fuel efficient car. Not only will you be saving money, but you’ll be doing the environment a huge favor by decreasing your carbon emissions.

Related: When to Switch to a Hybrid

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Deciding when to switch to a hybrid car is a personal decision. No matter what people argue on either side, only you will know when it’s truly the right time. I say this because at the end of the day, hybrids can be expensive– or at least, more expensive than regular cars.

When to Switch to a Hybrid

I am a huge fan of hybrid and electric cars. I personally think that they are fantastic ways to dramatically decrease your carbon footprint. Nowadays being environmentally responsible can make a huge impact on the future. In a lot of ways hybrid and electric cars can save you money– with both with gas savings and as government tax deductibles. However, they can be more expensive in sticker price, to repair and to replace their battery (which has a limited lifespan).

The difference that hybrid cars offer in gas savings isn’t necessarily dramatic enough to make it an incentive to buy. You will definitely save on gas money– but not enough in the car’s lifetime to greatly overshadow other hybrid costs. At the end of the day you might save a little money buy purchasing a hybrid.

So, with this in mind, the right time to switch to a hybrid is when you’re financially ready. If you’re on a tight budget and living paycheck-to-paycheck I would not recommend making the switch. If anything were to happen to your hybrid it could be incredibly expensive to repair. This might be why so many celebrities drive Prius’– they’ve got enough cash to never have to worry about the extra costs that come with hybrids.

When to Switch to a Hybrid

Beyond being financially ready to make the switch to a hybrid, you’ve got to be mentally ready. Are you switching for the right reasons? Ultimately you should be willing to make big, environmentally positive changes in your life. The hybrid should be just a fraction of the overall commitment you’re making to lowering  your carbon footprint. If this is not the case, and you’re just switching because it’s fashionable, you might end up resenting your decision. Also, getting a hybrid car should be part of an overall lifestyle change to being more environmentally aware.

At the end of the day, hybrid cars are better for the environment. If you’re thinking about switching, make sure you can financially do so and that it’s part of a lifestyle change that will reach all corners of your life.

When to Switch to a Hybrid

Recent: Celebs that drive Prius

When to Switch to a Hybrid

Celebs That Drive a Prius

The Toyota Prius has gotten a lot of attention from the media since its debut in the automotive world, especially considering that there are many famous “celebs” that drive them. The hybrid car has been somewhat of a controversial issue on FZ– I’ve often written about its affordability only to be met with some arguments on the contrary.

I think at the end of the day, people who have argued against my claim that the hybrid is more frugal are correct. Yes– there are plenty of hybrid cars that are relatively affordable in sticker price (less than $30K) and there are government incentives (tax deductions) and obviously drivers won’t have to pay for as much in fuel. However, hybrids aren’t the cheapest cars as a whole– they’re still more expensive to purchase than regular cars and there’s the issue of the multi-thousand dollar battery replacement that inevitably happen after 7 years or so.

Celebs That Drive a Prius

So, yeah, hybrids aren’t necessarily more affordable than regular cars. Which is why many celebrities can enjoy driving them. Let’s take a look at some of the celebs out there who enjoy driving their Prius around Hollywood.

Larry David – The writer/producer/actor/comedian who’s best known for his smash television hits Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm can be seen driving a Prius around town. Maybe because he was married to an environmental activist for all those years.

Will Ferrell – The funnyman is a huge fan of his Prius.

Jennifer Aniston – This actress gave up her Range Rover a few years back in exchange for a more fuel efficient Prius.

Cameron Diaz – The actress is very vocal about driving green and has declared that she loves getting 50 miles to the gallon.

Leonardo DiCaprio – A big environmental advocate, the actor was one of the first to celebs to adopt the Prius.

Other stars seen driving Prius’ around tinsel town: Dustin Hoffman, Miley Cyrus, Natalie Portman, Julia Roberts, and Demi Moore.

Celebs That Drive a Prius

It’s very fashionable to be green right now. Hopefully it will always be fashionable to be green! I hate the idea of the environment ever not being taken seriously ever again. I guess that many celebrities can afford to drive hybrids, and it’s good that they do– many fans  want to emulate their decision to do so.

Related: Best Hybrid Cars 2012

Celebs That Drive a Prius

Do It Yourself Car Repairs

One of the easiest ways to save money is to do as many of your car repairs that you possibly can on your own. This will help you to save money on the labor costs that are often associated with having your car repaired by a professional. When taking your car in for repair there is more times than not going to be multiple things that need to be taken care of rather than just the single repair you brought your car in for.

