...r u driv'n less?

codeman671 · 05-08-2008, 10:11 PM

I have been fairly lucky, my commute is only 7 minutes to work so I do not use a lot commuting, although my gas guzzling H2 eats it up at 12mpg. A recent trip to Georgia, 2300 miles round trip while towing a boat one way cost $1000 in gas.

Filling the box truck at work at $4.20+ for diesel is tough, and paying the fuel surcharges (33% this week!) to trucking lines is getting rough.

With the added cost of a weekly 45 minute drive to the lake and feeding 3 boats however I will be paying less in gas than I spent in heating oil and electricity this winter heating our house!

Lakegeezer · 05-09-2008, 05:50 AM

Years ago, when gas was cheaper, I did a MPG test on my car with plus and premium gas. At 10 cents a gallon more expensive, I was getting about 10% better gas milage (22 rather than 20). When gas was a buck, it was about break even. Now that gas approaching 4 bucks, a dime or even a quarter to get plus and 20-30 cents more for premium starts making sense. As little as 3% cost to get 10% better mileage. Has anyone else noticed a improvement with modern blends above regular?

Rose · 05-09-2008, 06:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lakegeezer

Has anyone else noticed a improvement with modern blends above regular?

I've actually just gone from premium to plus and so far haven't noticed a difference in mpg's or performance. I own a VW, most of which require premium, but we decided to see if we could safely run on the plus. If that works out, we may try regular.

AC2717 · 05-09-2008, 06:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rose

I've actually just gone from premium to plus and so far haven't noticed a difference in mpg's or performance. I own a VW, most of which require premium, but we decided to see if we could safely run on the plus. If that works out, we may try regular.

What year is your Vdub? my wife has a 08 Jetta and manual and dealer and door sticker says run it on 87?
By the way the first couple of months the milage was horrible, now that it is over 8000 miles she gets even better milage, espeically when I head home from the lake area, I get non ethanol gas and get 32 to the gallon at 72 cruise control. We have owned the car just over 4 months and have 10,400 +- 15 miles already

By the way the boat will be visitng a alot of sand bars and getting to know my mooring ball a lot better this season. My monthly gas price stated earlier only incluided two trips to NH to work on the cottage.

Trick for all us boaters on the cusp of breaking: Have friends come up and let them pay for the gas

CanisLupusArctos · 05-12-2008, 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AC2717

Trick for all us boaters on the cusp of breaking: Have friends come up and let them pay for the gas

...Or as stated in another thread in General Discussion, pay $79 for a season's pass on all day cruises of the MOUNT, Mail Boat, and the Doris E. I'm getting my pass soon. Planning to leave the boating worries to the crew while my friends and I hang out at the railing and watch the lake go by!

According to this article from MSNBC this morning, the future of oil looks like it's not getting any cheaper or more plentiful because of a number of factors in the world.

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com...unningDry.aspx

I've also been hearing that we should all be mindful of where we park because less-honest people are stealing gas from parked cars. Anyone else been hearing anything on that, or reacting?

I just thought of a bright side to all this... ready?

(*smiles like Ralphie from "A Christmas Story" *)

With more Americans carpooling and taking trains (the news this morning said ridership is rising dramatically everywhere) the morning commute has just become sociable. Kids in a few years will start hearing the words, "Your father and I met on the train/carpool..." Plus, no more driving & texting/dialing! This combined with fewer people on the roads and more people going slower to save fuel = safer roads = lower car insurance rates!

Expensive oil could be a solution to the obesity/diabetes/heart disease problem in America as people save money by killing the Gym membership and doing everything manually that gym machines only simulate. Who needs an exercise bike when a real 10-speed has just taken the place of local car trips? Or who needs a treadmill when we actually walk from point A to point B? And, once we all get in supreme physical shape from all the walking/biking/physical labor, I think the healthcare system's problem would solve itself at that point! BY law of supply and demand, less demand for healthcare = cheaper healthcare! We could re-train a lot of internal medicine doctors as orthopedic doctors for the injuries we'd occasionally get, and trade all our current prescriptions for a massive bottle of ibuprofin from the local Wal-Mart... for those times when we're feeling too macho to visit the ortho doc!

Just trying to look on the bright side. I'm not finding it easy to adjust to driving less. But I have to admit, when gas was cheap I found it hard to keep a healthy walking/biking regimen. I think I finally found the motivation.

