Car for a long daily commute

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playtothebeat
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Car for a long daily commute

Post by playtothebeat »

My wife will be starting a new position in a few weeks which will require a daily commute of about 110 miles round trip (from Irvine to Century City, for those of you who live in or are familiar with the Orange County/LA County area).

We currently have two cars: a 2010 bmw 528 and a 2007 mazda 6. The BMW has a pretty high monthly car payment; the Mazda is paid off. We are trying to decide the best route to go for the daily commute, which will put something like 2000 miles/month on the car. The way i see it, our options are:

1) drive the mazda; it has just under 100k miles on it, but still drives fine. having no debt on it is a huge bonus in case something needs to be repaired down the road.
2) buy a used hybrid with an HOV sticker, which will give her access to the carpool lane even though she'll be driving by herself; all the HOV stickers for hybrids are now sold out as of a couple of months ago, so the only way to get one is to buy a used car. I presume we'd also have to buy a charging station for the garage? (i've never owned a hybrid so not sure how they really work)
3) buy a Honda Civic CNG (compressed natural gas). The price tag is close to $30k, and will require a monthly car payment. It will come with an HOV sticker (CNG and electrics are not sold out, unlike hybrids), so she will be able to use the carpool lane, but there are only a couple of CNG gas stations in the area. The range on the car is about 220 miles from what i've read, so she'd be filling up every other day. CNG gas is about 1/2 the price of regular gas right now.
4) buy a small sedan, like a mazda 3, civic, ford focus, hyundai elantra, etc. While that won't get access to a carpool lane, we'd see an increase in gas mileage from about 28 or so that we get on the current mazda 6 to about 38-40 that you see on a lot of these new small sedans. It looks like a 2013 model of most of those can be bought for about $15k; the monthly payment on this are pretty low and if the car has low enough miles it will still have warranty left, covering any issues for the near term.

Thoughts?
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Re: Car for a long daily commute

Post by Jack FFR1846 »

Sounds like the carpool lane is a big advantage. If it is, find a used hybrid with a sticker. You don't charge a hybrid, it has an engine.

Not knowing your area, what kind of time would it take to commute with the hov lane? I had a 110 mile round trip commute for 8 years and did it with a 91 Honda CRX-SI at the time. Took exactly 1 hour each way.
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Raymond
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Re: Car for a long daily commute

Post by Raymond »

Of your choices, I would go with either #1 (your Mazda) or #2 (used hybrid with HOV sticker).

#2 especially if the commute time is significantly decreased due to the HOV lane.

However, I'm sure the used hybrids go for a premium, both for the car itself (Toyota Prius?) and because of the HOV sticker.

Just to clarify (since I don't live in CA) - the sticker stays with the car, and not the original owner?

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steve r
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Re: Car for a long daily commute

Post by steve r »

I can tell you what I did (similar situation). A used car a few years old with nearly no miles on it. But be patient in buying.

I drove my old car nearly into the ground, but knew what car I was buying next. (Lexus CT200H. Small, but nice. I recommend it to anyone, but you have to like it ... it is small and hard to see in reverse.)

Near the end of my old car, I searched auto websites probably twice a week (autotrader, cars, few others) with something like a 300 mile range (from home in Northeast) .. for the lowest prices car with few miles (I sorted by miles) ... I found it 2 years old with 4000 miles on for a great price ... (checked car fax) ... from a Lexus dealer with the warranty entact until 50,000 miles

I now have a 3 year old car with 28000 miles on it. (and will have a 4 year old car with 50,000 miles)

No charging station required for Hybrid ... (not sure about sticker)

So, be patient, look for what you want, find one a couple years old with low mile, make sure it checks out
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Crimsontide
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Re: Car for a long daily commute

Post by Crimsontide »

I have a similar commute here in Texas. My advice, keep the Mazda and drive it into the ground. These long commutes are tough on any car, you certainly don't want to buy a new one since you will be putting so many miles on it so quickly...
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steve roy
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Re: Car for a long daily commute

Post by steve roy »

Having grown up in L.A. and Orange Counties, that is one miserable commute unless your Mrs. drives in off-peak hours. (Although the 405 is a bit better than the 5. I don't think Cal Trans will end the roadwork on the interstates during my lifetime.