Do It Yourself Car Repairs

Here are a few small things to get you started:

Changing your wipers

Changing your windshield wipers is one of the easiest repairs you could do and could save you on the labor it would have cost to have a professional do. The first thing you would need to do it find out what size wipers you need for your car and then find out what would be the best type of wiper for your particular area, and the type of weather you regularly deal with. After you have figured out which type of wiper would be best, you then have to install the wiper which could be as easy as snapping the old ones out and snapping the new ones in. You can also save much money by shopping around online for your replacement wipers, rather than going to a local auto parts store which would carry a higher markup on the wipers.

Clean your battery connection points

This is very easy to do and could save you a lot of money in the long run. Over time residue develops on your battery post and needs to be cleaned off. If this residue is not removed it could affect your cars ability to start and the effectiveness of your battery. To do this all you need is a post cleaner and clean them regularly.
If you do as many car repairs that you can on your own you could very well save yourself hundreds of dollars a year in labor fees.

Of course there is an endless amount of other things you can do.

Please take the time to leave any comments, ideas or thoughts you have.

Related: Saving on Car Expenses – The Easy Way

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How To Warm Up Car Properly

The chill is definitely coming up here in Montreal, although a warm spell has been passing through! However full on Winter is going to hit very soon and that means lots of people’s cars idling in driveways “warming up” for the morning commute.

The problem is, many now agree, that idling is not good for your cars fuel economy, wear and other things. It’s also just not needed anymore and in some places may even be illegal! So how should you be warming up your vehicle?

How To Warm Up Your Car Properly

How To Warm Up Your Car Properly

You probably don’t want to hear this if it’s super cold but the best way to warm up your car takes less than a minute before you drive off. That means a shivery start if the aircon doesn’t kick in super fast! Most modern engines are advanced enough that they more or less do fine from a cold start.

Here is a good regime for starting / warming your car up in the morning.

1. Get in the car, turn the ignition on, dont start the engine yet.
2. Listen for the fuel pump priming the engine, should take 3-5seconds
3. Start the car
4. Idle for 10-20 seconds at most
5. Slowly ease off your drive / parking spot and ease into your drive

Why idling is bad?

I won”t go into the full details but it’s generally it’s considered that idling wastes fuel, puts wear on the car and is bad for the environment. Many places have ut in a law now saying that idling for more than one minute is illegal and Edf.org put a huge PDF in 2009 entitled “The Health, Environmental And Economic Impacts Of Engine Idling In New York City“.

Here is a small excerpt from the PDF related to questions asked about idling and warming up your car.

Driving smart: FAQs about idling

Q: Do car engines need time to warm up during the winter?
A: Today’s electronic engines do not need idling to warm up before being operated. The
best way to warm the engine is by easing into your drive and avoiding excessive revving.
The vehicle’s engine warms twice as quickly if driven instead of idled. Easing a vehicle
into a drive will also speed up warming or cooling of the cabin’s interior.

Q: Does stopping and restarting an engine burn more fuel than idling?
A: No. Engine studies have shown that idling for more than approximately ten seconds
burns more fuel than stopping and restarting (Emissions Research and Measurement
Division, Environment Canada, 2000). An idling large diesel truck will burn
approximately a gallon of fuel an hour (U.S. EPA, EPA420-B-04-001, 2004).

Q: Are frequent restarts hard on the car’s engine and battery?
A: Whereas batteries in the past may have faced a relatively short lifespan, today’s
batteries last longer, use less power during ignition and recharge more quickly. A
definitive study found that battery and starter wear costs about 1-2¢ per restart (Office of
Energy Efficiency, Natural Resources Canada, 2003). Thus an additional 2 restarts daily
would cost an extra $10 per year. This can be compared to the fuel wasted by an idling
New York City vehicle, which can cost up to $44-$392 per year depending on fuel prices,
idling habits and vehicle type

So the bottom line is don’t leave the car warming up in the driveway (I know it’s cold to just get into but we can live with that!). Do you have anything to add about warming up a car? Is there a case for idling older engines or larger vehicles such as trucks? Are you going to adopt a quicker morning start (for your car )?

Related: Saving on Car Expenses – The Easy Way

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Cars That Cost The Most To Insure

The price of your car insurance depends on many difference factors, but the make and model is the cornerstone of any annual premium. You may be able to justify the sticker price, but if you don’t consider how much it’s going to cost you in insurance each year, then you might be lying to yourself about just how affordable  your new vehicle is.

The price of your car insurance is determined by the following factors:

- Geography: your zip code has a pretty big impact on  your annual premium.

