Might have to sell my car due to fuel costs.

[LowEL2XR8]

My beloved EL XR8 might have to find a new home.
After getting my job back and consequently paying more than I earn to daycare to cover the kids I can't afford a V8 anymore.

As with almost everyone with an EL XR8 they regret selling it. I have not advertised yet but I know I'm regretting it already. They are getting harder and harder to find in good condition and when I am able to get another one it will be extremely rare to get a good one.

I'll be posting it up for sale next week when I work out the finer details.

Until she goes she will get some great attention to detail.

[OzJavelin]

Have a GOOD think about this. Will you actually be saving money after the changeover? i.e. buying another car, paying for all the transfer etc .. will the fuel savings cover this in a "reasonable" period?

Unless you plan on walking or taking a bus I'd be checking the numbers ..

[rag top]

have you claimed the child care rebate?

http://www.mychild.gov.au/childcarerebate/

[CODSASR]

Originally Posted by rag top

have you claimed the child care rebate?

http://www.mychild.gov.au/childcarerebate/

As far as I know you get up to $7,500 per child per year and it doesnt matter what your income is......

sugest checking it out if you havent alredy

[Mr Hardware]

if you can't afford to keep an EL then you best be in an excel, not just a 6.

[LowEL2XR8]

Yes we do get a rebate for childcare. Every 3 months but I've only just gone back to work so I have to wait until the end of April. The changeover should only be the transfer fee. I plan on getting the same price car or slightly cheaper.
I need a car that can take 3 baby seats in the back. I already have a BF Wagon but both my wife and I pick up the kids and drop them off to daycare so I need a large car too.
My EL XR8 has to run on Ultimate 98 for the tune its on. It can go on Premium as well if I flick the tune switch over. But its still expensive. I think I'd be saving 10-15 dollars a week going down to a 6 cylinder Falcon.

I was hoping to go to a BF Falcon. The amount of fuel saved over a year should be a fair amount. I can get 150 to 200 ks more from a 6 cylinder per tank. Maybe thats a bit generous so maybe around 100-150ks per tank.

Peryear thats a fair amount.

[b0son]

Originally Posted by LowEL2XR8

My EL XR8 has to run on Ultimate 98 for the tune its on. It can go on Premium as well if I flick the tune switch over. But its still expensive. I think I'd be saving 10-15 dollars a week going down to a 6 cylinder Falcon.

If your finances are so tight that $10-15pw is the difference between breaking even or going backwards, I'd go straight past the 6cyl and get a small 4cyl runabout.

You should allow for prices to go up further.

[aussie muscle]

Originally Posted by LowEL2XR8

My EL XR8 has to run on Ultimate 98 for the tune its on. It can go on Premium as well if I flick the tune switch over.

how much to retune it for 91?

[LightningStrike]

Glad to hear things could be looking up for you!

[Mr Hardware]

So saving $500 a year is worth changing cars over?

[CODSASR]

would converting the xr8 to gas give you much savings?

do the gov still have the gas rebate?

[LowEL2XR8]

Yes; $500 a year is a lot of money to me.

Converting to gas costs too much now. I wouldn't consider it on my XR8.

[OzJavelin]

Originally Posted by LowEL2XR8

Yes; $500 a year is a lot of money to me.

Sounds like things are tight. Sounds like you are having a good think about it all. Hope it works out.

[The Yeti]

BBQ Fuel is your freind Julia will pay for the conversion and it will be cheaper to run than the 6cyl falcon and and here is the kicker

you get to keep the XL XR8

[LOCO XP]

Originally Posted by The Yeti

BBQ Fuel is your freind Julia will pay for the conversion and it will be cheaper to run than the 6cyl falcon and and here is the kicker

you get to keep the XL XR8

definitley. you MIGHT save $500/yr by going for a 6cyl... but you could easily burn $10-15 a week in trying to put a smile back on your face, drowning your sorrows, distracting youself from the regret etc etc... If you have to cut down costs, and fuel is the primary concern, gas conversion is worthwhile. If not, then as others have mentioned I'd be thinking about going for the MOST economical option for your budget. Changing cars over can be an expensive game, as good as you think the "new" car is upon a thorough inspection, there could always be something lurking around the corner.... better the devil you know....dammit now I've got Kylie stuck in my head

[Bushbasher]

If you're going to do it, then you'd me mad not to look at LPG. Look at it like this; How much fuel money does it cost you to drive 100km? personally, I pay less than $10 in fuel costs to go that far and that's in a Fairlane. Your XR8 will be costing more than that and any petrol powered 6 will still be more than that. And with the way it's looking like petrol prices are going to go for the next who knows how long, the gap between LPG and Petrol prices is only going to widen.

[RAPID_BA]

You wouldnt want to ruin a el xr8 by adding lpg to it. Just get the 6 if you want less performance.

I have a guy who would swap you his el futura 1 owner mint cond for a el xr8 in equally good condition, might even be a cash sweetener your way

[JC]

Originally Posted by HULK_BA

You wouldnt want to ruin a el xr8 by adding lpg to it.

Another ill-informed statement. LPG doesn't ruin any car - in fact a good system will be only a small % of pwer down when compared to petrol, and with LILPG, it can nett a gain (though I wouldn't stretch to LILPG on an EL XR8 - mixer ring works well enough, and ends up in savings inside 12 to 18 months for most people).

To the OP - I sympathise; is there any possibility of trying the home based childcare, rather than the child care centre rip-off merchants. We were in a similar situation a few years ago with 3 kids under 3 and the missus had to return to work or resign. She ended up with part time as a compromise, and together with family looking after the kids one day a week, it meant she actually earnt money ($100 a week nett, I think) rather than just keeping child care centre in business and me kicking in $80 a week on top of her after tax wage for the privilege of her working.