I am thoroughly sick of all the t-rails littering freeways in Southern California.)
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Re: Car for a long daily commute

Post by angelescrest »

I commuted 90 miles round trip in So Cal and it was long but doable only because of my route. But her route? Ouch. You obviously already know what that means so no point commenting about it. Without question, any advantages she can get with the HOV would "pay" off far more than simple mpgs, although sometimes the HOV gets more crowded on that leg than he other lanes. Have her get a feel for the commute first before buying a different vehicle--that would be my guess. I'm thinking that the adaptable cruise control and auto pilots here in the near future might be a good companion. Here's hoping.
sambb
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Re: Car for a long daily commute

Post by sambb »

california = prius. Love it or hate it, thats a great solution, and very common in CA
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Watty
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Re: Car for a long daily commute

Post by Watty »

Thoughts?
Drive the Mazda for a few months to see what the commute is really like and how important getting access to the HOV lane is and to make sure that the new job is going to work out. There are often good deals in the early fall when the new model years come out.

Hyundais have a long 100k mile power-train warranty and some models have gotten decent ratings so you might research those to see if getting the longer warranty would be worthwhile.
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Re: Car for a long daily commute

Post by harrychan »

boroc7 wrote:Have her get a feel for the commute first before buying a different vehicle--that would be my guess.
+1

There aren't any FastTrack lanes in that leg of the freeways yet so you can't try out the HOV lanes. Test it out and get a feel. I would assume the HOV lanes get crowded in certain segments as well. The difference in arrival time may be minimal. When I had to commute to El Segundo from the San Gabriel valley, I would leave my house at 6am and arrive at 645am and then would leave work at 3pm. That seemed to cut commute time at least by 1/3.
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Bungo
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Re: Car for a long daily commute

Post by Bungo »

Hybrids haven't been allowed in the HOV lanes (except if actually carpooling) in California since July 2011, with or without a yellow sticker.

A white or green sticker will work, however:

http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/carpool/carpool.htm

Motorcycles are also allowed.
denovo
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Re: Car for a long daily commute

Post by denovo »

Crimsontide wrote:I have a similar commute here in Texas. My advice, keep the Mazda and drive it into the ground. These long commutes are tough on any car, you certainly don't want to buy a new one since you will be putting so many miles on it so quickly...
This is the best advice. Although if wife was driving the bimmer before, I am not sure how happy she will be with the switch. Bimmers are fun to drive.
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Alex Frakt
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Re: Car for a long daily commute

Post by Alex Frakt »

Bungo wrote:Hybrids haven't been allowed in the HOV lanes (except if actually carpooling) in California since July 2011, with or without a yellow sticker.

A white or green sticker will work, however:

http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/carpool/carpool.htm

Motorcycles are also allowed.
In other words, you'd need a plug-in hybrid, full electric, or CNG/LPG powered vehicle.

I'm with a couple of the posters above. Start with the Mazda. She may find it bearable or so unbearable that you have to do something else. Only buy the CNG Civic if the commute is barely bearable in the regular lanes.

Frankly, if I were in your position, I'd find a different job or move. I had to do 7 months of commuting from Riverside to Santa Ana in the days before HOV lanes. Inching along in the car for almost 4 hours a day on top of 8-10 hours at work took such a mental and physical toll on me that I vowed never to have a large commute again. I kept my vow and lived in apartments near work for the next 12 years while I saved up enough to buy a decent sized condo within walking distance of my job.
letsgobobby
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Re: Car for a long daily commute

Post by letsgobobby »

That commute is asking for an early death. I'd take a helicopter, jet pack, or teleportation device.
inbox788
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Re: Car for a long daily commute

Post by inbox788 »

Some options:

1) Drive the BMW, it's the nicer car for the long commute. Waste more gas.
2) Nissan Leaf. Range 70 miles. Charge at work (or don't make it home). Save lots of gas and cheap to operate. Lease for around $200-250/month. $0 gas/month. Carpool stickers should still be available.
3) Chevy Volt. Run partially on electric (better if can charge at work). Burn a little gas. Carpool stickers are probably all gone by now.
DonM17
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Re: Car for a long daily commute

Post by DonM17 »

You may want to consider a Toyota Yaris if you leaning towards a Prius....the Yaris is similar to the Prius for mpg on the highway (Prius wins in city driving) plus you would be getting unbelievable reliability from the Yaris. Drivers are routinely racking up 400,000 miles plus with just regular maintenance. Check out the Yaris forums and see for yourself -

http://www.yarisworld.com/forums/index.php

BTW: The Yaris uses the same powertrain as the Tercel and the Echo - which is one of Toyota's best.
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playtothebeat
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Re: Car for a long daily commute

Post by playtothebeat »

Thanks for the responces, everyone.