- Mileage Driven: people who drive more miles a year will have to pay more

- Insurance Company Terms & Conditions

- Demographics : your marital status, education attainment, and profession

- Age

- Credit Rating

- Type of Vehicle:

This is what we’ll be looking at in greater depth in this article. How expensive your vehicle is, it’s age and its safety rating all play a part in how much it costs to insure.

Cars That Cost The Most To Insure

Generally speaking, pricey cars are more expensive to insure than affordable rides. You’ll see this in the list below.

According to Blogs.cars the following are the most expensive cars to insure in 2011:

#1 Mercedes SL65 AMG – National average annual premium of: $3,543.81

#2 BMW 750i – National average annual premium of:  $3,280.70

#3 BMW 750Li – National average annual premium of: $3,280.70/year

#4 Mercedes SL63 – National average annual premium of: $3,263. 46

#5 Aston Martin DB9 – National average annual premium of: $3,120.45

#6 Mercedes CL600 – National average annual premium of: $3,114.28

#7 Porshe 911 Carrera S – National average annual premium of: $3,092.31

#8 Aston Martin DB9 Volante – National average annual premium of: $3,088.96

#9 Mercedes G55 AMG – National average annual premium of: $3,086.49

#10 Mercedes CL65 AMG – National average annual premium of: $3,063.73

Now, on the other side of the spectrum… the ten cheapest cars to insure!

#1 Chrysler Town and Country – National average annual premium of: $1,091.80

#2 Toyota Sienna – National average annual premium of: $1,100.66

#3 Toyota Sienna LE – National average annual premium of: $1,107.70

#4 Honda Odyssey LX – National average annual premium of: $1,114.62

#5 Nissan Murano SL – National average annual premium of: $1,127.89

#6 Wrangler Unlimited Sport – National average annual premium of: $1,131.27

#7 Honda Odyssey EX – National average annual premium of: $1,138.16

#8 Toyota Sienna – National average annual premium of: $1,142.94

#9 Ford Escape XLS – National average annual premium of: $1,150.26

#10 Toyota Highlander – National average annual premium of: $1,154.02

Cars That Cost The Most To Insure

You can see how drastically different luxury are to insurance compared to family vehicles– almost twice the price! Make sure you do your research on how much the national average annual premium is for the car you’re thinking of buying before you take the leap. Contact your insurance company to get a quote.

Cars That Cost The Most To Insure

Recent: How to Evaluate Stock Investments & Which Debts to Pay off First?

The Basics of Car Loans

I doesn’t matter if you have a suitcase of cash, when you go to buy a vehicle from a dealership they will be pushing to sell you a loan. Like any salesperson they obviously get nice commissions on signing people up with their affiliated loan company and locking people into a deal over a specified period to pay back the cash value of the car you purchase. Another incentive for the dealer is that with the idea that you can pay an affordable monthly amount you could be persuaded to upgrade, add extras or even buy a much more expensive vehicle.

The dealer will use tricks such as working out how much you spend on coffee per month or how many wendy’s stops you make to work out ways you can cut back on life to get more cash to buy a more expensive car. Of course in reality there is nothing wrong with this but you should be aware of what the car loan is, what it’s terms are and if you even need it in the first place.

Car loans revolutionised the world of car ownership. Go into any neighbourhood in any city and you’ll always see plenty of new or nearly new cars, this is due to car loans enabling people of all socio-economical classes to purchase higher end and newer vehicles because they can be paid off monthly in much the same way as mortgages allowed mor people to buy homes. Of course this has good and bad effects on society and that can be discussed at length but the auto loan won’t be going anywhere anytime soon!

First and foremost an auto loan is a loan. It works in the same manner as other loans. A company lends you money and under a set of contracted terms that include period of time, interest to pay and terms regarding early payment, late payment, non payment you pay back the cash. The general idea is that you end up paying the company more money than they lent to you. It’s a simple business model in essence.

In our current society the idea of getting a loan for a new vehicle has become standard. It’s just what you do to afford a good vehicle and most people, even with bad credit, can find a way to get themselves some borrowed money but  really think people should be thinking harder before signing on the bottom lines.

Car loans often reel you in with great starting deals including interest free periods, instant cash back, insurance payments and reductions and periods where you can skip payment for a certain amount of months. You need to look beyond all this and see if you stick to the agreed terms how much you will actually pay back over the loan term. This is the bottom line and the one thing you need to be fully aware of.

Monthly payments will be the thing that effects you in your daily life the most. You will be told exactly how much they are and you may be pushed to up these to either pay the loan off earlier or borrow more money. I would say before you even go to the dealer, work out how much you could push to spend each month for a loan and then half that. Stick to that figure and see how much you can borrow, do not get talked above this!

