Gas Prices-driving/buying habits?

[aaronc879]

Another 6' 6" guy here.

I'm not sure it's the car you want to drive to a job site, but you might want to check into the new generation european turbo diesels.

The Audi A6/A7 GDI gets EPA 38/24, though when I test drove it the A7 was just shy of the headroom I needed. There was enough leg too though. So you might fit.

The Mercedes E 250 Bluetech gets EPA 42/28. More room in it than the Audis and I'm quite comfortable in it. This is the one I bought and on real trips I get about 41 MPG going 75-80 mph. Around town I get in the low 30's.

Since the E 250 has a 21 gal fuel tank, the range for highway driving is awesome. On a long cruise, fill up as you are leaving in the morning and literally drive all day long.

Thanks for the ideas but a 2014 Mercedes E250 Bluetech is 3X the top-end of my price range.

 

[Amethyst]

We have those types, too, but I'm often on the road around 0530 when the "super-important" folks are still abed. At that hour, I'm mainly dodging pickup trucks (with and without company logos), tradesmen's vans, small cars (like mine) and large old SUVs. These are probably not the highest-paid people, so it's especially outrageous that they waste fuel the way they do.

Amethyst

You'd love Dallas. Euro sports cars, driven by folks obviously too important to follow traffic rules, or to hang up and drive. Then there are the Suburbans, Expeditions, and F250 drivers, talking on the aforementioned phones, weaving in and out of traffic, accelerating like a dragster, tailgating without a clue of stopping distance, and racing to the red lights, only to slam on the brakes at the last moment...

I usually just try to stay the hell out of their way...

 

[aaronc879]

See this post: http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f27/very-small-new-car-maybe-71515.html#post1437366

I do plan to test drive that when it comes to my area. It's in my price range and they claim it fits tall people like me. Looks like there's no rear window so can't image visibility is very good but we'll see.

 

[robnplunder]

Two changes:

1) I drive more efficiently whenever possible. Stepping off of gas earlier when I see break lights in front, e.g..

2) I order stuff from on-line to avoid driving to store.

 

[Amethyst]

This.

2) I order stuff from on-line to avoid driving to store.

 

[Free To Canoe]

Gas prices do not affect my driving habits.

Good gas mileage is always a primary consideration when I buy a car. Fuel savings is only part of the equation. I like driving and I don't want to feel guilty about it. Less available torque means you have to think more about your accelerations and plan accordingly.

 

[Totoro]

I ditched my car and switched to taxis. Did the calculation and it is cheaper on a yearly basis.

Then again, I do live in a city in Europe.

Were I to get a new car gas i'd totally go for lowest total cost of ownership, which depends on taxes very heavily.

Probably why something like a Kia Picanto doesn't sell in the us I guess.

 

[Walt34]

Retirement affected gas usage far more than any change in driving habits could have. The full-size 4WD pickup truck will now sit in the garage for up to a week at a time without being driven. It's eleven years old and everything works so there is no justification to replace it with something that gets better mileage. I do make a point to drive it to full operating temperature at least once a week because sitting to long is bad for it.

We did pay attention to predicted fuel mileage when shopping for a new car but it wasn't the main factor. We're liking the Honda Accord and DW especially likes the backup camera.

 

[NW-Bound]

Now retired, we do not drive enough for the $5/gal price to hurt us, or for us to have to buy a new vehicle.

Where it is going to hurt the most is when I take the gas-guzzling motorhome for a cross-country run, but what can I do? Stay home and wait to die?

 

[W2R]

Now retired, we do not drive enough for the $5/gal price to hurt us, or for us to have to buy a new vehicle.

Where it is going to hurt the most is when I take the gas-guzzling motorhome for a cross-country run, but what can I do? Stay home and wait to die?

That will happen to all of us, all too soon, whether we stay home and wait for it or not. Time for you to get in that motorhome of yours and seek adventure! As for the price of gas, well, what better use for your money.

 

[mpeirce]

I do plan to test drive that when it comes to my area. It's in my price range and they claim it fits tall people like me. Looks like there's no rear window so can't image visibility is very good but we'll see.

Another class of car that work well for tall folks are two seaters.

Back in the day I almost bought a Honda CR-X. It had lots of leg room, got great gas mileage, and was fun to drive.

Before that I drive up a beat up Datsun B 210 hatchback. By today's standards a death trap, but it got over 40 mpg so it was really cheap to drive in college. And again, plenty of room. Mine looked a little like this one http://dev.hatchheaven.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/datsun_b210_77.jpg

As you can tell, it's been a while since I was driving a two seater. But the fact remains, they often have lots of leg room.

 

[38Chevy454]

I don't really change my driving. I do try to consolidate trips when possible. It is just a cost of living expense, and not having a car payment or more expensive insurance can buy a whole lot of fuel. Although I might be influenced by mpg slightly, I buy what i like and live with the resulting mpg. Most of my vehicles are older V8 trucks or similar, I do not like small cars. Which means I buy a lot of fuel at typical 13-16 mpg.

The motorhome at 7 mpg can be some expensive fill-ups!