Unfortunately, we know just how bad that commute will be. The new job does come with a significant pay bump and title promotion, so there are some positives. She'll have some flexibility with her hours, and will likely need to do something like 6am-3pm to make this work.

I've thought of electric cars, but don't think they're viable for this commute; while there are a few charging stations in her new parking garage, there is always a risk that none are available for use, leaving her with no way to get back.
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mmmodem
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Re: Car for a long daily commute

Post by mmmodem »

Carson Toyota still carries new Prius plug-in hybrids with the green HOV decals. They do cost a premium over the other PHEV without the sticker. The dealer was allowed to apply for the decal before the car is sold and before the decals ran out. However, there is a bill going through that could increase the green decal limit. It passed state senate and is in the house.

You are not required to plug in the car since it is a hybrid and will function like any other hybrid. The battery is small so you can plug in to a standard 110 outlet. The Prius PHEV takes 3 hour to charge. No home electricity modification needed.

You can currently purchase the Prius PHEV for less than a regular Prius after government rebates. It's approximately $1000 more to purchase with a guaranteed green decal. So, it's a gamble to pay more now or risk the new bill not passing.

I'm currently averaging 72 mpge. (including electricity) for my 107 mile rountrip commute. I save 30-60 minutes everyday using the carpool lane.
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mikestorm
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Re: Car for a long daily commute

Post by mikestorm »

A motorcycle also grants you access to the HOV lane...no sticker required!

Just sayin'.
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Re: Car for a long daily commute

Post by Alex Frakt »

playtothebeat wrote:The new job does come with a significant pay bump and title promotion
I'm not picking on you, but this brings up a general question. How many people factor in all of the costs when making a job decision? Based on the current IRS standard mileage rate and California tax rates, this commute will eat up almost $20,000 of gross salary (the actual cost is lower, but so is your take home pay).
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Re: Car for a long daily commute

Post by Alex Frakt »

mikestorm wrote:A motorcycle also grants you access to the HOV lane...no sticker required!

Just sayin'. :)
I see the smiley, but I want to answer seriously. I rode a motorcycle in Los Angeles for several years. I believe you can do it safely, but doing so requires a continuous mental effort far greater than that required to drive a car. IMO, there is no way you could keep up the level of concentration required to ride safely for a daily 110 mile commute. At least not if you planned on accomplishing anything at either end of that commute.
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mikestorm
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Re: Car for a long daily commute

Post by mikestorm »

Alex Frakt wrote:I see the smiley, but I want to answer seriously. I rode a motorcycle in Los Angeles for several years. I believe you can do it safely, but doing so requires a continuous mental effort far greater than that required to drive a car. IMO, there is no way you could keep up the level of concentration required to ride safely for a daily 110 mile commute. At least not if you planned on accomplishing anything at either end of that commute.
I live on the east coast and I ride. I went to San Francisco a few years back, and was stunned at what motorcyclists could get away with. California is the only state in the country that allows 'lane splitting' for motorcycles, and the motorcyclists I saw really exploited that fact. Even when traffic was flowing pretty well (30 MPH on the highway) they were still zooming past. To make things more contentious, I noticed that cars started to switch lanes more frequently when they saw a motoryclist coming up (albiet illegally) from behind as if to prevent the motorcyclist from advancing. All in all I didn't sense a copacetic relationship between automobiles and motorycles on California highways. Knowing this, I'd probably be nerve wracked having to commute 110 miles daily.
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playtothebeat
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Re: Car for a long daily commute

Post by playtothebeat »

Alex Frakt wrote: I'm not picking on you, but this brings up a general question. How many people factor in all of the costs when making a job decision? Based on the current IRS standard mileage rate and California tax rates, this commute will eat up almost $20,000 of gross salary (the actual cost is lower, but so is your take home pay).
It's a great point, and one that was definitely considered. For us, the pay raise is substantial to offset/exceed the "all in" costs of the commute, and career advancement opportunity is excellent as well. It was also somewhat of a case of "well, you can stay at the current job but risk not having a job in several months if the work load isn't there" (she's an attorney and billable hours are key. her group is basically moving a book of business to a new firm).


