C-ya Smart Car

You've been replaced.

Kyle and I were watching tv last night (well actually the show was from like, May, whatever) and I saw a Toyota commercial. The Prius came on and it said 48/45 mpg. Wait, the first number is larger then the second. Kyle told me it was because of the 'regenerative braking system'...yeah, whatever. It gets almost 50 miles a gallon. That's 11 trips from KC to Olathe per tank. Also, it's a 4 door (something I've never had before) and it's a Toyota.

Now don't get me wrong. I still want a Smart. I mean who wouldn't? It's just about the cutest car ever! (Can I still have my bumper sticker 'My husbands' is Stupid'?) But this one is probably a little more practical, more environmentally friendly, and we can get a nice bonus from Kyle's work for buying a hybrid.

...let me put you on hold...do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do (that's the Jeopardy theme)

Ok, so I just ran some numbers. Assuming that gas is $4.00 a gallon when we get back - that's what it is right now right?

***Gas Side Note - When I started driving back in '97 (yeah, I'm old, get over it) gas was $.75 a gallon. I swore that if gas ever when over a $1.00 I didn't need to drive. You can laugh now.

***Political/Environmental Side Note - Ah, never mind. My logic makes sense to me but I'm afraid if I type it out it won't sound right and make me sounds like an idiot. Here's the general jist: gas=$$$$, me=try to spend less on gas, environment=happier.

So, If I spend $7,000 more on a car (that's the price difference between the Smart and the Prius) and I drive 50 miles a day, 5 days a week I could save $6 dollars a week on gas or $312 a year. At that rate it would only take about 22 years to get back the increased price of the car. BUT WAIT, that's comparing two of the highest fuel efficient cars on the market. Let's compare my future Prius to real life car. Ok, by 'real life' I mean my old Slug Bug. Compared to that I would save $20 a week or $1,040. I could pay off the difference in about 6.5 years. Even my bug got about 25 mpg. I don't even want to know what it would be if I compared it to my parents Tahoe :)

Ok, I'm done playing with numbers. I'm off to do something with my life.