Rattlesnake Guy · 05-12-2008, 11:17 PM

There is a gas station in Nashua that closed just a couple of years ago on Canal street. They never took the prices down when they closed the shop. I think it is < $1.00. I cringe every time I drive by and try not to look.

I have a simple way for congress to protect us from the evil free market oil companies excessive profits.
Make each one of us buy an equivalent ownership in the oil company of our choice that represents our annual usage of gasoline. That way we are all happy when they make a lot and we get it back. Then we send 1/3 to Washington to keep the beast fed.

Does anyone really think that Washington dislikes when corporations make a lot of money and have to pay a lot of taxes. They just have to act outraged and do nothing. Oh wait, that's what they do.

SteveA · 05-21-2008, 04:54 PM

http://www.wthr.com/global/story.asp?s=8348967

Maybe we should drill some test sites...

On RattleSnake.

Check it out.... Winnigas.com (just kidding.. it's not a real URL.. yet

) $1.00 per Gallon...

fatlazyless · 05-22-2008, 11:54 AM

At the little, self-serve, credit card only, Waterville Valley gas station down at the bottom of the ski area road, prices were 3.59 for reg and 3.89 for hi-test this morning, Thursday, May 22.

Waterville Valley is known as the 'town at the end of the road' and the next closest gas station is the Mobil, about eleven miles away, at exit 28.

Methinks the town owned gas station is selling gas either at, or below(?) cost as an incentive for vacationers to visit this very scenic resort town.

www.visitwatervillevalley.com

JPC · 05-22-2008, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rattlesnake Guy

Does anyone really think that Washington dislikes when corporations make a lot of money and have to pay a lot of taxes.

The problem is that the oil companies are getting a Tax Break even with the obscene excess profits. Our Congress hasn't had the time to rescind this tax break. With all the vacation time they have to take they just don't have the time?

Rag Top Daze · 05-23-2008, 11:32 AM

I've been trying to locate someone who wants to ride share my weekday commute from Moultonborough to Laconia. Anyone travel that route? Even if you start out in Center Harbor or Meredith along my way in to Laconia. If so send me a PM and see if we can work something out.

moose tracks · 05-27-2008, 10:10 PM

We stayed at our camp more during the Memorial Day weekend. Normally, we would have driven around to places to see what was going on such as the Weirs, or the Meredith docks for ice cream. We planned one trip to Gilford to include a stop at Fay's, The Wineing Butcher, Hannaford's and Home Goods. The big gas splurge was driving to Castle in the Clouds. Small , but notable, changes in our driving habits this weekend.

This'nThat · 05-09-2008, 07:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rose

I own a VW, most of which require premium, but we decided to see if we could safely run on the plus. If that works out, we may try regular.

Modern engines have anti-knock provisions built into their control systems, so probably "safety" isn't a factor if you have a relatively new car. This is usually achieved by dynamically de-tuning the engine while under load by increasing the fuel-air mixture and retarding the spark. In plain English, if you are using maximum power with a lower octane gas, the engine will simply produce less horsepower to compensate for the lower octane. Usually, though, we don't drive at maximum load, so the lower octane probably wouldn't make any difference at all.

Rose · 05-09-2008, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by This'nThat

Usually, though, we don't drive at maximum load, so the lower octane probably wouldn't make any difference at all.

You've never seen me drive, have you???!!!

It's an 8+ year old car with almost 170,000 miles on it, so if I hear any pinging I'm headed back to my premium fuel. Luckily, my foot isn't as leaden as it once was, but it's hard to go slow in a Passat.

tricia1218 · 05-12-2008, 01:01 PM

We have changed our driving habits, by carpooling into work and to the lake. I had planned on buying a newer larger vehicle as we are expecting our first child next month, but have put those plans on hold. We currenlty have smaller more efficient cars that will do for for now. When I purchased my car new about 7 years ago, it cost $13.00 to fill the tank, now about $45.00, there are so many things wrong with why we are paying what we are for gas.