On an unrelated note, our mazda 6 does not have built in bluetooth; are there any good after-market systems you can recommend so that she can sync her phone while driving and make calls without using a BT headset or headphones? I've seen things that hang on the visors, but never thought their quality to be that great. Should I just get a new stereo system with built-in bluetooth capability?
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Re: Car for a long daily commute

Post by Dag »

If the car has a 3.5 mm audio input, something like this might work.

http://www.amazon.com/Kinivo-BTC450-Blu ... B009NLTW60
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kenyan
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Re: Car for a long daily commute

Post by kenyan »

Dag wrote:If the car has a 3.5 mm audio input, something like this might work.

http://www.amazon.com/Kinivo-BTC450-Blu ... B009NLTW60
Bought that for my wife's car; she has no complaints.
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Re: Car for a long daily commute

Post by CanyonCitySteve »

are there any good after-market systems you can recommend so that she can sync her phone while driving and make calls without using a BT headset or headphones? I've seen things that hang on the visors, but never thought their quality to be that great.
I have one (Bluetooth speakerphone), mine is the Jabra Drive. Its the low-end of their product line, but satisfactory for my needs....
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Re: Car for a long daily commute

Post by angelescrest »

playtothebeat wrote:
Alex Frakt wrote: On an unrelated note, our mazda 6 does not have built in bluetooth; are there any good after-market systems you can recommend so that she can sync her phone while driving and make calls without using a BT headset or headphones? I've seen things that hang on the visors, but never thought their quality to be that great. Should I just get a new stereo system with built-in bluetooth capability?
I've got a Mazda without it--wish I had one. Since she got a promotion and you have a little extra cash, this ain't cheap, but it would be the best option out there--it's a new upgrade by Pioneer:
http://gizmodo.com/apple-carplay-comes- ... 1563363164

In my years of long commutes, the radio/podcasts/audio books were my best friends. I hated the commute, but loved listening to stories and I ALMOST miss it. Leaving early (6:00 I think is too late) would make it doable. They say the most productive hours of the day are the first few hours, so it might help her in her job to try to shift it even earlier.

When I did my long commute I was going to get a Nissan Leaf and talk to our HR department about installing a charger outside our workplace. I think they would've accommodated, but I left (reasons unrelated to the commute) before the talks got serious.
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Re: Car for a long daily commute

Post by Bacchus01 »

Great thread.

I drive about 110 miles round trip per day. It take me 50 minutes each way, though, as it is all highway. I too am looking for a new commuter. Mpg is not the major motivator for me as the cost to go hybrid is hard to pay back. I drive a 2002 BMW 330XI now and love it, but reliability is becoming a concern. I must have all wheel drive and want something of a semi-luxury or top end domestic type brand. Comfort is important as I spend nearly 2 hours every day in this thing.

I'm thinking a newer 335XI or possibly a Lexus IS350 Fsport or the new ATS. Can anyone compare those? Infinity possibly but cannot drive an Acura.
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Re: Car for a long daily commute

Post by letsgobobby »

Audi with quattro seems your answer.
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Re: Car for a long daily commute

Post by inbox788 »

Bacchus01 wrote:Infinity possibly but cannot drive an Acura.
It's not that hard. Not too different than driving a Honda if you've ever done that. Just press the accelerator to go, brake to stop, and steer with the wheel.

Seriously, aside from not having many sporty sedans, what's wrong with Acura? Don't like their driving characteristics?

Was going to suggest Lexus 200h as a semi-luxurious Prius alternative, but it drives like a Prius as well.

Going back to Acura, what about the NSX?

http://www.acura.com/future/NSX#1

Might have to wait an extra year and add an extra zero to the check.
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Re: Car for a long daily commute

Post by Bacchus01 »

I work for an engine company. Honda engines are competition and thus I will not own any Honda product. The same goes for Subaru.
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Re: Car for a long daily commute

Post by harrychan »

Bacchus01 wrote:I work for an engine company. Honda engines are competition and thus I will not own any Honda product. The same goes for Subaru.
It would help your cause if you explained yourself.
This is not legal or certified financial advice but you know that already.
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Re: Car for a long daily commute

Post by harrychan »

Bacchus01 wrote:Great thread.

I drive about 110 miles round trip per day. It take me 50 minutes each way, though, as it is all highway. I too am looking for a new commuter. Mpg is not the major motivator for me as the cost to go hybrid is hard to pay back. I drive a 2002 BMW 330XI now and love it, but reliability is becoming a concern. I must have all wheel drive and want something of a semi-luxury or top end domestic type brand. Comfort is important as I spend nearly 2 hours every day in this thing.

