On 01/25/2010 09:21 AM, Doug Miller wrote:

I don't mess around with recycling a few pounds
of cans or bottles (which we use very little of anyway) -- I recycle tons at a
time: when I need a car, I buy used, never new.

That makes no sense. Consider the following scenarios:

a) I buy a new car and drive it till it's dead.

b) I buy a new car, drive it for a while, then buy another new car and
sell my old one (to someone who drives it till it's dead).

c) I buy a used car and drive it till it's dead, then buy another used
car and drive it till it's dead.

In all cases the cars end up at the scrapyard to be recycled anyways.
Whether you buy new or used really makes little difference in the end
unless so many people are buying new that usable cars end up being
scrapped unnecessarily.

It also may not save any money to buy used. I wanted a Honda or Toyota
hatchback. Around here used ones were going for a significant fraction
of the new price--ten year old cars going for half of new. Since I was
planning on driving it into the ground, I figured I may as well buy
new--that way I know the history of the car.

On the other hand, if you're planning on turning over vehicles every few
years then it definitely makes financial sense to buy used.

Chris