I have traditionally owned older vehicles-old enough that when I was done with them, their next stop was the wreckers or recycling companies; It had more to do with finances, instead of with the environment.
While it has been nice to have managed to squeeze a little more life of a vehicle than might otherwise have occurred before it was retired permanently, has a cost.
For example, my last vehicle emissions control system basically consisted of extra spark plugs (4-cylinder engine, 8 spark plugs instead of four)-not too effective. it was also a little heavy on gas consumption.
When I disposed of, the vehicle was almost 25 years old and I wanted to really sell it to someone that I knew it had a bunch of impending problems that would cost a small fortune to identify local recycling center. Luck was directed to accept cars and they gave me a few hundred dollars for metal scrap value.
If it is better to buy a new vehicle or used is not clear cut as it depends on your circumstances, but the general guideline is on a new vehicle, get much better gas mileage than what you currently have, and then a new car is a good move. fuel economy must be dramatically better to compensate the energy that went into producing and supplying the vehicle.
The same can be said of second-hand vehicles in good condition that also achieves better mileage, but without the new car payback the energy issue, but you will need to remember one older vehicles do not deliver fuel performance as what it did when it was new.
If you are in the United States and wish to make a side-by-side comparisons of your current, new fuel economy or older model vehicles, fueleconomy.gov is a good resource-displays the current day models and right back to 1984. If you already know your mileage and want to get in on the side of things, check out my article on calculation of car CO2 emissions.
