Re: cost per mile

From: ifeona@bellsouth.net
Date: Fri 19 Jan 2001 - 16:34:14 UTC

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    Hi fred,
        Thank you for your write up.Its very informative.In 1996 I sold my 1984 sti to a lady with
    exactly 265,000 miles on it. I drove the car everyday and to every part of the country that I
    needed to visit without the car stopping for one second.However, as always i used good name oil
    instead of store brand and changed oil regularly.At the time of selling the car it had it's
    original engine and auto trans and I do regret ever parting away with that car.
    Igweatlanta.
    '89 stx 5-speed
    '89 stx auto
    '89 505 turbo 5-speed

    fred smith wrote:

    > Having suffered a major computer crash last Friday, and being without a
    > functioning unit for five days, I had almost 200 emails to wade through
    > today, on this site alone. Too much of that was complaints about how
    > awful Peugeots are to own, ya can't get parts, they always break, etc.,
    > etc.
    >
    > Having a few extra minutes available over the weekend (when I should have
    > been attending to e-business), I grabbed the calculator and made a rough
    > estimate of what Peugeot ownership has cost me since buying my first Mi16
    > new in 1989.
    >
    > My conclusion is: use it or lose it.
    >
    > Since I claim the world high-mileage record for the 405 (approx. 425,000
    > miles between the two cars) it is obvious that if you drive them, they
    > don't break.
    >
    > For my two Mi16s:
    >
    > Times stranded: four - alternator, coil, a shift linkage popped off (I
    > should've known where to look), and that white nylon clutch pedal thing
    > (back before anyone knew about it).
    >
    > Generalizations: suspension parts don't need replacing til close to
    > 200,000. Transmission (5-speed) is good for 200-250,000 - fifth gear
    > dies. Burgundy leather shows use more readily than black. Engine never
    > needs anything except oil changing every 5000 (I use the cheapest oil I
    > can, usually store-brand, and Fram filters because that sandpaper
    > exterior makes changing a whole lot easier). Premium unleaded can't be
    > worth the money; Mi16 runs great on anything stronger than curdled milk.
    >
    > Replace the water pump when you change the timing belt. Alternator is
    > good for around 150,000 miles. Coil about 225,000. Speedometer isn't
    > worth fighting: use the tach (20 mph for each 1000 rpm in 5th). Rear
    > calipers build up tons of corrosion on the sliders. Clean 'em up and save
    > yourself a bundle.
    >
    > Parts availability - never been a problem. Loss of use of car? A day or
    > two at most - how fast can you change a transmission?
    >
    > The body doesn't rust. The trunk is plenty big if you know how to pack
    > it.
    >
    > Cost per mile. The original Mi16 cost me $21,500 in 1989. The current '91
    > cost me $6000 in 1997 ( with 80,000 miles). Cost per mile, using 28 miles
    > per gallon at $1.00/gal as a rough estimate:
    >
    > TWELVE CENTS PER MILE
    >
    > In case I left a few things out, let's call it FIFTEEN cents per mile.
    >
    > I doubt a Saturn would give you a figure like that (leaving out anything
    > like the fun-factor).
    >
    > The IRS allows a deduction of over 30 cents per mile for business use
    > (32.5 cents for year 2000). The more I drive my Peugeot, the more I earn!
    >
    > Admittedly, I have added a precaution recently - back-up transportation.
    > Since I have no nearby relatives from whom I could mooch a ride, I picked
    > up a 405S Sportwagon last fall for $1000. It needed a couple hundred
    > dollars worth of replacement parts (the exhaust and a couple shift
    > linkages, which even I could do). This one's gonna be even cheaper to
    > run.
    >
    > Maybe the secret is to just drive 'em.
    >
    > fs
    >
    >
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