See if there is any chance you can get by without a loan (always the best option), can get a better auto loan from your bank or another well known organisation. Remember even comparison websites earn a large commission on each loan so be weary of their reviews and try to find reviews from real people. Shopping around can save you a lot.

Read every single page of the contract. twice! If you don’t understand anything make sure that you research or ask someone who does know, you need to know what you are in for. Loan language often quite hard to understand but a lot of new laws are coming into place to help us normal folks with all this.

The Basics of Car Loans, Your Input

Although I always say anything to avoid them loans are ok if you know what you are in for. I would love to hear what tips and experience you have with auto loans and if you have learned anything over your time of borrowing, especially any serious mistakes.

Related: Auto Loan Dealer Tricks

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The following is a guest post on behalf of Cheap Car Insurance

An automobile can be one of the most expensive liabilities for an individual or a family, but it can also be one of the most lucrative as well in other respects. Cars can serve as tax and business shields, among other things. However, the expenses of a car must be closely monitored and budgeted for any type of positive financial gain to be seen from owning an automobile. Below are some of the ways in which an individual, businessman, or family can save on car expenses.

1. Invest in preventive care.

Having your automobile in for regular oil changes, tire rotations, flushings, filter changes, and check ups can do wonders for your car expenses. Many cars do not have problems until they are built up by lack of maintenance, and these ordinary check ups, which can seem so expensive off the bat, can actually save major expenses down the line.

2. Investing in extended warranties.

The right third party extended warranty can be a huge help, especially in protecting expenses of foreign vehicles, or cars whose parts are not easily found. Auto shops love to charge extra for parts that they do not have on hand readily, so check to see if your local shops carry the parts for the cars that you drive. If they do not, it may be in your best interests to invest in an extended warranty so that the third party can take on these costs should something happen to your vehicle after the original warranty is expired.

3. Keep all receipts.

Especially if you are an independent businessman, keeping all gas, oil, maintenance, and other receipts having to do with your car can actually keep you being paid twice by your vehicle – once for its service in providing transport and another in providing a tax shelter for your other assets or for your business. The automobile has long been known to be one of the most effective tax shelters for an independent businessman.

However, it is in the best interest of a businessman to take the time to count up the actual expenses instead of just relying on the standard deduction of the government for mileage and maintenance. Many tax programs actually have a calculator built in whereby you can automatically compare the actual expenses to the standard deduction to see which will save you more money on your taxes.

4. Use the car for what it is meant for.

If you have a small car, you should not be attaching trailers to it, or driving it in third gear. Do not drive your cars off road, and be careful going up and down driveways, as the little scrape that you hear can add up to some big repairs, the least of which is the cosmetic scratches that you get on the bottom of your hoodpiece.

5. Drive 65 mph.

65 mph has been determined by many auto experts as the best and most efficient speed for most cars to be driven. The gas mileage of the vehicle is at its maximum, the car is able to warm up, and the lack of starts and stops will help keep the pressure off of the internal parts of the vehicle prone to wear and tear in stop and go traffic.

6. Check insurance rates online.

Before the prevalence of the Internet, checking auto insurance meant calling companies one by one and putting up with hard sell pitches which diverted your attention. Now, there are many comparison sites which allow you to easily check cheap auto insurance online. Take full advantage and cut your car expenses by cutting your insurance premium.

For the best part of a decade, the motoring world has been rife with talk of a greener future in which electric cars would rule the roost over their petrol-fuelled counterparts. In 2011, that future appears to have arrived. With the Nissan LEAF being named the World and European Car of the Year for 2011, manufacturers the world over are racing to create their own green machines as the public becomes ever more informed about the new technology available to them.

Here are the current frontrunners in the growing global fleet of all-electric vehicles:

Nissan LEAF

Source : Wikipedia

The aforementioned Car of the Year is going from strength to strength since claiming its double crown. Retailing at $32,780 in the USA and £30,990, the LEAF is enjoying the limelight and delivering outstanding performance to drivers. The LEAF’s energy consumption rate of 765 kj/km (34 kWh per 100 miles) and range of 109 miles on a single charge have made it the first truly viable, all-electric, mainstream car for personal use. Sales of the LEAF have been boosted by the tax incentives and subsidies being offered to buyers in many countries. The savings will be welcome, given that offers of cheap car insurance is proving scarce for the LEAF.

Smart ED

The production team at Smart must be fuming about the attention and praise being heaped on the Nissan LEAF, given that their own all-electric vehicle has been undergoing field tests around the world for the last four years. The Smart Electric Drive is due to begin mass production in 2012 and, when it does, it may pose strong competition for the LEAF and other electric vehicles, by offering all the cutesy, compact appeal of the trademark Smart Car with an emission-free bonus. Its range is somewhat shorter than the LEAF at 68 miles and its top speed of 75 miles per hour falls short of the 90mph LEAF limit. But Smart Cars have a knack of finding their way into cheap car insurance groups, which could be crucial in winning sales next year.

