Need To Convince The Wife

[CompTrex]

I hate to give an illustration like this because there will inevitably be a nitpicker who will come unglued and disagree with some number that has been chosen out of the air .... given the commute and current vehicle listed, as a get to work and back vehicle, hypothetically, it would take about 5 years for you to save the cost of an Elio ....

24 miles X 2 = 48 miles per day X 20 work days per month X 12 months == 11520 miles per year

11520 -:- 18 = 640 gallons per year

11520 -:- 80 = 144 gallons per year

640 - 144 = 496 gallons per year saved

496 X $2.75 per gallon = $1364 saved per year

$7000 cost of an Elio - $1364 = a little over 5 years

subtract what you get by selling your current commuter vehicle and the time frame could be considerably less

to me this confirms that, in your case, purchasing an Elio could make economic sense .... that said, based on the other objections raised by your wife, this appears to be an emotional issue, not a rational one .... good luck with dealing with that ....

Jim

Jim I have to TOTALLY disagree with you!

I don't know about what yet, but I'll think of something...

 

[JEBar]

Jim I have to TOTALLY disagree with you!

I don't know about what yet, but I'll think of something...

seeeeee .... it was inevitable .. o_O

Jim

 

[wheaters]

I've found from personal experience that one of the biggest costs of owning a vehicle is depreciation. An Elio only costs what many bigger new cars would lose in depreciation in a year or so.

 

[Jeff Porter]

Hey Ternion, welcome to the forum, glad you are here. On the upper right, hover over your name, then click "Conversations". I sent you one with some suggestions on this.

 

[CompTrex]

Hey Ternion, welcome to the forum, glad you are here. On the upper right, hover over your name, then click "Conversations". I sent you one with some suggestions on this.

oo... now we're all wondering!

 

[Oldfarmer]

Family of 4? Just get 2 of them! $13,600 is cheaper than 99% of the other cars out there.
My wife was the one that had to do the convincing. As soon as she saw it on the news one morning that was it. I dawdled to the point I missed out on the 50% bonus. She made sure I got in at the 25% and 1 grand "All In" after that.
Like many of the folks above, we're hardly yuppies. I'm retired and she will be shortly. Maybe old hippies?

 

[Ol' Blue]

Welcome ternion ... I too had some convincing to do ... my Bride chuckled, laughed, snorted & guffawed at the idea of my owning one ... but due to my own tenaciousness in research & talking about the paybacks, perks the savings we will enjoy in our ownership not only do we have 2 on order (one for us & one for our son) but now she loves to inform me of all the options that I will want added to my Elio ... I wish you all the luck, but I must also tell you to be prepared! Gotta love her ...

 

[Chris F]

My wife is also not too pleased. However, I do need a new vehicle and we have a wagon that is her main car. She wasn't too pleased about the Chevy Sprint I drove for 7 years. Since I'm salting some bucks away, the Elio should be mostly paid for by next Thanksgiving. Also, remember, its easier to get absolution than permission.

 

[zelio]

I hate to give an illustration like this because there will inevitably be a nitpicker who will come unglued and disagree with some number that has been chosen out of the air .... given the commute and current vehicle listed, as a get to work and back vehicle, hypothetically, it would take about 5 years for you to save the cost of an Elio ....

24 miles X 2 = 48 miles per day X 20 work days per month X 12 months == 11520 miles per year

11520 -:- 18 = 640 gallons per year

11520 -:- 80 = 144 gallons per year

640 - 144 = 496 gallons per year saved

496 X $2.75 per gallon = $1364 saved per year

$7000 cost of an Elio - $1364 = a little over 5 years

subtract what you get by selling your current commuter vehicle and the time frame could be considerably less

to me this confirms that, in your case, purchasing an Elio could make economic sense .... that said, based on the other objections raised by your wife, this appears to be an emotional issue, not a rational one .... good luck with dealing with that ....

Jim

Only one comment and that is based on having lived in San Francisco and other parts of the Bay Area. Twelve miles in any city in NC may be only 12 miles. In the SF Bay area it can mean an hour commute one way. The traffic there is terrible and so is the parking in SF proper. Total nightmare! OK, I'll stop nit picking. :-) Z

 

[ternion]

Thank you all for your input. I was successful in getting her talk about the possibility of owning an Elio, even mentioning the color she'd want me to get ("not red"), and that is farther than I have made it since I have been talking to her about it early this year. I think if I keep pushing the economic benefit, including the benefits of the possible gas card financing and allocating some savings to benefit her, I think it could happen. Thanks again.