Little Intro: "The Prince and the Pauper" is our new mini-series where we take a cheap, brand new car and compare it to a cheap luxury or sports car capable of everyday use. We're going to compare the two cars' running costs and capabilities and, hopefully, make non-car people make counter intuitive car choices. Enjoy!
Bare with me for a second. What if I told you that you can buy and run one of the most reliable luxury cars ever made, for almost the same amount of money as a brand new Chevrolet Spark? You would probably gawp with disbelief and go buy the Spark, because it's the most sensible option. Or is it? We'll find out at the end of this article.
The Lex most 90's rappers dreamed of |
Creme Caramele colored interior
|
Running Costs
Grandmamobile |
A feast for the eyes |
Finally, we have the price of pads, rotors, oil, tires[8][9] and the total cost of buying and running the cars for the one and three years respectively ( to add up the costs, insurance, gas and oil are multiplied by three at the 3rd year). For easier reading, the facts are presented in bulletin points.
LEXUS
- Rotors: 84$ each for slotted discs
- Pads: 37$ per axle (every 20k miles)
- Tires: 380.40$ for all corners (Bridgestone Turanza Serenity 205/65R1594H)(max speed: 139mph)
- Oil: 28,88$ for 5 quarts ( 10W30 Mobil 1 Synthetic)
One Year Three Years
Car: 4,000.00$ 4,000.00$
Insurance: 1,242.75$ 3,728.25$
Gas: 1,108.69$ 3,326.06$ (10k miles/year)
Oil: 28.88$ 86.64$
Pads: / 74.00$( front+back)
Total: 6,380.32$ 11,215.95$
Chevy
- Rotors: 35$ each
- Pads: 37$ per axle
- Tires: 340.40$ for all corners ( Yokohama Avid Ascend 185/55R1582V)
- Oil: 28,88$ for 5 quarts ( 5W20 Mobil 1 Synthetic)
One Year Three Years
Car: 12,660.00$ 12,660.00$
Insurance: 1,790.75$ 5,372.25$
Gas: 792.00$ 2,376.00$
Oil: 28.88$ 86.64$
Pads: / 74.00$ (front+back)
Total: 15,271.63$ 18,195.26$
The Verdict
My fellow readers, you've seen it for yourselves! In the shorterm and the longterm, the Lexus LS400 (Series 1) is cheaper to buy and run than a 2016 Chevrolet Spark. Also, since it is becoming rarer and rarer to see an LS400 on the road these days, if you decide to acquire a well maintained example, you'll automatically become the owner of a really special automobile and look much richer than you would in the Spark. To finish of, here are a few articles that will be useful before and after buying the Lexus:
Buying Advice: http://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-1st-and-2nd-gen-1990-2000/634188-guidance-in-buying-a-lexus-ls400-please-maintenance-costs-repairs-etc.html
Lexus Mechanical Restoration: http://oppositelock.kinja.com/fix-it-or-sell-it-a-jalop-s-dilemma-1764627523
Common Problems And Fixes: http://repairpal.com/lexus/ls400
What are you waiting for? Go on www.craigslist.com to find your perfect Lexus LS400!
Bonus "Regular Car Reviews" video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljpk_9X4xCY
* For the people who wondered why the insurance was so expensive, I've written down the insurance coverages that I opted for both cars:
24/7 Roadside Assistance
Liability/ Bodily Injury/ Property Damage : 25,000$/ 50,000$/ 25,000$
Uninsured/ Underinsured Motorist Bodily Injury: 15,000$/ 30,000$
Uninsured Motorist Property Damage: 3,500$
Medical Payments: 5,000$
Comprehensive/ Collision Deductible: 750$
Citations
[1] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lexus_LS
http://ls400data.com/history.html\
[2] http://losangeles.craigslist.org/search/sss?sort=rel&query=lexus%20ls400
[3] http://www.chevrolet.com/spark-fuel-efficient-car.html
[4] http://www.leftlanenews.com/new-car-buying/chevrolet/spark/#
[5] https://www.thegeneral.com/TGRV2/QuickQuoteDriverController.gen
[6] https://www.hagerty.com/apps/QuoteMyClassic/Quote/Usa/Direct/39904865/Quote/Results
[7] http://inflationdata.com/articles/cost-of-living/cost-of-gas/average-cost-of-gas-per-month/
[8] http://www.walmart.com/ip/Mobil-1-5W-20-Full-Synthetic-Motor-Oil-5-qt./170181329
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Mobil-1-5W-30-Full-Synthetic-Motor-Oil-5-qt./
[9] http://www.tirerack.com/
Nice stuff!
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