Kids Left The Nest? Worried About Gas Prices? Downsize Your Vehicle

It may hit you as you sit stuck in traffic in your large SUV, watching the gas needle slide toward empty. Would you be better off downsizing your vehicle to one of today’s smaller ones?  In today’s economy, it’s an increasingly frequent consideration, especially once the kids are grown. SUVs, of course, are generally more expensive than smaller cars to own and operate.

There are a number of factors to consider as you weigh the options to downsize your vehicle:

Cost of ownership.  Compare the fuel economy that you will get with a smaller vehicle to your current miles per gallon.  There may be other savings as well, including:

• Insurance costs
• Maintenance packages
• Payment plans
• Interest charges
• The simple difference in the original MSRPs

Environmental impact.  A smaller, more fuel-efficient car is more likely to be kinder to the environment.   The choices today include hybrids that are greener and have a smaller carbon footprint than older, larger SUVs.

Utility.  As your lifestyle changes, so do your vehicle needs.  With the children leaving the nest, you may no longer need a larger vehicle.   There may be little demand for the extra space offered by the SUV that was once a top priority.

Finally, you might simply drive a smaller car and find out that your preconceptions of the disadvantages of a small car simply aren’t valid.  You may have thought that you wouldn’t feel comfortable, only to find out that the interior dimensions of a newer, smaller car are ergonomically engineered to feel much larger, and can accommodate most drivers comfortably.

Smaller cars are no longer equated with mundane, basic transportation.  In fact, you may find that today’s smaller cars are more fun to drive and are far more sporty than yesterday’s “econo-box.”

Whatever the objective, NYE Automotive offers a full line of small car options.  With more and more choices available, this may be the perfect time to downsize your vehicle.