Changing because of gas prices?

[jtmarten]

Anyone making major changes due to increasing fuel prices yet?

Last Fall I decided to sell my '02 540i. Was looking for a 97-99 Aurora to replace it, but couldn't find a decent one so I picked up a 96 Bonneville SSEi so I could stop racking up miles on the 540i to preserve it's value (a bit more than 2000/mo). The best I've gotten with the Bonny is 24.5mpg hwy, only averaging 22 for mixed driving, but, it is hard to keep my foot off the pedal with the supercharger!

Just picked up a 95 Talon ESi, non-turbo, 5spd, nice 17"' wheels, in good condition for $1900. Needs tires (found a good used set of Yokahama AS430's w/70% tread for $230 mounted and balanced), a windshield ($160), right side inner and outer tie rods ($50), alignment ($50), and a good cleaning/washing/waxing. Should get around 32mpg hwy.
Bimmer is on her way out #8^( ; buyer working on financing, Bonny will hit craigslist this weekend. I figure I'll save around $100/mo in fuel at the current $3.50/gal.

I know I'll be making fewer trips to the lake this year, but towing 185mi round trip @ 9mpg will be costly @ $3.75-4.00/gal, plus the fuel to run twin 350's! Wish I could get a seasonal slip, but the marina says anything over 24' requires a yearly slip contract.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Changing because of gas prices?

The last time gas shot up we owned an '00 Regal and a Pacifica. My wife and I carpooled and commuted in the Regal. Well the Regal wore out and we couldn't afford to drive the Pacifica 90miles round trip every day when it got 16MPG at best. We traded both cars in on an Impala. That car was a lemon so now we have an '09 Accord. It's a 4 cylinder and gets 30MPG thank god. So this time, our only change has been to perhaps drive the Accord more than the other vehicles. That's the only change I plan on making.

 

[WIMUSKY]

Re: Changing because of gas prices?

My 3/4 ton Dodge doesn't move unless I absolutlely need it. I run around in my beater '99 Intrepid that still gets 30mpg at 220K miles....... Since the wife telecommutes, her Charger just sits in the garage.....

 

[aspeck]

Re: Changing because of gas prices?

Launch ramp is about 8 miles away, work is less than 1/2 mile away, town is about 4 miles away ... just consolidate a few of the trips to town, but not much else to do ... our 15 - 18 mpg vehicles are okay for the short trips, just make fewer trips out of town ...

 

[jtmarten]

Re: Changing because of gas prices?

Launch ramp is about 8 miles away, work is less than 1/2 mile away, town is about 4 miles away ... just consolidate a few of the trips to town, but not much else to do ... our 15 - 18 mpg vehicles are okay for the short trips, just make fewer trips out of town ...

Wow that would be nice.
Launch ramp - 85mi
Work - 28mi
Town - 15mi, or 25mi to the Springs
But, living in the country is well worth it.

 

[Brewman61]

Re: Changing because of gas prices?

Not really. I was going to sell the Suzuki 650, but I may hang onto it to commute. Gets 50+ mpg vs the 30 or so I get in the Avalon.
My daily commute is 40 miles round trip, so taking the bike saves a bit of gas.
Wife drives the tow vehicle, and is lucky to get 16 mpg, short hop commute so mpg is low but miles traveled is too.
Her commute is only 6 miles round trip. She can take the car if I take the bike, saving a minor bit more.
Replacing the Ranger tow vehicle with a 2011 Tacoma as soon as it get delivered. Not expecting significant mpg increase, but we'll see.
Don't intend to decrease boating.

 

[sasto]

Re: Changing because of gas prices?

Here is my new fuel gauge!

 

[QC]

Re: Changing because of gas prices?

Wow that would be nice.
Launch ramp - 85mi
Work - 28mi
Town - 15mi, or 25mi to the Springs
But, living in the country is well worth it.

Launch ramp = 275 and that sucks just getting the Pickup there. Boat lives there. Now we startup at the ramp. Head over to the Bridgewater Channel (Havasu) and beach her

I miss Lake Mead so much I can't stand it. I would have to drive 275 miles to get the boat, tow her 150 miles to get her there. Nowhere to just sit, so I'd burn 35 gallons a day there, and then have to tow her back to either Havasu (150) or home (275 either lake). I don't even want to do that math and does not include Hotels etc . . . And I flippin' used to do that

 

[Fireman431]

Re: Changing because of gas prices?

Launch ramp is 1000' feet away, but I don't have a launchable boat...

My Hummer H2 spends most of it's time parked and I drive the 97' Ford pickup with the V-6 and 5-speed trans.

Boat trips are still on the weekends but I changed my place of anchorage to something a little more closer to home.

We're thinking of stopping feeding the kids to afford more gas for the boat...gotta have priorities, right?

 

[not enuf toys]

Re: Changing because of gas prices?

there are about a dozen lakes within 60 miles oof me including erie and ohio river. gas prices have made me pay attention to which ones i am trailering to for sure

 

[Stachi]

Re: Changing because of gas prices?

