A new car can save money at the gas pump and still make the household budget worse. That sounds backwards, especially after watching fuel prices turn every fill-up into a small financial event.
The problem sits in the gap between saving money per mile and spending money to own the car. A vehicle that gets noticeably better mileage might reduce fuel costs, but a $600 monthly payment adds $7,200 a year before insurance, registration, maintenance, taxes, and financing costs enter the picture.