I'm thinking a newer 335XI or possibly a Lexus IS350 Fsport or the new ATS. Can anyone compare those? Infinity possibly but cannot drive an Acura.
I would think the two cars listed would have too firm of suspension for a long commute. Why not 5 series or GS350? Personally, I would even go as far as an LS if $ was not a factor.
This is not legal or certified financial advice but you know that already.
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Re: Car for a long daily commute

Post by inbox788 »

harrychan wrote:
Bacchus01 wrote:I work for an engine company. Honda engines are competition and thus I will not own any Honda product. The same goes for Subaru.
It would help your cause if you explained yourself.
I'm not making the connection between Honda and Subaru vs. Lexus/Toyota and BMW. And Subaru and Toyota are partners to some degree. But I get your situation, it wasn't popular to drive Toyota Camry's in Detroit auto plants, but if you had the cash for a Mercedes, that was fine.

Aside from Acura (and I assume Honda) are there other brands on the forbidden list? Or is the allowed list shorter?

It's funny how transient car sales jobs are, and if you ask what the salespeople drive, it's all over the place, often a competitors car. Now, Mercedes salespeople can't always afford to eat their premium dog food, but I knew a sales manager who worked for Nissan and Hyundai; he drove a Toyota. You'd think they'd provide some incentive for their sales people to drive their own cars.

Does the GS F break the budget? It's most of the performance and a bit more comfort. Or another budget buster if performance is priority is the CLA 45AMG.
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Re: Car for a long daily commute

Post by Bacchus01 »

harrychan wrote:
Bacchus01 wrote:I work for an engine company. Honda engines are competition and thus I will not own any Honda product. The same goes for Subaru.
It would help your cause if you explained yourself.
Uh, I think I just did.
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Re: Car for a long daily commute

Post by Alex Frakt »

playtothebeat wrote:For us, the pay raise is substantial to offset/exceed the "all in" costs of the commute, and career advancement opportunity is excellent as well. It was also somewhat of a case of "well, you can stay at the current job but risk not having a job in several months if the work load isn't there" (she's an attorney and billable hours are key. her group is basically moving a book of business to a new firm).
Makes sense, although, in your situation, I'd be asking about reputable moving companies rather than new cars :-)
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Re: Car for a long daily commute

Post by denovo »

Bacchus01 wrote:
harrychan wrote:
Bacchus01 wrote:I work for an engine company. Honda engines are competition and thus I will not own any Honda product. The same goes for Subaru.
It would help your cause if you explained yourself.
Uh, I think I just did.
Can you define or explain what you call a "competition engine"
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Re: Car for a long daily commute

Post by Alex Frakt »

denovo wrote:
Bacchus01 wrote:
harrychan wrote:
Bacchus01 wrote:I work for an engine company. Honda engines are competition and thus I will not own any Honda product. The same goes for Subaru.
It would help your cause if you explained yourself.
Uh, I think I just did.
Can you define or explain what you call a "competition engine"
Both Subaru and Honda make a variety of industrial engines and generators. It doesn't have to be in the automotive field.
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Post by Curlyq »

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Re: Car for a long daily commute

Post by LynnC »

Alex Frakt wrote:
playtothebeat wrote:For us, the pay raise is substantial to offset/exceed the "all in" costs of the commute, and career advancement opportunity is excellent as well. It was also somewhat of a case of "well, you can stay at the current job but risk not having a job in several months if the work load isn't there" (she's an attorney and billable hours are key. her group is basically moving a book of business to a new firm).
Makes sense, although, in your situation, I'd be asking about reputable moving companies rather than new cars :-)
Agree with Alex! Having just made that EXACT trip a week or so ago, I would say, MOVE. That drive is insane and it took almost 2 hours in traffic.

As for which car used for driving the LA freeways, go with SAFEST!

LynnC
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William4u
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Re: Car for a long daily commute

Post by William4u »

+1 on moving

My wife and I were in a similar position. I commuted about that distance in wall-to-wall traffic for a good while. Finally we MOVED right next to where I work, and my quality of life went up 1000%. That kind of commute is bad for your health, both psychologically and physically.
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playtothebeat
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Re: Car for a long daily commute

Post by playtothebeat »

No argument that moving would solve the issue, but OC is far superior to LA county (in my opinion) for quality of life and raising a child (especially in the area we are in). So moving is not really an option at this point for us (plus, given that our house is probably still underwater, it'd be tough to do anyways). I think a better plan is that hopefully she does this for no more than 12-15 months, then tries to find something closer to home.
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Re: Car for a long daily commute

Post by nhrdls »

I see some replies recommending electric cars. I don't have one and have no experience of these cars, hence following questions.

