Thanks for clarifying, [MENTION=20232]I-Like-To-Bike[/MENTION]. I agree that buying a new car every five years is not justified to commute that distance. In fact, I think buying a new car every five years is not justified in nearly every case. You brought up this idea of buying a new car every five years, and I don't know why, so I don't know why you are knocking it down. No one put it forth as an assumption.

67 cents a mile might be an average, and it's definitely possible to run a car for a lower rate than that. I've never bought a new car, so there's a start to more frugal car ownership. So yes, if you are more frugal with cars than the government assumes, your savings from switching from car commuting to bike commuting will be less than 67 cents a mile. But it's almost certain there will be savings. I expect you will agree with that, and if not, I'm eager to hear how.