Here is my new fuel gauge!

View attachment 89457

I would install that on my boat ! I love it !

 

[nlain]

Re: Changing because of gas prices?

In my case the boat ramp is about 75 feet behind where the boat sits on the trailer, 99% of my boating is done from that point, I do tow at times, these times equal, 3 hours, 7 hours, 4 hours, 5 hours, just depends on where I go, some of that will cease. Now, the wife is now driving my truck, she works less than 10 miles from home, I am 34 miles from home, I drive her car, $60. per week versus $150. per week if I drive the truck. We also do not go anywhere if we do not have to.

 

[642mx]

Re: Changing because of gas prices?

I'm not changing anything yet.... If it gets close to $5/gallon I may do some thinking.

We traded our Lexus (26 mpg) for a new 412 horse Mustang (20 mpg)... I'm not too concerned just yet. My wife and I both work hard and the boat (and the Mustang) is our rewards for putting the long hours in. And lifes too short to not enjoy them....

 

[dingbat]

Re: Changing because of gas prices?

To put things into perspective for us, we spend more a month on cell phones, the land line, cable TV, and Internet than we do on gasoline.

I'll try to consolidate errand type trips as much as possible but I don't have any plans to curtail our normal fuel usage at this time.

The last time the price of fuel went up I bought a bigger boat. This time I?m looking for a nice full size pick-up.

 

[roscoe]

Re: Changing because of gas prices?

"Anyone making major changes due to increasing fuel prices yet?"

Yeah.

The wife has a new primary care physician and a new therapist.
Both of them are 48 miles from home. They replaced the ones that were 5 miles from home. ???

What else? Bought another boat.

Considering moving further from work.

Yeah, I know, its all backwards.

 

[heyttown]

Re: Changing because of gas prices?

I bought a beater car and parked the gas guzzling boat hauler in the durango a few years ago last time gas shot up near $4 a gallon...One thing I have notice lately that im guessing alot of people miss, I have just been programmed for so long to go to every pump and purchase the low grade as gas is expensive enough. While I was in Illinois a couple months ago I stopped at a station and Mid grade was a good 30 cents cheaper then the low grade., then just last night I went to the station near my house,im there at least once a week if not more..And regular low grade was $3.89 a gallon on the road sign..Got up to the pump where you select which grade you want, and noticed mid grade was $3.55 a gallon..I thought it was a bad screen showing the wrong price,so I walked to the next pump and it had the same price also.....Filled up the boat tank and the durango... I almost missed it because Iv fallen into the habit and hitting the low grade being the cheapest. Just something to watch out for next time your at the pump.Im sure it doesnt happen regularly,but it does happen.

 

[WIMUSKY]

Re: Changing because of gas prices?

I bought a beater car and parked the gas guzzling boat hauler in the durango a few years ago last time gas shot up near $4 a gallon...One thing I have notice lately that im guessing alot of people miss, I have just been programmed for so long to go to every pump and purchase the low grade as gas is expensive enough. While I was in Illinois a couple months ago I stopped at a station and Mid grade was a good 30 cents cheaper then the low grade., then just last night I went to the station near my house,im there at least once a week if not more..And regular low grade was $3.89 a gallon on the road sign..Got up to the pump where you select which grade you want, and noticed mid grade was $3.55 a gallon..I thought it was a bad screen showing the wrong price,so I walked to the next pump and it had the same price also.....Filled up the boat tank and the durango... I almost missed it because Iv fallen into the habit and hitting the low grade being the cheapest. Just something to watch out for next time your at the pump.Im sure it doesnt happen regularly,but it does happen.

I've seen that before too. I wonder if the price drop is because they don't sell near enough of the mid grade and it sits in their tanks. They lower the price just to get rid of it so they can freshen up the tank. May be way off base....

 

[bekosh]

Re: Changing because of gas prices?

With gas prices skyrocketing, I did the only reasonable, rational thing. I bought a bigger boat with twin V8's and a generator.

Wait!?!:facepalm:

 

[heyttown]

Re: Changing because of gas prices?

I've seen that before too. I wonder if the price drop is because they don't sell near enough of the mid grade and it sits in their tanks. They lower the price just to get rid of it so they can freshen up the tank. May be way off base....

My friend,Ive thought about that to...but knock on wood, When I have found cheaper then normal gas,Iv not had a problem

 

[hostage]

Re: Changing because of gas prices?

When I drive my MDX I average close to 18mpg. I think I will get my g/f to drive her Toyota Avalon which gets about 23-25mpg average. We use my MDX in the winter because of AWD and better tires, but we need to start using her car since it is more efficient driving it during the summer. My only problem is, I love to drive my MDX. I will not let the higher costs of fuel effect my boating experience. Maybe I'll get more friends to come boating with me and get them to chip in for gas lol. I should get more friends who like water sports and own boats. We can then alternate "boatpooling". If your from Rochester, NY, LMK lol