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Dear Car Talk:
My husband and I have an ongoing disagreement about when to sell or trade in his 2016 Toyota Tacoma.
I say with the reliability of these trucks, he would be better off financially to keep it and let it roll to 200,000 at least. By the time he pays for new licensing, higher insurance and the depreciation of new vehicles once they are driven off the lot, he would end up losing money by trading it in so early.
He claims it is better to turn it in when the mileage is still low, under 150,000 or so, so that he will receive more money on his trade-in for a new truck. Besides, "he likes new trucks."
Can you do the math and let me know who is right? I would prefer you say I am. -- Virginia
You're right, Virginia. If you're just considering economics, the best thing you can do is buy a car and then drive it until it's no longer reliable or no longer serves your needs -- or until your neighbors shame you into replacing it. Or, as my brother would say, "drive it into the ground" (his picture is still in the dictionary next to that phrase).
We've done the math. Generally speaking, paying for repairs on an older car is cheaper than making payments on a
new car.
However … I think the key phrase in your letter is "he likes new trucks." So he probably knows his economic argument is nonsense. The guy just wants a new truck.
And economic policy aside, it might be good marital policy to let him have one. Afterall, a middle-aged man trading in a truck for a younger model is not the worst thing that's ever happened in a marriage, right?
So, assuming it won't create a financial hardship, you should consider saying to him: "Frank, your economic argument makes no sense. Just like most of your arguments. But if you really want a new truck, I think you should get one because I love you and I know it'll make you happy."
Once he comes to, I think he'll be pretty delighted. And hopefully, he'll return the goodwill when you tell him you've already signed a contract for an in-home spa with a built-in whirlpool, sauna and personal masseuse.
Good luck, Virginia.
Dear Car Talk:
Since I first poked my head under a hood nearly 50 years ago, the cleanliness of the air filter was always one of the factors that affects fuel mileage. I still hear it today, even though modern engines are controlled by computers.
Since the computer and its associated sensors constantly maintain the optimum fuel/air mixture, it seems that a dirty air filter (within reason) would have little to no impact on fuel economy. You may need to use a little more throttle to maintain a given speed, but wouldn't the fuel economy be essentially the same? -- Scott
Yes, it would.
Obviously, if someone dumps a pot of five-alarm chili in your air filter, all bets are off. But up to that point, it hardly matters.
Here's how modern engines work: Air coming into the engine passes through a filter. That weeds out pigeons, leaves and other dirt and debris. The air that gets through the filter then goes past a sensor called a mass airflow sensor. That sensor measures the amount and temperature and, as such, the density of the air that's coming in.
Then, based on that information, the computer decides, many times a second, how much fuel to inject to make the ideal fuel/air mixture in the cylinders. If the amount of air gets reduced over time due to a dirty air filter, the computer will simply adjust and send in less fuel to match it. So your mileage and, just as important, your emissions, will stay the same.
If it gets really plugged up, it could affect the amount of power you get. But it won't affect anything else. And honestly, we just don't see dirty air filters like we used to. Twenty-five years ago, an older car might come into the shop, and we'd pull out the air filter, and it'd be disgusting. It'd be greasy and oily and almost black. Now when we see a really dirty air filter, it's usually because some rodent has been using it as a place to warm its nuts.
The reason air filters stay cleaner is largely because crankcase ventilation systems work much better than they used to. In the old days, they'd send oily fumes through the filter and make it filthy in no time. Plus, outside air, in general, is cleaner. That's a great accomplishment, and not just for cars. So if you check your nose hairs, Scott, they probably don't need changing as often either.