Tips for saving gas (and money) - a positive thread

fatlazyless · 06-21-2008, 06:00 AM

...wow, what a picture...talk about an econo-box...the background looks just like New Hampshire.

Except for the headlights, that car looks like it is somewhat similar in size and design to a Toyota Prius. The Deux Chevaux was first sold in France in 1948, about the same time as the VW bug was first sold in Germany.

If gasoline costs five or six dollars, will the US see a return to vehicles similar to the Deux Chevaux? It was a small, four seat, light weight car with a two cylinder engine and an unusual manual transmission that came out of of the dash board.

fatnoah · 06-24-2008, 02:58 PM

Here's one! Live in a city. My wife, 8 month old son, and I live in downtown Boston. We have one car and put a little less than 10,000 miles a year on it. Our monthly gas budget is $150 for a car that only gets about 22 mpg (actual mileage, not EPA guesstimate).

On any most days the week, there is at least one farmers' market reachable by public transportation so locally grown fresh produce can get gotten without even getting into the car.

We are certainly saving money on gas...but income taxes, not so much!

Gearhead · 06-25-2008, 01:27 PM

Someone around Rochester has a 2CV! I saw someone pull up to an auto parts store as my son and I were walking out. He said that he'd had it for a while. What a wretched mess of engineering. I suppose they could make a hybrid out of it pretty easily: just mount a big key to the trunk and get out and wind it up when you're stopped in traffic.

Here's some real good advice on saving money: Buy a pellet stove and use it all the time in the Winter. Pellets are made here in NH and are renewable. They are also very clean burning and will heat an average house (2,000SF) for about $1,000 a year. The only thing cheaper might be wood, if you don't mind the constant tending and maintenance. The flue pipe on our stove never gets too hot to touch, even when it's going full on. We used our oil furnace exactly one time - the stove ran out of pellets when we were gone - and I ran the furnace for thirty minutes until the house was warm again. Our house was at least seventy degrees all Winter too.

If only I could run my car with pellets...

Dave R · 06-26-2008, 07:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gearhead

Here's some real good advice on saving money: Buy a pellet stove and use it all the time in the Winter.

Don't the pellets take forever to split and stack though?

SIKSUKR · 06-26-2008, 07:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave R

Don't the pellets take forever to split and stack though?

What takes the most time is turning that cordwood into sawdust first and then compressing it into those tiny pellets.Seems like a lot of work.

06-21-2008, 06:00 AM	#1
fatlazyless Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 8,769 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 300 Thanked 1,019 Times in 741 Posts	...wow, what a picture...talk about an econo-box...the background looks just like New Hampshire. Except for the headlights, that car looks like it is somewhat similar in size and design to a Toyota Prius. The Deux Chevaux was first sold in France in 1948, about the same time as the VW bug was first sold in Germany. If gasoline costs five or six dollars, will the US see a return to vehicles similar to the Deux Chevaux? It was a small, four seat, light weight car with a two cylinder engine and an unusual manual transmission that came out of of the dash board. __________________ ... down and out, liv'n that Walmart side of the lake!

06-25-2008, 01:27 PM	#3
Gearhead Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Alton Posts: 166 Thanks: 13 Thanked 19 Times in 8 Posts	Is that the "Green Cricket"? Someone around Rochester has a 2CV! I saw someone pull up to an auto parts store as my son and I were walking out. He said that he'd had it for a while. What a wretched mess of engineering. I suppose they could make a hybrid out of it pretty easily: just mount a big key to the trunk and get out and wind it up when you're stopped in traffic. Here's some real good advice on saving money: Buy a pellet stove and use it all the time in the Winter. Pellets are made here in NH and are renewable. They are also very clean burning and will heat an average house (2,000SF) for about $1,000 a year. The only thing cheaper might be wood, if you don't mind the constant tending and maintenance. The flue pipe on our stove never gets too hot to touch, even when it's going full on. We used our oil furnace exactly one time - the stove ran out of pellets when we were gone - and I ran the furnace for thirty minutes until the house was warm again. Our house was at least seventy degrees all Winter too. If only I could run my car with pellets...

06-24-2008, 02:58 PM	#2
fatnoah Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 37 Thanks: 0 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts	Here's one! Live in a city. My wife, 8 month old son, and I live in downtown Boston. We have one car and put a little less than 10,000 miles a year on it. Our monthly gas budget is $150 for a car that only gets about 22 mpg (actual mileage, not EPA guesstimate). On any most days the week, there is at least one farmers' market reachable by public transportation so locally grown fresh produce can get gotten without even getting into the car. We are certainly saving money on gas...but income taxes, not so much!