05-09-2008, 05:50 AM	#2
Lakegeezer Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Moultonboro, NH Posts: 1,678 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 354 Thanked 639 Times in 290 Posts	Premium gas Years ago, when gas was cheaper, I did a MPG test on my car with plus and premium gas. At 10 cents a gallon more expensive, I was getting about 10% better gas milage (22 rather than 20). When gas was a buck, it was about break even. Now that gas approaching 4 bucks, a dime or even a quarter to get plus and 20-30 cents more for premium starts making sense. As little as 3% cost to get 10% better mileage. Has anyone else noticed a improvement with modern blends above regular? __________________ -lg

05-21-2008, 04:54 PM	#7
SteveA Deceased Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Gilford, NH Posts: 2,311 Thanks: 1,070 Thanked 2,054 Times in 497 Posts	RG... check this out.. maybe we should drill http://www.wthr.com/global/story.asp?s=8348967 Maybe we should drill some test sites... On RattleSnake. Check it out.... Winnigas.com (just kidding.. it's not a real URL.. yet ) $1.00 per Gallon... __________________ "Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in his shoes. That way, if he gets angry he'll be a mile away and barefoot!" unknown

05-22-2008, 11:54 AM	#8
fatlazyless Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 8,768 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 300 Thanked 1,018 Times in 740 Posts	WV gasoline- 3.59/gal At the little, self-serve, credit card only, Waterville Valley gas station down at the bottom of the ski area road, prices were 3.59 for reg and 3.89 for hi-test this morning, Thursday, May 22. Waterville Valley is known as the 'town at the end of the road' and the next closest gas station is the Mobil, about eleven miles away, at exit 28. Methinks the town owned gas station is selling gas either at, or below(?) cost as an incentive for vacationers to visit this very scenic resort town. www.visitwatervillevalley.com __________________ ... down and out, liv'n that Walmart side of the lake!

05-23-2008, 11:32 AM	#10
Rag Top Daze Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Moultonborough Posts: 119 Thanks: 11 Thanked 13 Times in 9 Posts	Any one up to share commute to work? I've been trying to locate someone who wants to ride share my weekday commute from Moultonborough to Laconia. Anyone travel that route? Even if you start out in Center Harbor or Meredith along my way in to Laconia. If so send me a PM and see if we can work something out. __________________ I live for a rag top day

05-27-2008, 10:10 PM	#11
moose tracks Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Loudon, Tennessee, foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains Posts: 283 Thanks: 340 Thanked 41 Times in 33 Posts	Stayed In We stayed at our camp more during the Memorial Day weekend. Normally, we would have driven around to places to see what was going on such as the Weirs, or the Meredith docks for ice cream. We planned one trip to Gilford to include a stop at Fay's, The Wineing Butcher, Hannaford's and Home Goods. The big gas splurge was driving to Castle in the Clouds. Small , but notable, changes in our driving habits this weekend. __________________ Moose Tracks

05-08-2008, 10:11 PM	#1
codeman671 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 3,503 Thanks: 221 Thanked 816 Times in 489 Posts	I have been fairly lucky, my commute is only 7 minutes to work so I do not use a lot commuting, although my gas guzzling H2 eats it up at 12mpg. A recent trip to Georgia, 2300 miles round trip while towing a boat one way cost $1000 in gas. Filling the box truck at work at $4.20+ for diesel is tough, and paying the fuel surcharges (33% this week!) to trucking lines is getting rough. With the added cost of a weekly 45 minute drive to the lake and feeding 3 boats however I will be paying less in gas than I spent in heating oil and electricity this winter heating our house!

05-12-2008, 11:17 PM	#6
Rattlesnake Guy Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 1,254 Thanks: 423 Thanked 366 Times in 175 Posts	There is a gas station in Nashua that closed just a couple of years ago on Canal street. They never took the prices down when they closed the shop. I think it is < $1.00. I cringe every time I drive by and try not to look. I have a simple way for congress to protect us from the evil free market oil companies excessive profits. Make each one of us buy an equivalent ownership in the oil company of our choice that represents our annual usage of gasoline. That way we are all happy when they make a lot and we get it back. Then we send 1/3 to Washington to keep the beast fed. Does anyone really think that Washington dislikes when corporations make a lot of money and have to pay a lot of taxes. They just have to act outraged and do nothing. Oh wait, that's what they do.

05-12-2008, 01:01 PM	#14
tricia1218 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: MA/Paugus Bay Posts: 155 Thanks: 31 Thanked 4 Times in 3 Posts	We have changed our driving habits, by carpooling into work and to the lake. I had planned on buying a newer larger vehicle as we are expecting our first child next month, but have put those plans on hold. We currenlty have smaller more efficient cars that will do for for now. When I purchased my car new about 7 years ago, it cost $13.00 to fill the tank, now about $45.00, there are so many things wrong with why we are paying what we are for gas.