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Does anyone else keep records?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by Prius Pete, Sep 15, 2019.

  1. Prius Pete

    Prius Pete Active Member

    Joined:
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    Location:
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    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    At Dec 2018 my mileage was 327K km. Here are the costs for the last 7 years on my 2004 Prius ($Canadian)

    Costs2018.JPG
     
  2. Rph74

    Rph74 Active Member

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    I do too, I do it old school. I keep all paper receipts in a separate folder for all of my cars.
     
    Raytheeagle likes this.
  3. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    I started keeping records back when I first bought my Civic Hybrid. I include insurance, tax, fees, and purchasing price of the car (plus interest paid if financed) minus the value of the car (usually price sold at the end) to calculate the actual cost to own. Currently, with PRIME, cost of electricity from the wall is also included.
     
  4. oldtechaa

    oldtechaa Active Member

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    Same here. I also record my maintenance history on Toyota Owners.
     
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  5. donbright

    donbright Active Member

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    Location:
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    Vehicle:
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    there's someone on here who has MPG records going back like ten years... i wish i could remember his name...
     
  6. srellim234

    srellim234 Senior Member

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    Location:
    Laughlin, Nevada
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    I track everything using one of the Dome 12-column accounting books available from any local office supply store. The car has cost 48 cents per mile (U.S.) since we purchased it 3 1/2 years ago. Not the greatest in the world but I've seen a lot worse from other cars.
     
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  7. Prius Pete

    Prius Pete Active Member

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    Does that include insurance?
     
  8. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    That must be just operating cost, not the cost to own which has to include the cost of the car and depreciation.
     
  9. srellim234

    srellim234 Senior Member

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    Yes. It includes every penny spent on it. I've made it a point over the years to not include any personal identification in the book so the records can go with the car when I replace it. I think any new owner will appreciate that.
     
  10. srellim234

    srellim234 Senior Member

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    That is the cost to own, including the purchase price. There is no depreciation cost as the purchase price is already in there and depreciation is not a financial outlay.
     
  11. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    Oh, I see it is the cost/mile. I was thinking of a different unit. In that case. I can see, it is not bad, but it is not great either as shown. You did not take off the value of the car yet, have you? What the cost would be if you sold the car now at KBB price and subtract that amount from your total outlay?

    For my last three cars, I logged everything I spent on the car, including fuel (including electricity for PRIME), parts, consumables like window washer fluid, car wash cost, repair, maintenance, any accessory specifically purchased for the car, insurance, tax, fees, and purchasing price of the car (plus interest paid if financed) minus the value of the car (usually price sold at the end) to calculate the actual cost to own.

    For the 2008 Civic Hybrid, the final cost was $0.344/mile for 91 mo of ownership.
    For the 2015 Prius Two, the final cost was $0.584/mile for 30 mo of ownership.
    For the 2017 Prius PRIME Premium, the current cost is $0.711/mile for 25 mo of ownership. (note this cost does not include the current value of the car subtracted since it has not been sold yet)
    For the 2017 Prius PRIME Premium, the cost would be $0.221/mile for 25 mo of ownership, if I subtract current sales price of the car (using $20K from the private sales price of the year and make, model by KBB)
     
    #11 Salamander_King, Sep 19, 2019
    Last edited: Sep 19, 2019
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  12. srellim234

    srellim234 Senior Member

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    If I go with the KBB trade-in value and deduct that the cost would drop to 41.3 cents per mile. I don't care to look at it that way, though, because the full price of the car is still sitting in the driveway. Something about counting chickens before they are hatched. The economy could very easily hit the skids again and prices could drop.
     
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  13. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    Yap, you are correct. With most cars, the longer you keep it, less cost/mile it will be. Even if you don't sell the car, the cost will not likely to go any higher than what it is now, unless you do major repair or something.
     
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  14. cthindi

    cthindi Member

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    Location:
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    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
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    This got me thinking. I do not have all the exact details. But I have generally tried to estimate on higher side when I did not have details.

    My cost comes much lower

    11000 Purchase price used at 73KMi
    2000 Oil changes ( about 35$ each)
    6000 Insurance ( liability only 10 years)
    3000 Tires
    7000 Other repairs including an accident requiring salvage transaxle and cross member 2500 + Brakes 700, tie rods , sparkplugs pcv
    valves, serpentine belts, 3way valve for heat recovery , Coolant, transmission fluid, water pump, Muffler etc.
    18000 Gas
    ---------------------
    47000

    288000 Miles driven myself at about 16.4 cents

    Even if I have missed a couple thousand in expenses and had bought the car new cost would not go more than 20 cents.

    Am I missing something?
     
    #14 cthindi, Sep 20, 2019
    Last edited: Sep 20, 2019
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  15. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    No, I don't think so. If you keep driving a fuel efficient and very reliable car like Prius for 10 years (especially bought used at much lower price than new) over 288K miles that low figure is what you should get. Congratulations! Kudos to your Prius.
     
  16. srellim234

    srellim234 Senior Member

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    Touring

    Mine also includes car washes, the price of the Prolong battery maintenance system, replacing an HID headlamp, fairly minor repairs from hitting a coyote carcass in the dark as well as accessories like a couple of license plate frames. From what I've read around the internet, I don't think your 16.4 cents a gallon for a 2nd generation Prius is unheard of. If you're missing anything, I don't think it's very much.You happen to have a very good Prius that shows how economical they can be when they're well maintained.
     
  17. pmelc1

    pmelc1 New Member

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    Location:
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    2006 Prius
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    Offhand, I've spent about $1400 on Prius repairs in 11.5-12 years (bought an '06 in 2012 with 30k miles for $11500, 200k now), and put over 170k miles on it. So far one $300 brake job, $300 inverter water pump OEM, and about $800 other repairs (ICE water pump, belt, combimeter, replace battery hybrid module and hardware). Other than the brakes these all occurred in last two years. As for other maintenance bought one 12v battery that was not under warranty ($200) and half price on some others semi-warrantied ($200), and about one used tire per year for $40. I pay about $70 per year for a synthetic oil change once a year and add about 3 quarts of synthetic a year that is burned (maybe $150-200 lifetime cost). And about $1k/year gas. So I'm all in at about $15500 including fuel over the life of the vehicle, plus $11500 purchase. I ran without insurance many years, but that and registration would've been about $1k a year so brings total ownership cost to $39k over 12 years, $3250/yr. That would put me at about 15.8 cents per mile before insurance, 22.8 cents if I had always had insurance, and only about 9 cents a mile for pure mechanical operating costs and fuel, not counting acquisition and insurance costs. I also bought a Pickup/Hilux with 130k in 2010 for $1800 that is still running strong. In costs above I did not count collision repair for accident that was my fault (about $400 semi-DIY), or aftermarket replacement of stolen cat (about $800 installed with guard).

    I realize this is an old thread, I calculated it for myself as much as anything else.
     
    #17 pmelc1, Nov 11, 2023
    Last edited: Nov 11, 2023
  18. Moving Right Along

    Moving Right Along Senior Member

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    Since we’re reviving the thread, my Prius has cost me 40 cents per mile, or $352 per month, including purchase price, repairs, maintenance, gasoline, insurance, and tabs over the last 7 years and 74,000 miles. I didn’t figure in potential selling price since it’s got dents and rust and nobody’s going to want to buy it. But that just gives me more reason to drive it as long as possible.