Does anyone else keep records?

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

 

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.

 

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

 

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

 

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.

 

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

 

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.

 

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.

 

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)

 

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.

 

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.

 

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?

 

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.

 

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.