Shopping for Fuel Efficiency? Kelley Blue Book Suggests Waiting

[sbergman27]

Originally Posted by stevenfrank38

There is a lot of consumer angst emanating from the unrest in the Mideast and disaster in Japan. And with that comes concern about rising fuel costs and a scramble for fuel-efficient vehicles.

Americans have the attention span of a snail-darter. They buy F-150s and think that they have some sort of inalienable right to cheap gasoline, despite any suffering which might be going on elsewhere. They whine when gasoline goes over $3/gal... but as soon as gas prices come down, they forget all about it. Until the next time.

The trend, of course, is clear. Prices are rising. And "next time" is just around the corner.

I bought my 1988 Chevy Sprint Metro (EPA rating 54/58 mpg city/hwy) back in '92 and have kept it ever since. To be sure, my Yaris does well for fuel economy, too. But if all 4 of my cars fell into the river, and I could only save one... it would probably be my Sprint. In any particular driving situation, it gets about 25% more mpg than the Yaris.

Getting back from a trip to Colorado with an average of 57 mpg is so very satisfying.

-Steve