Liberty Range Rover Electric

The very notion of an eco-friendly four wheel drive vehicle seems about as feasible as a pet Rottweiler that doesn’t need feeding. But when England’s Liberty Electric Cars got their hands on the Range Rover and gave it a 75kWh battery pack and electric motors in each wheel, the company created a zero-emission road hogger capable of 0-60mph in seven seconds, with a 100mph limit. If you’ve got a spare £95,000 kicking around, you could grab yourself a guilt-free, non-gas-guzzling Range Rover today.

Mitsubishi i-MiEV

Not since the Ford Ka’s release back in the 90s have we been treated to such an odd-looking little car as the Mitsubishi i-MiEV (an acronym for Mitsubishi Innovative Electric Vehicle). The car has received less attention than the Nissan LEAF, despite going on general sale around the same time earlier this year, but its range of around 100 miles and top speed of 80mph should make it competitive in the long run.

Hybrid Car Price vs. Gas Savings

I’ve written about the price of hybrid cars in the past and how significant the gas savings are. I’ve also been called out on the fact that I haven’t considered how expensive hybrid cars are to maintain, so I thought today that maybe I could go over some of these potential costs and get down to the truth of the matter: is it ultimately cheaper in the long run?

Before I get into the details, I think that making the environmental disclaimer is important. Sure, I may be beating a dead horse, but I truly believe it’s important to reiterate how becoming less dependent on oil is important for our planet’s future. So, even if you read this article and decide to keep your gas guzzler– please consider incorporating car pooling, public transportation and cycling into your weekly routine to lower your carbon footprint.

Hybrid Car Price vs. Gas Savings

Let’s breakdown the hybrid car price and compare it to its gas savings.

Standard Hybrid Prices

An examination of some of these popular hybrid cars shows that the prices of hybrids vs. gas aren’t dramatically different.

Honda Insight $18,200

Toyota Prius $23,520

Chevrolet Volt $$40,000

Sure, they may not be the cheapest car on the lot, but they’re not so much more expensive that the idea of buying one is a luxury. I think it’s safe to say that you can find both gasoline and hybrid cars for the same price as the average price of a new car in America is $28,400.

Hybrid Car Price vs. Gas Savings

Estimated Gas Savings

The average number of miles a American driver completes per year is 15,000.

Let’s just say the average hybrid sedan gets 41 mpg and a moderately fuel efficient gas fueled sedan gets 29 mpg.

Hybrid Sedan 41mpg : 15,000/41= 365.85 gallons of gas a year.  Multiplied by national average price of gas: 365.85 x $3.59 =$1313.40

Regular Sedan 29 mpg : 15,000/29 = 517.24 gallons of gas a year. Multiplied by national average price of gas: 517.24 x $3.59 = $1856.89.

Let’s see the difference. $1856.89 – $1313.40 = $543.49

You could save an estimated $543.49 a year on gasoline.

Not too shabby. Also not as spectacular as I would have thought.

Tax Incentive Savings

If you purchase a plug-in hybrid or an electric car you may be eligible for $2,500 to $7,500 in tax credit. Definitely a perk.

Hybrid/Electric Car Maintenance

Okay, so here’s the thing that makes hybrids and electrics so expensive. Battery replacement. After around 7 years of use, you’ve got to think about replacing the battery in your car. Not so fun, especially considering can cost up to $4000 to replace! Eegads. Prices are allegedly dropping but along with installment, you’re looking for quite a hit in the future.

So, let’s compare. Are the gas savings worth it in the long run?

Average Hybrid – 15 years ownership

Price – $28,400

Money Spent on Gas – 15,000 miles x 15 years = 225,000 / 41 mpg x $3.59/gallon = $19,701.20 total on gas.

Tax Credit – $5,000

Battery Replacement – $4,000

Now, the average gas car is going to use $27838.35 in gasoline over 15 years.

This means the hybrid will save you $8137.15 over its lifetime in gas savings. This number is subject to change as the gasoline prices fluctuate throughout time. I just based it on the national average today July 10, 2011.

So, is it worth it? There are plenty of expenses along with the hybrid that might void any real savings. At the end of the day, with battery replacement and other expensive fix-ups, you might not save tons of money, so it becomes a personal choice.

What do you think of Hybrid Car Price vs. Gas Savings?

Related: Hybrid Cars 2012