Have you got onto the Family Assistance Office to see if there's any way you can be reimbiursed more frequently (I'm guessing the answer will be no, but it's worth a try)?

With the repayment of any overpayment - you only have to pay back what you can afford - we paid back an $9k overpayment at $50 per fortnight, plus the Part A and Part B payments when they were due were offset against that debt (which was their fault, not ours). Took just over 12 months to pay it back that way.

[BENT_8]

Now, at the risk of having some of the riteous consider you a burden on their taxes i say unless you earn more than the $1250pw, throw the job in and look after the kids yourself.
The other option is for your wife to do a childcare course and work from home so she can look after you own and other peoples which will give her a wage and save you childcare expenses.

The childcare rebate is good, but most people need money day to day, not every 3 months.

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by Bushbasher

If you're going to do it, then you'd me mad not to look at LPG. Look at it like this; How much fuel money does it cost you to drive 100km? personally, I pay less than $10 in fuel costs to go that far and that's in a Fairlane.

Same here... Just went from Wagga to Surfers via Syd and the Pacific hwy, then home via Dubbo and the Newell Hwy in the Barge 2 adults and a 13yo, bootfull of luggage and 1/2 tank of Petrol.

Result.........3025kms for $290

[Road_Warrior]

Damn right I'd be getting it LPG converted.

[XRGhia]

Yeap, BBQ fuel FTW!


then the saying "Gas, Grass Or ***, no-one rides for free" will work once gas is on it

[Bushbasher]

I'm not suggesting converting your XR8 but you'd be able to get a nice dual fuel late model Falcon 6 if you sold the EL privately and used the cash to buy again

[LowEL2XR8]

Unfortunately I don't have the $3500 to convert to gas initially.
I pay about $1245 a week in day care costs. I have to wait 3 months before I can get half of that back. In the meantime our rapidly reducing savings offsetting our homelone means we are paying a lot more in interest as well.
I really have no idea how bad it is until after tax time when we see how much we have to pay back family assitance for what they paid this year to us.
Everything is huge cost. We are going backwards weekly until this childcare rebate happens.

Fuel is a major cost to us. When I wasn't working the XR8 stayed at home and was hardly used. So it didn't effect us.

I even have to think can I afford a can of coke. Every dollar counts.
In about 3 or 4 years time we will be back to normal but until the kids go to school there is massive costs when childcare, fuel and interest rates go up.

I can do something about the fuel costs but not about the other two.

[b0son]

Originally Posted by LowEL2XR8

I even have to think can I afford a can of coke. Every dollar counts.
In about 3 or 4 years time we will be back to normal but until the kids go to school there is massive costs when childcare, fuel and interest rates go up.

I figured as much, hence the advice about going a 4cyl (provided its big enough to ferry the family around).

You obviously have some major cashflow issues, and with costs going up, a $10-15pw saving will very quickly get swallowed up. I suspect you probably need at closer to $50pw saving, which you simply wont find in a falcon, lpg or no (once all costs are factored).

You'd already be aware, with that many kids, there will be inevitable doctors bills etc, for which you have to claim and wait for rebates. With cashflow hassles, you need tangible savings in your hand, NOW.

Ditch all thoughts of staying in a falcon, FOR NOW. Save as much money as you can now so that you have some sort of a safety net (sounds like your offset account wont provide one for that much longer). There will be plenty of cheap Falcons around in 3-4 years. Find something now that is significantly cheaper to run, and less than what you will get for the XR8.

[jcxr]

Originally Posted by LowEL2XR8

Unfortunately I don't have the $3500 to convert to gas initially.
I pay about $1245 a week in day care costs. I have to wait 3 months before I can get half of that back. In the meantime our rapidly reducing savings offsetting our homelone means we are paying a lot more in interest as well.
I really have no idea how bad it is until after tax time when we see how much we have to pay back family assitance for what they paid this year to us.
Everything is huge cost. We are going backwards weekly until this childcare rebate happens.

Fuel is a major cost to us. When I wasn't working the XR8 stayed at home and was hardly used. So it didn't effect us.

I even have to think can I afford a can of coke. Every dollar counts.
In about 3 or 4 years time we will be back to normal but until the kids go to school there is massive costs when childcare, fuel and interest rates go up.

I can do something about the fuel costs but not about the other two.

Ever thought of employing a Nanny for the kids?
Wouldnt cost anywhere near $1250/week, and some of the domestic work would get done, saving your Mrs some time also.

[CJR09]

Originally Posted by LowEL2XR8

I pay about $1245 a week in day care costs.


When I wasn't working the XR8 stayed at home and was hardly used. So it didn't effect us.

I think you kind of answered yourself here -

a few options

1 - nanny
2 - replace 8 with 4
3 - If it wasnt a prob when you werent working - dont work, put time and energy into your kids - i'm sure everyone would benefit from this!


2 basic ways to get ahead - reduce expenses or generate additional income

[XR6_661]

Sell one of the kids mate, or the wife.

[Auslandau]

If its a $500.00 per year saving and you buy a similar car second hand ...... you know your car and what is required to keep it on the road for a year; Brakes, tyres, gear box, engine etc. If you buy something for the same price, then find the 6 is thirstier than you thought (BA yes) and you need to touch anything to keep it in RWC, that $500.00 could disappear real quick. Then you'll have something you do not like as much, cost the same if not more in poor maintenance issues and be in a worse position. Investigate gas ... it ain't that bad ....... or pocket the savings and buy a decent EB already converted or similar.

[EFFalcon]

6's don't use much less fuel then a properly tuned 8. if any.