 

[ERhoosier]

I guess I've grown bored with burning rubber and jackrabbiting stoplight to stoplight. Waste of gas and tires. After driving same suburb-to-downtown route for over 20yrs I can tell you there's NO difference in ave arrival times, just aggravation & potential to provoke road rage in others. In urban areas you're only going as fast/far as the bumper in front of you anyway. So I drive my 4 cyl midsize (Altima) smoothly, keep up with traffic, & enjoy my stereo

IMHO- It's rarely worth it to dump a good-running used car for a newer one getting only modestly better mpg's. But I did keep mpg's in mind when buying my last car. I went for 4cyl midsize sedan. Good interior size/comfort & current 4cyl's have the performance of 6's from just a few yrs ago. And I cannot see going smaller (or hybrid) for little (or no) better hwy mpg than the 36-38 these cars get.

I have given up on my old 'dream' of getting a big motorhome. At 7-8mpg I can buy some pretty nice hotel rooms instead of $4+/gal gas.

 

[CCdaCE]

I always think this is an interesting article when it gets updated.

Gasoline Price Update: Up a Penny

And this one with consumption vs. price is even more interesting:

Gasoline Volume Sales, Demographics and our Changing Culture

-CC

 

[NW-Bound]

Time for you to get in that motorhome of yours and seek adventure!

Yes, but there are some logistic issues causing my departure date to be set for August.

See my tentative itinerary below, which will take me to Nova Scotia (maybe Newfoundland too?). This is just a very rough route which will be subject to change. It will be around 9K miles, and take 2+ months.

 

[REWahoo]

It will be around 9K miles, and take 2+ months.

9,000 miles @6mpg = 1,500 gal x $3.80/gal =$5,700. Ouch.

As a fellow RVer, I feel your pain. But worth every penny.

 

[NW-Bound]

My small 25' class C delivered 9.5-9.8mpg even when towing a toad over the past 5 long trips of 4-5K miles each.

And that was over the mountainous Western states.

The 9K miles will be just for the RV. Excursions with the toad may add 1-2K miles, but its gas mileage is 2-3X that of the RV, so who cares?

 

[REWahoo]

My small 25' class C delivered 9.5-9.8mpg even when towing a toad over the past 5 long trips of 4-5K miles each.

And that was over the mountainous Western states.

That's very good for a gas RV.

Unless I have a strong tailwind my diesel truck doesn't average more than 10.5-11.0 mpg towing our 35' trailer.

 

[Mulligan]

Hasn't changed my driving habits so far, but did make me, when I need another car, buy a smaller one with twice the gas mileage.

That is what I think. I have an aging gas guzzler which I am keeping a bit longer. I could easily buy one that gets twice the gas mileage to negate the expense. But I am imagine in reality I will just complain about the cost and not buy an efficient one until it really hurts the wallet.


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[savory]

According to the National Bike Challenge, I saved $356 since May 1. https://nationalbikechallenge.org/rider/5341 It does not include my wife's saving. Although it would not be double since we often commute together. And, I am not 100% sure if the calculation includes my exercise miles. If so my savings would be 50% of $356. Put in DW miles and I can confidently say it is no less than $200 and no more than $400. Not a bad way to have fun and save money. Most of my fun events cost money .

 

[W2R]

Yes, but there are some logistic issues causing my departure date to be set for August.

See my tentative itinerary below, which will take me to Nova Scotia (maybe Newfoundland too?). This is just a very rough route which will be subject to change. It will be around 9K miles, and take 2+ months.

You are going to have such a wonderful time! I am so glad that you decided to spend some of your money on something that means so much to you. As much as you may love having the money itself and counting it - - which I can understand - - this is better. It is an experience you can look back on fondly for many years to come. Be sure to take a camera, and maybe even a trip diary would be fun.

 

[NW-Bound]

You are going to have such a wonderful time! I am so glad that you decided to spend some of your money on something that means so much to you. As much as you may love having the money itself and counting it - - which I can understand - - this is better. It is an experience you can look back on fondly for many years to come. Be sure to take a camera, and maybe even a trip diary would be fun.

Thank you. Reading your post makes me smile. I often post half-jokes here about being frugal, and people took it more seriously than I thought.

Surely, I love "counting money" and am frugal, but I am not that scroogy, not even with myself. I bought the motorhome for travel, and it serves no purpose sitting there. It has been washed and waxed, its fluids changed, its tires spanking new. All I need to gas up and drive off.

The only reason I have not taken a trip, neither RV nor fly-and-drive since last summer RV run to NO, was that I was too tied up with major surgeries and busy fighting for my life for a year. But now that I have a new lease on life (terms uncertain), I hope to resume my retirement plan. Well, until something else comes up, that is.

 

[W2R]

What wonderful news to hear that you have a new lease on life (however uncertain the terms), and that you are done with major surgeries and fighting for your life, at least for now. It does make this opportunity seem all the more precious for you.

 

[NW-Bound]

I may live a couple more decades, or I may have only a few years. That's how uncertain it is. And yet, many posters here torment themselves with the uncertainty of the stock market. It is not that important! I like to make money, but it is more like a challenge, an interesting game to me. I have often said that I could be living in my motorhome in the boondocks and still be happy as long as I have my health, and I really mean it.

Well, one of these days when people get sick they will know. I had had perfect health all my life, and never expected this. Still, sickness or just deterioration by aging is something we all will go through, some sooner, others later, but no one is immune.

 

[REWahoo]

Still, sickness or just deterioration by aging is something we all will go through, some sooner, others later, but no one is immune.

All the more reason to get in that RV and go while we still can...