Is electric car really practical for such a long commute? Even if you have charger available at both ends of the commute, it looks like total run will be on border line of the range with little room for safety margin.

How does electric car range gets impacted by stop and go traffic? What happens if there is accident on the road and you are slowed to a crawl for 20 miles or so?

It seems like for long commute, many electric cars may not have safety margin in this case. Conventional cars, you can get off road, refill and continue, electric cars, you will have to wait until charged
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mmmodem
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Re: Car for a long daily commute

Post by mmmodem »

nhrdls wrote:I see some replies recommending electric cars. I don't have one and have no experience of these cars, hence following questions.

Is electric car really practical for such a long commute? Even if you have charger available at both ends of the commute, it looks like total run will be on border line of the range with little room for safety margin.

How does electric car range gets impacted by stop and go traffic? What happens if there is accident on the road and you are slowed to a crawl for 20 miles or so?

It seems like for long commute, many electric cars may not have safety margin in this case. Conventional cars, you can get off road, refill and continue, electric cars, you will have to wait until charged
Yes. Electric cars are practical. You purchase the EV with the correct range for your purpose. A Nissan Leaf may not have enough range but a Tesla Model S or a BMW i3 Rex certainly does.

You probably wouldn't take an Accord off road and you probably wouldn't take your family in the back of a 2 seat pickup truck. That doesn't make either vehicle impractical.

EVs get greater fuel economy when going slowly, so with heavy traffic, you may see your range increase. I get nearly double the rated range on my plug in depending on how heavy the traffic is.

No doubt stopping to charge is a hassle. But going to a gas station every week is a hassle too. I'd much rather rather plug in at home. If you need more range for safety margin, purchase a range extender or an EV with longer range. Just because most EVs are not practical for a 100 mile commute doesn't mean no EVs are practical for long commutes.
chaz
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Re: Car for a long daily commute

Post by chaz »

sambb wrote:california = prius. Love it or hate it, thats a great solution, and very common in CA
Get a prius - can't go wrong.
Chaz | | “Money is better than poverty, if only for financial reasons." Woody Allen | | http://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/index.php/Main_Page
bloom2708
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Re: Car for a long daily commute

Post by bloom2708 »

I would consider a $25k pay cut to not have that commute. Life is too short. Even for 12-15 months. That commute daily might take 10 years off your life.

But I know people are willing to do some excruciating things for their jobs. A co-worker drove 77 miles each way every day for 7 years while his wife was in medical school and then did her internship. He drove a Ford Explorer that got ~20 mpg the whole time.

I had my 12 minute bike ride to work.
wmackey
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Re: Car for a long daily commute

Post by wmackey »

I drive 120 miles a day and have done so for seven years. I'm still driving the same VW Jetta Diesel. I got ~ 47 mpg up until the last year or so, finally dropping into low 40s as the milage creeps up. Currently have 256k miles and no issues other then regular maintenance.
Alex Frakt
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Re: Car for a long daily commute

Post by Alex Frakt »

playtothebeat wrote:No argument that moving would solve the issue, but OC is far superior to LA county (in my opinion) for quality of life and raising a child (especially in the area we are in). So moving is not really an option at this point for us (plus, given that our house is probably still underwater, it'd be tough to do anyways). I think a better plan is that hopefully she does this for no more than 12-15 months, then tries to find something closer to home.
How old are your kids?
letsgobobby
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Re: Car for a long daily commute

Post by letsgobobby »

And not only is the pay raise offset by the increased costs of the commute, it should be offset by the amortized cost of a newer, nicer vehicle, which obviously becomes justified because she is now spending more time in her car, thus needs a nicer car.

A Tesla S solves all problems - ride the HOV lane, no gas usage, nice car. Too bad it costs 6 figures.
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mmmodem
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Re: Car for a long daily commute

Post by mmmodem »

letsgobobby wrote:A Tesla S solves all problems - ride the HOV lane, no gas usage, nice car. Too bad it costs 6 figures.
Starting MSRP is $69,900. With $10k worth of state and federal rebates, you can actually get one at that cost OTD.
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